4.2 Rav4 Light Bar - prototype run

[Conrad_Turbo]

Originally Posted by BikerJay

I can certainly agree that off the shelf options are either very expensive and ground breaking or have terrible components and a poorly engineered system and inferior assembly.

I have considered starting a cottage industry. Buying a bulk shipment of aurora / hanma Chinese made led light bars and then gutting them and reassembling with high grade components and reselling them for a middle of the road price. This would offer awesome bang for the buck when compared to rigid and other off the shelf stuff. I just think i have the patience to deal with the headaches of trying to import something that is obviously commercial and getting through customs ect.

Customs is easy...I deal with customs on every shipment I make to the US. I have no idea what the fear is with *most* Americans about customs (to the point that they won't sell to Canadians because of the paperwork involved). It's just another form to fill out and some taxes to pay that you would have to normally pay if you bought something within your own country. No biggy.

Well the lights are on the Rav, the wiring harness is connected up to an intermediate harness that is running into the engine bay and will be connected to the lighting controller. I just need to design a bracket to mount the controller as well as the Blue Sea fuse box, then it's just connecting everything up and turning things on. It's still going to be a while but things are slowly progressing.

I'll try and snap a photo of the lights on the Rav. It looks pretty good. :D

[Conrad_Turbo]

Just a snapshot from our hotel room last weekend (next to my cousin-in-law's Rav).



Wiring is slowly progressing...I am making up a fuse box mount that will be installed in the engine bay.



The BlueSea fuse box is on top (black/clear item) and the lighting driver is mounted underneath.

[crazyypilot]

conrad after seeing that photo i really wish you could make one for me it looks so clean with the bar on compared to a push bar

[Conrad_Turbo]

Originally Posted by crazyypilot

conrad after seeing that photo i really wish you could make one for me it looks so clean with the bar on compared to a push bar

Yep I wish there was more interested in it, because then I could build a few runs of them. It's super slick but it is so slick that it's a bit tough to install. The bumper has to come off and if the brackets are mounted to the crash bar correctly the light bar should just bolt up using an allen key socket and a few extensions. If the brackets are not quite lined up the bumper either has to come off or you have to wedge your hand in behind the bumper and do some maneuvering, in the end it's actually easier to remove the bumper.

However the chances of anything being stolen are next to none, especially if you have security nuts on the lights themselves.

The light bar does what it's supposed to; mount more lights (without shrouding the existing headlamps), not reduce approach angle (like a bull bar) and is just cleaner looking. If serious interest sparks up then I would definitely consider running a batch.

[crazyypilot]

Maybe post a new thread seeing if anyone has intrest or post in the for sale.but state that there must br x people.intrested before they will.be made

[Conrad_Turbo]

I may do that in the new year once I get it all wired up and operating. I am just busy rebranding my business (Mint Design - We design and build what you are thinking.) and focusing on my core clients right now.

[crazyypilot]

i like the mint logo. and i realy really want on of these bars for mine i dont want to go the whole brushguard/ push bar route.

if possible what would it cost to have one made and shipped to me if you hade the time to make me one you can pm me with the price