running wire for roof light bar

[73slinger]

hey guys.. so i bought the light bar from stallion customs that utilizes the stock roof rack http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-91494403522699_2030_2706068 (comes with light bar, 4 pro comp 100W lights, wire, relays etc.. ) i work for a company called Bay Alarm as an installer and running wire with out it being seen is my job... after lookin through threads the best way i found is to lift the post of the stock roof rack and drill down through the roof.. my questions are....

1. as anyone else drilled through the roof and is this the best way to go? i know i'll have install a rubber gromet and silicon the hell out of the hole..
2. how exactly do you remove the headliner to access the bottom side of the roof? (i've got an 08 and noticed the side curtain air bag labels on the front pillars.. are the air bags under the pillar covers? and if so is it safe to remove the pillar covers?)

any pictures.. PDF files for installation, tips, hints, would all be greatly appreicated.. thanks for the help guys!..

 

[BigyellowFJ]

We have a Manik Light Bar that uses the stock rack and it has 2 KC floods and 2 Spots. We drilled thru the roof, so we have that experience. You can do it 1000 ways but here is what we did. Went to West Marine and got a aux fuse box (we run all assecories off this fuse block), mounted to the top of the under hood fuse box. Mounted light relays on the upper inner fender skirt just opposite the fuse block. We ran switch wire to the center console and added a switch for the floods and a switch for the spots. Power wire went through the outer foot panel next to your left foot and tucked under the door seal. You remove the front left window pillar ( no worries on the air bag) and run the wire up. Take the grab handle off and peal back the upper door seal. This gives you access to the space above the headliner. I put a towel in between the headliner and roof to keep a working gap between both and no surprizes with a drill bit going thru your headliner. I drilled next to the front drivers side roof rack and installed a 1 inch by 3 oval conduit box. Painted it black like the roof rack. We thought we might someday put other electrical things on the roof like rear and side floods, so that why we choose the conduit box. We ran the power from the box thru armored flex conduit to the lights. It may sound funky but you can almost not see it and it has been trouble free for 2 years. You can have a cleaner look thru the existing tubing but with all the thrashing over time, you could wear thru and get a short. That why we like the wire seperate and accesable. With your job experience, I am sure this will be a breeze for you. Just the first hole any of us drills in the roof is one where we all hold our breath ! PLace a short piece of rubber hose over the drill bit except the last inch and then the hose will stop the bit from traveling too far.

 

[73slinger]

awesome! sounds like a good plan... I thought about running spare wires up and just leaving them inside the roof rack tubing(for rear and side floods). I noticed little rubber grommets on the roof rack, pulled one out and it was a predrilled hole. with a little fish tape/hook it'd be simple to pull the extra cabling back and do what i need to do with it.

thanks alot for the advise!