Screwing through sheetmetal...

[slaughterrt]

I know it is an iffy idea, but I am looking to make a light bar for my 99 xlt. I do not want to use the crossbars, or the roof rack tracks. I am trying to put it very far toward the front of the roof. I was curious if anyone had good tips on securing it to the roof. I was thinking a bunch of sheetmetal screws w/ rubber washers to keep the rainwater from leaking through. I do not know if the screws would be enough to keep the light bar from moving around, especially on bumpy terrain. Anyone have any tips on mounting the bar to the sheetmetal roof? I am open to any suggestions, whether it be screwing it down or securing it some other way. Thanks in advanced guys.
-Rob

 

[BradR]

for permanent installation i would go with more of a bolt on application, a bolt and a nut on either side.

drop the headliner and use big metal washers as well as big rubber washers like you said.

 

[bisjoe]

I agree with the bolts. In a severe wind at speed the sheet metal screw could pull out. On the inside look for "fender washers", they are very large with a small hole. watch closely as you tighten because you could distort the sheet metal on the roof if they are not positioned on a perfectly flat area.

 

[Caejxr]

Another vote for bolts. To spread the load large washers or even extra sheet metal underneath to spread the load would be good. The lights will catch a good amount of air on the highway and put a lot of force on the bolts and the body sheet metal isn't very thick. You may even want to consider silicone to seal up the holes from water if the seal may not be good enough with a rubber washer(?).

 

[slaughterrt]

Thanks for the info guys. I will most likely go with the bolts then, and fender washers...Is it a pain in the butt to take the headliner down? This would be my first time doing it. I am sure I can find info on the site about taking it down though. Thanks again.
-Rob

 

[zembonez]

Steel rivets would work just fine. That way you wouldn't have to drop a headliner... just have to be careful drilling.

 

[Caejxr]

The head liner isn't too bad to take off. you have to remove all the plasic trim and the oh s**t handles and the push pegs as well as the visors. i think the dome light even if i remember right. be really gentle and careful not to bend the headliner too much you don't want it to become saggy or wrinkled up.

 

[slaughterrt]

My project actually worked out well, with very little snags at all. I will post better pics soon but my light bar project is successful. I took a piece of 1" weld steel pipe and welded it to some brackets I made from 3x3 black angle iron. Put about an inch of rubber spacers under each bracket and drilled two 1/2" holes in each side. I was able to bolt it down without taking down the headliner luckily. My holes were close enough to the side doors that I could drop the plastic trim and rain gutters down and I had enough room to squeeze between the roof and the headliner. The only slight problem I had throughout the whole deal was that the bolts that held the lights to the light bar were a little long. I just had to hacksaw them down a little and now everything is great.

 

[badge49]

Looks great! Did you take any pics of your bolt locations when you had the plastic trim off? I was thinking of doing something similar to this.

 

[slaughterrt]

I'll have to take a couple more pics of it and post. Also I'll get a couple measurements of where the bolt holes are to give you a little bit of an idea. It was one of those projects that worked out a lot easier than I was expecting. But I will def post a few more.

 

[Kriegen]

Steel rivets would work just fine. That way you wouldn't have to drop a headliner... just have to be careful drilling.

Over time, the rivets are likely to pop out due to the sheet metal being pretty thin and the amount of force the lights are going to put on them due to wind. You really do need something like fender washers underneath to spread out the force.

 

[slaughterrt]

Updated thread with all the pics...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2458382#post2458382