Before installing a light bar and mounting bracket for it, make sure it's legal in your state. The manufacturers of these accessories aren't responsible for any broken laws or legalities that might arise in your installation of such products to your vehicle.
Don't forget to invest in a liquid thread locket locker tube. This ensures that the bolts on your bracket don't loosen up over time due to vehicular vibrations. It's moderately difficult to install or replace an existing light bar mounting bracket.
How to Go About Mounting Bracket Installation
- What You'll Need and Whatnot: You will need a new mounting bracket, a new or existing LED light bar, mounting bolts, screws, stud, drill, marking pencil, and tape measure. First off, prepare the mount by dealing with the stud mounting. If you're installing a smaller bar, you're likely to put it within your vehicle grill or under the bumper.
- Get The Right Mark: Drill in the right place by taking your tape measure and marking pencil and using them to mark where your bracket is supposed to sit. Don't attach your stud to plastic parts of your vehicle. They'll just crack and break under the weight of the light bar. Use the metal parts instead to ensure you of a solid foundation.
- Assistant Help: You might need the help of assistants if you're in need of installing end brackets at the housing's end studs. It's so that you can properly place the light bar itself in the final position once the brackets are installed. They're also there to position everything properly while freeing your hands to make accurate marks with your marking pencil. Use three drill bit sizes when making a hole.
- How to Properly Drill Bracket Holes: Use a smaller drill bit first to make a pilot hole in the middle of the mark. Afterwards, enlarge it with the bit that's midway the size between the pilot bit and the final bit size. The final hole should exactly be the size of the mounting bolts. However, don't place channel brackets that are beyond a quarter of the length of the light bar in either end of the housing.
- Finishing Up and Roll Bar: Try to place the brackets on the parts of the car surface that have reinforced areas in order to increase stability and reduce vibration when push comes to shove. Also, mount your lights with mounting clamps if you already have a roll bar present, particularly if you have smaller light bars to allow three-dimensional aiming.
- Minimal Work Light Bars: You also have the option to avail of light bars that require minimal drilling and mounting. They only need existing body holes or a chassis found in trucks or jeeps. Furthermore, when mounting your housing's rear, put it somewhere with good ventilation and isn't near a heat source. This will prevent light bar damage when push comes to shove.