Roof rack lighting question. Where to route wires into cabin?

[biomax]

Guys,

I've been wiring up my roof lights (front and backup) and had originally thought of going down the a-pillar straight into the engine bay, but the weld in that seam (pic A) is uneven, and the wires don't tuck in all the way. So I'd have to fill in the gap with something. That idea was nixed.




Last night I ran the wires over the rain gutter between front/rear doors (B pillar) and down the recess in the front of the rear door (pic B/C). The intent was to run down, then into the grommet in the side and into the cabin. But, the cables are a little too big to lie in this gap, and I'm not sure how to secure them. I temporarily used black duct tape. Last night my wife said, "Did I hear you using duct tape on the Cruiser?". Yup. She did!




So I'm reconsidering and thinking about whether wiring all the way to the back gate, and then forwards again to the engine bay, may be the best/cleanest way.

Anyone have pics or can tell me how they ran their wires? The more detail, the better.

thx

Robert

 

[NQCruiser]

G'Day. I'm looking at the same issue on my HJ60 once I get my rack built, and at this stage I'll probably run the wiring down the length of the rack to the rear and have a large Deutsch connector in the harness so that I can remove the rack/lighting etc and then just tuck the end of the harness back inside the rear doors. I use laser cable that we use at work, which has a nice finish and tough exterior, but is also large diameter, so the A-Pillar idea won't work for me either. Also I already have a fuse block in the rear quarter panel that I plan to draw from.

The only issue I see with this atm is that when you start running cables out through the weather seals, they don't seal too well and water will run down the cable, through the seal and into the rear cargo area.

Mine has the split ambo doors on it, so I will have to see what other options I have once I get some more time. I often find that after a few "lateral thinking ales" that these ideas seem to come together better!!

 

[Kynot62]

It's not ideal but until I drill a hole in the roof and use a cable clamp it works. It is not a big deal to slip some wires into the grommet for the rear window wash hose. And it has never leaked in the 3 or so years I have had it wired this way. The two wires are wrapped with split loom. The rack spent a few years on my 62 before I put it on my BJ and neither one leaked so don't fear going through a weather seal.

What size wire are you using? Lights don't need overly large gauge wire and you can reduce the number of wires by ganging together the ground wires. You may even get away with grounding them on your rack mount.

Tony

 

[ntsqd]

If you put a "drip loop" in the wires where they're hidden inside of the tailgate/hatch area, but outside of the weather seal, then water has less of a chance of getting in that way. Where the cable actually goes through is still a problem, but with the loop water ever water followed the cable down will have to go uphill to come inside.

 

[jfnall]

I have a fairly large bundle of wires run from the roof rack into the roof. I have 3 sets of lights on the rack. I used a Deutch connector as mentioned. I bought it at the Harley store and built it the way I needed to, but if i had to do it again, I would try and find something from Waytech Wiring.

I got a clamshell cover from a boat place and the wires come out of it at a flat angle to the back. I filled the clamshell with silicone. The wires run down the far back pillar and then back up to the engine bay. Everything is run inside the truck, along with the factory wiring bundle.

I can get a pic tomorrow of the clamshell setup. I wanted to be about to take the rack on and off and have the connector be a quick connect and waterproof setup.

 

[biomax]

Kynot62, thanks for the confirmation that the rear hatch works well. I'll rerun my cables back that way. But due to the total length (front of roof to hatch to engine bay) I'll be using 12 ga for the power (I'll merge the grounds if need be...). So 3-4 12ga wire (at most) are what I'll need to route into the cab.

I'll disassemble what I did the last few days and give it another go Sunday (supposed to not be raining by then).

Also, ntsqd has a great idea. I hadn't thought of that loop, but he's totally correct.

Robert

 

[Kynot62]

Remember that you only need one power wire for two lights, at least with 55 watt halogens that works fine this may reduce the wires you need to run to the relay. All my lights are wired this way.

Tony

 

[2sun62]

I am running 4 lights on rack, 3 up front 1 in back. I ran all the wires thru the tube to the back of the rack, down the gutter mounts, along the rain gutter to the back hatch. All wires were wraped in shrink tubeing.

 

[biomax]

2Sun62 - thanks. The pics help a lot. I look at this a lot last night and think this is what I'll be doing over the next few days. A few questions. Shrink tubing? The whole length? That's expensive isn't it? Do you have a source for long runs of tubing? The longest I've seen are in 2' lengths at West Marine. And it's pricy.

Also, how did you get the wire to "lay down" so nicely when coming over the rail and into the rear hatch?

Any leaks?

Robert

 

[2sun62]

2Sun62 - thanks. The pics help a lot. I look at this a lot last night and think this is what I'll be doing over the next few days. A few questions. Shrink tubing? The whole length? That's expensive isn't it? Do you have a source for long runs of tubing? The longest I've seen are in 2' lengths at West Marine. And it's pricy.

Also, how did you get the wire to "lay down" so nicely when coming over the rail and into the rear hatch?

Any leaks?

Robert[/QUOTE


I put shrink tubing on the areas that are exposed, my source for the shrink tubing is Harbor Freight Tools
it's only $1.99 for 8' roll of the stuff.
5/16" x 8 Ft. Black Heat Shrink Tubing

To make it lay down I put some auto/marine silicon along the rain gutter then used spring clamps to hold it
all down till dry & a heat gun to help shape it.
And so far no leaks.

Hope this helps out biomax

 

[biomax]

Thanks 2Sun62 - I'll give the silicon a try.

Oh and GREAT catch on harbor freight. I've been picking up things at West Marine that HF has for a fraction of the cost. (connectors, etc.)
I'll be swinging by there this weekend to pick up some odds/ends.
I just wish their heat shrink was adhesive lined. But I think I found a place on-line that isn't too bad for that.

Robert

 

[2sun62]

biomax- if you go to chit-chat forum theres a Harbor Freight thread were you can find 20% off coupons on your purchase.

 

[jfnall]

Took too long, but here is my clamshell install with the Deutch connector.

Deutch connectors from Harley dealership. The expandable loom is from

Haywire Inc.