Anyone know how to mount lights like this to the stock grill?

[DangerRanger84]

I've tried messaging this forum member here and they haven't responded to my question on another message thread. Hoping to get some help from the hive! Do any of you know how to mount a set of driving lights like this? Thanks in advance

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[OFC Ranger]

I would assume by a bolt, a washer, and a nut.

That part of the grille is nothing but open holes with a flat front and back side.

Edit: Upon zooming in on the picture it appears he did just that using an L-bracket so he could retain horizontal adjustment instead of just mounting it directly (which would only give vertical adjustment) as it is a bottom pedestal mounted light, like Hellas.

 

[Synfulz]

Just use some flat stock to spread the load. Have a piece on each side of the grill, then use a longer bolt/nut assembly.

 

[Wes Siler]

With a stock bumper (I've never had one), do the bolts that hold the license plate go through the steel?

 

[Colo_Ranger]

There is a whole thread on here about lights in the grille, and this guy commented on how he did it. Let me see if I can find it.

 

[Colo_Ranger]

Start here and work your way forward. Two pages forward, there is an explanation of how he mounted them.

 

[Frenchy]

One thing you vould get from Sylvania for $30. Should.do close to what you want. Just uses the front licemce plate mount

 

[Wes Siler]

One thing you vould get from Sylvania for $30. Should.do close to what you want. Just uses the front licemce plate mount

I was just going to suggest that. Especially if the stock bumper offers a robust mount.

Put one of those (a Lightforce Unibar, but it's a universal design sold by multiple brands) on a friend's Outback a while ago. Even on that plastic bumper it offered a very robust solution for 6 inch driving lights. If you're able to bolt through steel, it should be even stronger.

Here's the same thing from BD (just do yourself a favor and run a higher quality brand for the lights themselves): https://www.bajadesigns.com/product...qC_5_7D8vdtt7A1Ylp7E82_dijWOGsRBoC1hkQAvD_BwE

 

[D Fresh]

Do not mount lights or a bar to your license plate.

It is nowhere near stable enough.

 

[Wes Siler]

I was just going to suggest that. Especially if the stock bumper offers a robust mount.

Put one of those (a Lightforce Unibar, but it's a universal design sold by multiple brands) on a friend's Outback a while ago. Even on that plastic bumper it offered a very robust solution for 6 inch driving lights. If you're able to bolt through steel, it should be even stronger.

Here's the same thing from BD (just do yourself a favor and run a higher quality brand for the lights themselves): https://www.bajadesigns.com/product...qC_5_7D8vdtt7A1Ylp7E82_dijWOGsRBoC1hkQAvD_BwE

This worked extremely well. I was able to push/pull on the mount as hard I could without any give, and the lights were nice and stable even on dirt roads.

That was of course on a unibody. The Ranger's frame mounted bumper moves separately from the isolated body. But again, if that stock bumper allows you to bolt the mount to steel, you're gonna get an excellent solution for not much money.

 

[RedDakooter05]

I would assume by a bolt, a washer, and a nut.

That part of the grille is nothing but open holes with a flat front and back side.

Edit: Upon zooming in on the picture it appears he did just that using an L-bracket so he could retain horizontal adjustment instead of just mounting it directly (which would only give vertical adjustment) as it is a bottom pedestal mounted light, like Hellas.

Zip ties work great too.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Do not mount lights or a bar to your license plate.

It is nowhere near stable enough.

I’m with you on that Doug.

I recently snapped my plate holder off with a hose. It is cheap, flimsy, brittle plastic with two small bolts and two clips.

Those light bar brackets typically mount to the license plate holder (bad juju) - some bolt straight into holes in the front of the bumper (best) but our Rangers don’t have those holes, leaving folks to mount it to the plate holder. I’ve seen installation instructions that show it sandwiched between the plate and the bracket. ?

Add that steel plate, the bar, and some lights and I wouldn’t trust it to hold up at all. Then, of course, there’s dynamic load.

If anyone gets one of these, they better fab up something very tough that will allow them to mount it to the existing bumper holes or get out a good drill, a freshly charged battery, and some cutting oil.

 

[Wes Siler]

I’m with you on that Doug.

I recently snapped my plate holder off with a hose. It is cheap, flimsy, brittle plastic with two small bolts and two clips.

Those light bar brackets typically mount to the license plate holder (bad juju) - some bolt straight into holes in the front of the bumper (best) but our Rangers don’t have those holes, leaving folks to mount it to the plate holder. I’ve seen installation instructions that show it sandwiched between the plate and the bracket. ?

Add that steel plate, the bar, and some lights and I wouldn’t trust it to hold up at all. Then, of course, there’s dynamic load.

If anyone gets one of these, they better fab up something very tough that will allow them to mount it to the existing bumper holes or get out a good drill, a freshly charged battery, and some cutting oil.

Yeah, that's the question. If you can drop two bolt holes through the steel it'd be a rad solution.

 

[TerraMechE]

My presence on R5G is sporadic... Anywho, cut up an XLT grill:

Add aluminum angle and maybe some washers/spacers somewhere around here, cutting/clearancing shrouding as needed for the angle to pass through:

The specific lights I used are Lightforce Striker 170's and I had to buy additional Lightforce "low mounts" to get the fit I wanted.

I would not expect this arrangement to stand up at all to some use cases; I've actually been surprised it hasn't fallen off and maintains aim... Other approaches could be stouter.

 

[DangerRanger84]

Awesome! Thanks so much for the responses and suggestions guys! I really appreciate all of your help!

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