Lightbar mounted on Backrack

[chayesf250]

I just ordered a full size lightbar and am thinking about mounting it on a backrack. The backrack has an accessory bracket to mount a lightbar, has anybody used these and if so how secure are they? Also if anybody has a picture that they could post would be much appreciated.

[cat320]

I have it all it.It's just an L bracket and another piece of flat stock that is mounted on the other side of the back rack bar with 2 bolts .You could really mack your own or weld somthing better Now that I know what they are I would do something different.

[chevy guy37]

What lightbar did you choose?

[mac]

I made this bracket. However is just a mini bar.

[CNY Joe]

When you are finish installing the lightbar I'd love to see a pic of it. I am considering doing something similar.

[chayesf250]

Cat, that's what it looked like to me, just an L bracket. I'll have to come up with something. Thanks

Mac, thanks for the pic. Here is a pic of the lightbar, I ordered it with amber all around though, and front and rear takedown. I'll post a pic when it's all done.

[cat320]

Those tomar bars are nice melrose police and a tow co in wakefield have them real bright at night. Just can't seam to find a great deal on them like my whelen bar.

[wyldman]

mac - you need to get those rear facing lights turned so they are horizontal.The light pattern must be terrible.

[chayesf250]

Yeah, I see them on a lot of tow trucks down this way. They look real sharp, plus I like the fact that they have the traffic director built into the rear strobes.

[cat320]

do you have to use there switches due to having the traffic director in the back? Now is that standared with all there lights or an option?

[chayesf250]

When I ordered it, I asked them if I need a special switch panel. They said no, only enough switches to handle the amount of options I wanted to use. As far as I know, I know it is standard with the 48" bar and probably with all the bars that it is on but I don't know at what size bar it starts and stops. They have from a 17" to a 96" bar.

[BWhite]

Can you ride around on the street with the hideways and lightbars blazing.?

[chayesf250]

I have clear hide-aways in my headlights that are just for show. Never use them or I might as well drive myself to the police station. Clear strobes in Ma. are all illegal I believe but I have them in my reverse lights and if I was plowing I wouldn't be bothered around here. I'll use my lightbar whenever necessary, but I wouldn't just drive around with it on.

[cat320]

I have driven around with all my lights on clear in the front and clear in the red brake light and have gone by cops in my tiown never been pulled over.But I usually only put the rear on because of the bounce back from the plow with the front.But the clear in the front in a crowded parking lot are great for letting some idiotes know you are pushing snow :)

[chayesf250]

Yeah, I would hope it wouldn't be as much of a problem plowing with clear strobes. But to drive around in nice weather with them going, impersonating a police officer is what I think they will get you for. I'll wait till I'm pushing some snow to take my chances. Also I don't think it would be as much of a problem with the locals, than it would be with state. Especially the truck team, those are some serious guys. :)

[cat320]

What I meant was I use them when plowing not when it's a regular day.The only time I ever have them on other than that is if i'm working in the middle of the road or something .I have never drove down the road in good weather/summer with them on really all my strobes get used only in the winter. Sorry If I said it the wrong way .

[nben]

chayesf250

I have a friend that had his Whelen Edge bar mounted on his Backrack using the accessory brackets. The bar ended up WAY above his roofline (F-250 SD) and looked rediculous. I made him a couple of brackets that brought the underside of the bar right to the top angle of the two main tubular uprights. I can probably get some pics if you are interested.......

Also, the Backrack brackets are just a couple pieces of flatbar bent at a 90. I think he paid around $50 for them......quite a bit IMO.

[mac]

wyldman

The light pattern is perfect. Those lights are from a John Deere tractor. I'll take a pic. of them in action at night some time.

[chayesf250]

Cat, no need to be sorry. I was agreeing with you, I think it came out the wrong way.

Nben, if you could get a pic, that would be great. I like to have things looking good myself. Yeah, that's what I saw those accessory brackets for, $49.99. Thanks

[Snowboy]

chayesf250

You should go for the LED bars. I think that would be brigther & draw less power.

Whelen makes them.. The down side they cost more. But once again look nice. :D

My opnion...

[chayesf250]

Snowboy,

I looked at the LED payup, they are really nice looking. Our local police dept. just put them on their cruisers, they look really good. Unfortunately at the moment, I didn't have the funds to swing it. Let's pray that we have a nice winter so we can all get a few extra things. :D The Tomar is a really nice lightbar, plus they don't draw as much power as say a Whelen would but are as bright.

[nben]

here are the pics of the brackets I made for KRC's f250. They really helped get the bar lower to the roof line. He didn't want any welding or holes drilled into the backrack, so these just clamp on.

[nben]

rear view......

[nben]

I wish I had a before shot with the factory L-brackets, but you can see these help keep the bar close to the roofline.....

[chayesf250]

nben,

Thanks alot, great job. I just saw a pic of KRC's truck, I was going to PM him to see how he hooked up his bar. No need now that he was the friend you were talking about. Thank you both. Hopefully I'll get my bar in this week and when it's all hooked up I'll post pics. Thanks again.

[Adams Plowing]

nice looking setup nben

[nben]

Originally posted by Adams Plowing

nice looking setup nben

It's a friends (KRC), not mine. I just made the brackets for him. here is a pic of mine......

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Thats a nice looking set up- is there any spacers to keep the brakets from sliding should they loosen up? Just something I thought when I looked at the pic. I tend to overengineer some things, but I know how rough I am on my vehicles, and I have had some things that I bought new, that after I broke them and then fixed them- never had a problem again LOL!

The only reason I thought of this is that there is a lot of quick stops and bumps while plowing, and if those bolts should get loose enough, could the light bar slide to one side or another?

Bill

[nben]

originally posted by cnypropertysvcs
is there any spacers to keep the brakets from sliding should they loosen up?

Nope just the clamping force. The bolts should hold from actually falling unless they fall out too.:(

[W-n-K Landscaping]

It wouldn't take much to weld a tab onto the brakets to hold it in place- I noticed in the pics that the one bracket is slightly at an angle, and in one pic you can see the gap between the bracket and the headache rack. What about putting some old inner tube in between the clamp and the rack? Not only would it help to hold the light in place, but it would also prevent scratches and rust from forming. Just a thought- like I said- I tend to over engineer my stuff, but it has yet to get me into trouble on my vehicles, or my construction projects.

Thanks for the quick response to- Not trying to be critical, just trying to pass on some ideas.

Bill

[CNY Joe]

nben , nice looking backrack. That is exactually what I am looking to do.

[chayesf250]

Nben, you have a really nice set up yourself. Did you make that rack yourself? I have never seen one like that really other than on a tow truck, looks more of just a pylon.

[Adams Plowing]

nben that one looks good too you make that one yourself of did ya buy it?

[nben]

Nben, you have a really nice set up yourself. Did you make that rack yourself?

That one is %100 backyard manufactured by no one other than me! 2x3 tubing, some 3x3 angle, and a little imagination.......