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Which Light Bar to Choose and How to Install it?


AlabamaDan
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  • 3 weeks later...

I finally had some time to spend installing my lightbar today. It’s not wired up but it is mounted. Wondering around the hardware store today I came across some hinges for a door in the house and thought I might could re-purposed that. Using a saw Zaw I cut off the loops ground off the rough edges and painted it. I think it looks pretty good.

D05C6FC5-516E-423A-A402-77AB86C74433_zpsa0h4eqk1.jpg

Hey trip to Ace Hardware and I was able to spend a few bucks and find some nuts and bolts that worked and here we are.

A82B66C6-9A06-4914-BFE3-ACB042F9AB13_zpsafavxja0.jpg

1A2E8C3B-6DC5-454B-9390-35AAA6A16C09_zps0f4kbhcb.jpg

Now I just need to learn to solder so I can wire up the harness.



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On 10/25/2018 at 8:43 PM, AlabamaDan said:

Since installation Monday, I've been driving the last few days and through the sunroof I can see it vibrating from the wind resistance, but no noise.

Have you thought about doubling up the adapter plates (hinges)? That would make them more rigid and possibly reduce or eliminate the vibration.

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  • 4 weeks later...

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, the light bar came with a wire from the bar that was too short.  I couldn't find a 3-wire covered wire, but I did find a 4-wire with matching wires and one extra green wire.  I ran it down the weather stripping along the windshield.  I could use a little advice getting it seated back in tight.

0E7552E7-0EB7-4A9D-8706-839AC3BBD653_zps

 

The wire came out right in the engine compartment.

C48009E4-68E4-417D-978E-974D2F45E89B_zps

 

 

I just cut the green wire off and didn't use it.  Cost for the wire was about $4.  I had to buy some male spade connectors to connect it, another few bucks there.  I soldered the new wires to the harness, added some electrical tape and a heat shrink.  Plugged right in.

 

C12CDE7B-1E90-4DA1-9B8A-9E8DA0593EB0_zps

 

Then I ran picked back up on the controller harness that came with the light bar.  I ran it along the firewall using the brake lines (I think that's what they are) to the other side of the engine bay.

C07A0D17-5992-4D3E-AE89-37389D638E44_zps

 

I couldn't really find a place to mount it on the firewall.  There were a few threaded holes on the firewall, but a screw that fit them wouldn't go through the holes in the controller.  So, what's a good ol' boy from the south to do?  I zip tied it to something!  :lol:  It's really attached well and if I need to get to whatever that is underneath it, I'll just cut the zip ties.

EB40C940-14CF-4CD2-BB99-A0F4F8CA8F4A_zps

 

I now realize I need a power distribution block, but in the meantime I went ahead straight to the battery.  I added an extra nut rather than compromise the stability of the connection to the battery.  Works well.

84AD7B75-5DEE-476F-9311-E320B1F28B71_zps

 

For the hot wire, I've been going to this fuse box behind the battery.  This is a fused wire.

55A1FE92-95E2-4670-BAEE-5314B8B91EED_zps

 

 

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It was nice to finally have it hooked up.  White light:

318491DB-4142-4EFA-9D83-22E96546811F_zps

 

Amber light (that will match the lower fogs

702A4CCC-1B46-4CB0-8215-D4C54BEDB9B1_zps

 

Back view

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The switch is a wireless fob.  I used one of the black twisty ties and mounted it to the visor.  I originally had it on the passenger visor, but moved it to the drivers visor.

EFE0EC16-BCB2-4680-8225-A073B660A72B_zps

 

 

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Note that the screws that came with the light bar for the mounting are an allen head with a little peg in the middle.

BA436371-C585-4D10-9D45-3ECBA313AA6C_zps

 

So, I saved the special wrench, along with the other two that came with it, in a small zip lock with the instructions.  I'll keep this in the glove box.

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Edited by AlabamaDan
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Test drive.

 

OE headlights

A7D2AEDE-4141-41CB-80C4-6F0FD0A0FC88_zps

 

Just the amber lights, headlights off

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Just the white light, headlights off

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Whitelights and headlights

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I had the lights adjusted much higher earlier and it worked well for the white lights.  They can really throw the light further down the street/trail.  But if I wanted to use the amber lights I needed to aim it lower.

Edited by AlabamaDan
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Wow, that’s alot of functions. I like that it can go all amber or all white. The wireless controller is a handy way of skipping the wiring through the firewall. The amber would be nice for pulling into occupied camping areas without disturbing everybody. It also has very little hood glare from the looks of it. Can you link it again?

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I don't have any hood glare at all.  I thought about the amber for campgrounds as well so as not to blind people as much.  I also thought it would match the OE fogs.  :)  Not sure what you mean by linking again?

 

Edited by AlabamaDan
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Do you have a specific product name or Amazon link for it?


I found it on eBay. My research brought me to the conclusion that a lot of the same ones for the $50-$100 range are all Autofeel. Lots of different sellers and ads, but that same manufacturer.

5EC429D8-BFC6-4D08-9458-4E3A7B2B71AD_zpsgdfgssmr.jpg


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Your fitment looks good. Ima gonna hook up a 50 inch bar soon, figure a 40ish woulda been better but I got toooooo good of a deal to pass it up.

 

 

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Your fitment looks good. Ima gonna hook up a 50 inch bar soon, figure a 40ish woulda been better but I got toooooo good of a deal to pass it up.
 
 
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A 50 may be wider than the truck. Mine is a 42”. It’s about 39” from center to center in the OE rails.


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A 50 may be wider than the truck. Mine is a 42”. It’s about 39” from center to center in the OE rails.


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63012d4c354832d4aaeeb142085b2431.jpg

Rough estimate..... got the bar too cheap to pass up soo I’ll run with it



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  • 1 month later...

I got to do a little riding on back roads tonight.  The light bar is pretty awesome.  I do think I need to modify my mounting brackets because there is a lot of vibration.  I'll address that later.  In the meantime an update on the performance.  Here is a shot of the OEM low beams:

 

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This is the OEM high beams:

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This is the high OEM beams and the yellow lights from the LED bar:

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This is the OEM High beams and the white lights from the OEM bar:

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This is OME high lights, the yellow and white lights from the LED bar:

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Thanks RainGoat.  I'm pleased with it and for $50 you can't beat the improvement.  My OEM lights are so bad I drove right by a state trooper on bright and they didn't do anything.

 

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