Light bar with guard

[galacticfuzz]

So, I've been running with just a regular bar like the one that James had shown and it's worked great. After taking a look at some of the different vehicles out there, some on Expedition Portal and various others, I really liked the idea of having a guard of sorts in front of my lights. Here is a pic of the non painted and non finished piece that I've come up with as well as one half of the lights that I plan on using. The guards won't be a "lights are 100% safe type" but more to help add some deflection for lower branches and such. Being that I am not well versed in welding and metal work, I think this turned out pretty well. I have access to welding equipment (I've been using the MIG), brake, shear, horizontal band saw and a small hand bender to make the various pieces. Unfortunately I couldn't bend the 3/4 in square tubing to match the 1/2 tubing with the equipment that I have in my classroom.



Shot with two of the lights


Side view. I like that it doesn't stick out too far from where the lights will end up.


Should have this painted soon and then wired up and installed.

[janesy86]

I dig it! Nice work.

[yalchga]

that looks good let me know when you are getting rid of your old one

[SomeOffPave]

Side view.


.

Looks good. Definately adds a finished look.

Please do not take my next comment the wrong way. I am NOT critizing, I am just asking a question: Why did you extend the mounting straps for the lights past the lights and then bend them up? In other words, why did you not just stop the strap short and have the aiming bracket that came with the lights under the lights instead of behind the lights?

[Trail X]

Looks good overall.

Guy-who-posted-above - the reason the studs are pointing back is probably because he's worried about scratching his roof. The light bar rods come very close to the roofline. So he solved that issue with the bent up tabs.

However, upon solving one issue, you create another. Your lights are going to vibrate like an electric toothbrush.

You need to make your mounting tabs much more rigid. You need to mount to a tube of some sort. Something with substantial thickness.

[OregTrailBlazin]

Looking Great, though I agree with what James said, I would also put some tails going rearward over the mounting points, that way if you hit a branch hard enough, it won't try and fold the whole assembly backwards...




That shop looks So clean , almost seems photoshoped..

[fishsticks]

Good craftsmanship. The biggest problem I see that hasn't been pointed out is the angle of your guard will deflect debris downward towards your roof rather than up and over the lights. If it were me, I'd take what you have and flip it upside down. Join all the light tabs with some angle for rigidity then build downwards from there to make a new roof mounting point. Cut off the ends of the old roof mounting point and put crossbars between there and the new mounting point. Then you've got a super strong structure that solves all of the problems people have pointed out.


EDIT: Bad paint illustration...

[galacticfuzz]

SomeOffPave, I didn't take it as criticism, since, well, I posted this to get some feedback on how this may be improved upon (though not stated).

James, partially right on the reason the studs are pointing back. Other reason was to help keep a slightly lower profile.
Definitely see the points you guys are making, especially with the mounting and the vibration. I had been thinking about taking some of the left over 1/2 pipe and welding it from tab to tab for support, but didn't know if that would be really needed.

OregTrailBlazin, as for the shop, right now I don't have any students that were able to be enrolled (new program and newly reopened school) so it's basically my playground with my construction classroom across the hall. I have a whole area all to myself lol

Donny, I will have to look at playing around with flipping it, since that's something that I thought about slightly with the angles and direction that any debris would be pushed.

Thank you for the thoughts guys, really gives me some things to look at. Haven't done a lot of fabrication stuff before, so it's kind of a new thing.

[galacticfuzz]

Quick update,

Had a little bit to check it out this morning, Donny, flipping it seems that it would actually work really well. I can also take and run a small screw through the plastic guard of the light (not the housing) and secure it additionaly to it's mounting tab. Still gonna end up running some of the tubing to give additional rigidity since that is one thing that I went back and looked at as well. Thanks for the tip there James. Next comes just re-working the mounting set up. Camera is at home so no pic unfortunately.

[djthumper]

hehehe

[galacticfuzz]

hehehe

yeah yeah yeah....i'm working on it LOL. There is only so much time during the middle of the day when busy teaching....

[fishsticks]

[djthumper]

If I didn't do it you know someone else would have Drew.

[galacticfuzz]

No problem Larry. I was a gamer, so used to the pics or didn't happen thing.

So I went back and took some of the ideas that were posted before and revamped the bar. I redid the guard to help deflect away from the roof. I still need to add the tubing or a support for the tabs. I will probably be looking at the tubing since with some spacing at the tab points, I could then run the wiring through that to give a nice look. I'm also going to probably add one more vertical bar on either end to help protect the outer lights, since they are a bit exposed. Here are the pics.



Corner where I will probably add another bar (on both sides).


Close up on how the light sits. There is also enough room to manipulate (if needed) the light behind the bar.


Edit: And yes, I am aware that the front support bar is not straight....

[HARDTRAILZ]

Lookin good

[NC_IslandRunner]

Looks Great! may need something Like that before I reinstall light bar.

[fishsticks]

Me likey... my poor roof lights have been so battered by tree branches I'm surprised none have broken yet. I've considered pulling them off...

[Hatchet669]

looking good... harbor freight lights? they work awesome...

[galacticfuzz]

Thanks for the feedback guys. The lights I have up there at the moment have all gotten cracked lenses (elements more than debris) and will end up being relocated under the rear end. Hopefully with the bar still. Harbor Freight lights the new ones are, coupon in FourWheeler Magazine drops them to $17.00 a pair if I recall, so snagged them up right away. Just need to make another trip for the other side.

[navigator]

your home made light bar looks better than my home made roof rack but the important thing is they both work!
I'm curious though if you could have made the front hoop at the bottom a little deeper and then just mounted the lights to the horizontal bar/tubing?