Putting The Light Behind You

This was a fairly simple mod and very useful. To start off with I got a piece of 1/16"X1 1/2"X1 1/2" tube steel that I just had laying around. You could use any size tube steel to fit your application. I cut the tube steel to the length from the out outside to outside of the frame. Then measured and drill the holes in the frame and tube steel (I used 3/8" bolts). This can be done at any desired location depending on where or how close to the end of the bed you would like them to be. I put mine at 1 1/2" from the end of the frame. This put them back so that they weren't to close too the end of the bed where they could get hit easier. At first I thought about putting the bar inside the frame, but decided not to cuz it would be in the way of where I need to mount my rear bumper (if I ever get around the making the mounts for it).

Also since I decide to go with mounting the bar on top of the frame I welded a channel steel to the bottom of the bar for bolting the light mounts to and to get the lights under the bottom of the bed. I cut a 4" (the width of the dust boot on the lights) long piece of 1/16"X1 1/2"X1 1/2"channel steel and welded it to tube steel. Your lights may mount differently depending on light size and how far apart you would like them. I put mine so that I had an inch of clearance between the side of the lights and the frame. I then drilled a hole (size of light mount bolt) in the middle of the channel steel all the way through into the square tubing. Then to keep from the wire be exposed and having to tie them up and I cut a small section an inch long above the area where the lights would be mounted at for easy access to the wire connections and would run the wire through the bar. I then panted it, mounted it to the frame, and then the light to it.

NOTE: If you don't have or plain on having a rear bumper you can still mount the bar on the inside of the frame and not need to worry about the channel steel extensions. Or you could also cut the bar about 3/4" shorter to allow for a 1/4" thick bumper mounting bracket and 1/8" clearance on each side. This will make the bolt holes close to the end of the bar and you will also need longer bolts.

by: Robert Bickford a.k.a. DEADLYPEACE

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