Author Topic: Renegade Light Bar Installed (Read 4895 times)

BooomerX · « **on:** December 23, 2010, 08:37:05 PM »

I can get my hands on a roof light bar off a 04 or 05 Jeep Liberty Renegade cheap. What is your opinion on how it would look on a Avalanche? I would like to mount it on top of the center sails instead of right above the windshield anybody got pics of this being done anywhere on an Avy's roof?

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #1 on:** December 23, 2010, 08:55:59 PM »

Can you find an Internet pix of it? I can't imagine what it looks like and I'm on my phone right now.

BooomerX · « **Reply #2 on:** December 23, 2010, 09:19:06 PM »

Yeah me too and it's almost impossible to add pics or a link to a post from my "semi smart phone". There's a thread about it over at another site but it's kind of old. It's a good looking factory light bar and would match the cladding. I'm suprised there hasn't been more people thinking of using one of these unless it's the cost. About $400 new $200 and up used but I can get this one cheap.

Enkei · « **Reply #3 on:** December 23, 2010, 09:19:45 PM »

I think I remember a few people have used them on the Av's..

bluedevil · « **Reply #4 on:** December 24, 2010, 08:04:15 AM »

Interesting....

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #5 on:** December 24, 2010, 08:07:55 AM »

There's a few on eBay for under $200. I don't like the pix of them though. They don't quite look the same.

moosc · « **Reply #6 on:** December 24, 2010, 11:52:49 AM »

Like this one from sema Z71Plus.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

BooomerX · « **Reply #7 on:** December 24, 2010, 01:07:43 PM »

Here's some pics I found from CAFCNA

I'm wanting to put it on the sails like the pic Moosc sent but I've got a roof rack so I don't know yet if it will look good there or not, but I can get it cheap compared to what I've seen on ebay. If I don't like it I can easily sell it and get my money back. New one on ebay now is $620 and one replacement light is $135. I can get this complete one for under $100.

moosc · « **Reply #8 on:** December 24, 2010, 01:56:27 PM »

Also have to remember light output will not be that good sitting that far back. This was discussed when that Z71Plus showed up elsewhere.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

bluedevil · « **Reply #9 on:** December 28, 2010, 11:35:50 PM »

Yeah! I dig it. They look cool.

BooomerX · « **Reply #10 on:** December 29, 2010, 07:32:55 AM »

I'm supposed to pull this thing off the Jeep tomorrow on my 1/2 day off if the weather holds. It will be a little while before I can attemp to install it on the Avalanche. I don't think it will fit through the basement garage door with the light bar and the carport is a little drafty this time of year. I'll test fit it and see if it looks like it will work the way I want it, if not it will be up for sale.

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #11 on:** December 29, 2010, 08:16:39 AM »

Quote from: BooomerX on December 29, 2010, 07:32:55 AM

I'm supposed to pull this thing off the Jeep tomorrow on my 1/2 day off if the weather holds. It will be a little while before I can attemp to install it on the Avalanche. I don't think it will fit through the basement garage door with the light bar and the carport is a little drafty this time of year. I'll test fit it and see if it looks like it will work the way I want it, if not it will be up for sale.

We'll be patiently waiting. I understand about being a little cold to work on things at the moment. Something about having to shovel snow also.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
WELL,,,,,ARE YA DONE YET?

BooomerX · « **Reply #12 on:** December 29, 2010, 08:40:22 AM »

Yeah right!
Shoveling snow at 3:30 am is for the @#$%^ birds. I 40 from Tennessee to near my house was still only one lane each way passable last night.
If everything works out I'll try to get a pic or two of the test fit when I get the Avy where it's a shiny white.

concepthomes1 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 29, 2010, 01:36:44 PM »

Hey Booomer, If you don't like the fit or put it back up for sale, let me know. I've been really itching to install some additional lights on my AV.

moosc · « **Reply #14 on:** December 29, 2010, 03:43:37 PM »

Calling for 65 in nc nice weather for modding

Sent from DroidX running DarkSlide4.1

BooomerX · « **Reply #15 on:** December 29, 2010, 04:16:02 PM »

The Mrs. got me a pair of the Recon Big Rig Amber LED bars for Christmas to go under the doors. So those are on the MOD list. I think I will wire them to work as puddle lights and as side turn signals only. That way they aren't on all the time at night. Concept I will let you know first if I don't like the roof lights. I'm hoping to see 60 deg while I'm off but it only looks like we get the 50's.

