LED Light Bar

mfulaytar · Post by **mfulaytar** » Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:41 pm

Just bought a 42" led light bar and I haven't been able to find anything on installing one on an s10 or anything other than a jeep for that matter. Just wondering if anyone has done this?
Thanks

Post by **HenryJ** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 10:03 am

Where do you plan to install it?
I would suggest some experimentation.

I had lights on top, but the glare on the hood is horrible. Sure they are cool looking and at first they seem good. After the rose color glasses come off, not so much.
That said, they can work. You need to mount them far enough back that the shadow created by the top shades the hood and a little forward of the truck. Yes it looks a little funny with them mounted that far back from the windshield, but they work better and function is much more useable.
The next and better option is to mount them below the hood at the front of the vehicle. bumper mounted usually. This gets better long distance range and a better angle.
LED is a flood lighting. Even if it tries to be a spot, it has LOTS of stray lighting. Not nearly as defined as HID or halogen. Keep that in mind.

mfulaytar · Post by **mfulaytar** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:05 pm

Thanks for the insight. I hadn't thought about glare on the. Guess I'll just have to hook it up and mess around with it!

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 1:27 pm

In s10 forum I believe. (I'll find it in a minute and link) it has a thread if people showing where and how they installed them.

Also I'm curious what brand of led bar did you get and if you don't mind how much did it cost thanks.

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:12 pm

Oops zr2forum my bad. But here's the link.

www.zr2usa.com/mboard/index.php?showtopic=53375&page=3

I've wanted to put a led bar on the roof for a while but I'm to afraid to try and fab one my self and no one makes one.

mfulaytar · Post by **mfulaytar** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 3:43 pm

Built2Bend wrote:In s10 forum I believe. (I'll find it in a minute and link) it has a thread if people showing where and how they installed them.

Also I'm curious what brand of led bar did you get and if you don't mind how much did it cost thanks.

got it off amazon! here's the link. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EUU ... UTF8&psc=1
it was $115. im sure that this is no rigid industries light bar, but its still bright as crap. last night i hooked it up to my battery just to see, and i couldnt even tell my high beams were on.

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 4:58 pm

And the quality is good? Wow that's really cheap. I've been looking at Cree light bars but even then there still 200+

Let us know how you decide to mount it.

_STUCKY · Post by **_STUCKY** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:45 pm

I was thinking if I get some, try to put one in between the roof rack rails, try to keep it tucked below the top of the rail. I have a topper, and I pulled a rack off a 2 door blazer to put on the topper. I just picked up some nutserts to use with the stock bolts, I'll grab a pic and the part number tomorrow. They should work for people without roof racks that want to put one on the cab. Mine has a sunroof, so I don't know where a light would fit. Post some pics, that's a great price on a light.

mfulaytar · Post by **mfulaytar** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:47 am

I'll get back to you guys with pictures. Outa town right now and left it at home. The light bar does come with mounts but the problem is that the roof is curved on the edges so the mounts won't sit flush. I was thinking about Putin a blazer roof rack on their and securing it to one of the crossmembers which I have seen someone do. I'll keep you all posted.

_STUCKY · Post by **_STUCKY** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:37 pm

This is a fastenal part number. There very possibly could be a better nutsert. These should work with the stock bolts in the blazer roof racks.

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Mon Jan 19, 2015 7:10 pm

_STUCKY wrote:I was thinking if I get some, try to put one in between the roof rack rails, try to keep it tucked below the top of the rail. I have a topper, and I pulled a rack off a 2 door blazer to put on the topper. I just picked up some nutserts to use with the stock bolts, I'll grab a pic and the part number tomorrow. They should work for people without roof racks that want to put one on the cab. Mine has a sunroof, so I don't know where a light would fit. Post some pics, that's a great price on a light.

The other think I Thot of is trying to find an already existing bracket that I can bolt to a roof rack bow or maybe the outer edges that will position an led bar in front of the roof rack just off the top of the cab. Now I've yet to install a roof rack I'm waiting to my local pick in pull to get a bravada in but do you thing the bows or very front edge of roof racks (where they bolt to the roof) are thick enof to drill and tap for install of a bracket to then go to an led bar?

I don't know I feel like I'm way over complicating this.

But I really don't want an led bar to stick up very high of the roof and look dumb.

mfulaytar · Post by **mfulaytar** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 9:03 am

@Built2Bend ive seen led bars secure to roof racks on blazers and it looked okay. ill try to find a picture. this is exactly what i was thinking of doing.

mfulaytar · Post by **mfulaytar** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 9:33 am

im not sure how this guy did it but i dont really like it

this guy secured to a crossmember on his roof rack. im not sure how.

this guy used the rough country light bar mount for an 07 silverado. i think he said he had to bend the brackets a little

i got all these off instagram. there's some good accounts on there that only post s10 and blazer pics. i will probably end up putting a blazer roof rack on there and doing it like the second picture, or try to make the rough country mounts work. cant really decide the best way to go. what do you guys think?

