So.....i'm considering making a light bar for the X. Problem is that in the winter I have a Packasport Pod i put on top for snowboards. this overhangs the front of the rack by more than a few inches.

My question is.....has anyone ever seen a light bar incorporated into the fairing....something that sits a little lower? Maybe holes cut out of the fairing or even just mounted right to it?

Get angle iron bar and cut it to fit your rack. I did mine similar.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm247/samonett21/xterra/100_0804.jpg
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm247/samonett21/xterra/100_0803.jpg

yes, someone has it...i dont remember who. its actually a pretty easy setup. its just a metal strap to strengthen the fairing w/ holes drilled thru both for the lights.
probably not quite as sturdy as an actual light bar, but still handy, and definitely sounds like what you'd need for that situation.

thanks guys! I'm thinking i might just run some flat stock between 2 of the holes on the fairing where is screws on. then either drill everything or even just weld the mounts to the flat. I'll let ya know what i come up with once i figure out a clean way to run power up there without exposing any wires.:censor:

p.s. stevin- how well do those smaller rectangular lights work out? and.....ha......is my stock alternator gonna work for all this hullabaloo?

as long as you dont ad too much other stuff, yes, the alternator should handle it just fine.
if you ad much more, you'll end up like stevin. up a creek w/out a paddle.

Other than probably 4 lights and occasionally an inverter.....thats all the extras pulling on it. And I doubt they'll see action simultaneously.

Stevin
I really like your set-up

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/how-technical-articles/61976-roof-rack-lights-wiring-gauge-installation-parts-1-2-3-a.html


i suppose if you're really serious about it.......

http://img19.photobucket.com/albums/v56/xtree/P4220027.jpg

http://img19.photobucket.com/albums/v56/xtree/P4220030.jpg

yes i would agree..double the holy and crap

Dave! Awesome! where did you run your wiring in?

Dave! Awesome! where did you run your wiring in?


Oh, that's not my Xterra..though I'm planning to do the same thing. I don't know exactly how or where I'm going to run the wiring...I'm considering drilling a hole in the stock roof rack side bar by the fairing (since it's hollow), and fishing extra wire down the rack, in through the roof where the rack is mounted to, then back to the engine bay to wire them up to an aux. fuse block. We'll have to see how that works in the next few weeks. I have the lights and a piece of flat stock already...I just have to do the actual deed.

Hahahahaha....nice. lemme know what you figure out!

Will do. I'm going to be doing a lot of stuff to the X in the next few weeks and will post up how I did them; and pictures along with it.

svendog on NEXterra:

http://www.svendog.com/Silly2.JPG

svendog on NEXterra:

http://www.svendog.com/Silly2.JPG

That's pretty damn cool right there. The mesh replacement for the fairing is a great idea.

p.s. stevin- how well do those smaller rectangular lights work out? and.....ha......is my stock alternator gonna work for all this hullabaloo?

Haha, your alternator is gonna be fine. Only reason mine blew is because I had 4 Hellas up front, 2 KC sidelights on my loadwarrior, 1 custom rear trailer hitch light so adding 4 more to the roof was a lil bit too much strain on my alternator....haha. You'll be fine. Right now I'm running all but the roof lights as before with no problems. Unfortunately, I cant tell you how the lights worked out cuz my alt blew leaving me with non working lights, but I have used rect. lights before and they work just like the round ones.

as long as you dont ad too much other stuff, yes, the alternator should handle it just fine.
if you ad much more, you'll end up like stevin. up a creek w/out a paddle.

Gee...thanks for clarifying me as a good example...LOL

Stevin
I really like your set-up

Thanks!

doesn't that kinda take away from the functionality of the fairing though?

the fairing doesn't really have much function to begin with.....it doesnt help gas mileage, it doesnt 'increase downforce' it doesnt keep brush out of the roof rack when wheeling...its just sits there and looks 'pretty'

hmmmmmmmmm. this opens worlds of possibilities. stickers may have to find a new home

soooooo....i just got my new lights. i was reading up on different ways of wiring them and have developed a question.

If the lights i bought didn't come with a relay....just a fuse....do i still need to install a relay?

Yes, must have relay

30 amp i'm guessing?

unless you want to wire them so they can only come on when your headlights(or some other accessory) is on, there is no need for a realy...some states will fail you for inspection if accessory lights are not on a relay with headlights, but all states are different

so no, a relay isnt required, but it can also provide as a failsafe so you cant leave them on after you turn your truck off and drain your battery...but if you do decide to use a relay, go with a 30 or 40 amp

so.....i need help then. i have power run into the cab and to an illuminated switch directly from the battery(with a fuse inline). then there's a power lead coming from the switch (obviously).

this lead goes to 86. got it.
87 goes to my lights. got it.
85 goes to ground. sweet.
do i have to run another separate power lead for the #30 terminal? or can those be bridged from the switch?

one goes from switch to relay
one goes from headlight power to relay(or whatever you want to use to decide if the roof lights get power or not, usually headlights, use a power tap/add-a-circuit to tap into it
one goes from relay to roof lights
one goes from relay to ground

i dont know the numbers though

and of course, dont forget to ground your lights! i have mine grounded to the light bar, then the light bar is grounded to chassis
that illuminated switch probably has to be grounded too

#30 is actually your main power in for the lights themselves.

Here is a basic layout I found for you on the web.

http://www.visionxusa.com/images/Support/TechDocs/HidOffRoadLights.jpg

This is good for 2 pretty high watt lights, if you have 4 then you'll need 2 of theses curcuits. If your lights are more like basic driving lights then you may be able to run all 4, depending on how much current they draw and how big of a wire you run for the input.

Do you have a link to the ones you bought?

ALMOST DONE!!!!!!!


hopefully pics by the weekend.

YEAH!! Done!

<a href="http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/stuandstacy/?action=view&current=IMG_4297.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/stuandstacy/IMG_4297.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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2 illuminated switches. one for the outside lights one fot the inside. Also....if you notice.... if you take your red security light out and replace it with a blue one....it looks way more "aftermarket legit alarm".
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<a href="http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/stuandstacy/?action=view&current=IMG_4296.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/stuandstacy/IMG_4296.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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Ready for snowboard season.
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<a href="http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/stuandstacy/?action=view&current=IMG_4298.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/stuandstacy/IMG_4298.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Very nice!

oh yeah.....i forgot to mention the best part. the wiring is on a trailer plug.....so the whole thing is removable as one piece! and moveable to any point on the bars.

very nice. all the research you put into it definitely paid off man!

Way cool!

Wow man, that looks great. Nice job! I don't think i've ever seen a light bar like yours, but I love the idea.

Hey all. I'm new here and just finished my first mod. I took the idea from DaveC's pics and mounted into the fairing. Wouldn't have been able to do it without all the useful info on this site (more useful than Hella's wiring diagrams). Here's some pics
http://http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/th_005.jpg (http://s404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/?action=view&current=005.jpg)
http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/th_002.jpg (http://s404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/?action=view&current=002.jpg)
http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/th_007.jpg (http://s404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/?action=view&current=007.jpg)
http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/th_010.jpg (http://s404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/?action=view&current=010.jpg)
http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/th_011.jpg (http://s404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/gelhar17/?action=view&current=011.jpg)

Glad we all could help.

Welcome to the club! You should do a real introduction in the New Member Introductions area.

Grats on the install, looks like a clean arrangement.
Did you reinforce the fairing at all?

yeah i've got 1/4 inch thick steel bar mounted behind the fairing

you can never have too many lights.... lol. looks great.