Spoonwacker Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 After looking at and talking about light bars for years, I finally got one installed! Rally Innovations has one that they sell for the '08+ Outback, and they said that it ought to fit on an '06 LGT, so I went for it. As far as the inevitable "why?" question: I've been getting more into TSD rallying recently, and better lighting is a must for picking out hard-to-see road signs (or even roads themselves...). I'm also keen to have extra lighting for late-night drives, and some more "f-you" lights for...deserving drivers The bar setup is pretty simple - there's a bracket that attaches to the lower bumper beam support, and the bar bolts onto that bracket. There are a pair of rubber-tipped bumpstops on the top of the bar that rest against the bumper. There are mounting locations for four lights along the top of the bar - the two center mounts go above the bar, while the two outside mounts are set up to to hang the lights below it. http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0062.jpg http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0064.jpg I think the bar is supposed to mount to the bottom of the bracket; when I did this, the bumpstops wound up hovering in the lower bumper cutout - if I'm right about how the bar is supposed to mount, then I'm guessing the culprit must be a difference in the '06 LGT v. '08+ OB bumper setup. To compensate, I moved the bar to the top of the bracket - this made it a bit of a pain to get the bolts in, but it moved the bar up enough that the bumpstops rest more or less where they ought to. http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0069.jpg http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0071.jpg Next I had to reinstall my underbody protection. Unfortunately the bar interferes with both the OEM plastic undertray and the RalliTEK skidplate. This is a simple fix; a few minutes of trimming and the plastic tray was ready. The aluminum skidplate should be an easy fix, too; a couple of cuts and it'll be down to size without significantly compromising protection. For now here's the installed plastic undertray: http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0074.jpg As far as installing the lights goes, I've run into another issue - I bought some big ol' Hella FF1000s, and they're simply too big to mount in the supplied holes on the bar. The distance from the back of the light to the mounting bolt is 2.38 inches, while for the much more common Hella 500s that measurement is only .63 inches. They'd hook up with no problem. Again, this should be an easy fix, but it put the kaibosh on the full hookup happening last night. http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0072.jpg As far as rigidity goes, I have to say I'm not terribly impressed. It wiggles around a bit, and that may become distracting. I'll probably wind up throwing an additional strap over the top of the bar and up around the radiator support or something when I anticipate rough roads. That said, I think it looks pretty good. I'll update when I've got lights mounted, and when the skidplate is back on http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0075.jpg sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelflight Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Yeah that is what I was worried about, the bar being flimsy. Hmmmm i guess i will just have to actually show up to a meet and look at it. It looks good. Are you thinking about moving your license plate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonwacker Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 Eh, not really Though I do occassionally think about trying to make something to attach it in to the tow hook location... sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer-X Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Not bad. I'd like to see it in person. Jump on it, Let's do it, Ride it, My Pony... EL4NFZT7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonwacker Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 I think that can be arranged You guys doing the Friday Nighter this week? sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer-X Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Yes! It is the last one of the season. Jump on it, Let's do it, Ride it, My Pony... EL4NFZT7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonwacker Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 Yep. I'll fish around for a navigator; if nothing else I can at least show up at the P&R beforehand and show it off sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer-X Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 You can ride center seat in the LGT! Jump on it, Let's do it, Ride it, My Pony... EL4NFZT7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonwacker Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 I might just do that! sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyBob Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Sorry Spoon - no passengers allowed on the Friday Nighters . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer-X Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 My windows are tinted dark enough. They won't be able to see a thing. Jump on it, Let's do it, Ride it, My Pony... EL4NFZT7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homegrwn97 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 thats crazy nice spoony! