I finally got around to installing my LED light bar. Here is a sum of how it went down:
Updated 4Runner Build
- Thread starter Byron Eby
- Start date
Pathfinder II
Advocate II
@stringtwelve That was the complicated part.... Originally I was going to tap one of the fuse boxes for power for the switch, instead of directly to the battery, but later found that I have no extra empty fuse slots with power. The wiring kit has a 40 amp relay as well. My main goal was to run the switch on the ignition so the light will only work with key in position one or two and not have the switch glowing over night, killing my battery slowly. So as you can see in the first picture, with the center console removed, I wired directly to one of my two 12v charger ports, which only power when the key is on. DONE! Connected everything else and let the be light...12,600 lumens later.
I hope that answered your question.
I hope that answered your question.
Advocate II
I did something similar, using the low cost CREE LED bars from Amazon. Except I ran a fused bus directly from the battery, wired relays and had a switch panel made from Front Panel Express. I can have the light on with the engine off, which is nice for momentary use. The rear lights are for backing up (helps the rearview camera a lot) and for setting camp. Last weekend we set camp in the dark and the lights were awesome. Over Christmas we abandoned camp in the dark and the light was awesome.The only problem I've found is that the lightbar isn't sealed as well as the $1000 versions and it had some condensation in it. I can buy a LOT of replacements before I get to the cost of one of the big name bars. With the freightliner/ARB style switches you can power them without illuminating the faces, which is what I did so I wouldn't kill my battery with them always on.
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They have a lot of lights on their website and a bunch of buy one get one deals. I will definitely purchase a larger one from them.
That is a sweet set up. I like the roof rack idea so I think I will do that next with a 42" or something close to that.
I have 2 more cubes waiting for when I finish fabricating the front bumper, another short lightbar will go on it too...well that's the plan, I might go with plan B with putting the cubes on the sides of the rack.
Set yourself up for when things go wrong. I tend to have plans as far as letters D and sometimes even E, lol. @WUzombies
I have the same low cost Amazon Cree led bars, I read a review about the condensation problem so when mine arrived I disasembled the light and discovered that the seal under the lens is poor and the screws around the outer trim piece were too tight causing the lens to warp and make the crappy seal even worse, but everything else is water tight. So I put a bead of rtv silicone between the trim ring and the lens and loosened the screws a bit. I cleaned up the excess rtv so you can't even tell its there. I've had mine mounted for a couple of months here in soggy western Washington and I haven't had any condensation yet.
@WUzombies Of course man! I might have some pictures some where, but it's really straight forward, you could probably just get away with applying the rtv to the gap between the trim piece and the lens and not even take it apart.
I fit a 32" light bar in a similar spot on my 2nd gen Tacoma
It's now wired to the NSA from Trail Toys. Previously I had a relay under the hood, and had pulled the switch cable through the firewall.
Tomorrow I should be receiving the brackets to mount a 42" LED bar across the roof. I'm hoping to line the top of the light up parallel with the roof to keep the truck from getting much taller, and to avoid interacting with a yet to be purchased roof rack. I'll post up photos when that project starts.
It's now wired to the NSA from Trail Toys. Previously I had a relay under the hood, and had pulled the switch cable through the firewall.
Tomorrow I should be receiving the brackets to mount a 42" LED bar across the roof. I'm hoping to line the top of the light up parallel with the roof to keep the truck from getting much taller, and to avoid interacting with a yet to be purchased roof rack. I'll post up photos when that project starts.
Advocate II
Very nice, i'm hoping to do the same in the coming monthsI finally got around to installing my LED light bar. Here is a sum of how it went down:
