1. Welcome to 4Runners.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all 4Runner discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other 4Runner owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Damage free light bar mounting?

Discussion in '5th Gen 4Runners (2010-2024)' started by PandaKyle, Apr 19, 2021.

  1. Apr 19, 2021 at 8:50 PM
    #1
    PandaKyle

    PandaKyle [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2019
    Member:
    #11865
    Messages:
    13
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2019 Toyota 4Runner SR5
    So I'm looking into getting a roof mounted light bar, and I'm hoping to find a damage free, and relatively low profile way of mounting one. I see that they make brackets that bolt around, and clamp to, the existing roof rails but I'm curious if anyone has used these?

    Would you recommend them? Is there another alternative?
     
  2. Apr 19, 2021 at 10:17 PM
    #2
    Moon Landing

    Moon Landing AFFTC 1967/68 Eddies Air Patch

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2021
    Member:
    #19563
    Messages:
    2,171
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jer
    La Quinta, Ca. AKA "The Skillet"
    Vehicle:
    Moon Rock 4Runner
    Nam 68/69
    Rocksurfer likes this.
  3. Apr 20, 2021 at 1:29 AM
    #3
    ToyotaMacGyver

    ToyotaMacGyver At 88mph you’re going to see some serious sh...

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2020
    Member:
    #16714
    Messages:
    149
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Justin
    Missouri
    Vehicle:
    2017 Super White TRD Pro
    IMO if you try to mount to the factory roof rails it will look really bad based on how far back the light bar will be. It will work sure, but will sit over the passenger doors.

    The solution Jer referenced will be one of the cheaper options but you would need to drill into the body to mount. If you want damage free an upgraded roof rack like an SSO would need to be considered.
     
  4. Apr 20, 2021 at 5:10 AM
    #4
    DRobs

    DRobs New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2019
    Member:
    #8335
    Messages:
    1,297
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dan
    Missouri Ozarks
    Vehicle:
    2019 TRD OR - MGM
    Pinstripes, lots of em. Plus a couple dents.
    CLopezNV and Living the dream like this.
  5. Apr 20, 2021 at 6:07 AM
    #5
    Living the dream

    Living the dream New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2018
    Member:
    #7661
    Messages:
    276
    Gender:
    Male
    ABQ
    Vehicle:
    2019 T4R Off-Road KDSS
    I guess your talking about mounting the light, but I used KC highlites wire hider to run the wires up the side of the windshield. You can’t see it unless you look and I have had it on for almost a year and no issues. https://www.kchilites.com/universal-wire-hider-kc-6300.html
    I do agree with the other post though that if your just looking for some extra lighting, mounting to the stock roof rack isn’t the way to go, it would sit to far back on the rig. Go with a hidden grill mount, it will look cleaner and give you better lighting.
     
    DRobs likes this.
  6. Apr 20, 2021 at 6:13 AM
    #6
    Gamma Ray

    Gamma Ray Be excellent to each other

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2020
    Member:
    #13277
    Messages:
    1,454
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 SR5 Barcelona Red
    Who cares? This never shows everything anyway.
  7. Apr 20, 2021 at 7:34 AM
    #7
    DRobs

    DRobs New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2019
    Member:
    #8335
    Messages:
    1,297
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dan
    Missouri Ozarks
    Vehicle:
    2019 TRD OR - MGM
    Pinstripes, lots of em. Plus a couple dents.
    FYI on the 2020+ 4Runner. You can still install the behind the grill light bar. It will just have a small section blocked by the TSS.
    Here's a Caliraised on a Taco w/ TSS for reference:

    caliraised taco.jpg
     
    kbp810 and CLopezNV like this.
  8. Apr 20, 2021 at 8:25 AM
    #8
    LandCruiser

    LandCruiser I have Toyotas

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2021
    Member:
    #20965
    Messages:
    1,526
    Gender:
    Male
    East Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    5th Gen OG TE
    I have yet seen a light bar mounted on the roof that illuminates in front of you instead of the sky 3 miles away and doesn’t bleed any excess light onto the windshield.

    You don’t have headlights on the roof of your car, and the highest mounted ditch lights I’ve seen are at the bottom corners of the windshield.

    I think you should probably mount it on the front bumper or behind the grille.
     
    Too Stroked likes this.
  9. Apr 20, 2021 at 8:27 AM
    #9
    kbp810

    kbp810 rebmem wen

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2019
    Member:
    #8935
    Messages:
    616
    Gender:
    Male
    I guess one question would be, do you for sure want/need it on the roof? I do quite a bit of night wheeling, and between ditch lights (wide cornering) and a 20" spot in my bumper, I have more than enough light. My bumper position would be similar to a behind the grill mounted bar.

