'98 Mounty with 6" KC's behind grille, 5" Pro Comp fogs on with high beams | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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'98 Mounty with 6" KC's behind grille, 5" Pro Comp fogs on with high beams

'98 Mounty with 6" KC's behind grille, 5" fogs rewired to stay on with high beams

Well I finally got my front end finalized. After I added the body lift I had to loose my stock fog lamps :( , so I mounted my 5" pro comp fog lights in the factory location. The Pro Comp's have the same wattage as the factory fogs, so I am using the stock wiring to power the lights. No problems as of yet (other than me having the power/ground reversed on the lights, lol). I need to add another bracket that goes vertically and ties the lights to the body (they're just mounted to the bumper right now, so they flutter on washboard roads). The first pic is how I mounted the 5" fogs.

My 6" KC 100W Slimlites also needed a place to go. I didn't want to mount them infront of the grille because I love the way the '98+ Mounty front ends look. I had always liked the way Bill Kemp had his lights mounted behind the grille, so I figured I'd give it a go. Working around the body lift was a slight challenge, but with me now having access to a plasma cutter and MIG welder anything is possible :) Here is how Bill has his mounted...

2084merc_headlights.jpg


To mount mine, I fab'd up some brackets that support the lights and tie into the bumper and body. The brackets are made of 1" wide x 3/32" thick strip steel that I bought at Lowes. They were fab'd using the good 'ole vise and BFH approach :hammer: They mount to the back side of the bumper then to the fiberglass shroud that holds the grille. I welded in some reinforcement tabs to take out any bounce the lights might see. (Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me when I made the lights)

The 2nd and third attached pics are of the brackets and lights mounted on the truck.

I had to play around with the spacing on the brackets. I ultimately ended up slotting the holes (yeah plasma cutter) so I could move the lights forward/back 3/4" of an inch (the back of my passenger side light was touching my tranny cooler). I got them mounted and wired up last night. Probably not my best wiring job but it was getting dark and I was getting tired then my headlamp battery died so I had to use my mag light and ended up wiring with the light held in my teeth.

This last pic is taken today
 

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Yeah-I'm partial to the look.

I bet those were easier to install than mine. Because the KC's weigh alot (6" light) I had to make the brackets that go down to the bumper frame otherwise they would've bounced/wiggled themselves loose.
 






i like mine on the corners :D
 

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OK so with the light behind the grill is there a noticeable shadow caused by the vertical grill slats ?
 






I'm sure that there isnt even a shadow because the slats are so thin.
 






well about 5 ft. in front of the truck you can see the slats barely but out front ythere isnt
 






hokie, - big fog lights look good behind the grille and look so sweet anyway if i were u , i would put switch whenever u need it be on.

cool
 






very nice guy, the lights behind the grill looks very mean.
 






OK so with the light behind the grill is there a noticeable shadow caused by the vertical grill slats ?

Nope

Keep in mind my KC's originally came with these on them
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If you were REALLY close to a wall you could see a "KC" shadow
 






hokie, - big fog lights look good behind the grille and look so sweet anyway if i were u , i would put switch whenever u need it be on.

cool

Well... I figure that if I need these lights, I'll already have my high beams on. On long, remote stretches of interstate I like running them, but I don't want to have to turn off my high beams AND then turn off the driving lights if a car is coming. This way I can kick them on and have 'em cut off with just the vehicles hi/low selector switch.

Technically, a 100W light is illegal to run on pavement, but I don't run my high beams with other cars around so I don't worry about it.
 






Well... I figure that if I need these lights, I'll already have my high beams on. On long, remote stretches of interstate I like running them, but I don't want to have to turn off my high beams AND then turn off the driving lights if a car is coming. This way I can kick them on and have 'em cut off with just the vehicles hi/low selector switch.

Technically, a 100W light is illegal to run on pavement, but I don't run my high beams with other cars around so I don't worry about it.

Oh I see.... I like that idea of just turn off with high beam and turn back on high beam!!! i would do same way u do to kick them on and have 'em cut off with it
 






Oh I see.... I like that idea of just turn off with high beam and turn back on high beam!!! i would do same way u do to kick them on and have 'em cut off with it

Yeup :)

Wanna send me some Lexington style BBQ? I've got a hankerin' for some good vinegar based as the good stuff is hard to find out west ;)
 






Wow I love the look of those KC's behind the grill. That looks sweet!!

I just couldn't sacrifice the extra cooling for towing on hot days. That's a lot of blocked air going through there.

Here are a few pics, you can see with the BL I really am not blocking that much of the tranny cooler.

I took two more vehicle pics too :cool:
 

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aeaglenfitch, are those 8" lights you have behind the grill? I am trying to figure out what size lights i want to get when i eventually do get some. Mine will be mounted in front of the grill though on a tube bumper.
 






aeaglenfitch, are those 8" lights you have behind the grill? I am trying to figure out what size lights i want to get when i eventually do get some. Mine will be mounted in front of the grill though on a tube bumper.

I'd go with 6" lights
 






I probably will, i like how those big lights look on his so i just want to know what he's got. But having 6"ers would also make it easier to add a third light if i wanted to.
 






idk what size mine are... they're hella 500's i got them at schucks... they're the same height as the slats of the grille itself so whatever that is.
 






i found out they are 6 3/8" in diameter. thanks.
 



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here's another pic. im partial to the way i put mine in the corners of the grille as opposed to the middle like everybody else
 

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