Roof rack lights

[Ironmerganser]

Ok.....so I am the new owner of a Yakima roof rack system with a HUGE safari basket to fit on the roof of my cab. I want to mount some lights on the rack to light up the night.

Question I have is where/how do I run the wires for the lights into the cab??

I have an existing CB antenna (non working) that is on the roof. I could use that hole to run the wires into the cab, but how do I make it water/weather tight so no water leaks in??

ANy help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[BamaSixGun]

you could use silicone i guess.

when my dad was building custom vans back in the 80's. we would cut out the window holes, and there was a black or grey thick putty that we would use to put behind the windows. it made a very water tight seal. i know our NAPA store here in AL sells this product.

i cant really think of the appropriate name for it right now tho. it looks like a rope coiled up, thats how it comes in the package.

you could use some of that to put around the wires leading into the cab.

 

[TexasExcursion]

Funny you should ask...

I just got done installing a custom built 84" rack on my Excursion with 4 KC daylighters up front, 2 small floods on each side and 2 on the back.

My rack is connected to the roof via feet that clamp on the factory roof slides, so it is removable from the truck. Therefore, I had to devise a plan allowing me to disconnect the lights. Not sure if you want to do this or not, but it's water and weather tight.

I bought a six wire trailer hookup at the auto store and drilled a hole in the roof and slide the female end of the connector through the hole, then connected those wires inside the truck. I used silicone (the black stuff at the auto store) to seal around the female connector. The lights on the rack are wired into the male end of the connection, simply plugging into the female end when the rack is on. When the rack is off, the cover over the female end seals up the whole.

Hope this helps.

Bruce

 

[bushpilot]

bruce -

Nice install...nicely planned and very very well thought out !

 

[paulkeith]

I've never been a fan of cutting holes in any exterior sheet metal. I had a grand cherokee with lights on the roof rack, and I ran the wires inside some techflex down the inside of the roofrack rail and then into the cab at the top of the tailgate. it left maybe 1.5" of black techflex showing

that being said, there's almost no good place to do that on a SD. you could run it into your rear door and under the B or C pillar molding. Unless you're a lot taller than me, you wouldn't be able to see the few inches of showing wire...

Bruce...that is sweet. nice work.

 

[TexasExcursion]

I hesitated drilling another hole in the roof (heck, I drilled 15--I think--for the roof clearance lamps), but this seemed like the best way to make it water tight. I'm sure there are other ways to do it without letting water in at the seems, but this method just worked for me.

 

[DragonSlayer]

Could you sneak it out of the 3rd brakelight? Maybe with a grommet or something after dilling the hole?

Nice install, Bruce. I'm not a big fan of roof racks, but they are VERY useful, yours looks great.

 

[Teggleston]

The trailer plug in the roof idea is great, I would do that in a heart beat

 

[Ironmerganser]

See....now that is why I come here. Bruce......that is FANTASTIC!!!

I would have never thought of using a trailer light connector. And since I already have the hole from the old CB antenna, I can just use that hole for the female connector.

Damn.....that is great. I love this place more and more every time I come here!!!!!!

I will totally be copying you Bruce. Hope you don't mind!!!

 

[keanoknick]

The trailer plug in the roof idea is great, I would do that in a heart beat

I second that, it is a really GREAT solution