Installing lights on Gobi roof rack -- -- need advice

[GeorgeSSSS]

Based on the good advice I've always gotten from this forum, I've ordered a Gobi stealth rack for my H2. I've also ordered 4 PIAA 1500XT driving lights for the front and PIAA 2 Ion Crystal lights for the rear.

I am a little freaked out about drilling holes in the roof to run wires down into the car. I would appreciate advice about the best way to do this from anyone who can help.

Alternatively, if anyone knows an installer I can trust who is near the Redondo-Hermosa-Manhattan Beach area, I'd consider letting him do it.

Best regards,

George SSSS

[GeorgeSSSS]

Based on the good advice I've always gotten from this forum, I've ordered a Gobi stealth rack for my H2. I've also ordered 4 PIAA 1500XT driving lights for the front and PIAA 2 Ion Crystal lights for the rear.

I am a little freaked out about drilling holes in the roof to run wires down into the car. I would appreciate advice about the best way to do this from anyone who can help.

Alternatively, if anyone knows an installer I can trust who is near the Redondo-Hermosa-Manhattan Beach area, I'd consider letting him do it.

Best regards,

George SSSS

[KenP]

You can run the wires throught the marker lights and inside the cab.

I had my dealer install them for me this past week. When I get the truck back I'll post some pics.

[H2Finally]

George, don't drill anything!! I don't have the Gobi, but I run my interior switch wires through the rubber boot (poking a small hole) under driver side marker light. I got black silicone from the Marine store at Crenshaw & PCH, and seal 'er up tight after. My power cable is ran under the driver side winshield molding to the engine compartment fuse box & battery.

[rodster]

George,

I did the same project in March. No doubt, it's a handful of a job. It's not especially difficult but it does take some planning and time. I'm glad I did it because it forced me to learn a good deal about the truck and that knowledge has come in handy many times since.

I'd recommend you first read everything you can here on the forum. Search for "Gobi PIAA". Here's my S.O.S. thread on the install.

Ken is correct about going through the marker light and not needing to drill holes. Suggest you get on a ladder and remove the driver side, front marker light and you'll see a rubber gizmo/boot. You'll need to pierce that to string your roof wires through.

I'd also recommend you tackle the project in two phases. One is assembling the rack and building its wiring harness. The other is wiring the truck. Install a waterproof quick-disconnect near the marker light and on the rack then mount the rack, plug it in and you're done.

Rod

[GeorgeSSSS]

Outstanding advice from each of you. I'm very grateful. I'm starting to visualize this and it seems very do-able.

I'll search the posts. Any further tips would be appreciated.

H2Finally: Mrs. George SSSS and I went to your great restaurant 2 weeks ago, but Mrs. H2Finally and you weren't there. They told me you had family visiting, but I think you were out in the rocks.

Best regards,

George SSSS

[4churchill]

I Found Pilot lights which are a fraction of the cost, and from what I know work very well. I too ordered 4 for the front and 2 for the back. My rack is pre-wired but I have yet to decide which way to install them. Alot of installers are worried about dealing with the headliner. I don't know enough to know if this should be an issue or not.

[timgco]

Don't worry about the headliner. You only have to pull the corner down on the driver side. Just poke the hole through the boot and silicone it back up. Others have drilled a hole through the firewall, but I did not do that on mine. If anyone has questions, shoot me a PM with your contact info.

[H2Finally]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GeorgeSSSS:
H2Finally: Mrs. George SSSS and I went to your great restaurant 2 weeks ago, but Mrs. H2Finally and you weren't there. They told me you had family visiting, but I think you were out in the rocks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>George, much obliged on your continuing support! We're only there Fri & Sat now. But do let me know if you would like to see my wiring setup, or need help lifting that rack over! Be glad to help!

[rodster]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by timgco:
Don't worry about the headliner. You only have to pull the corner down on the driver side. Just poke the hole through the boot and silicone it back up. Others have drilled a hole through the firewall, but I did not do that on mine. If anyone has questions, shoot me a PM with your contact info. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think we're talking two different things here.

