Built a LIGHTBAR for the M109

[peashooter]

LIGHT BAR for the Deuce, w/ search light & Solargizer panel

Earlier this year I got one of the larger solargizer kits with the 12v & 24v taps from Jeff (JOateyNV) out of the classifieds. I didnt want to put any holes in the top of anything (either my 109 box roof or the hardtop roof) so one thing led to another and I ended up making a light bar that holds the solargizer panel, has a 12v GoLight remote controlled searchlight that I got cheap off of ebay, and 6x 27w LED lights (4x flood lights, 2x spot lights) that I got off of amazon for about $25 each. The bar and all mounts are made of aluminum.
The only problems are that I dont care too much for the looks of it, but it is functional. The other problem that I hadnt thought of until it was too late is that when I put the hood it hits the search light..... I'll take care of that eventually but its one of those things I wish I would have thought about before I made it the way I did.
I havent finished the remote yet but it will be a hand held pendant in the cab to control all of it.

I'll just mention the LED lights. They are cheap and chinese but they get really good reviews. I havent used them much yet so I cant confirm it but if you are looking for some cheap rugged light just search for "TUFF LED LIGHTS" on amazon, they have the round or square flood lights, I had to get the "RUPSE" brand for the square spot lights but they appear to be made by the same company, just different boxes. Also I didnt like the look of so much lens on the light bar so I took some of that 3m Traction saftey walk film and puched holes in it where the lights/reflectors were. Thats why these things look more like dice than a standard light.

 

[rmgill]

Hmmm. Kinda cool. What's the light pattern look like?

 

[peashooter]

Hmmm. Kinda cool. What's the light pattern look like?

The flood lights have a 60 degree light spread and the spots have a 30 degree spread. They look about the same as a typical incandecent bulb but the light is just whiter and brighter..... they arent as brite as those Truck-Lite "LED ROUTE CLEARANCE LIGHTS" that are about double the wattage (and size) of what these ones are.

 

[maahes]

I like the look of it! This is what I am looking to build as it would still allow removal of the soft top.
Did you use rectangular steel tube for the bar?
Would love some detail or pictures on how you mounted to the window frame.

I have those flood lights as rear/backup lights, they are quite durable for the price.

 

[peashooter]

I used a 3" x 1.5" aluminum tube, it has 1/4" walls. I'm just going to bolt it to the windshield uprights with a few 1/4-20 cap screws. Another odd thing I didnt notice at first until I was test fitting stuff is that the windshield frame sides (where Im mounting too) arent parallel. I assumed the military would have made them parallel out of simplicity but rather they are angled like the roof is so you either need to twist your upright mounts or cut your light bar at an angle like I did to make it all fit nicely. here are some more pictures from when I was fitting it up yesterday.

 

[215Dave]

Looks great! Gives me some ideas for fabbing up something similar....

 

[HanksDeuce]

That looks really good up there. Good job.

 

[DeuceSiek]

Looks great! I will need to make a light bar for work lights once I complete my Dump Conversion complete.

 

[M813A1]

Peashooter a good way to support the hood is to get a set of the old track bar rubber bumpers and attach them to your lightbar . Thay are about $ 15 to $ 20 bucks and are about 2.5 inches tall . They would make a quick easy way to support your hood on your lightbar with out to much rework .. And your Light Bar looks Good ..

 

[Hainebd]

Great looking light bar. Thanks for the idea. How are they wired?

 

[steelandcanvas]

Nice job PeaShooter, I like your attention to detail, especially the cord-grips where the cords enter the light bar.

 

[peashooter]

Great looking light bar. Thanks for the idea. How are they wired?

The LED lights are all 12-24v and low wattage so you can just use a common ground wire, then the positive wires I have going to different switches. The lights I have (will have) wired seperately. The attached pic is the control pendant I made that has switches for it all. The search light has a switch to turn it on along with a red light to know its on and a joystick to move it. The other 4 switches (with the red boots) are for the LED lights. Right switch is for right side, left for left side, and top 2 are for the front 4 lights... 1 controls the 2 spot lights, and the other controls the 2 flood lights.

 

[moving chicane]

Very nice. The pendant could be probably be made wireless without too much trouble as well, if you wanted to in the future.

 

[peashooter]

Very nice. The pendant could be probably be made wireless without too much trouble as well, if you wanted to in the future.

It's already wireless! ...... ay least until I get around to wiring it

 

[Heath_h49008]

Nice work. I have been looking for a place to put my Solargizer, and if I just have to put a bunch of lights up there so be it. I will carry that burden.

Seriously, nice job.

 

[Vintage iron]

nice job peashooter

 

[JimmyThompson]

Show us some more photos of this beast!!!

 

[peashooter]

Show us some more photos of this beast!!!

I dont have too much for photos. I have trouble finding time to work on the truck, so its even more difficult to find time to take pictures as I go. Here are a couple of the outside, and a couple of the inside (although the inside has a few changes from when these pics were taken). Obviously we converted this to a family camper. When my kids get a little bigger we will convert the Trailer Cargo box to a "bunkhouse" for the kids since it gets pretty tight with us all sleeping in the truck at night.

 

[sgtrisk]

That is a great mod job going on!!

When you get a chance, I'd love to see some details of what you did to mount that AC unit, especially the outside guard assembly. I've got a similar AC unit installed in mine, but haven't done anything on the outside yet.

 

[peashooter]

That is a great mod job going on!!

When you get a chance, I'd love to see some details of what you did to mount that AC unit, especially the outside guard assembly. I've got a similar AC unit installed in mine, but haven't done anything on the outside yet.

Here are a couple pics of the a/c and related stuff (over the last 2 years). Basically I built a cover for the outside to protect it while driving mainly. It has a 24vdc linear actuator that lifts it up when we are parked to run it. Its always worked well.... however, we started taking longer trips and my wife and son are riding in the back (109 box) so they started getting pretty hot in a green oven while driving. So I redesigned the cover last year so that the air conditioner can run and vent properly while we are driving with the cover closed. (runs off a generator behind the front bumper). Once we get to a campsite, then we open the cover via a swith on the electrical panel. Its an 8000 btu unit from costco and it still has trouble keeping up at times. I re-insulated the truck with R-10 last year and put in some metal roof vents which GREATLY help keep the heat down. I know it would be cooler if I just painted the roof a lighter color but I cant bring myself to do that.
Other than that, I did put in a drain line for the ac that goes down between the box and the cab because otherwise the ac drips water on the cab roof.