Roof clearance lights

[Strokin05]

Pics will be up later today or tomorrow...

 

[janders]

The factory has a harness that allows the 5 lights to connect to it. However, will the harness connect directly into my truck?

 

[DaveBen]

It plugs in just under the passanger's side kick panel. It is a snap.

Dave

 

[janders]

great, thanks

 

[TexasCanesFan]

I have seen some older posts on DieselStop, where people had some templates for drilling the holes. I think they were of the light itself.

Anyone got anything like that???

I am thinking about giving this a try myself. I read where MotoMan used a Knockout punch to drill the big hole for the plug. Everyone else use something similar to drill that hole???

 

[DaveBen]

I made one using the light as a template and then used the cardboard template for the marking and drilling. What is so hard about drilling the roof???

Dave

 

[whatabudro]

I have seen some older posts on DramaStop, where people had some templates for drilling the holes. I think they were of the light itself.

Anyone got anything like that???

I am thinking about giving this a try myself. I read where MotoMan used a Knockout punch to drill the big hole for the plug. Everyone else use something similar to drill that hole???

It's pretty simple to do, no template needed. Here's how I approached it:

Stopped at dealership on the way home and used the roof rails as a guide to where the factory lights are installed side to side. Hopped up on the running board of one while nobody was watching and measured from the front lip of the light to the windshield.

I laid a 6" wide area of blue masking tape across the roof, so I could mark center lines without affecting the paint.

I then found the center by measuring from both doors, about 5 or 6 six times to make sure I had it right.

Then I made a line all the way across the cab using the windshields curve as reference.

Then I placed the four outer lights where the should go by using the roof rails as reference and my super strait eye.

Once I got them where they looked right I marked them, then measured everything out using the doors as a reference to make sure both sides were evenly spaced and symmetrical.

I am an electrician by trade so I have knock outs (slug busters) all the way up to 4 1/2" in size. That's not what I used though. Doing that you will have to have a helper because the knock out threads togethor through the hole and I did this by myself. I used a carbide hole-saw (one cutting tip about $75 each ) not a cheapo bi-metal saw. A bi-metal will cause unnecessary scratching of the paint around the edge of the hole and could lead to rust problems in the future.

Welcome to the site, I also notice you're close so maybe I could let you borrow the tools after I get to know ya better.

Are you coming to the Rally?

 

[TexasCanesFan]

whatabudro - I would love to go to the rally, but we have to go fill protein feeders at the lease that weekend. They are eating a ton of protein every 4 weeks and we can not go the following weekend. That looks like a heck of a good time and I will have to make it next year.

So would you recommend the knockout if doing it with a helper??

After doing quite a bit of research on doing this, I can not dream of paying $300 to have it done!!!

Thanks for the help.

 

[whatabudro]

Even if I had a helper, I would have done it the way I did just for less pain in the arse.

I don't care what you have planned that weekend, you will have 30 minutes to stop by and say hi, its free dude, I'll even offer you a cold one.

 

[Tbar]

TCF, while your at it get sparky there to show you how to make those Corner Cabs Lights Blink.


Tbar