roof mount spotlight handle

[rusty 351]

does anyone have tips for fitting them or pics of the inside roof with hoodlining removed,
fitting a powabeam handle through the roof and wondered if removing the hoodlining is necesarry?

any help or links would he great

cheers rusty

[TOYZX]

Don't have any pics but I have done one without pulling it out. Ya will need to remove the front grab handles and sun visors to pull it down enough to run wires. I made a spacer to go between the lining and the roof otherwise it all wants to pull up and wreck the lining when ya do the bolts up. Hope ya committed, and don't muck it up cos the roof lining is not cheap!

[rusty 351]

yeah i dont wanna bugger it up, will be triple checking before drilling it

what material did you use for the spacer?

[TOYZX]

Was a while ago but I'm pretty sure it was 16 or 18mm mdf. Make sure ya put plenty of Silicon or urethane on and around all ya holes and heads of bolts. like I said I hope ya committed! Not trying to talk ya out of it but I'm yet to do one and not hear the owner complain about it later. Wind noise and rain getting in, not thru the hole you've made but thru the mount itself. You must need to use it ALOT to justify it, especially when there r plenty of other ways to do the same job with either roof or window mounts.

[NZMarkb]

I've seen remote control units fitted to boats
This may be an option rather than a handle through the roof
They just operate off a small toggle like your electric mirrors
Good luck waiting to see some photos

[rusty 351]

only get away every couple of months at the moment but im keeping the hilux for at least 5 years so it will be worth it, when around town ill have the light unbolted so will only have the stub through the roof so noise shouldnt be a drama. yeah just hope it doesnt leak so ill use a heap of sikaflex on it

thanks for the tip about the mdf spacer

[Jacko9]

I use a light force roof mount bar retrofitted with 4 magnets, with a powabeam deluxe handle as my portable solution, its something you should look into. But we also use the powabeam deluxe folders in our roo shooting utes, they are the go, the old blaza light ones used to be better I think, but I reckon they are cheap and flimsy now. Sorry I can't help about the mdf spacer, we don't have them in any of our current shape hilux utes, and as you said, pack it with sikaflex or something of the like, we just use silastic if nothing else is around, it does the job.

[TOYZX]

Doesn't hurt to put some silicone in the hole that the wire run thru, down the center of the shaft. I've had a few whistle from the small hole for the wires, light or no light the can be make noise. I shoot at least once a month, I made my own window mount which plugs into a merit socket I fitted into the door trim so no wires everywhere.

[rusty 351]

got the hard part done today only have the plate and base temporarily screwed holding a 15mm thick 300x200mm plate epoxyed under the roof as it bloody thin there with no close ribs so was flexing all over the place, will unscrew it and sikaflex the bolts and gasket tomorow and try and finish the wiring

[TOYZX]

How r ya goin to power it? What I did with most of the ones I've done is put a relay in, run an accessory power thru ya spotlight switch to trigger the relay. That way ya won't have to worry about someone bumping the switch and leaving the light on.

[rusty 351]

aready have the wires run from battery to the a pillar, then was only going to put a switch somewhere in the cab for power on and then the switch on the handle.

is a relay necessary? the instructions didnt have any wiring diagrams.. im not a sparkys left nut lol

[TOYZX]

I'm a bit of a relay nut when it comes to anything. May not be necessary, I just don't like relying on the switch alone, had a few melt on me over the years from have a 130w light running for hours.

[rusty 351]

yeah ok its probly a good idea then dont want any switches melting

i might ask my brother about putting a relay in there, hes good with electrical shit

thanks mate

[TOYZX]

No worries mate, happy to help.

[Merlin]

Hey rusty 351, how did you end up with the install? Any chance you could advise how far back you drilled the hole from the windscreen and assume that it was centred? Any dramas opening up the lining to slip in the 15mm plate and then sealing it back in place? If you have any additional photos you could post that would be much appreciated. I'm about to take the plunge and would appreciate hearing how you got on.
Cheers, mate.

[rusty 351]

Better late than never heres some tips on fitting that may help someone

hey mate heres some pics and measurements hope there still helpfull, havent even had a chance to log in the last week

on the inside the hole is 340mm back from where the hoodlining starts and if measuring on the roof its 315mm back from the front of the roof

one more thing i didnt properly shape that piece i glued inside to support the roof so when i tihtened the screws it pulled that part of my roof flat if you look at it on the outside, so take your time and curve it properly and it will come up better than mine and keep the curve of the steel

Never fitted a relay just used alligator clamps to the battery so i only hook it up when using it also used push on connectors on the roof so i can take the light off the roof in a couple of minutes

[rusty 351]

One more thing because the hiluxes have such a sloped front screen the light reflecting off the bonnet and glass was a real pain at night so had to put a piece of .8mm alloy riveted on the bottom of the light its 100% better to shoot with now

[ben_bass69]

hey rusty, have you got any closer photos of the bit you riveted on the light? Does it make it any harder for when you have to change the globe?

[curto]

Going to put a spotlight handle through the roof of my twin cab. Is there anything I need to look out for or be careful of so I don't damage anything.
Cheers

[millzie26]

Ive got the thur roof handle its about 8 years old is the hole back then 2and a quarter just can’t remember if its same now of changed , changing utes and am looking into some kind of rubber that fits in to each other then seal with marine silkaflex for resale