Preferred Roof Top Light Wire Routiing

[CactusJK]

Having read many discussions on this topic, I would like some input on how best to route the wiring for roof top lights. Some of the experts are recommending the best and only way to do it right is to drill a hole in the roof. Having read some of the A pillar discussions, a roof hole might be a better option to route the right gauge wiring. I have an ARB rack with IPF 868CS lights but this topic should apply to any rack and light setup. Appreciate the help.

[MudLovingFJ]

i was also wondering the same thing. i was thinking to drill a hole and run the wires through the roof rack, through the roof and down the a-pillar to the fuse block for power. i will seal everything with silicone. but i want to see how others have done it.

[White Rim]

I hate the idea of drilling through the roof sheetmetal, though some people have done so and sealed with grommets and RTV.

I am thinking a hole could be drilled straight down through one of the roofrack TORX bolts to accomodate a short length of 16 ga insulated wire. Ideally the wire would be insulated with high temperature silicone heater wire insulation sealed to the bolt with industrial grade red RTV because 16 gauge would heat up slightly at 20 amps. Larger gauge wire would be used except where the wire goes through the bolt. The voltage drop of a few inches of 16 gauge would not be significant, and with heaterwire insulation it would be safe against melting insulation even in arizona.

For higher current (250 Watt+ applications) more than one bolt would have to be drilled to accomodate more than one 16 ga wire.

Another approach is to drill a hole in the dripchannel right under the roofrack mount and run the wire right up thru the roofrack tubing. This would allow a 12 gauge wire and would be the cleanest install IMO. THe hole would have to be grommetted and RTVd heavily to insure against leaks from the dripchannel. This is sort of the approach I am leaning towards, except that it would seem to require removing the whole roofrack with the attendant risk of losing the speednuts (which hold the torx bolts) down into the headliner

[underactive]

I'm too skeerd to drill through the roof, so if I ever mount roof top lights, I will probably do what Tankota did and route the wiring towards the back -- the wires were loomed and wiretied to the rack (driver's side) all the way to the rear door, then down near the rear door hinge area, through the gap at the bumper, and then ran it back up through the grommet in the compartment where the jack is. In there he had a distribution block where all the power connections were made. And to top it off, it looked like he had white shrink tube around the loom where it runs down the roof (the few inches of space between the rack and the opening at the rear door), so the color continuity remains the same (black loom/black roof rack, white loom/white roof). Or maybe that section was just painted white. Hope that all made sense. I should have taken pics when I had the chance!

Anyways, this sounds like the best option for me since drilling the roof is not an option for me, and running wires towards the front down the A-pillar would require something clever to hide the few inches of wire from the rack to the A-pillar. I can deal with wires running to the back since I already have a Sirius antenna going down the back as well.

[MudLovingFJ]

White Rim previously said:

I hate the idea of drilling through the roof sheetmetal, though some people have done so and sealed with grommets and RTV.

I am thinking a hole could be drilled straight down through one of the roofrack TORX bolts to accomodate a short length of 16 ga insulated wire. Ideally the wire would be insulated with high temperature silicone heater wire insulation sealed to the bolt with industrial grade red RTV because 16 gauge would heat up slightly at 20 amps. Larger gauge wire would be used except where the wire goes through the bolt. The voltage drop of a few inches of 16 gauge would not be significant, and with heaterwire insulation it would be safe against melting insulation even in arizona.

For higher current (250 Watt+ applications) more than one bolt would have to be drilled to accomodate more than one 16 ga wire.

Another approach is to drill a hole in the dripchannel right under the roofrack mount and run the wire right up thru the roofrack tubing. This would allow a 12 gauge wire and would be the cleanest install IMO. THe hole would have to be grommetted and RTVd heavily to insure against leaks from the dripchannel. This is sort of the approach I am leaning towards, except that it would seem to require removing the whole roofrack with the attendant risk of losing the speednuts (which hold the torx bolts) down into the headliner

that is def what i want to do, but instead of the hole drilled in the drip rail, prob drill a hole under where the rack mounts. it would be a bit more weather proofed and would look the cleanest imo. im looking to get the bar and lights soon and when i do you all can expect full details and pics with a write up.

[sbechtold]

Jeff - I drilled and would do it again. I ran the wire down the inside of the "A" pillar. I admit that drilling is not for everyone, so make sure you recognize that once you drill a hole there is no going back. I used rubber grommets and a lot of silicone caulking and I have no leaks. The hole will be a maintenance item that receives attention every year.

click on the image to enlarge:

[MudLovingFJ]

see now that looks good, i wouldnt mind doing something like that on my rig.
question, how did you grab the wires inside the truck (what did you have to take apart to get to them)? and how easy was it to run the wires down the A pillar?

[potatomutato]

you'd think that toyota would have had some pre-drilled holes somewhere on the roof considering they are supposed to introduce that air dam with lights sometime in the next week/month/year/decade.

[MudLovingFJ]

i was thinking the same. they will prob introduce it as an 2008 thing and have provisions on the 08s

[potatomutato]

bastards!

oops, i swearded.