Custom Install Driving Lights and Light Bar

Yes people often don’t take these sort of things into consideration, but that’s more to them never having been exposed to the outcomes I hope rather than not giving a rats so to speak.
Modern cars don’t often cater for safe convenient places to fit accessories as it wrecks the ambience of the vehicle.....looks over practicability....
when I bought my D3 it had the brake controller right where my left knee would hit, needless to say it’s no longer there....haven’t worked out where to put it yet though, haven’t needed it yet anyway.

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Originally Posted by TD50WA

Great set up. I only have one issue though. Those switches appear to be in a place where if you are unfortunate enough to have a crash, they will smash right thru your knee cap. This happened to a work mate of mine. Yes he had a seatbelt on. Can I suggest a flat rocker style switch or relocate your switches?

cheers all
kev

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My thoughts also, especially with the metal switches used. I have my Redarc controller mounted in that location and am always knocking it with my knee when getting into and out of the vehicle.

Hi Harry, a great writeup and info thread.


I have been running roof mounted driving lights for about 35 years now and one thing I learnt very early on, is to either move the roof lights back far enough so they don’t light up the bonnet, or in cases like yours, fit a light deflector under the lights, again so they do not shine on the bonnet.


This is just a suggestion, and based on my own experiences.



While your bonnet is nice and shiny clean, they are not a great problem, but once you get out in the dirt and you get dust on your bonnet, it can then light up to the point where it nears blinds you.


BTW I have found that roof mounted driving lights are so much better and give you greater safety, that I have not fitted bumper mounted lights on any of my vehicles for at least 10 years.


I have 4 x 55w Hella 181 roof mounted driving lights on my Range Rover and a roof mounted LED bar on my Tiguan.


Just be aware, they have always been legal in QLD, they are now legal in NSW and I think the same applies to VIC. Don’t know about SA but they are still illegal in WA and I believe they police the regs in WA.

I am pretty sure that roof mounted lights are legal in WA But they are Only to be used off road and not on the main roads.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi Harry, a great writeup and info thread.


I have been running roof mounted driving lights for about 35 years now and one thing I learnt very early on, is to either move the roof lights back far enough so they don’t light up the bonnet, or in cases like yours, fit a light deflector under the lights, again so they do not shine on the bonnet.


This is just a suggestion, and based on my own experiences.



While your bonnet is nice and shiny clean, they are not a great problem, but once you get out in the dirt and you get dust on your bonnet, it can then light up to the point where it nears blinds you.


BTW I have found that roof mounted driving lights are so much better and give you greater safety, that I have not fitted bumper mounted lights on any of my vehicles for at least 10 years.


I have 4 x 55w Hella 181 roof mounted driving lights on my Range Rover and a roof mounted LED bar on my Tiguan.


Just be aware, they have always been legal in QLD, they are now legal in NSW and I think the same applies to VIC. Don’t know about SA but they are still illegal in WA and I believe they police the regs in WA.

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Hi Drivesafe. WA legalised roof top lights last month in line with the other states. I know, right, Wait Awhile didn’t wait a long while! [emoji23]

Thanks for great write up. How exactly does the power run up to the roof mounted spotlights? I do not permanently keep my roof rack fitted. If you modified your roof rack to have spot lights fitted how might you make the power connection such that you can easily and neatly disconnect? Thanks

Hi PerthDisco, the roof lights on both of my vehicles are designed to be installed and removed easily and quickly.


I have a length of 6mm AUTO ( 4.5mm2 x 2 ) twin cable running from the LED light bar to a relay under the bonnet. As the LED light bar on my Tiguan doesn’t draw much current, I have 30 Amp Anderson Power Poles fitted on the lead to connect it to the relay when I have the LED bar mounted.


On the Range Rover, because the 4 x 55w driving lights draw around 18 amps, I have used 8B&S ( 7.9mm2 x 2 ) twin cable and again I run this to a relay under the bonnet but I use a set of 50 amp Anderson plugs to connect the cable to the relay.

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Originally Posted by PerthDisco

Thanks for great write up. How exactly does the power run up to the roof mounted spotlights? I do not permanently keep my roof rack fitted. If you modified your roof rack to have spot lights fitted how might you make the power connection such that you can easily and neatly disconnect? Thanks

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Hi PerthDisco,

The wiring for the roof mounted lightbar runs up the passenger side A-pillar and there is a waterproof connection hidden under the roof rack. If I need to I can simply disconnect that and remove the roof rack with the lightbar.

Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi Harry, a great writeup and info thread.


I have been running roof mounted driving lights for about 35 years now and one thing I learnt very early on, is to either move the roof lights back far enough so they don’t light up the bonnet, or in cases like yours, fit a light deflector under the lights, again so they do not shine on the bonnet.


This is just a suggestion, and based on my own experiences.



While your bonnet is nice and shiny clean, they are not a great problem, but once you get out in the dirt and you get dust on your bonnet, it can then light up to the point where it nears blinds you.


BTW I have found that roof mounted driving lights are so much better and give you greater safety, that I have not fitted bumper mounted lights on any of my vehicles for at least 10 years.


I have 4 x 55w Hella 181 roof mounted driving lights on my Range Rover and a roof mounted LED bar on my Tiguan.


Just be aware, they have always been legal in QLD, they are now legal in NSW and I think the same applies to VIC. Don’t know about SA but they are still illegal in WA and I believe they police the regs in WA.

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Good ideas drivesafe,

I am getting some light on the bonnet, could you point me in the direction of a good light deflector?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HarrytheDisco

Hi PerthDisco,

The wiring for the roof mounted lightbar runs up the passenger side A-pillar and there is a waterproof connection hidden under the roof rack. If I need to I can simply disconnect that and remove the roof rack with the lightbar.

Thanks

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Thanks Harry and Drivesafe. Does the A pillar cover pop off? Is that what I am missing how it is concealed up the A pillar. Also, does it then run under the rubber roof strip? How do avoid a tail on the roof once you disconnect the roof rack?