where do you guys run your wires for roof lights?

[1996BLKBauer]

I am doing some roof lights on my '96 Eddie Bauer, and I cannot seem to find a good place to run the wire through to inside of the cab? I absolutely HATE running wires though seams of doors, I personally think it looks cheap, and like a bandaid rather then a real solution. I am also very much opposed to drilling in my roof at all, so what is there?

 

[4rd4life]

Well besides drilling or running through the door im not sure how else to do it. The way i did min was run the wires up through the drivers A pillar and behind and through the weatherstrip, up towards the back of the door. Then the wires run about 3 inches to the rack itself. You cant really tell at all from looking in the door, but you can see some of the wire at the top of the roof. Ill get some pics later if your interested in what im talking about.

 

[Campoli]

Remove some trim there's plenty of it to hide wires I don't understand why you need to go near the door at all drill a hole in the roof insert a rubber grommet silicone it good drop the headliner of course run ur wire to the front pillar down behind the fuse box door to your switch and through firewall to battery I have 15 holes in my roof for my roof running lights not a single leak

 

[Campoli]

Just realized you said you don't want to drill through roof lol it's not hard at all and if you ever sell it its easy to fill and touch up plus its just the roof who's gonna climb up and inspect it lol just mark it dimple where you want to drill first the dent will help keep the drill bit in place and new bit will go right through the sheet metal make sure you silicone inside and outside wire boot sleeves work great when siliconed right

 

[AP9]

But you can't undo a drilled hole. Not sure if 1996BLKBauer's train of thought is the same as mine, but I'm very OCD about making irreversible modifications to my Explorer. So much so that I don't even use a proper mounting bracket for my Federal Signal Dynamax speaker -- I literally have it attached to the front bumper and frame with heavy-duty zip tie straps.

If I were to roof-mount lights, I'd probably route the wiring from the light bar up to the nearest door inside, then immediately underneath the ceiling trim.

 

[FIND]

Drill the hole under your roof rack. Run the wire up the A pillar trim under the headliner to the hole. Put a grommet in the hole. Run the wire out the hole and to your lights.

Then, if you ever decide to remove the lights or the wiring for the lights, it is easy to patch up the hole and it is in a location you won't see the patch anyway.

Or, just mount the lightbar up there, drill your hole in your roof, leave the lightbar on if you sell it. It isn't hard to seal a hole where you run wire through. If you have nice lights on your lightbar, then buy some cheapies to put on it when you sell it or just raise your asking price so you can buy new ones.


AP9 - Go get some angle bracket material and attach it to the back of the frame where the bumper support attaches. Then bend a bracket to attach to that to hold your speaker on top in the position you want. You could also put it behind the grill by using some bracket material from the hardware store and attaching it to the header panel... it would be drilling a hole for a bolt, but it would be a hole in a place no one will ever see unless your front end comes off.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

hhhhhhhhh, welp, it looks like I am going to be drilling, so what grommets, and what is the THE BEST silicone for the job.

 

[Campoli]

Exactly find under the rack rail

But it's not iraversable it's very easy to fill a drilled hole w body filler and touch up paint

 

[Campoli]

They are just rubber push grommets figure out the size hole you need then get the appropriate grommet outside diameter and inside diameter for the wire you use any good silicone really but you can buy automotive silicone at autozone it what not I just use black silicone from homedepot indoor outdoor window and doors the one that says rain ready in like 30 mins

Good luck post pics