Dennis’s Canyon
New member
installing a light bar unusually involves removing the grill, which is a time consuming PITA. I have fabricated my own front grill mount. Using Rough Country's Black series 20 inch LED light bar and their Remote control switch. Fabricating the mount is fairly easy and will be rock solid when you are through.
Instructions and photos are below.
Parts needed
2 ea, 36 inch aluminum flat bar.
7 ea, Plus rivets to fit a 1/4 inch X 2 inch bolt.
5 ea 2x1/4 inch bolts
2 ea 1x1/4 bolts
Rivet tool to install rivets
Assembling the bars--Photo 1
The bars will need to be cut to 29 inches. After cutting, paint black
slide one bar behind the grill.. Be careful not to drop it. Mark where you want the five bolts to be.
2. remove the bar and drill the holes.The holes need to be snug enough so you have to pound in the rivets.
3. Pound in the rivets and using the riveting tool, spread the rivets. See photo 1.
4. once all the rivets are in, set the front bar on the back bar and mark where to drill the bolt holes. Lining up the holes needs to be exact.
5. Next, get the supplied Rough Country brackets, mount them on the light bar and set the light bar on the front fabricated bar and mark where you want the light bar to permanently be mounted. Drill the two add'l holes in the front bar, but DO NOT INSTALL THE PLUS RIVETS YET.
6. to assemble the bars onto the grill, grow a third hand, just kidding. Slide the back bar, with the installed rivets behind the grill. HOLD ON, DON'T LET IT DROP.
Holding the back bar with your left hand, take a 2 inch bolt, put it into the far right hole of the front bar and guide the bolt into the plus rivet hole furthest right.
Finger tight. Next, take another bolt with your right hand and try to guide the bolt into the center hole of the back bar. Once its finger tight you can release your hands and then insert the remaining bolts into the holes.--photo 2
Once you have all the bolts threaded you can then tighten them all down. But not so tight as to strip the plus rivet threads. If you strip it, there will be a lot of swearing.
7. in the front bar, the two empty holes you drilled for the Rough Country brackets, install the plus brackets. The holes may be over a portion of the grill. If so, drill through the grill and then attach the RC brackets using the two 1x1/4 inch bolts
8. with the RC brackets installed, paint the front bracket black. Photo 3. While the paint dries have yourself a non-wok Bud Light.
9. Photo 4. Finally, mount the RC light bar onto the installed brackets
10. Wiring can be a pain if you cannot get the RC connector through to the front of the grill. For me, in the space where the hood latch is, I drilled a 1 inch hole and put the large RC connector through at that point. Connect it to the light and zip tie so it looks nice and out of the way.
11. From here wiring is easy, especially if you are using the RC remote switch--no wires through the fire wall.
12. Photos 4-6 show the completed
project.
13. Photos 7-8 show the recent debading of the AT4. I was glad to get rid of that GMC neon sign on the tailgate.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
Instructions and photos are below.
Parts needed
2 ea, 36 inch aluminum flat bar.
7 ea, Plus rivets to fit a 1/4 inch X 2 inch bolt.
5 ea 2x1/4 inch bolts
2 ea 1x1/4 bolts
Rivet tool to install rivets
Assembling the bars--Photo 1
The bars will need to be cut to 29 inches. After cutting, paint black
slide one bar behind the grill.. Be careful not to drop it. Mark where you want the five bolts to be.
2. remove the bar and drill the holes.The holes need to be snug enough so you have to pound in the rivets.
3. Pound in the rivets and using the riveting tool, spread the rivets. See photo 1.
4. once all the rivets are in, set the front bar on the back bar and mark where to drill the bolt holes. Lining up the holes needs to be exact.
5. Next, get the supplied Rough Country brackets, mount them on the light bar and set the light bar on the front fabricated bar and mark where you want the light bar to permanently be mounted. Drill the two add'l holes in the front bar, but DO NOT INSTALL THE PLUS RIVETS YET.
6. to assemble the bars onto the grill, grow a third hand, just kidding. Slide the back bar, with the installed rivets behind the grill. HOLD ON, DON'T LET IT DROP.
Holding the back bar with your left hand, take a 2 inch bolt, put it into the far right hole of the front bar and guide the bolt into the plus rivet hole furthest right.
Finger tight. Next, take another bolt with your right hand and try to guide the bolt into the center hole of the back bar. Once its finger tight you can release your hands and then insert the remaining bolts into the holes.--photo 2
Once you have all the bolts threaded you can then tighten them all down. But not so tight as to strip the plus rivet threads. If you strip it, there will be a lot of swearing.
7. in the front bar, the two empty holes you drilled for the Rough Country brackets, install the plus brackets. The holes may be over a portion of the grill. If so, drill through the grill and then attach the RC brackets using the two 1x1/4 inch bolts
8. with the RC brackets installed, paint the front bracket black. Photo 3. While the paint dries have yourself a non-wok Bud Light.
9. Photo 4. Finally, mount the RC light bar onto the installed brackets
10. Wiring can be a pain if you cannot get the RC connector through to the front of the grill. For me, in the space where the hood latch is, I drilled a 1 inch hole and put the large RC connector through at that point. Connect it to the light and zip tie so it looks nice and out of the way.
11. From here wiring is easy, especially if you are using the RC remote switch--no wires through the fire wall.
12. Photos 4-6 show the completed
project.
13. Photos 7-8 show the recent debading of the AT4. I was glad to get rid of that GMC neon sign on the tailgate.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
