[koolkatken83]

I'm still working on finding a big drill bit that'll fit my little drill.

What size is your drill?

 

[TK jeep]

mount them to the grill here is the kit as long as the grill slots and post are the same size thy will fit i believe all jeep grill slots and bars are the same size(I think)
http://www.quadratec.com/products/12110_201.htm

 

[heckler]

mount them to the grill here is the kit as long as the grill slots and post are the same size thy will fit i believe all jeep grill slots and bars are the same size(I think)
http://www.quadratec.com/products/12110_201.htm

Good find, but not close enough!

This bracket passes under the JK grill. The MK grill is one piece with the bumper plastic, and you'd have to put a pretty big hole in it to fit the bracket through.

http://www.quadratec.com/Assets/Installation/110688.pdf

 

[heckler]

What size is your drill?

3/8" drill - I need a 13.5 mm drillbit (1/2"). Gotta find a 1/2" bit that fits a 3/8" drill

 

[heckler]

so, I got my drill, cut a pilot hole and then a 13.5 mm hole into the steel bumper through the plastic (which is almost 1/8" thick!). I then carved a 1" hole into the plastic bumper for a spacer to fit.

The rivnuts are going in tomorrow, and I'll be using a 1" OD X 1" tall machined cylinder with a hole in the centre to space the light up and above the plastic bumper.

Nvan08, if you're in North Van, you're welcome to drop by to check it out tomorrow (8/20) before I install the lights. It took about an hour, but a month of prep work getting the right tools and parts. Drop me a PM.

 

[UA_who]

Sounds like you're finally getting close Heckler.

Can't wait to see the pics.

 

[Kahbrohn]

Heckler... You getting pic's on all of this?

(Please say yesssssssssssssss...)

 

[heckler]

yesssssssssssssssss...

success. Now I just need some eyelets for my ground wires and I'm done. goodnight for now.

 

[heckler]

Well, it started with the switches into the dash. Simply cut a hole with a knife. That's the nice part about a vehicle that's 98% plastic. I wired the ground of the switch lights into the ground wire for the lighter.

Then some wires. I ran them through the driver side fender over the wheel and through the grommet in the A pillar. Up the A-pillar through the foam that's in there (push with a steel wire) and then underneath the plastic moulding on the inside into the dash.

Then the relays, mounted into the front end over the drivers headlight ( I still need another sheet metal screw to mount the second relay)

 

[heckler]

Then I swapped out my old square roof lights for new Procomp 55's, a 4" fog light (fluted so the beam is wide)

And added some aux reverse lights to the roof rack, with the relay mounted inside the rear light assembly and wired to the reverse lights. The aux lights come on automatically with the reverse lights. They are KC 26 series Kind of pricey at $130 (C) for the set with wiring.

 

[heckler]

Now, the bumper lights...

Drill

Cut

Insert Rivnut (see above)

Install spacer (1" tall)

Install lights

Badaboom

 

[heckler]

The results:

Headlights only

Highbeams only

Highbeams and bumper lights

Highbeams, bumpers and roof

reverse lights

 

[heckler]

I present Project Abyss

from the rear

 

[heckler]

I did run into a minor setback (which drove me up the wall for an hour), in that my white spacer wasn't in line with the threaded insert because I cut the bumper hole slightly in the wrong place. This resulted in me forcing the bolt in and cross threading it and seizing so it couldn't be tightened. The threaded insert started spinning in the bumper because the bolt was seized. I couldn't tighten or loosen it.

If you use these threaded inserts, take care that the bolt threads in nicely by hand! Don't force anything.

I had to cut off the bolt head, destroy the top flange of the threaded insert and push it inside the bumper, then fish it out the side of the bumper. PITA, but after an hour I got it and replaced it, and cut the hole in the plastic a little larger.

 

[UA_who]

Nice write up Heckler.
And that, um, should be enough light for offroading.

One question: Do the backup lights come on in reverse always? or only when you have a switch on?

 

[Tyler-98-W68]

Damnit Heckler that just looks impressiveepper:


So now the only thing you need to do now, is the backup light mod like me!

 

[heckler]

there's no switch on the reverse lights. Always automatic.

 

[koolkatken83]

Great write up. Looks like you had things very well planned out. When do you plan on using all of the lights? Do you offroad a lot at night? What was your reason for the angle of the rear light? All in all looks great!

 

[heckler]

I'll never use all at the same time,unless I want to blind a campfire in the woods or something.

Because of the 4 bikes on the back, I've lowered my headlights so I don't get flashed all the time on the highway at night. Thus, my highbeams are also lower and not as effective as they should be. Therefore - bumper lights to augment the high beams.

The reverse and roof lights would be the only ones needed for offroad. The roofs light up the sides quite well.

The silly angle on the reverse lights was to aim the beam to the side. They'd be more effective mounted low on the rear bumper, but there isn't space for them on the top of the bumper, and my bikes would likely knock them there. Under the bumper isn't an option, as they'll get torn off. The hitch would have been the only solid place to mount them under the bumper, and I regularily scrape my hitch in the dirt.

 

[todde702]

OH MAN! I loved this scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Those spaceships zipping around with their bright lights and...oh wait...is that a Jeep?