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Camper Shell + LED Bars?

713 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  LT_TITAN78, 
TheHops
So, I've been toying around with the idea the past few months of finding a solution for 360 degree lighting, for camping/trails/etc. I just wanted to run an idea by you good TT-ers as a sanity check/brainstorm.

Initially I wanted a roof rack for both my cab and camper shell, either one that would bridge the gap between the cab and the bed with some type of flexible yet durable material, or just by having two separate racks. As much as I would love to have the rooftop storage, I've kind of put that idea on the back burner for now.

New idea: I have a Leer 100XL. I was thinking of cutting out an area above both side windows to accommodate a 20''ish single row bar on each side, and two cuts on either side of the third brake light, enough for a 4''ish single row bar on each side. My goal would be to cut deep enough to have all of these bars flush mounted, with a gasket or some type of sealant obviously to keep things watertight. Does anyone have any type of experience with doing something like this on a similar camper shell? My main concerns would be the actual depth of the shell, as well as possibly compromising the integrity of the sides by making a roughly 2ft L x 4in D(eep) x 4in H cut. The area above the side windows is actually quite flat, and is fairly perpendicular to the ground. The rear has more of a slant to it where a completely flush light would be angled upwards, so I would need to compensate accordingly for that.

Also, any wiring suggestions such as the best/cleanest way to run from the camper shell to the cab would be appreciated. Ultimately, my plan is: 50 inch curved low profile spot/flood roof bar (white/amber toggle), a 30 inch spot bar for front bumper (white/amber toggle), the 2 20 inch spot/flood side flush mounted bars, and the 2 4 inch flood rear flush mounted bars. Three switches total, one for front facing that is a three way switch to swap between white for darkness, and amber for low visibility/hazardous situations, one for sides, and one for rears.

Mainly, I'm just looking for any feedback on the idea. Good call? Bad call? Experience? Concerns? Anything is appreciated, I'll take any and all ideas/criticism.

Thanks all!
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TheHops
LT_TITAN78 said:
I don't have any experience doing this to a camper shell, however...I have done stuff like this on boats for that "clean flush mounted" appearance. I would check out Rigid Industries website. They are expensive but have pretty much exactly what you need. Flush mounts and all! I think its a great idea, and I wanted to do something similar on mine but I just ended up buying a small toy hauler because I was mainly going to use the camper shell when I went dirtbike riding. As for wiring... a 4x4 sPOD all the way. Basically you just run all of the lights to an outside box, and only one wire has to go through your firewall! Pretty sweet setup I love mine. Comes with 6 switches and a universal bezel that fits perfectly in the first and most narrow overhead storage thingy above the console.
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That's a pretty sweet product. I've never seen that before. So with that, I would run all of the lights to that central unit in the cab, and then a single cable from my cab to the battery would power all 6 switches? Any idea if that can be adapted for 3 way (dual function) lights?

HRTKD said:
The Leer 100 XQ has rails mounted on top that allow you to mount a set of Thule feet. If you had those rails you could much more easily mount a basket on top of the shell. Check with your local topper retailer to see if they can retrofit the rails.
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I had been thinking about doing just that actually. I would have to do some test fittings to see just how much height that would add. I already cringe when I have to pull in to a parking structure. A few months ago, I rolled in to one and my antenna scraped the entrance. I had to have had no more than 1/2 an inch between my roof and the ceiling. Ever since then I've vowed to keep my stock antenna instead of opting for a shorty, since it's a great early warning indicator if you're lifted...but I digress.

Thanks for the input thus far. Keep it coming!
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