Fabrication & builders section. All fabrication posts go here.
XJ/MJ/ZJ/WJ Only projects go here. Questions belong in modified tech.

Homemade light bar mod

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-14-2010, 03:52 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Nicnic100's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1991
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L 6 cyl HO
Default Homemade light bar mod

I'm thinking about taking one of the roof load bar things all ready on my cherokee and sliding it all the way to the front and mounting lights on it. What do ya'll think. All I need to do is drill the holes and run the wires right? Is it as easy as I think it will be and will it look good?
Old 03-14-2010, 03:53 PM
  #2  
CF Veteran
 
X1994J's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Herriman, Utah
Posts: 1,534
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Originally Posted by Nicnic100
I'm thinking about taking one of the roof load bar things all ready on my cherokee and sliding it all the way to the front and mounting lights on it. What do ya'll think. All I need to do is drill the holes and run the wires right? Is it as easy as I think it will be and will it look good?
I've seen plenty of people do it. I think it looks fine.
Old 03-14-2010, 04:02 PM
  #3  
Honorary Moderator
 
96_xj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Gilbert AZ/Las Cruces NM
Posts: 8,135
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes on 11 Posts
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 upgraded
Default

that works fine and like x1994j stated alot of people do it and it looks fine. but if you run alot of washboard trails or anything rough like that it will vibrate and bounce. you might think about looking for a way to brace it
Old 03-16-2010, 12:59 AM
  #4  
Member
 
TheQ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Kyle, TX
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

I made one for mine! Looks pimp too! I'll add some pics sometime tomorrow so you can see how it looks.
Old 03-16-2010, 01:30 AM
  #5  
Seasoned Member
 
mrmikey32's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Lake in the hills,IL
Posts: 462
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

goto the junk yard and get another. i picked one up for 5 bucks
Old 03-16-2010, 07:29 AM
  #6  
Member
 
illicit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Somerset, Ky
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 98
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Originally Posted by Nicnic100
I'm thinking about taking one of the roof load bar things all ready on my cherokee and sliding it all the way to the front and mounting lights on it. What do ya'll think. All I need to do is drill the holes and run the wires right? Is it as easy as I think it will be and will it look good?
Thats what I did, But I used a Yakima rail instead.Name:  m_101_0169.jpg
Views: 1211
Size:  18.7 KB
Old 03-16-2010, 11:39 AM
  #7  
Member
 
colder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Quartz Hill CA
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

thats what i used too...works good and looks good but it is a little wobbly..you can see pics in my album..im thinking about getting some square tubing and somehow hooking the rails to it instead..havent got there yet though
Old 03-16-2010, 12:20 PM
  #8  
Seasoned Member
 
SpooledupRacing's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Comstock Park, MI
Posts: 253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 5.2L
Default



this is what I did...
Old 03-16-2010, 01:02 PM
  #9  
CF Veteran
 
foxmxrcer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Newport, pa
Posts: 2,820
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

I did the same thing, I have 4 hella 500's mounted on it, but it was WAY to bouncy for the trails that i run on, so i slid the other rail up right behind it and ziptied them together, ghetto yes, functional, very.
Old 03-16-2010, 05:12 PM
  #10  
Junior Member
 
mac tire's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ireland
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.5TD
Default

heres my baby....

Name:  myjeep.jpg
Views: 331
Size:  85.0 KB
Old 03-17-2010, 12:20 AM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
94xjstud's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 545
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L Air Intake and TB Spacer
Default

Very functional, but I would always be worried about snagging it on everything. It would be better if you could get the smaller square lights and mount them under the rack bar.
Old 03-17-2010, 12:31 AM
  #12  
Junior Member
 
RevSpongebobSP's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Blanchard, MI
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Where are you feeding the wires into the vehicle?

Also, I see a lot of you guys running fogs and diving lights and other things, how are you doing this, did you setup a block somewhere, kind if like on a boat where all your wires come in with a single feed to the battery?

I like this idea on using the existing rails and the ghetto zip tie thing. I think I will go this route as I like the price and will maybe drill a couple small holes in the center of the rails and use black ties center-to-center to kind of hide it a bit.
Old 03-17-2010, 12:37 AM
  #13  
Junior Member
 
Midwest_Mudder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Kennard, NE
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.8l v6 with some wiz bang additions
Default

pic of mine! mine only wobble a little bit, and its only the middle one on the passenger side, needs tightened maybe, but i know that the older bars are heavier duty. as for wiring ima run mine through the roof this summer, currently i have one feed goin up each a piller to power two lights each, grounded the lights to a screw in the roof rack track

Name:  IMG000832.jpg
Views: 305
Size:  32.4 KB
Name:  IMG00107.jpg
Views: 306
Size:  22.1 KB
Old 03-17-2010, 01:44 AM
  #14  
Honorary Moderator
 
96_xj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Gilbert AZ/Las Cruces NM
Posts: 8,135
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes on 11 Posts
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 upgraded
Default

i run my wires down the rail, into the rain gutter, under the windshield molding under the fender into my engine bay and then thru the firewall via a grommet.

clean, no drilling, just check for wear now and again.
Old 03-17-2010, 02:18 AM
  #15  
Junior Member
 
Midwest_Mudder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Kennard, NE
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.8l v6 with some wiz bang additions
Default

i was gonna run mine that way, but couldnt get the moulding to set flat. ima do a boat connector type wire thing this summer, a four prong one


Quick Reply: Homemade light bar mod



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:10 AM.