After looking at the different style bars that various manufacturers have I decided to make one of my own. I had a short check-list of things I wanted and they were:

- 1 7/8" O.D. tubing
- light tabs on the back of the bar
- no bends on each end of the bar
- semi-boxed mounting brackets
- low profile

I'm pretty happy with what I came up with and I think it'll look good once I'm completely done. I ended up using 1 7/8" O.D. x 1 5/8" I.D. tubing for the main bar and 11 gauge (.1196" thick) sheet metal for the light tabs and mounting brackets. I've still got to do some clean-up work on it and sand the ends smooth. As for paint I'm going to see what it cost to have it powder-coated since I don't have a powder-coat line. I may end up just spraying it with some textured Rust-Oleum followed up with some clear.

 

pretty slick fabrication! im curious to see what it looks like painted and on the truck

 

Nice!

 

Yeah I'm anxious to see what it's going to look like as well. I've still got to decide on lights and get them ordered.

Keep in mind that ~ 5 1/2" of the mounting arm won't be seen once it's mounted on the truck.

 

That's some really nice work, man.

 

Would look better painted!



You could also paint it with under coating stuff. I think that might look good.

 

Thanks!

Hopefully I'll get the ends sanded, do some cleaning, and spray some primer on it tomorrow night. I probably won't powder-coat this one.... I'm too anxious to get it mounted on my truck.

I need to seriously decide on some lights. Has anyone had any experience with any of these:

Hella Rallye 1000 Black Magic
KC Slimlite

 

Those Hella Rallye 1000 Black Magic look sweet. And good job on the light bar...If I had the equipment and time I would be doing the same but I think im gonna go with the smittybilt light bar shortly.

 

Nice, I pretty much did the same thing with the light bar on the brush guard and over the cab. They were too expensive so I got out the stick welder and metal...mine just didn't look as good.

The lights on top of the cab are the cheap $20 lights from walmart and they are good if your wanting 100W spot lights. A friend of mine has some cheap 100 watt floods that are also really good.

 

The only thing that's holding me back on the Hellas is that they are only 55w lights and I believe they are driving beams. If I do the KCs I'll use pencil beams in the center (130w) and driving beams on the outside (100w).

 

I actually kinda like the driving beams off road. The spots are nice because of distance and intensity but anything outside of the beam gets hard to see quick and not all floods work like they should. The driving beams seem to be a good middle ground IMO. You just have to get decent lights. I use the two on my brush guard as fog lights because they start getting useless outside of about 50'. But the spots sure do get wildlife out of the way though. Made a raccoon flip backwards one night, just about crashed because I was laughing so hard.

 

That thing is Keith Stone Smooth..

 

I don't think that Weiland has anything to worry about!....(LOL)...

 

Very nice looking lightbar. That some fabrication work to be proud of.
Becareful though, your apt to start getting orders for them. I might just be the 1st.

 

looks awesome!