Custom roof rack light bar mount?

[Matthew Jeschke]

I want to mount my 42" curved lightbar at the front of my roof rack. I see some people attach them to the rails further back, however I want mine at the front. Anybody know if there is a custom mount for z71 roof rack, one that might tie into roof bolts and all that to mount the light bar. and or have any good ideas to make one?

I set on my roof and took a few shots with rough location I'd like bar in.

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[Sam Harris]

I want to mount my 42" curved lightbar at the front of my roof rack. I see some people attach them to the rails further back, however I want mine at the front. Anybody know if there is a custom mount for z71 roof rack, one that might tie into roof bolts and all that to mount the light bar. and or have any good ideas to make one?

I set on my roof and took a few shots with rough location I'd like bar in.

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I like the location. I’m sure you’ll get some good feedback shortly. [emoji106]

 

[Scotty54]

I think the roof in front of the bar will block the beam significantly. As you elevate the bar you allow the projected light beam to light up the area closer to your Tahoe front end.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

I think the roof in front of the bar will block the beam significantly. As you elevate the bar you allow the projected light beam to light up the area closer to your Tahoe front end.

it is prooving a PITA to mock up a mount haha.. I really want it towards front of roof rack but there are no mounting pts up there. I may have to suspend it up higher and further back

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[Matthew Jeschke]

I toyed around with the front mounting position (picture below). This is BY far my favorite location (just a bit higher off the roof). I cut multiple patterns from cardboard but honestly, I have no fabrication skills and don't know how to translate those into a sturdy metal solution

I think for now I'll just have to attach to the top of the front brace for the roof rack. Unless anybody else knows a slick and easy way to fab something up to mount it at front of roof rack?

I'm working up a wiring solution as well HERE

 

[BugginOut]

I love the location, and love how flush it is vs sticking up! Something I've been wanting to tackle as well. Could you show a shot at night with just the light bar on to see how well it illuminates? Does it throw a shadow due to the roof line?

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

I just set it there to see how it would look. It needs raised up a couple inched, if ever I figure out how to make mounting brackets. There is no easy way to mount it there.

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[Matthew Jeschke]

I am super DUMB I figured out a no brainier easy way to mount the light bar. I just need to get a couple sticks of metal and brace them to the roof rack, they would stick out to the area of front where I want the light bar and light bar would bolt in there.

I'm going to prototype with wood then buy metal and possibly build a roof rack setup that integrates the light bar as such. I need to figure out a couple things though:

1. Does anybody sell a bracket that clams to the roof rack cross braces? Or perhaps into the roof rack tracks?
2. Where can I get a right angle light bar mount? I've got a curved 40" light bar. I bought from amazon warehouse, however the mounting brackets were missing :|

Video of what I'm starting to rig up:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CNtcofUS-4Nw6Cj3F1-gaqODFYOdXDh-/view?usp=sharing

 

[Crcz71]

I put some pics up before and I thought I made a thread but I can’t find it. Anyways I have a straight bar on mine and used the curved 52” mounting brackets got them off amazon. Made a backing plate and drilled into my roof rack caps and bolted the light bar brackets to the caps with the backing plate then reinstalled the caps and installed the light bar. It sits about 1” off the roof right behind the sunroof.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

I will have to look for that post. I think the site's search eent doen a few months ago blowing out indexes to old posts, so have to use google to search the site.

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[Matthew Jeschke]

I found your old post love it!

I found a gd compramise though, they make magnetic mounts. I am going to play with those for now

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[Crcz71]

Good deal

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

magnetic mounts in... sigh they dont work on roof as the light bar is too wide and the roof creases interfere

will have to test on hood haha

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[Matthew Jeschke]

I have been SUPER nervous about cutting a hole in the roof to run electrical up for the light bar. However, after watching this, I'm convinced this is the way to go. The dude got some seal for running electrical on a boat. I just need to find one small enough to hide under the front trim for the roof rack. Then I hope to run wires back to the rails in the roof rack. I think I may expand on the electrical to have (1) USB power for say a gopro (2) wires to run power back down from a solar setup so I can have power to charge things when I'm camping.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

I found out all it is called is a waterproof cable gland. That company makes really high end ones. I would buy one but sorted right now as they require drilling more than one hole.

Some of these other ones only need one hole but are plastic. hrm.... who has worked with these before?

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[geekdownrange]

I used "Liquidtite" conduit and fittings to pass through the roof of a past truck. The fittings have O-rings on the outside and a wide washer on the inside to seal things well. There were a total of 4 penetrations for power, control, and RF cables. I had zero leaks over about 8 years I owned the truck.

Extra steps I took:

• Chassis punches instead of drilling through the sheet metal.
• A very thin coat of something RTV-like under the washer inside. (No, I don't recall exactly what I used)
• Gland openings facing towards the rear.
• One cable per gland. Otherwise sealing is compromised.

I found out all it is called is a waterproof cable gland. That company makes really high end ones. I would buy one but sorted right now as they require drilling more than one hole.

Some of these other ones only need one hole but are plastic. hrm.... who has worked with these before?

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