Baja Designs OnX LED Light Bar Behind the Grill

[doyouquaxu]

Hopefully this is the right section...

Anyways, I've got a 2012 Seirra 1500. I also have a 40" Baja Designs OnX LED Bar that I want behind the grill.

This is the bar, it's sick as fuck.

I spent a few hours today measuring and looking at shit. I came to the conclusion that GM did not design this truck with my intentions of putting this light behind the grill. How inconsiderate. :joke:
Not my pic, disregard the signpost stuff with the 4 lights mounted to it. This center support piece the grill clips to is in the way. My bar is right at 4" deep.

I have the 3 bar grill, but have been debating a Denali grill for awhile. It may make this whole thing easier to do since I don't have those big dumb bars to avoid

Question: how crucial is that center support? I have a bunch of plastic bits acting like a radiator shroud that keeps me from seeing much below the grill opening. What's it attached to down there? I'm 99% sure I'm gonna have to cut up and reshape that center support. Not scared of that, just wanna make sure I don't completely FUBAR my truck just to put a light bar on the front.

 

[doyouquaxu]

As if mounting the light was hard, finding a place to put switches that doesn't look tacky or won't leave holes in the middle of the dash might be the hardest thing ever. A lot of beer was consumed before deciding on the overhead console dealio.

Silver switch is momentary for the light bar functions (dim or strobe mode).

 

[James Pate]

Damn, light looks bad ass. Unfortunately I do not have a NNBS so I cant tell you much about mounting. But good luck!

 

[doyouquaxu]

Thanks buddy, it's definitely bad ass.

Ran the wiring harness into the cab today. Haven't hooked up power yet, but I just have to clip that part of the harness in and I'm good to go.

Where I poked thru the firewall. Main wire harness boot on the drivers side underneath the hood hinge.

From the inside

I took off the trim on the pillar to run the wire up that. Had to be careful not to interfere with the side curtain airbag up near the headliner.

Removed the visor to get the headliner to move a bit. So my fingers could fit, I snaked the wire under the headliner directly above the mirror.

Had to modify the black piece and cut a bit off it. There was a plug for the dome light, seatbelt warning light, etc that was snapped in there. Not anymore.

Done. 2nd black switch will be used later, decided to install the switch now.

 

[slicksierra]

dat cockpit with overhead switches ftw

 

[Tylers88]

looks good so far, also like how an install turned into a how to with all the pics :up:

 

[Ginger]

i would put it in the space under the front plate IMO like cornells

 

[doyouquaxu]

Thanks guys ^^. I was on my phone during install and decided to take pics, everyone likes those better than words anyways.

i would put it in the space under the front plate IMO like cornells

I'm trying not to cut the exterior of the truck up, and being in CA I need my front plate. It may come down to mounting the bar there, or fabbing/buying something like a Defiant light bar.

 

[Jared]

Why not just use the same switch as the black ones?

Either way, clean install.

 

[doyouquaxu]

Finding a bolt on light bar for these trucks that I like is almost impossible. custom fab is imminent, stay tunes.

Why not just use the same switch as the black ones?

Either way, clean install.

What black ones? The 4 in the pic with the grill off? Not my truck, just found the pic on the intarwebz

Thanks for the compliment tho!

 

[doyouquaxu]

So my good camera got borrowed without permission by someone who is now out of town... iPhone 5 pics and video will have to do.

My coworker offered to TIG the Defiant Lightbar together for me instead of me MIGing it

Headlights only

Beam pattern. Spot in the center 20", flood on the outside 10" (20" total)

Distance with headlights on too. The road bends about .2- .25 miles from where I am.

And a quick video I had taken for Instagram. I think you have to click on it for it to play.

 

[Jared]

Finding a bolt on light bar for these trucks that I like is almost impossible. custom fab is imminent, stay tunes.



What black ones? The 4 in the pic with the grill off? Not my truck, just found the pic on the intarwebz

Thanks for the compliment tho!

I meant the switch, sorry, just like the black switches you have in your overhead. Pics of the entire front end?

 

[doyouquaxu]

I meant the switch, sorry, just like the black switches you have in your overhead. Pics of the entire front end?

I had to order some of the black ones. No one I could find had them in stock as a momentary switch. I'll get some pics soon, I have the bar painted flat black but kind of wanna powder coat it first

 

[doyouquaxu]

Ran the wiring yesterday for the Squadron pods that I got. For a 3" x 3" light, I'm thoroughly impressed. The pair of these guys are brighter than my stock headlights and fogs.

 

[doyouquaxu]

I had this idea since I got the Squadrons. I bought a pair of knock off fog lights off flebay cheap, and cut them up finally after seeing a friend's desert race truck with something similar in the headlights. I also made adapter harnesses that plug into the stock fog light wiring and the Squadron. I'll save the stock fog lights so I can go back to stock in 5 minutes.

 

[Jared]

How is it?

 

[Huck]

Can't wait to see more pictures of this, that's awesome dude. I'm planning on doing some LED lighting for my blazer

 

[doyouquaxu]

How is it?

How is what?

Just waiting for the silicon to dry:

 

[BOO5TED]

:ffuuu:

Want to do the same thing with my fogs but with bixenon projectors.

Any pics of the rear of them? Did you have to cut much?

 

[doyouquaxu]

Quite a bit, unfortunately. The two top mounts stayed, the bottom adjustable mount had to go. The two upper mounts on these are a tighter fit than the stock ones were, so it holds the housing and keeps it from moving. I may leave it with just two mounts, use zip ties thru the stock lower mount & the BD mounting hole, or bend up something with some sheet metal I have laying around.