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #16 on:** December 29, 2010, 04:43:58 PM »

Quote from: BooomerX on December 29, 2010, 04:16:02 PM

The Mrs. got me a pair of the Recon Big Rig Amber LED bars for Christmas to go under the doors. So those are on the MOD list. I think I will wire them to work as puddle lights and as side turn signals only. That way they aren't on all the time at night. Concept I will let you know first if I don't like the roof lights. I'm hoping to see 60 deg while I'm off but it only looks like we get the 50's.

Tie them into the reverse lights instead of the puddle lamps. People will know when you're backing up and they'll still come on with the puddle lamps. One mod I've thought of doing and just haven't done it.

BooomerX · « **Reply #17 on:** December 29, 2010, 06:11:30 PM »

Quote from: oHIobellboy on December 29, 2010, 04:43:58 PM

Tie them into the reverse lights instead of the puddle lamps. People will know when you're backing up and they'll still come on with the puddle lamps. One mod I've thought of doing and just haven't done it.

Mine didn't come with the puddle lights in the mirrors. I was going to use the wire you used to do your foot well lights as mine don't have those added yet either.

BooomerX · « **Reply #18 on:** December 30, 2010, 02:45:09 PM »

Got it off and couldn't wait to see how it would look
1st two are on the sails where I thought I wanted

Looks better from the rear but I don't think I want it here.

BooomerX · « **Reply #19 on:** December 30, 2010, 02:49:09 PM »

Here it is above the windshield

I think I'm leaning towards putting it here but will have to get creative where to run the wires.

BooomerX · « **Reply #20 on:** December 30, 2010, 02:52:27 PM »

Last position I tried for now on the rear of the roof rack.

bluedevil · « **Reply #21 on:** December 30, 2010, 05:31:30 PM »

Looking good. I like that! Too bad the light output on the sails will be upwards.

I'd do the front

Too cool.

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #22 on:** December 30, 2010, 05:34:10 PM »

Is there covers on the lights now? Might want to pull them off and see if that makes a difference on the overall picture of things. So far my vote is for the front.

BooomerX · « **Reply #23 on:** December 30, 2010, 07:45:29 PM »

This was the first one I've seen with the covers. The piece I used for the test fit is actually the shell for the lights and bar. There's four Hella 55w lights mounted to the base and they all are adjustable.This thing was attached to the jeep with 4 studs through the roof and about eight strips of 3M molding tape. I still may try to make a bracket that will attach to the screws that hold the top sail panel on and then attach the bar to that raising them up and pointing straight ahead. If I decide to mount it to the sails. That way I can run wiring through the sail panel cladding joints. The base would sit level with the top of the roof rack cross bar. I don't want to drill any holes in the roof and wonder if I cover the mounting base with the 3M automotive tape and just use that to attach the bar to the roof if it will hold. I had to really pry to get the bar off the Liberty with just the eight small strips of tape holding. Does anybody know if the factory roof rack on the Avalanche bolts through the roof and would I be able to get the wiring through there with out too much trouble. The guy almost backed out on the deal and told me he realized he priced it too low after looking on the internet. I played dumb and told him I had been looking for one for a while in the local junkyards and this was the first one I had seen. He let me have it for what he quoted me.

BnGBleeder · « **Reply #24 on:** December 31, 2010, 08:31:10 AM »

They look SWEEEET on the front!! Gonna have to keep an eye out for those at a decent price...

HenryJ · « **Reply #25 on:** January 01, 2011, 12:12:47 AM »

Wire them up to a temporary battery source and try them at night.

I thought that lights up top would be a great addition, but changed my mind due to the glare on the hood and windshield. I was able to add shields to the lower part of the lights that shadowed the hood, but in the end I did not use them much.

My guess is that back 12" or more from the windshield will shade the hood enough to be less annoying.

I think they look cool, but I'm worried about them being "functional" light. My gut says go with your first instinct and mount them to the sail panels.

BooomerX · « **Reply #26 on:** January 01, 2011, 10:06:49 AM »

Once the weather breaks here from cold, snow, and rain I am going to temp hook them up so I can see where they will look the best and function. I think I can blend them into the front roof rack ends for maybe a cleaner look. I really wish they would have pointed straight ahead on the sails instead of up. I think They will sit too high if I use brackets to level them on the sails.

