1st Gen 4runner Roof Rack Lights

[CorkOrangutan]

So I was just given some old flood lights and was thinking about wiring them up to my roof rack, but am having second thoughts about routing the wiring. I'm fine with drilling a hole in my roof, so long as there is a decently safe way to protect against leaks, rust and fraying the wiring. I thought about those wiring grommet things they use for boats to do the same thing but they're like $50 at west marine. Is there a cheaper way to protect the wiring, or is it best to just suck it up (I'm in college, and poor)? I'd like to be able to disconnect them to get the rack off with the top too, but I can figure that out.

 

[tanglefoot]

There are plenty of low-cost ways to protect wire. You can often find rubber grommets at a hardware store for just a few dollars. You can also use a piece of wire conduit, or salvage something (some larger wire insulation, etc) to put over as it passes through the sheet metal.

Use some RV putty or silicone to seal the mounting and wiring holes.

Flood lights have a very wide pattern. If you mount them on the roof, you might be contending with a lot of glare off the hood when they're on. I find floods to be much more helpful on the front bumper or up inside the front fenderwells, pointing to the sides (not for on-road use), if the lights aren't too large.

 

[Narkhelek]

I will second the glare off the hood issue. I installed some flood lights on my new roof rack and the glare off the hood is so bad they are useless.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[CorkOrangutan]

Thanks for the tip on the glare, I've got some old spotlights on the bumper right now so maybe I'll put those on the rack and put the floods on the bumper. And yeah I guess I could just seal a grommet with some RTV, probably look better than one of those marine things anyway.

 

[toyota_jon]

Instead of drilling any holes, I removed the plastic trim piece that says 4Runner on it, and gained access to the cab through there. No drilling no problems! Pics don't show, but after I was done routing wires, I used some split loom over all the wires.

If you mount your lights a little further back it will take care of the glare problem.