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Thought I would post a few pictures of how/where I installed my 42' Illuminator (supa centre) light bar to the roof of my 09' wagon.
I'm no sparkie, (but did have one helping me out) and I'm not saying this is by any means the best way of installing them, but it worked for me and its fairly tidy. I hope this helps a few of you who are buying the cheaper bars from supa centre
I looked online a bit before hand but couldn't find much, but I was looking for a way to Install the 42" light bar to my roof without drilling any holes to the car itself! (Apologies for the junk mobile photos)
1. Install the light bar to roof rack
First off, I mounted the light bar with the supplied brackets with some bolts and lock nuts. - Fairly straight forward, just measured the the rack and the bar and centralized. Drilled 2 wholes on an angle (just had a mate hold the bar up with a tape measure and marked, then used appropriate for the size bolts needed to install them. (the bolts that come with the kit aren't long enough to go through the rack tubing so i used some M8 x 75mm stainless bolts with lock nuts). IMG_20160710_114556.jpg
As for the wiring, don't be a tight ass, and buy a wiring kit to go with your light bar if you are buying from supa centre, for around $35 you get a nice long lead, relays, and a switch. IMO you could'nt make one for the price, and the time it saved when Installing the bar was incredible!
2. Check leads on harness for length
We extended out all the leads so that we were sure we had enough length for all hi-beam lead, the battery lead, and the lead to the bar itself through paneling and up the gutter to the roof.
We then mount the main relay on the right hand side of the firewall. IMG_20160710_114721.jpg
3. Run the cables
Now I have a snorkel installed on my rig, so this to me was the obvious location to hide the cabling behind. You can still install the cable this way without a snorkel, you will just see a bit of black cable in your gutter sill. I opened the passenger door, and stuck piece of welding rod through the gap between the front guard and the door well. We then taped the cable and small plug lead to the light bar and pulled it through the gap. (it can be a bit tight, you may have to change the plug over or do as we did and lever the guard open slightly with a screw driver to fit the plug through. I wasn't concerned about the cable wearing through as the cables leading to the bar are insulated in sleeve all the way back to the relay. We went through the guard, and then fed it carefully through and jumped it up into the gutter sill and ran up the window sill up to the roof and then up to the light.
We then ran the high-beam cable and connector over to the drivers side headlight (i know that is a shorter run to the passengers, but getting to the drivers side had light is so much easier then the passengers due to the airbox) I followed the steel refrigeration tubing across the firewall behind the inter cooler and then followed a wiring harness to the headlight. The supa centre wiring harness is great, as you don't have to locate the high beam wire, you simply unplug the head light connector, install the harness lead connector for high beam connection, then re-install the light connector to the the light if that makes sense. (its easier then it sounds).
We then ran the cables through the firewall on the passengers side. There is a rubber grommet about halfway down the firewall or above your carpet in the footwell of the passengers side. This is where alot of the cabling from the engine ducks through, it can be a prick to get get through, but its made easier by a bit of welding rod or cable used as a pull through. Make this bit easier for yourself by removing the glove box! We pulled the cable through the grommet then ran it over the aircon box inlet, and in behind the dash and across to an existing driving light switch. (if you don't have this installed, no biggy, just find an appropriate place for a switch and run your cables through the dash or centre console to suit)
After this we ran the active and earth to the battery, we just followed some other cables down to the battery and went straight over the top of the battery to the terminals, not the best, but works and is solid all the same.
4. Test/finish offs
At this stage we had most of the install done, but before we got too excited cable tie-ing and securing everything, we tested it. Flick the light bar on, test it with your high beam etc, Was all good for us, so we then started cable tie-ing every where the cables were run. We secured the roof cables by putting a few dobs of clear neutral cure silicon to one side of the gutter and pressing the cable into it. We also cable tied the cable to the basket. (we ran it indirectly on the rack as we wanted the plug to be accessible and not bang around in the gutter, so it a new light bar could be installed easily later on down the track)
So thats pretty much it, It took only about 2 hours for us (over a few brews), probably allow 4 if you are doing it yourself and have to mount a switch etc.
The bar works fairly well for the money, although its only temporary until the purchase of a better brand unit. I was pretty happy about drilling no holes to the body of the car, hence why I ran it this way, it's also fairly neat and tidy too.
Hope this is useful, wish i'd taken more pics at the time of install, but hope it helps a bit.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction.
'09 3L CRD Gu Wagon - 3" Mandrel Bent Exhaust, 2" OME, Nitto Trail Grapplers, ARB Bull Bar, Warn Winch, Side steps, Safari Snorkel, ARB Alloy Rack, ARB on Board Compressor, Dual Batteries, Kaymar Rear Dual Bar, EBC, Reversing Camera, Outback Drawers, Fridge Slide, ARB Cargo Barrier & Divider, Rear Door Diner, Long Ranger Tanks, GME 3350s/6.6DBI, 240 Lightforce XGT's, 42' Roof Mounted Illuminator Light Bar.
Only one comment how have you sealed those hole to prevent water getting in.
I mounted my 42" bar there but welded two tabs ons, mine you my rack was 2nd hand
so I didn't hesitate.
Great write up btw
Last edited by threedogs; 12th July 2016 at 02:28 PM.
04 ST 3lt auto, not enough Mods to keep me happy, but getting there
Its an alloy roof rack so not worried about rust, I used washers on the back side too, there's not really any way much water could get inside the tube, unless I put the whole car in the water haha
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