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #27 on:** January 01, 2011, 10:10:05 AM »

Quote from: BooomerX on January 01, 2011, 10:06:49 AM

Once the weather breaks here from cold, snow, and rain I am going to temp hook them up so I can see where they will look the best and function. I think I can blend them into the front roof rack ends for maybe a cleaner look. I really wish they would have pointed straight ahead on the sails instead of up. I think They will sit too high if I use brackets to level them on the sails.

What about building some kind of a wedge to keep the front of the light bar flush with the sail and just raising the back?

BooomerX · « **Reply #28 on:** January 01, 2011, 10:21:02 AM »

I was thinking about that when I tried them on the sail s first. I may have to make a trip to the machine shop at the community college to see if they can CNC me some aluminum wedge blocks. I'm going to try wood for a second trial on the sails before I give up there.

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #29 on:** January 01, 2011, 10:30:38 AM »

Quote from: BooomerX on January 01, 2011, 10:21:02 AM

I was thinking about that when I tried them on the sail s first. I may have to make a trip to the machine shop at the community college to see if they can CNC me some aluminum wedge blocks. I'm going to try wood for a second trial on the sails before I give up there.

You can try a mock up with some cardboard also just to see if you get the angle you want. Might be faster.

BooomerX · « **Reply #30 on:** January 01, 2011, 03:42:15 PM »

Hit on another idea to mount them on the sails while out today. I noticed several cars that had trunk spoilers that look like would make a perfect mount with very little modding. Looks like a trip to a few junk yards will be in store if my mock up mount works on the sails.

This may be my answer to mount the light bar on the sail....Sport wing for the Avalanche.

Saw it on Ski Editions pics in the roof rack thread, now if I can find one cheap enough.

BooomerX · « **Reply #31 on:** January 03, 2011, 06:46:33 PM »

Had time to do a mock up on the sails again today and I don't think the light bar will work there even if I was to try a sport wing. It doesn't look right with the roof rack sitting in front of the lights. The best place with the roof rack is with the lights in front. I'm still not wanting to drill more holes in the roof. Does anybody think the 3M auto tape covering the entire base will be enough to hold the light bar? The base is about eight inches wide and about fifty-five inches across. That's a lot of surface area for the 3M tape.

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #32 on:** January 03, 2011, 07:30:41 PM »

I don't know if I'd trust tape the whole way across. How heavy is the light bar with the lights in it? How are they mounted to the Libertys?

BooomerX · « **Reply #33 on:** January 03, 2011, 08:43:27 PM »

It weighs maybe 6 to 8 pounds at most. The Liberty had six studs sticking up through the roof and 8 small pieces of 3M tape around the edges about 2 inches long. It took two screw drivers and a bunch of prying to get it up off the roof. I was considering covering the entire bottom of the mounting base with the tape because I would have such a large surface area to bond to. If it doesn't look like it will hold up over time I can still add the nut inserts to the roof without removing the base. I just hate punching more holes in the roof.

Here's a few pics where I decided it will go and with the covers off.

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #34 on:** January 03, 2011, 09:08:49 PM »

get a couple of closer pix of the sides and the back of it sitting up there when you get the chance. I'm curious as to how well it mates up to the roof line.

BooomerX · « **Reply #35 on:** January 03, 2011, 09:19:10 PM »

If I push it 3 inches forward it fits flush but I have no choice but to punch a hole for the wiring. Where it sits at now I will have to Dremmel the base and back edge of the cover to contour with the two roof ribs that extend just past the roof rack. If I put it here I can run the wiring through the roof rack out the back and down through the sail cladding joint and it not be very noticeable. If the light bar was 2 inches wider it would fit right in over the front ends of the roof rack.

MyBigToy · « **Reply #36 on:** January 03, 2011, 09:35:48 PM »

Put them on the top of the sail panels at the rear, facing rearward - you'll have one he!! of a set of backup lights!

BooomerX · « **Reply #37 on:** January 03, 2011, 09:50:50 PM »

Quote from: MyBigToy on January 03, 2011, 09:35:48 PM

Put them on the top of the sail panels at the rear, facing rearward - you'll have one he!! of a set of backup lights!

Put amber bulbs in the outboard lights and red ones in the two middle ones and have serious 3rd brake light and turn signal bar.

