Light Bar Build

[Watson91]

Well just a little background, I had a order sent in with 4 Wheel Parts for a Smitty Built Street Bar. After waiting a few weeks I found that they failed to mention it was on a large back order, and I canceled my order. After seeing pictures of it my main disagreement with it was that the lights mounted front side of the bar instead of behind. While there is nothing wrong with that, I would rather have the bar hiding the bolt for the mount, I believe it looks cleaner that way.

Pre-Planing
Basically you guys have got the background, never cared for one specific light bar, so I plan to take my favorite parts of each and combine them. The design is going to be very simple, two single flat stock pieces coming out for the mounts. Tube will sit on them and lights will mount behind. I do want to give the tube a slight bend on either end to keep it not so squared off looking.

As for my materials list so far I'm planning on using 1/8" flat stock, and 1.25" x .095" tubing.

I have taken some rough measurements from my truck, drawn up on paper. I have transferred it all into SolidWorks drawings and assembles. Remember as of now this is all just pretty rough and giving me an idea. I will actually mock it all up before making the real deal. Here are some images of my SolidWorks drawings.

Tube:

Mount Arm:

Assembly:

As time goes on I'm sure this will change as I decide with the mock up what looks good and what doesn't. My main concern right now is that the tube is too wide. I think it may become shorter, and the mounts will actually attach on the angled pieces, but for now I'm going to leave it how it is.

The Mock Up
I have bought a 10' stick of Sch 40 1.25" PVC pipe. I will cut it off into the proper length and bend it in the appropriate places. It will not be exact, but I will be able to get it close enough to decide what looks right or not. I'm trying to keep the plans as simple as possible so that all work can be done by myself. It would be much cleaner to take it to a place with a laser cuter, but I'm doing this on a low budget, and I would rather do it myself. Once I start on the mock up I will get some pictures posted of my progress.

 

[Darth Bama]

Nice post. Welcome aboard also!

 

[Watson91]

Thanks, give me a few seconds and I will finish it. I have it completed just broke up into a bunch of posts.

 

[Darth Bama]

Thanks, give me a few seconds and I will finish it. I have it completed just broke up into a bunch of posts.

Cool, I'll approve em as you post them up. You're still in needing approval stage. It's all good though!

 

[Big'un]

sweet thread!

 

[backwoodscountryman]

Dam man you didn't tell me you were over here yet.Glad you could make it.Lovin the light bar man.

How you liken it over here as of far?

Thats right fellas I'm requiting like crazy

 

[Watson91]

I grabbed a plum bob and a pro-tractor out of the tool box. Ran down to the local grocery store and got a box of chalk.

I basically judged by eye where the front of the truck begins to curve back, so I plummed straight down from those points. Then I drew a straight line from the two points. Plummed along it to make sure it was accurate. I found the center point of this line and plummed down from the center of the grille and got it as close as possible. Now I extended my line out 3 inches, this was so I could have a little room to work and it would help me with getting my curve on either end.

I ended up making my straight piece 24" long (trying to keep the measurements fairly simple). Basically I plummed some more to get my curve points on the ends, I wont bore you with all the information. In the end I ended up with the following image. From there i used the pro-tractor to estimate the degree of the bend, I then did some simple trig calculations to solve the exact bend angle. This was unnecessary as the bend angle is only 9 degrees, but being an Electrical Engineering student I felt it was a good idea to go ahead and solve it.

After having these measurements I went to the shop. I had already bought a stick of Sch 40 1.25" PVC pipe. I got the 1.25" dye out and a heat gun. I basically used the gun to heat the pvc until it began to droop, I then got it to the correct angle and let it cool. Repeated to the other side and cut to length. Ended up with the following image.

I went ahead and ordered the tabs I will be using to mount the lights on made by Ballistic Fabrication.

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...41_p_1708.html

The tabs will be mounted facing towards the trucks so the lights will be mounted behind the bar.

 

[Watson91]

Went and picked up my materials. I bought a 2' x 2' piece of 1/8" sheet, and a 20' (all they would sell me) stick of 1.25" x .095" HREW tubing. I have cut the tubing to a 52" length (my maximum determined length) and bent it to the same specs as the pvc.

I played around a little, and just on the floor I came up with 10" spacing from center of mounting bracket to center of mounting bracket. Thats subject to change, as I will tack the light bar brackets on and test fit the piece to see how it looks. Then I will cut the ends of the tubing down because at this point it may stick out to far past the end lights.

Here are some pictures

Using a bolt with a nut to hold the bracket up to height. I will use this method to weld brackets into place to keep them all at the same level on the bar.

 

[TunaSlayer]

Sweet dude, did you run the wires internally? I modded my Smittybilt to run the wires that way and it looked much better.

 

[Watson91]

Unfortunately I don't really have any during the build pictures.

I had a friend with a plasma torch cut out my bracket arms that I drew up in Solidworks. I ended up having him cut them too short, so i had to make a separate piece with a 90 in it. I drilled my hole in that piece, and then I welded them to my brackets. Then after that I welded the light tabs to my pipe, and then placed it on the truck set the tubing in place on the brackets and tacked it. From there I welded it up, made some simple round end caps and triangle gussets. It all looks pretty good, and I'm satisfied with the end results.

I just cleaned it all up and took it to my friend. He spent some time and sandblasted it in his cabinet for me. I need to touch it up a little more. Then its getting primer, and then paint. I will do that all in the morning. I will take some pictures as I go.

Then for the fun part wiring it up.