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonwacker Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 Sorry Spoon - no passengers allowed on the Friday Nighters . Maybe if the LGT is struggling to carry your fat @$$, but it was fine with me and RGT! sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyBob Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Maybe if the LGT is struggling to carry your fat @$$, but it was fine with me and RGT! Wow. Glad I saw this after I asked to carpool with you tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonwacker Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aodhan Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 I like how that bar sits I would just be afraid of someone backing into the bar and punched the two bumper protectors throught the bumper. I have being trying to figure out a way to modify my mounts to add additional lights. http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o283/Aodhan18/Random/DSC_0004.jpg http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o283/Aodhan18/Random/DSC_0397.jpg http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o283/Aodhan18/Random/DSC_0387.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer-X Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 If they back far enough to hit the light bar, I'm sure that they would also back far enough to hit the bumper w/o a light bar. Bumper damaged either way. Jump on it, Let's do it, Ride it, My Pony... EL4NFZT7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonwacker Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share Posted October 10, 2009 Yeah, if they're going hard & fast enough to put the bump stops through the bumper, I'd say you're hosed either way... UPDATE: I mounted the lights and did the Friday Nighter rally tonight (RyanGT navigated, we did well, taking second in the novice category; could've been first if not for a stupid mistake I made that cost us over a minute...). I had zero issues with lights shaking during the sections where I was using them. I had to mount them to the lower points because I haven't gotten the right brackets for the top yet, but the FF1000s are GREAT...they'll be even better with 100w bulbs I'll get pictures of them mounted up soon-ish. I discovered that those bumper protectors are adjustable, so I have them pushing up against the bumper fairly hard to give a little more rigidity. I need to futz with the wiring a bit more to get the lights set up so that they are controlled by the high beams if the switch is on...right now the switch is totally independent, which is a pain because you have to flip the Hella switch and turn off the high beams for oncoming traffic. Once I get that figured out I'll work on making the whole underhood setup more streamlined. As it is it's a godawful mess that made LuckyBob recoil in horror :lol: sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uberwagon Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 niiiiiiiiiiiice !!! way to go spoony !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonwacker Posted October 11, 2009 Author Share Posted October 11, 2009 Pics! Ignored the ghetto-rigged wiring http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0142.jpg http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0146.jpg http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0152.jpg sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aodhan Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I'll have to check that bar out next meet. I wonder how easy it would be to cut the Rallitek skidplate to mount this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyguy Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 if the bar wiggles a little and lacks rigidity, how do you think this will hold up in a front collision? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonwacker Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 apparently I forgot about this thread...my desktop died back in October so my photo posting died off, but here are some pics with the FF1000s mounted to the high location on a custom mount that my neighbor helped me put together: http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0751.jpg http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0738.jpg http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/Spoonwacker/Light%20Bar/DSC_0765.jpg That's the Leggy in "rally mode," with stock suspension and stickers for RyanGT and myself I've since "solved" the loose mounting issue by wrapping a strap around the bar and the radiator support, so the bar stays tight against the bumper, and keeps the lights pretty steady. Then in November, I was DDing for a buddy's birthday, parallel parked downtown, and got backed into Apparently it was hard enough to snap the plastic mounts for the FF1000s, crack one of their housings, and shatter their plastic protective lenses, but the bar and the custom mount were fine. The only damage to the car is a small chunk taken out of the bumper where the broken plastic mount was pushed into it (so I guess that kind of answers your collision question...in a high-speed crash, I don't think it's going to make much difference; the stand-off posts would probably just push back into the bumper until the bar is right up against the bumper). I've since ordered replacement mounts (metal ones), bits to repair the light, and a pair of 500FF fogs for the lower outside spots. The plastic protective lenses for the FF1000s are backordered from Hella, so it's taking a looooooong time :( sorry...this forum practically blows goat nuts so im not always on here.Team Pony Express POSTED FROM MY COMPUTER USING A WEB BROWSER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 Too bad this might not work with the STi lip (RavSpec). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riderice Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I made a bracket to hang a pair of Hella 50mm low beam projectors behind the grill. It turned out pretty well I guess, but the Hellas were a little disappointing considering their cost and reputation. http://ingridshwaiko.com/pictures/front.jpg http://ingridshwaiko.com/pictures/side.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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