Main One · « **Reply #38 on:** January 04, 2011, 08:02:48 PM »

Maybe some epoxy or other type of adhesive might work better than the 3M tape???

BooomerX · « **Reply #39 on:** January 04, 2011, 09:05:22 PM »

I'll get a pic tomorrow of the bottom of the base and maybe y'all can let me know if it looks like there's enough surface area to use the tape.

bluedevil · « **Reply #40 on:** January 04, 2011, 09:26:18 PM »

Double sided 3m tape its pretty good stuff. I use it on my slick kit and mirror covers.

http://www.autogeek.net/3m-auto-tape.html

BooomerX · « **Reply #41 on:** January 05, 2011, 12:36:19 PM »

Here's a couple shots of the base. I think there's enough surface area if I cover the whole base with the 3M tape to hold it without having to drill holes and bolt it down. Probably going to have to wait until the weather warms up quite a bit before I to try to install the bar to give the tape the best bond.

BooomerX · « **Reply #42 on:** February 24, 2011, 02:20:39 PM »

Had a few days and some time to work on the bar today trying to pin down final mounting point. I ended up having to grind the bar in a couple places to get to fit where I wanted it. It still had about a 1/8 inch gap to the roof at the sides towards the rear. I found a couple pieces of leftover door edge guard and filled the gap. I went to Advance and picked up a big roll of the black edge guard to put on the edges of the outer shell to seal everything up except where the two roof ribs run under the cover. Now if the weather will be nice again on my days off I'll try to get it installed. I need 2 or 3 days above 60 deg for the 3M tape to set.
A few pics:

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #43 on:** February 24, 2011, 02:22:40 PM »

Looks like you got it to sit pretty flush on there.

bluedevil · « **Reply #44 on:** February 24, 2011, 02:40:02 PM »

I like that! Looks very cool man!

BooomerX · « **Reply #45 on:** February 24, 2011, 02:52:15 PM »

I think I'm going to use the Krylon Fusion to put a clean finish on the outer shell. I has some fading from being out in the weather (junk yard) for a couple years. Also thinking about putting one of these on each of the black light covers, what do ya think?

bluedevil · « **Reply #46 on:** February 24, 2011, 04:41:56 PM »

Quote from: BooomerX on February 24, 2011, 02:52:15 PM

I think I'm going to use the Krylon Fusion to put a clean finish on the outer shell. I has some fading from being out in the weather (junk yard) for a couple years. Also thinking about putting one of these on each of the black light covers, what do ya think?

Not bad. also bowties or z71 maybe?

oHIobellboy · « **Reply #47 on:** February 24, 2011, 04:44:16 PM »

Quote from: BooomerX on February 24, 2011, 02:52:15 PM

I think I'm going to use the Krylon Fusion to put a clean finish on the outer shell. I has some fading from being out in the weather (junk yard) for a couple years. Also thinking about putting one of these on each of the black light covers, what do ya think?

I bet some Refinish Restorer would make that look new again.

BooomerX · « **Reply #48 on:** March 20, 2011, 07:28:05 PM »

The weather was nice enough for me to get the light bar installed today. I still need to wire it, hopefully tomorrow. I did a little artwork to make look like it belonged to an Avalanche instead of a Jeep. It fit pretty good where I ended up putting it. I think I'll run the wiring down the roof rack and under the rear cladding, down the drain, under the truck to the engine compartment to keep from drilling any holes.

Main One · « **Reply #49 on:** March 20, 2011, 07:41:27 PM »

Looks Great!

BnGBleeder · « **Reply #50 on:** March 20, 2011, 09:48:30 PM »

that looks really SWEET !! now another thing for the Mod list...

BooomerX · « **Reply #51 on:** March 21, 2011, 07:33:05 PM »

Here's a couple more of the finished project:

BooomerX · « **Reply #52 on:** March 21, 2011, 07:46:44 PM »

A couple more after it got darker:
First two through the windshield
1st one = roof lights, lowbeams, and fogs on
2nd one = roof lights only

3rd one = out front

dnice58 · « **Reply #53 on:** March 21, 2011, 08:05:44 PM »

That means you'll have to change your siggy

BooomerX · « **Reply #54 on:** March 21, 2011, 08:32:23 PM »

'Bout forgot that one!
Done!