fog lights and bumper light brackets with pics

[wisekise]

i started to install my new fog lights today when i ran into the problem of mounting them. i've got some misc. steel pieces from my slider project but they wouldnt work, then i found some beam clamps from work they worked perfect on the back bottom lip of the bumper. btw a beam clamp is basically a c clamp with tapped 1/4" screw holes used to attach hangers for electrical conduit(lowes/home depot) heres a pic

once i got those burnin i decided to start on some bumper brackets for my off road lights. i searched for ideas and found hokies plans but they didnt match the pic of the real thing so i made my own. i used 2 pieces of 4x4x1/4" steel angle. i cut it about 2" wide so i could off set the holes and had to cut off some of both sides and drilled some 1/2" holes. this first one was practice so i could get good measurements for the final product.

this is the factory bolt location. the existing bolt was too short for the 1/4" steel, luckily i had a much longer spare layin around, but to finish i'll find the right size

heres with the light mounted

i didnt get to finish the brackets, hopefully tomm. i am also going to apply truck bed liner to the brackets and the beam clamps. when i finish i will draw up a plan w/ measurements and post it, but i dont know if they will work on anything other than 98 sports like mine

 

[hunterdan]

Nice work. I like your idea for the clamps. Very easy to do and cheap.

Dan

 

[A Wise Guy]

Sweet. Is it possible to rotate the bottom lights so they hang from the clamp instead of sitting on the clamp? It may make it so you don't notice the clamps as much. Just an idea.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

wisekise, how big are them things! i want to put fogs in my 98, but they have a law up here that they cant be higher then the head lights. so what i want to do is modify the front bumper and actually put them into the bumper. i know most of you will read this and tell me just to get a 99 and up front bumper, or get a lower valance that has fog lights in them, but i want it to be different, and i don't like the look of either mentioned.

 

[hunterdan]

Which lights do you want to put in the bumper? THe bigger ones or the smaller ones? I wouldn't recommend hanging the lights below the bumper at all.. They are just waiting to get hit with anything and everything. I've had a set that were hanging below the bumper and they lasted about 2 weeks before they had a nice crack in them from a stone. If you want to mount the bigger lights lower than the headlights, mount them to the front of the bumper.

Dan

 

[vroomzoomboom]

they would be smaller, if i can find 3 inch lights, if not 4 inch. . what i am going to to is to cut holes in the bumper, then use tube and wield it into the bumper, and mount the lights inside the tube. i did that with my buddy's s-10 and it look really good.

 

[wisekise]

Sweet. Is it possible to rotate the bottom lights so they hang from the clamp instead of sitting on the clamp? It may make it so you don't notice the clamps as much. Just an idea.

yea i could have used the top lip but it is alot higher than the opening on the front side. so to get clearance i would have had to use longer bolts, but since i use these at work i know that anything mounted to the clamp itself is much sturdier than being suspended. good idea though, thanks

vroomzoomboom- the lights are all 55w halogens, 2) 2"x 4" wally world specials and 2) 8" protocols i got off ebay for 40 bucks to my door. kinda big(still dont know if i like them yet, but i'm still fab'ing them up) but i liked the blue, the grilles, and the price. also i didnt know they were that deep but for your lights, did you want round or rectangle? why would you want fogs above your headlights? or do you mean driving/off road lights? if fogs are what you want couldnt you do what i did, or something similar. i just hate the idea of cutting into my truck. i didnt like to cut flares for clearance for tires and thats just plastic

 

[wisekise]

sorry, left the laptop while posting. questions answered vroomzoomboom