prharper
GOLD Star
Looking to add 2 small Baja Design S2 lights to the rear of my roof rack. Due to my existing wiring configuration, I'm not interested in running anymore power from engine bay Switch Pro thru the cabin and out the back door grommets again. Been there, done that and probably too tight to run more cable thru those two looms.
What seems like the easy button is to run new power from engine bay up driver's side windshield channel or underneath moulding. I did some research on here looking at a few different related threads.
I was looking to run a 14GA wire pair up the windshield moulding ideally under the plastic trim. Appears some of the earlier 200's have slightly different mouldings and space tolerances.
@2001LC @grinchy @radman stumbled on this earlier.
Knowing this, I figured it would be good to take apart and evaluate my routing options on my 2018 LC. Learned you need to remove the side moulding in engine bay and then remove wipers and the cowl. Did that, wasn't too bad. Getting the windshield moulding off without breaking clips took some effort and patience.
Good thread below by @2001LC which helped me avoid breaking any of the plastic clips.
forum.ih8mud.com
Started at the top with the 2 metal clips that are glued to the roof channel. The first metal clip came off. Managed to get it detached from the second metal clip but it later came separated from the roof - epoxy gave out.
Some observations:
Didn't realize there is a plastic section that sits in the roof channel that connects to the two metal clips that are glued to roof (mine came off). The rubber molding is on top and connects to this plastic section.
Could not believe how much gunk and mud were lodged in there. FWIW - I wash my truck often.
The long rubber moulding piece has plastic bonded to the lower portion to help funnel water to the drain in the cowl. I thought this was a separate part from the cowl and the windshield moulding but it's not. See below.
If I run wiring under this section, it will create a gap between cowl, molding and the windshield. I didn't get a picture with the moulding off showing the plastic clips, but there doesn't appear to be enough space/clearance to get the wiring under the rubber like others have done on earlier 200's. However, there is plenty of space in the channel to run up.
Trying to make this a cleaner install but not sure if that's possible. Same goes for the top section of the rubber moulding. No way to make a clean transition of the cable in the channel and underneath the top moulding section on roof. Will probably do like @grinchy and zip tie to the roof portion of the moulding strip. Curious how @Cruisin911 @CharlieS did theirs awhile back.
Rain was forecasted within the hour or two so bailed, put everything back together - minus the two metal clips that were glued to the roof. Looks like I can reuse them after cleaning up and removing epoxy / resin.
What's Toyota using to glue these down to the roof channel?
What seems like the easy button is to run new power from engine bay up driver's side windshield channel or underneath moulding. I did some research on here looking at a few different related threads.
I was looking to run a 14GA wire pair up the windshield moulding ideally under the plastic trim. Appears some of the earlier 200's have slightly different mouldings and space tolerances.
@2001LC @grinchy @radman stumbled on this earlier.
Knowing this, I figured it would be good to take apart and evaluate my routing options on my 2018 LC. Learned you need to remove the side moulding in engine bay and then remove wipers and the cowl. Did that, wasn't too bad. Getting the windshield moulding off without breaking clips took some effort and patience.
Good thread below by @2001LC which helped me avoid breaking any of the plastic clips.
Windshield moulding removal
Windshield moulding removal? My molding was either installed wrong or damage when removed for a windshield replacement. I see the FSM states these are non reusable. So I suppose I could just ripe them off. But I'd like to find the trick to releasing the 4 clips along the side and the 2 on top...
forum.ih8mud.com
Started at the top with the 2 metal clips that are glued to the roof channel. The first metal clip came off. Managed to get it detached from the second metal clip but it later came separated from the roof - epoxy gave out.
Some observations:
Didn't realize there is a plastic section that sits in the roof channel that connects to the two metal clips that are glued to roof (mine came off). The rubber molding is on top and connects to this plastic section.
Could not believe how much gunk and mud were lodged in there. FWIW - I wash my truck often.
The long rubber moulding piece has plastic bonded to the lower portion to help funnel water to the drain in the cowl. I thought this was a separate part from the cowl and the windshield moulding but it's not. See below.
If I run wiring under this section, it will create a gap between cowl, molding and the windshield. I didn't get a picture with the moulding off showing the plastic clips, but there doesn't appear to be enough space/clearance to get the wiring under the rubber like others have done on earlier 200's. However, there is plenty of space in the channel to run up.
Trying to make this a cleaner install but not sure if that's possible. Same goes for the top section of the rubber moulding. No way to make a clean transition of the cable in the channel and underneath the top moulding section on roof. Will probably do like @grinchy and zip tie to the roof portion of the moulding strip. Curious how @Cruisin911 @CharlieS did theirs awhile back.
Rain was forecasted within the hour or two so bailed, put everything back together - minus the two metal clips that were glued to the roof. Looks like I can reuse them after cleaning up and removing epoxy / resin.
What's Toyota using to glue these down to the roof channel?
That's an awesome solution! Assuming it stays in place, etc.
