off-road lights
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off-road lights; where to mount
i just bought a set of hella off-road lights. the question is where to mount them. i have no idea how to mount them, but that's a problem for another day. my issues:
1) i don't want to spend a lot...any...money on brush guards, light bars, bull bars, etc to mount them on.
2) i still want to be able to go in garages. drive thru's, and such, so i think that could be an issue if they were mounted on the roof
3) on the bumper or anywhere low and in front, they seem a bit useless for driving through fields with high grass (where i will use them the most)
So...The most logical place seems to be on the ?cowl cover? if that's the right term. I've seen them there on Jeeps, but never on a Ranger. I'm not sure I'd like how they'd look. Any thoughts or pics?
If you guys think clearance won't be an issue and I can put them on top, I'd really like an inexpensive light bar (haven't seen one yet), or one of those nifty roof basket things that lights can be mounted on the front of.
Suggestions/Thoughts?
1) i don't want to spend a lot...any...money on brush guards, light bars, bull bars, etc to mount them on.
2) i still want to be able to go in garages. drive thru's, and such, so i think that could be an issue if they were mounted on the roof
3) on the bumper or anywhere low and in front, they seem a bit useless for driving through fields with high grass (where i will use them the most)
So...The most logical place seems to be on the ?cowl cover? if that's the right term. I've seen them there on Jeeps, but never on a Ranger. I'm not sure I'd like how they'd look. Any thoughts or pics?
If you guys think clearance won't be an issue and I can put them on top, I'd really like an inexpensive light bar (haven't seen one yet), or one of those nifty roof basket things that lights can be mounted on the front of.
Suggestions/Thoughts?
Last edited by tomtoc; Oct 30, 2006 at 08:15 PM.
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From: Maine
I can't help you with where to mount them, but I believe that in most states any lights higher than the headlights must be covered when operating on the road. Some states may have a maximum height before you need to cover them, instead.
Figure out your state's laws before you get too far...
Figure out your state's laws before you get too far...
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thanks for the reply -
covering them isn't an issue. i'll mostly be using them on the weekends on my family's property and can leave the covers off all weekend until i get back on the road. beside, i just assume to keep them covered for protection when not in use.
covering them isn't an issue. i'll mostly be using them on the weekends on my family's property and can leave the covers off all weekend until i get back on the road. beside, i just assume to keep them covered for protection when not in use.
Last edited by tomtoc; Oct 30, 2006 at 08:35 PM.
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http://www.autoanything.com/roof-racks/60A1380A0A0.aspx
i like the look of these, but they're $200. i've found some for $100 (while i can justify spending), but i would still need to buy the cargo bars for the top of the truck (if they even make them)
i like the look of these, but they're $200. i've found some for $100 (while i can justify spending), but i would still need to buy the cargo bars for the top of the truck (if they even make them)
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Jusnesmodified.com makes tabs to mount them to the bumper, thats where I'm mounting mine, the only other logical pace would be a rollbar or lightbar. The ones you see on a jeep are actually mounted to the windsheild hinges, they only look like thier setting on the cowl. If you mounted them on the cowl, the metal is thin and vibration would soon start the metal cracking. You could use a roof basket, thats what I'm gonna get for my jeep liberty and mount hella's, but that still increases your height like a rollbar, a roof mounted lightbar would be taller yet. On my ranger I'm going to mount my hella 500 fog lights to Bob's bumper tabs, + I have factory fog lights as well, then I'm gonna get a rollbar and mount kc daylighters on it, give it that old school 4x4 look. And to think, the wife thought I was done spending money on the ranger ha ha, When I think I'm done, I'll see something else I just gotta have, I'll never be done, but don't tell her hee hee.
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From: Lake Almanor
A grill guard works well, thats what I have. There is also a mount I saw somewhere tht is like a squashed down or shortened "T" that rides lights just above the bumper. Actually it looked more like a rope cleat than a squashed T.