The wires from the roof: Under the marker light, through the headliner, down the A pillar and under the dash for connecting to relays and switches.

12V to the relays: Unless you tap a 12V circuit in the interior (a circuit with enough oomph to drive all those lights), something has to go through the firewall. Either your 12V comes in through the firewall from the battery to relays that are mounted under the dash or, your interior switch wires go through the firewall to the relays, which are connected directly to the battery and mounted in the engine compartment or under the fake air boxes.

I may be off here on the need to go directly to the battery and there may very well be a capable circuit inside. Tim, did you find that circuit?

[rodster]

George -- Check this out. The XTC light bar install is nearly identical to the job you'll do. XTC install instructions.

[GeorgeSSSS]

Guys:

All of this is outstanding. I'm assuming that the wires for all of the front lights thread through the rack. I also assume that the wires for the rear lights run through the rack and probably come out a hole at the left front. Is that about right?

Thanks,

George

[rodster]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GeorgeSSSS:
I'm assuming that the wires for all of the front lights thread through the rack. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, sir. You'll build the four front lights' wiring harness, tuck it in flex tube then tuck and tie that under the light mounting bar, behind the Gobi wind fairing.



<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I also assume that the wires for the rear lights run through the rack and probably come out a hole at the left front. Is that about right? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Correct. Right rear wires run to left, inside rack tube; both rear light wire sets run forward inside the driver side rack tube and exit as shown above. You'll install the rack side connector to each rear, factory installed wire pair.

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One decision to make before mounting the rack: Will you retain the factory sunroof wind fairing? I didn't consider that until my rack was completely installed. To remove it now will require cutting. Not sure I will remove it as I suspect it's double wind protection when coupled with the Gobi fairing. The factory fairing did make for a tight work area when mounting the rack because I originally tied the wire harness to the underside of the rack at the exact place where the factory fairing is highest. I ended up cutting the plastic ties and pushing the harness forward and down the slope of the factory fairing.

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I found a set of install notes I collected from various posts on the forum. I'll post them next. They begin with references to a picture here: http://elcova.com/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/.../981100035/p/3

[rodster]

George -- I think most of these copied posts were originally written by PhilD and LasVegas.

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On the right hand side and 1st WTF on the left; that is just conduit, once I connected the wires to the ones pre-wired on the rack, I just slipped them all inside the conduit and trimmed them to length.

I utilized the existing roof bar wiring I had, which has three wires, one for each set of lights and one for ground. I switched these around and used the ground for the rear lights, so needed an additional ground, which is another WTF. The final one is the three way connector that connects to the roof bar wiring harness.

http://elcova.com/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/.../981100035/p/3

I cut up the wiring harnesses that came with the lights and also used a lot of my own wire. I retained the light connectors, as I like to able to disconnect and remove a light if the need arises.

I haven't gor around to taking any pics yet, but here's something I quickly wrote for someone else;

--

There is nothing difficult about doing the lights, but it is time consuming.

I cut up the harnesses supplied with my lights and put together a wiring harness, still retaining the connectors, so I can easily remove a light if need be. I used the shrink down connectors that work like a normal crimp connector, then used a little propane torch to shrink the tubing down and seal them. I know you should really solder joints, but I've used these before and never had any problems.

Once the harness for the four front lights was complete (including the wiring for the rear lights which are prewired front to rear by Gobi). I covered the whole thing in conduit. I have two lights running off each relay.

Everything goes through the drivers side marker light. If you remove the light, one screw, you will see where the light wires go through a rubber grommet, I simply punnched a hole through it and ran all my wires through that, and then used some black marine silicone to seal it all up again. The wires exit on top at the rear of the light, there is a space there for them to come through. Trying to get them through to the cab is a little tricky as they have to go through a hollow section and then out a small hole. I removed the door seal at the Top (which is all sticky so be careful where you put your hands afterwards), and very gently pulled the roof liner down enough to see where the wires come through.

Use a screwdriver to gently pry the inserts on the a-pillar handle out, they are bit tough the first time, but get easier. The handle will then come off and so will the a-pillar cover.

