42" Curved Light Bar on Gen 1 Xterra? Yup!

deley662

Test Drive
Location
Santa Clara, CA
So, just in case anyone else was wondering...

I searched high and low for examples of the curved 40"-42" bars on Gen 1 X's to no avail. Despite not having any references, I saw a pretty good deal on an el cheapo china light and jumped. I decided I'd figure it out as I went. And figure it out I did.

IMG_6726_zpsk9wsp41z.jpg


I didn't even need to fab or buy new brackets...

IMG_6745_zpsjnxmyyne.jpg


If you notice, those are the brackets that come with the el cheapo bars...
BUT, I drilled new holes further down and trimmed the excess off in order to mount the bar down closer to the air dam.

I wish I had more pics of the process, I'm still kicking myself for not taking more... It was a little more involved than just drilling a hole and cutting the top off of each bracket.
 

deley662

Test Drive
Location
Santa Clara, CA
@ThompsonXterra
thanks!

@Darude
I had a spot of rust about an inch in diameter on the roof just behind the side of the air dam above the driver's door. It was starting to eat the metal, so I cut it out and ran the power line through the hole, under the headliner, along the A-pillar, down the doorjamb at the front, then through the firewall in the driver's footwell. The hole in the roof was too big to just stick a grommet in, so I made a plate that contoured the roof/drain gutter to seal it up and put a hole in the middle just big enough for the proper grommet.

After I'd cut out and ground away all the rust
IMG_6705_zpsh1edrecv.jpg


The new plate all painted and mounted in place

IMG_6706_zpsu7x937mi.jpg


I know the plate is going to block some water flowing off the roof, but that's an issue i'm going to deal with moving forward. The rust was already started eating at the metal and I wasn't about to let it make an unwanted hole in my roof.
 

drbandkgb

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
@ThompsonXterra
thanks!

@Darude
I had a spot of rust about an inch in diameter on the roof just behind the side of the air dam above the driver's door. It was starting to eat the metal, so I cut it out and ran the power line through the hole, under the headliner, along the A-pillar, down the doorjamb at the front, then through the firewall in the driver's footwell. The hole in the roof was too big to just stick a grommet in, so I made a plate that contoured the roof/drain gutter to seal it up and put a hole in the middle just big enough for the proper grommet.

After I'd cut out and ground away all the rust
IMG_6705_zpsh1edrecv.jpg


The new plate all painted and mounted in place

IMG_6706_zpsu7x937mi.jpg


I know the plate is going to block some water flowing off the roof, but that's an issue i'm going to deal with moving forward. The rust was already started eating at the metal and I wasn't about to let it make an unwanted hole in my roof.

This isn't needed at all... I drilled a small hole under the front rack post. The sealed it up... There is no need in cutting a big hole..
Ive done this one 3 or so Xterras with ZERO leaks...

Though I know why you did this... I just didn't want others thinking you needed such a huge hole

Good job on the bar
 

deley662

Test Drive
Location
Santa Clara, CA
@drbandkgb

you are completely right, the way I cut the hole and ran the wires is completely unnecessary for anyone else. The rust that I cut out just happened to be in a perfect spot to pull the wires through in a relatively clean looking setup.

I would assume that anyone planning on doing this would actually read the post (and see the reason for my cutting a big 'ole hole) and not simply look at the pictures though... This was certainly only meant to show that it could indeed be done
 

Snunicycler

Test Drive
Location
okc
So, just in case anyone else was wondering...

I searched high and low for examples of the curved 40"-42" bars on Gen 1 X's to no avail. Despite not having any references, I saw a pretty good deal on an el cheapo china light and jumped. I decided I'd figure it out as I went. And figure it out I did.

IMG_6726_zpsk9wsp41z.jpg


I didn't even need to fab or buy new brackets...

IMG_6745_zpsjnxmyyne.jpg


If you notice, those are the brackets that come with the el cheapo bars...
BUT, I drilled new holes further down and trimmed the excess off in order to mount the bar down closer to the air dam.

I wish I had more pics of the process, I'm still kicking myself for not taking more... It was a little more involved than just drilling a hole and cutting the top off of each bracket.

I'm really trying to figure out how to get my new 40" light bar (amazon) in the exact same spot you've put yours. Can you tell me how much room there is underneath the air dam for the bolts and stuff? did you re-enforce it with anything? Also... what do you mean "cutting the top off of each bracket"?
Thanks! looks great!
 

deley662

Test Drive
Location
Santa Clara, CA
To answer the question of space between the mounting hardware and stuff under the air dam: I cut the bolts to be shorter than they were, just because I was too lazy to go buy shorter ones. With the rubber pads in place and everything sandwiched nice and tight, there is just enough room for the nut on the end of the bolt, between the underside of the air dam and the plastic mounting bracket for the roof rack rail. (I left about a 1/16" of the bolt sticking out past the nut, so it is fully threaded on.)

As far as cutting the tops of the brackets off:
IMG_6745_zpsteen8xni.jpg

Excuse the poor illustration, this is why I'm kicking myself for not taking photos.
If you can imagine that the red circle is the original bolt hole on the bracket, I cut along the red line below it, then re-drilled the bolt hole below it in order for the bar to sit lower to the rooftop/air dam.

Although thats the gist of what I did, I also had to counter bore the hole on one side, so the head of the bolt could sit flush with the side of the bracket, aaaaand had to stick the things in a mill to cut the raised edges flat to provide clearance for the end of the light bar against the inside of the bracket. Like I said, kicking myself for not taking more pictures... they'd clear a lot of the questions up haha


Finally, for the wind vibration. I did experience some at first; the middle part of the air dam, right at the front edge where it contacts the roof, was lifting up ever so slightly and slapping back down. No major vibration in the light though. At first I thought about drilling and tapping holes into the roof rack itself and using longer bolts for a solid mounting, but the solution turned out to be to simply line the lip of the air dam with double stick trim tape. Now the whole thing is pretty solid (I can shake the truck by pushing on the light), and the tape is completely hidden!

I have since done ~10 long distance highway trips at 70+ mph with no issues of sound, vibration, or parts coming off.

Hope this helps!
 
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