No light bar? No problem

A new mod. Not wired yet - going to do that this weekend as I think I've figured out a way that will leave no wires visible on the roof, and requires no drilling.

Sorry about the poor picture quality - the light left for the day.

Very nice...I like it!:D

Great job! ...looks great

Very nice. Please post detailed instructions and pics once you have the install completed.

Thats really cool lingered a nice way to adapt the roof rack into something a lot of us have been wanting. I still hope they release the SEMA light bar but yours is really clean looking and nice. I cant wait to see pictures of it when you get it done and lit up. Are you going to drill into the roof to run the wires?

~Anthony

You can probably drill a couple of small holes in the rack and feed the wires through to the inside of the cab under the headliner then fill the drilled holes in the rack with some clear or black Hi-temp silicone. Just a idea

Thats really cool lingered a nice way to adapt the roof rack into something a lot of us have been wanting. I still hope they release the SEMA light bar but yours is really clean looking and nice. I cant wait to see pictures of it when you get it done and lit up. Are you going to drill into the roof to run the wires?

~Anthony
The rear rack supports overlap the plastic roof trim that contains the high level brake light, so I can route the wiring down the support, into the roof channel and under that trim without having to drill or cut anything. That's the plan anyway. I'm also going to run some coiled wire inside the rack channel so that the cross bar can still be slid fowards of backwards. I'll post some more pictures if I get to it this weekend.

I managed to get back to this project today. The next few pictures show the wiring of the rack. As mentioned earlier, I found that the wires can be hidden because the rear rack stand overlaps the rear roof trim. I was able to get the wiring down behind the bed light without removing any trim. I'm going to finish the wiring another time, so this post just deals with the rack.

Continued...

Continued...

Lingered;

Never really thought of a light bar. But I just had to give you the props on your instructions and pics. Very professional! Thanx

Lincoln

Wow! Sharp lookin'! Makes me rethink my whole roof rack question. Why would I want one!!! I can now see the versatility in it.

Great idea and great instruction.
Lookin' forward to the wire routing aspect of it.

Thanks Lingered_I.

Ok I like the light bar but my real question is how you did your grill.

What kind of paint? Did you remove the grill or simply mask it?

Details Details Please.

I removed it before painting. Got the idea from 5S Dude - http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1609

It is possible to do in place too, just as nevadagarth did - http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5304

Overall I think it looks better much than the big chrome strips, although I'm going to have to do mine again as there are some chips that reveal the chrome.

Looks good Lingered I. I've been debating on whether or not to get the roof rack, didn't really have a reason to other than I like the looks of it. Your innovative idea has helped me make my decision. When you get a chance, let us know what light kit you went with. It looks like the wires come out of the back of the lamps, can they be routed through the mounting stem so the wires are completely hidden when running them through the cross bar?

These were cheap $50 / pair proof of concept lamps (http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?UseCase=C001&UserAction=performMoreDetail&Parameters=TRUE%7C%7EExterior+Lights+%26+Accessori es%7C%7ENONE%7C%7EPilot+Automotive+Wangs+PIL++++++ ++++Blue+Rectangle+Lens+Simulate+HID+White+Beam+Dr iving+Light+Kit+%282%22+x+4-1%2F2%22%29%7C%7ENONE%7C%7EFALSE%7C%7EFALSE%7C%7E4 13375%7C%7E1149%7C%7EPL-2060W%7C%7ENONE%7C%7E%2449.99%7C%7ENONE%7C%7ENONE% 7C%7ENONE%7C%7ENONE%7C%7E1.5%7C%7ENONE%7C%7EB%7C%7 EPIL%7C%7Etrue) from Autozone. Pilot Performance Light PL-2060W.
The wiring can't be routed up through the bracket but I think I'm going to redo them by routing through the bar, out through some grommets and heatshrinking the whole thing so that the connectors are protected. I haven't got power to the lamps yet to say if they are any good. Sorry about the blurred pictures.

Awesome job lingered I! I think its clean. I thought of doing that, but the oppsite...put the lights on top of the bar insteaded! I haven't got an idea, yet for the fog lights. I plan putting piaa...but i'm still researching on off road lights! Let me know when you get more up date pictures!

Like to see pics when you get them turned on. Especially form the DS

Awesome job lingered I! I think its clean. I thought of doing that, but the oppsite...put the lights on top of the bar insteaded! I haven't got an idea, yet for the fog lights. I plan putting piaa...but i'm still researching on off road lights! Let me know when you get more up date pictures!
Thanks. I thought about on top too, but decided that I may still need to use the bars so underneath still allows for other cargo. There's about 4 inches of clearance underneath, although if you have a moonroof like I do, you're limited to how far forward you can have the bar with lights and still use the full tilt of the glass. Mine will go up fully but is just touching the lamps, which I'd rather it didn't. I intend to have the bar all the way back anyway to reduce windnoise. Hopefully that won't affect the light output too much. No doubt there will be some experimentation.

Experimentation idea...
Wonderin' if you'd given any thought to wiring using stainless braid (or the like), "Teed-out" from each lamp to the next? Would eliminate the need for all the shrink-tubing of connections, but would the MR be an issue? I like the look of the rectangular lamps under the rack.

Hey Lingered

Way cool!!!

For the wiring to each lamp did you wire each up separate or a closed loop?
A loop like on a 3 wire christmas light set would save on wire and also keep the rest lit when one goes out. Just an idea, I cant tell how the wires go from your end out to each lamp. The cable keeper looks quite full.

You might also check to see if there might be a more waterproof connection, seeing as you are in Maryland and bound to get a load of snow sitting on those connections. Also are you going to ground them?

Just some things that ran through my head while looking.
Can't wait to see them all lit up.

JP

Hey JP thanks for the comments. See my earlier photos for the harness. The lights are wired independently - I split the single feed into 4, so there are only two wires up to the rack (hot + ground), then 8 as far as the first lamp, then 6, 4, & 2. Each lamp will work independently and there's plently of room in the cable keeper, although you could be onto something about potential snow problems. I like Pugs idea of using a braided keeper, but I think I'm going to have to route the cables inside the crossbar to be completely water proof. I'm on the look out for some good cable grommets.

Dude that is so friggin cool!
Mind if I copy?
Seriously though I already have the rack and was just thinking the other day of all the wind noise "Why in the heck did I have this thing put on other that looks?"
Well now I have an answer and a project!
Awesome job. And thanks to everyone else for slight inprovement suggestions. Think I might actually give this a go.