    Aside from your install concerns, it can also sometimes be a pain to position a roof mounted bar so that you don't get excessive wind noise/whistling.
     
    DRobs and Moon Landing like this.
  10. Apr 20, 2021 at 9:01 AM
    #10
    CLopezNV

    CLopezNV New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2020
    Member:
    #18838
    Messages:
    32
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chris
    Reno, NV
    Vehicle:
    2021 Lunar Rock TRD Pro
    I like the behind the grill option, would this be a problem w/ the TSS?
     
  11. Apr 20, 2021 at 9:03 AM
    #11
    Moon Landing

    Moon Landing AFFTC 1967/68 Eddies Air Patch

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2021
    Member:
    #19563
    Messages:
    2,171
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jer
    La Quinta, Ca. AKA "The Skillet"
    Vehicle:
    Moon Rock 4Runner
    Nam 68/69
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

     
    CLopezNV[QUOTED] likes this.
  12. Apr 20, 2021 at 9:15 AM
    #12
    CLopezNV

    CLopezNV New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2020
    Member:
    #18838
    Messages:
    32
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chris
    Reno, NV
    Vehicle:
    2021 Lunar Rock TRD Pro
    lol I got too excited, havent seen this setup before, and I like the idea of keeping the truck exterior as stock as possible.
     
    Moon Landing and kbp810 like this.
  13. Apr 20, 2021 at 12:05 PM
    #13
    Gamma Ray

    Gamma Ray Be excellent to each other

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2020
    Member:
    #13277
    Messages:
    1,454
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 SR5 Barcelona Red
    Who cares? This never shows everything anyway.
    Eh, that's kind of a lot of blockage for my tastes. At least with the one I linked to, it's above the "TOYOTA" of the heritage grill and doesn't require you to muck with the lower part of the grill. I dread the day I decide to put a bumper or a hidden winch mount or something down there. With my luck, I'd have to get the TSS recalibrated.
     
  14. Apr 20, 2021 at 12:16 PM
    #14
    canadian.bacon

    canadian.bacon H9 halogen is the best led bulb

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2020
    Member:
    #15450
    Messages:
    1,013
    Snowland
    Vehicle:
    ‘22 Tesla Model Y
    :worthless:

    we need pics from the driver seat on the road with all of them (add pics one by one as you turn them on)
     
  15. Apr 20, 2021 at 12:35 PM
    #15
    kbp810

    kbp810 rebmem wen

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2019
    Member:
    #8935
    Messages:
    616
    Gender:
    Male
    Here's an example from my setup -

    Perhaps not the best demo because this was on a tight trail; but first is just headlights (H9 bulbs); second is ditch lights on; third is ditch and bumper lightbar on.

    IMG_2193.jpg
    IMG_2190.jpg
    IMG_2189.jpg
     
    SlvrSlug, KenA, NEguy and 2 others like this.
  16. Apr 20, 2021 at 12:42 PM
    #16
    canadian.bacon

    canadian.bacon H9 halogen is the best led bulb

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2020
    Member:
    #15450
    Messages:
    1,013
    Snowland
    Vehicle:
    ‘22 Tesla Model Y
    thats awesome
     
    kbp810 likes this.
  17. Apr 20, 2021 at 12:44 PM
    #17
    canadian.bacon

    canadian.bacon H9 halogen is the best led bulb

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2020
    Member:
    #15450
    Messages:
    1,013
    Snowland
    Vehicle:
    ‘22 Tesla Model Y
    what brackets are those?
     
  18. Apr 20, 2021 at 2:45 PM
    #18
    kbp810

    kbp810 rebmem wen

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2019
    Member:
    #8935
    Messages:
    616
    Gender:
    Male
    If asking about the ditch light brackets, they're Rago; if the lightbar, I have the Victory 4x4 Blitz bumper
     
  19. May 31, 2022 at 7:46 PM
    #19
    JimA

    JimA New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2021
    Member:
    #22828
    Messages:
    24
    Gender:
    Male
    Is there a behind the grill lightbar out there that lights the periphery akin to ditch lights?
     
  20. May 31, 2022 at 10:30 PM
    #20
    Jrunr

    Jrunr 2021 TRD Pro

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2021
    Member:
    #23243
    Messages:
    667
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jason
    Vehicle:
    2021 Magnetic Grey Metallic TRD Pro
    Unfortunately the bumper itself will get in the way…

    However, when I installed the Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro fogs in the stock location, I got A LOT of light out to the sides of the road!
     
    Billyrides and JimA[QUOTED] like this.
  21. Jun 1, 2022 at 9:32 AM
    #21
    Too Stroked

    Too Stroked New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2021
    Member:
    #23370
    Messages:
    424
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tom
    South shore of Lake Ontario
    Vehicle:
    2021 SR5 Premium
    It won't be a problem if you skip the light bar and go with something higher performance such as Diode Dynamics SS5 LED's like I did.