You can then run all your wires down inside the a-pillar. remove the fuse panel cover and you can route the wires behind the dash and out the bottom of it.

I mounted my relays along the bottom dash rail on the top inside edge. I ran power direct from the battery to them. There is a big rubber seal up above where your left foot kind of sits, again I just punched holes through it and sealed it with marine silicone. It comes out down and behind the main fues box in the engine bay.

I have my switches on the overhead console. I removed the console and used a fish tape across the head lining and over to the top of the drivers door (still with the rubber trim removed and fed the wires back up the a-pillar and acroos the head lining to the center console.

I took the feed for the switches from the SEO ACCY fuse using a proper fuse tap, (one with two fuses, the original and an extra fuse for the tap). This is ignition switched so you can't leave your lights on when you turn the ignition off and is also not used for anything else.

That is pretty much it, it sounds more complicated than it is. But Like I said it is time consuming. Take your time, don't rush, and if you get stuck, take a break and just think about it for a moment. Use conduit on all exterior/engine compartment wires, fuse anything that is direct from the battery, and make good joints. Time spent prepping the wiring and knowing where it is all going to run is time well spent.

It took me four hours or so, but by the time I'd ran to store a couple of times, it was pretty much an all day job.

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My relays for all the rack lights are bolted to the rail that runs along the bottom of the dash area. Where possible I like to have relays inside the cab. This is where the stock relays also go for the roof bar lights.

Like I said, it isn't difficult, just time consuming. But, it is better to spend more time making sure everything is done right, than to spend time trying to figure out why something doesn't work.

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Phil has his 2 front outside lights on one relay, the 2 front inside on another and then the rear on a third, I think according to his post. You should have gotten a relay with each pair of lights, but again I don't know anything about your setup either. On wiring though, better safe than sorry.

[GeorgeSSSS]

Thanks a million to everyone. I now understand this much better. I'm going to take my time and re-read all of the posts in sequence to make sure I understand it. The explanations and photos are absolutely outstanding.

One quick question: Rodster, when you have the sunroof open, does it feel about the way it did before you added the rack with its own faring? If so, my instincts would be leave the original H2 faring in place.

Thanks again to everyone for an oustanding education.

Best regards,

George

[rodster]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GeorgeSSSS:
One quick question: Rodster, when you have the sunroof open, does it feel about the way it did before you added the rack with its own faring? If so, my instincts would be leave the original H2 faring in place.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No real difference in feel between pre- and post-Gobi install. I think Tim took his factory fairing off so maybe he has a recommendation. If he suggests removing it prior to installation, I would if for no other reason than it's nearly impossible to clean behind the Gobi fairing with the factory setup in the way.

[4churchill]

I took the factory fairing off and left the Gobi one...No major difference in noise, but even if there were I would take it in stride b/c the Gobi would still be worth it

[timgco]

I would take the factory fairing off. It is much easier to clean up in there like rod said. Make sure to mount the Gobi fairing up tight to the rack, but just below the lights. You don't want the light to cast a shadow when turned on.

[GeorgeSSSS]

Tim:

When you are driving with the factory faring removed, and the sunroof open, does it feel about the same as when you had the factory faring and no Gobi rack with its faring?

Thanks,

George

[timgco]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GeorgeSSSS:
Tim:

When you are driving with the factory faring removed, and the sunroof open, does it feel about the same as when you had the factory faring and no Gobi rack with its faring?

Thanks,

George </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think it's a little better. I honestly took my factory fairing off because the brackets were bent from the factory and causing my sunroof to leak. So I just left it off.

You will notice more noise with the lights than stock. The 1500 series lights are thin enough and don't have the rock guards like the 500 and 600 series lights, so they're much quieter. So by adding the GOBI fairing, you are channeling the wind over that bottom bar and sunroof. This keeps the windnoise down.

Currently, I have no GOBI faring or factory fairing and the noise is louder with the sunroof open. When closed, it's still quiet. The wind does come in the sunroof a little without the faring. I would just take off the factory one so it's easier to clean and put the GOBI one on.
Good luck and let me know if you have any more Q's.
Tim.