I think I prefer the grill guard or bull bar look myself.
Rich
I think I prefer the grill guard or bull bar look myself.
Rich
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From: Buckeye Country
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well after the suggestions, i'd still like them to be high...not on the bumper. the cowl cover is apparently too flimsy.
this is looking like a possible option if you guys don't think clearance will be an issue:
http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Car...light_bars.htm
the other thought since i don't really want the roll bars that angle rearward and take up bed-space is to get someone to fabricate something i could mount on the bed rails right behind the cab and put the lights on it. it wouldn't be total roll-bar, but just something clean and simple.
this is looking like a possible option if you guys don't think clearance will be an issue:
http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Car...light_bars.htm
the other thought since i don't really want the roll bars that angle rearward and take up bed-space is to get someone to fabricate something i could mount on the bed rails right behind the cab and put the lights on it. it wouldn't be total roll-bar, but just something clean and simple.
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The Pacifier
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From: Cloverdale, BC
Are you at stock ride height? Taller tires? I'd go with the light bar on the roof top if you aren't too tall.
In fact, there's a light bar that mounts behind the cab, more or less to the box itself, that folds down. Usually found on construction trucks with amber beacons, but probably not too hard to adapt to offroad driving lights. I'll see if I can find a link for you.
In fact, there's a light bar that mounts behind the cab, more or less to the box itself, that folds down. Usually found on construction trucks with amber beacons, but probably not too hard to adapt to offroad driving lights. I'll see if I can find a link for you.
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From: Slatington PA
Well, you could always drill into the roof and mount them thier, but then they are permenent. which isn't what your porbably looking for, it's an idea. hight shouldn't be too much of a problem, most places are about 9 ft high,, and i cant see your ranger standing too much taller than 7 ft + 9 inches of lights...
Post Fiend
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Yeah I think it's grizzly that still makes the bed mounted old school ranger rollbar, also there's a few companies making the new style rollbar that mounts to the top of the bed rails so it takes up no bed floor space. I don't care which style I get, just as long as it's a steel rollbar. I've seen those fiberglass farrings with lights mounted on them, too yuppie looking for me, I need steel.
Alan, if the lights mounted to the cowl can cause the metal to start cracking, what do you think they would do to the roof ? I mean you could make some rubber gaskets to help absorb some of the vibration, but I think mounting them to something besides thin sheet metal would be more advisable, don't you ? I dress you up and still can't take you anywhere ha ha.
Alan, if the lights mounted to the cowl can cause the metal to start cracking, what do you think they would do to the roof ? I mean you could make some rubber gaskets to help absorb some of the vibration, but I think mounting them to something besides thin sheet metal would be more advisable, don't you ? I dress you up and still can't take you anywhere ha ha.
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From: Slatington PA
Ya know what wendell, i was just thinking outside the box. This is what i do, i get paid to do this! then my company pays people to tell me why that wont work, so i can figure out a way to make it work. Now after thinking about it, i figured it out. If you were to drill through, and place a rubber washer around both sides, approximantly 2 inches in diamiter, and .125 inches thick, actually make i silicone, then tighten to 25 follow by a second nyloc nut,i think you could sucesfully hold them on. also if you do it into the roll bar, that would greatly reduce the amount of viberation related to drag.
you see, all becomes clear when you give it to an engineer.
any other comments, well keep 'em to yourselves. i dont wanna hear any more of it, i rid myself of this problem
you see, all becomes clear when you give it to an engineer.
any other comments, well keep 'em to yourselves. i dont wanna hear any more of it, i rid myself of this problem
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I'm no engineer, but maybe I should of been ha ha. It would probobly work if you didn't offroad alot, or as you say, use something that would help take up the vibration. I'm just not so sure they would look good on the cowl, but it's not my truck. Or as they say, "looks good on your truck, wouldn't put it on mine, but looks good on yours" ha ha.