    IMG_2768_1__4c4a9f12df6e5a54f512aeda0feb25c1fdf7e45e.jpg

    I mounted these on a Rago Fabrications bracket set and then adjusted / shimmed to get the best fit.

    IMG_2763_1__cd0fa35d53b86a32f7ca5a63493f65440bb8c60e.jpg

    Light output? Awesome!

    IMG_2801_1__1e9ed9e8550f32824925edf33142651b02c18b9f.jpg
     
  22. Jun 1, 2022 at 9:43 AM
    #22
    Jrunr

    Jrunr 2021 TRD Pro

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2021
    Member:
    #23243
    Messages:
    667
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jason
    Vehicle:
    2021 Magnetic Grey Metallic TRD Pro
    I only “liked” your posting because there is now “LOVE” button!! Lol

    that looks awesome!!
     
  23. Jun 1, 2022 at 9:46 AM
    #23
    Too Stroked

    Too Stroked New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2021
    Member:
    #23370
    Messages:
    424
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tom
    South shore of Lake Ontario
    Vehicle:
    2021 SR5 Premium
    Thanks. The backlight feature is pretty neat too.

    IMG_2767_1__7a958f0a3ed00ab2c2a561681c24b7a3e11a1fa3.jpg
     
    Burnt Taco and Jrunr[QUOTED] like this.
  24. Jun 1, 2022 at 10:00 AM
    #24
    Billyrides

    Billyrides New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2022
    Member:
    #25880
    Messages:
    21
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Billy
    St. Charles MO
    Vehicle:
    2015 SR5P
    Fuel Tactic wheels 17x9, -12, 275/70/17 Wildpeaks, Diode Dynamics LEDs, Cali Raised LED Molle panels, Pedal Commander, 6112/5100 (6-4), Bilstein rear springs
    I agree with that. The DD SS3 fogs add a ton of light and I was pretty surprised at how much they illuminate the side of the roads. That was a huge plus for me because all of my lighting upgrades were put in place for country roads at 4am heading to my fishing spots. Don't want to waste fishing time peeling a deer off of my grill.
     
  25. Jun 1, 2022 at 4:00 PM
    #25
    Burnt Taco

    Burnt Taco "Like that's just your opinion, man".

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2021
    Member:
    #22358
    Messages:
    544
    Gender:
    Male
    Tucson, AZ
    Vehicle:
    '22 ORP, Wife's 2020 SR5
    Which type of lens is this? Spot, driving, combo or flood?
    Thanks
     
  26. Jun 1, 2022 at 5:46 PM
    #26
    Too Stroked

    Too Stroked New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2021
    Member:
    #23370
    Messages:
    424
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tom
    South shore of Lake Ontario
    Vehicle:
    2021 SR5 Premium
    I started out with selective yellow driving lenses, but converted to clear driving lenses to get a nice 4000K color. I liked the pattern, but wanted something even tighter and longer range, so I now have clear spot lenses in them. The output picture was with the clear driving lenses. I haven't had time to get a good pic of the spot lenses yet. They're awesome though!
     
  27. Jun 2, 2022 at 3:38 AM
    #27
    DallasTRDPro

    DallasTRDPro New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2020
    Member:
    #13058
    Messages:
    1,069
    Gender:
    Male
    Dallas
    Vehicle:
    2021 Honda CRV...UGH!
    This is what I will do next. Thanks for the idea.
     
  28. Jun 2, 2022 at 6:16 AM
    #28
    Burnt Taco

    Burnt Taco "Like that's just your opinion, man".

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2021
    Member:
    #22358
    Messages:
    544
    Gender:
    Male
    Tucson, AZ
    Vehicle:
    '22 ORP, Wife's 2020 SR5
    Thanks
     
  29. Jun 2, 2022 at 6:19 AM
    #29
    JimA

    JimA New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2021
    Member:
    #22828
    Messages:
    24
    Gender:
    Male
    Years ago I had a Scirocco with two huge Marchal lights mounted on the front bumper - one was a fog and the other a driving lens- worked great.
    In the pic above with the two ss5s I guess it would be possible to aim the lights a couple degrees to the left/right (cross the beams) to get that extra side light with some reach too.
     
  30. Jun 2, 2022 at 6:34 AM
    #30
    PrettyGoodSam

    PrettyGoodSam New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2018
    Member:
    #6853
    Messages:
    766
    Gender:
    Male
    Philadelphia
    Vehicle:
    2012 4Runner Trail
    i have a 2012 so a lot of the brackets/mounts available don't work. im looking to put an led bar in the lower grill and it was suggested to drill right into the crash bar. has anyone done this and happen to have photos?
     

Products Discussed in

To Top