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Rooftop LED Lightbar Project....90% COMPLETE!!!

badmix

badmix

1/2 ton status
Joined
Nov 7, 2004
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West Virginia
This has been an idea for many years now, just getting around to it, lol.

First order was to get a roof rack rail, this will allow my lightbar and roof rack attachments to be modular. I can take it all off for a clean look or add what I need, with all the cross bars removed, you cant hardly see the rails from ground level.

Mocked up cab over roof rack components.....



Sanded and repainted roof (rolled on some rustoleum) and perma mounted the rails.




And then headed over to my buddies one car garage machine shop.



Got one side done.




More pics coming...................

Here is mock up of bracket and lightbar, I still need to get base plate welded to bracket in pic.




I want to thank SideTracked for the use 40" lightbar. :D
 
Thanks,

got 90% wiring done, switch is in, relay all wired up. Just need to run one more ground from the roof to engine bay.

Have to make another base plate, want to add an extra mounting hole, so I need a longer base plate, should have that made by tomorrow and then off to Fab shop to get welded, I figure ill either just paint it for now, leave it raw or powder coat it. Im sure ill end up powder coating it to last longer etc.


The one concern I have is the light bar rotating on the mounting bolt, its like a pivot point, I plan to tighten it down good and maybe use blue locktite. Im not using the factory mount which has a knurled part that matches up to the knurled part on the lightbar itself, almost like teeth on a gear. My bracket is just smooth, nothing to grab the lightbar with.

Once the lightbar is in position, I may be able to put a couple small roll pin stoppers on the bracket that would go towards top and bottom of lightbar to act as stops, so it doesnt pivot, dunno yet.
 
Make sure you lay a straight edge on the windshield and mount the bar behind that plane, otherwise you'll get a bad glare on the glass and it'll be worthless.

I know you said you're still thinking about it but you're definitely going to want some type of very positive locking mechanism to keep it from rotating. I don't think loc-tite is going to cut it in the long run.
 
As always simple is better. Make a small plate in a c pattern that fits around the rear of the light bar and bolt it through the hole directly to the rear of the bar.

Or cut the ends off the bracket it came with and sandwhich it inside the new mounts. Cutting and bending it to provide anti-rotation against the new ones you made.
 
That first idea will work, the 2nd one wont, everything is lined up (roof rack rails, light bar and mounts)
 
Perfect, cut two c's that fit the rear of the light. Mount it all up. Once its adjusted how you want it, mark and drill the lock holes. Might even need to double duty that bolt by adding a small piece if angle to the outside and mounting an antenna there also.
 
I still need to adjust the lightbar. where you see it shining is where I mounted it up during the day, there was no reference point. If I angle up a tad, itll clear the hood more, but honestly, it only glared on the outer part of the hood and I hardly noticed it, but boy does it LIGHT up the road and area. holy crap this is bright. In contrast, I drove home with it off and just used regular headlights (obviously), they seemed like candles compared to that lightbar. Even my LED Pods didnt seem like much compared to this thing. lol.

There was ZERO glare on my windshield, I do have the option of moving the lightbar back some, but not any more forward. I think if I adjust it up just a tad, itll throw light further and off the hood more.

Night shots..........

First shot is the road I was on. only one wimpy street light and you can see the sun setting in the background, it was pretty dark out already.



From drivers seat...



From roof beside lightbar





Money shot. lol




**Bonus pic - here was my truck months ago when I posted up about the LED pods I won, this pic is LED pods, 2 KC 8" long range lights and all 4 headlights. Just thought it would be a nice comparison. lol

 
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All that light on the hood is the main reason I mounted mine back several inches. Hood doesn't light up at all and no glare back at me.
 
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