_STUCKY · Post by **_STUCKY** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 3:23 pm

The roof rack that went on the crews stock was, as far as I know, a cut down 2 door blazer roof rack. Maybe Brule will chime in on what he used. I think he has a thread somewhere around here on it.

I don't really like the way the blue and pewter s10's did that, looks to me like a tree branch catcher. The red one looks alright, other than its kinda high. I'm sure it's hard to keep it low.

Do you want some pics and measurements of the roof rack? Sitting on a flat surface, what are the dimensions of the light(LxWxH)?

I came across a pic lastnight of a newer fullsize chevy with 2 LEDs mounted behind the grill. I haven't looked to see how much room we have to do something like that.

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 4:19 pm

Ya those are great. I'm not in Instagraham. But I don't like how high the red one is if I did it like that I'd mount it level with that bow and sit in front of it. If that makes any sence. But I like that pewter one most. Maybe if I could get a bent type led bar tho it would fit closer to the top of the windshield.
And I think the blue one is to far infront of the windshield.

But I think I'm gonna go the 07 mount style like the pewter one. But see if I can get a bent one to fit.
The grille idea would be easier. But I don't want to block air flow and I really like the looks of the roof mounts.

And mfulaytar. If you like the red one I've seen led bar mounts that are kinda like a u bolt ment to wrap around a tube and then the threaded end just bolts to the bracket that then bolts to the led bar. I'll try and find you a picture. And link. But if you just use bolts instead of "u" bolts. Or idk the with of the roof rack bows they might bolt right on with some small square end u bolts.

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 4:54 pm

Here's one I found not quite like I explained but this could work even better.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/191195272941?_mwBanner=1

I'm not sure how the s series roof racks are but this is a great idea. And could possibly work.
http://www.purefjcruiser.com/light-bars ... 9279d62810

And last untitled I saw that pewter one you posted I was gonna take my chances with this.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Bumpers-Tire ... 2fFF0950LR

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 4:59 pm

Also one more this looks like it could be mounted any where.
http://bumpersuperstore.com/i-19200550- ... oC1yjw_wcB

Post by **HenryJ** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 9:44 pm

_STUCKY wrote:The roof rack that went on the crews stock was, as far as I know, a cut down 2 door blazer roof rack. Maybe Brule will chime in on what he used. I think he has a thread somewhere around here on it. ...

I believe you are right. I used a Bravada rack on my S-10. The Avalanche got a Suburban rack. I sent Chris a Blazer rack to cut down for his ZR2 truck.

More ideas: EP forum thread - LED Light Bars; Post Up Pics

mfulaytar · Post by **mfulaytar** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:40 am

If I'm not mistaken there's a thread on here where someone took a rack off a 98 blazer and said it went right on without modification. Can't remember who it was....

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:20 pm

mfulaytar wrote:If I'm not mistaken there's a thread on here where someone took a rack off a 98 blazer and said it went right on without modification. Can't remember who it was....

I think I read that also. But I was told it's easy to cut them down. So it shouldent matter to much.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=470&p=96309&hilit=2 ... ack#p96309

Lonewolf04 in this thread said he used a 2 and didn't have to cut.
But it's possible chevy cut the zr5s down a couple inches even tho it didn't need to be

_STUCKY · Post by **_STUCKY** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:27 pm

The second gen 2 door rack is the one you want. I'll try to get pics tomorrow. I've been meaning to bring it home so I can mount it to the topper.

_STUCKY · Post by **_STUCKY** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 12:35 pm

So when I pulled the one I have, I looked pretty hard at one off a 99 bravada. It was different than what I had so didn't take it. I assumed all 4 door second gens had the same one. However, I'm looking at an 02 4 door blazer and it is the same as my crew, just longer. So I'd think it would be safe to say that if you want a stock style roof rack, you just need to see what is available on craigslist or your local junkyard. I wouldn't pay very much for one, they are very common.

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:06 pm

Now I'm gonna share an idea I had what if I take the 07 silverado like the above picture and weld a rolled piece of tubing to if that will match the curve of the windshield then cut the mount down to fit the bar better and trim it up so it looks clean. And mount 10 of these cubes to it. It would be diferent. And I can adjust the cubes where ever I want or need. What do you guys think? Am I missing a potental problem?

http://www.addictivedesertdesigns.com/r ... nch-mount/

mfulaytar · Post by **mfulaytar** » Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:31 am

buit2bend, that sounds like it would be awesome. just gotta do it right so it wont look like crap. if you're referring to the rough country mounts, be careful when you go to weld them because they are expensive (like $70 a set)

Built2Bend · Post by **Built2Bend** » Tue Jan 27, 2015 6:43 pm

Ya I will have a friend do the welding (I can only half a** stick weld). But this way there's no worry of finding a led bar to fit the distance. And I can use some as ditch light adjust some closer to truck or farther out. Exc exc.

And the rough country brackets are cheaper than most but still expensive at 70. Tho some are. 150-200

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