Mag mount lights

[taboky]

I don't want to install a light bar, and I have a tonneu cover, so no headache rack. I was gonna go with a magnetic mount light bar, but a buddy said he had one and after a season of being on, it damaged his roof. I would rather put it on in the begining of the season and take it off at the end. Is there anything I can put between the light and roof to protect the paint?

Thanks for any ideas...

Steve

[pbeering]

You can affix some of the clear plastic fender protector like is on your rear lower fenders on the bottom of the magnets and it will help prevent scratching. Magnetic lights trap moisture which also beats up the paint. Depending what color your truck is, whether it sleeps indide or out, how well you maintain it, may also create a fading situation.

Another word of caution, you don't tell us if you have a supercab, but magnetic mounts have an irritating tendency to blow off at highway speeds. Whelen now includes specific disclaimers.

A better solution would be corner strobes and LED's.

Browse through the lighting section on here for ideas and technical info.

[JohnnyU]

ECCO makes those vacuum-magnets, suction cups with magnets in them, they work really well and the rubber will prevent scratches and what-not on your paint.

IMO, hidden strobes shouldn't be used as a primary warning device, they should be used as a supplement, since they tend to be rather directional in their pattern. A simple roof-mounted beacon or mini-lightbar would be more than enough, and if properly equipped (vacuum magnets or similar) damage shoudn't be an issue.

[taboky]

How do those vacuum-magnets work? I would really like a kind of headance rack. I was trying to find something that goes into the front stake pockets, comes out around the tonneu and then up. I think the biggest problem would be no real front to rear support. It would probably bounce around alot. Maybe I'll just stick with my little single wirly mag mount and put it on and off when I need it.


Steve

[Adams Plowing]

well i guess the big question is do you know someone that can weld good. if you do you can have them fabricate mount so you can run both the back rack and the cover. i know last year on my old truck the magnetic mounts on the mini lightbar and my antenna both scatched the paint which is what caused me to decicde to mount a backrack and put both the lights and antenna on it. It doesnt matter what kind of magnet you use if its not bolted on it runs the risk of moviing and if it moves it can possibly scatch the paint.

[Wizard]

If your front stake pockets are in the clear, you may be able to get a backrack on it. I have a Pace Edwards roll-up tonneau and with some 1/2 inch spacers under the brackets, I fit both the cover and the backrack on. My problem is clearance into the garage where the plow spends it's spare time. I have a Code3 420 mag/suction mount light and love it. My light goes on after the plow, and comes back off before I take the plow off. Never had any damage to my roof, and it doesn't move at all, even at 85mph! :burnout I have the backrack only for the purpose of hauling ladders, and for mounting antennas. I couldn't mount a light on the backrack even if I wanted to because I'd knock it off going into the garage. You can't go wrong with the mag/suction mount. They won't damage the roof as long as there's no debris between the magnet and the roof, and the suction provides stability so it won't blow off.

[Bad Luck]

I have a PSE dual amber rotator that is a mag mount. No problems with it blowing off or damaging the roof. I put a piece of wax paper between the magnet and the sheet metal and it stays put. That being said, I also take it off after every storm and never go above 60mph with it mounted.