[Chris Delancy]

As y'all begin to install, I'm interested in tips on wiring reverse lights, and also trimming plastic around the bottom of bumper. Please post all install procedures. Installed rear Sunday, and still have some tweaking to do.

 

[Chris Delancy]

Just installed rear without carrier. I followed the plastic trimming details on forum, and still don't think I got it right on the lower portion of plastics. Spent a lot of time lining up close to body, only to hear creaking everytime I brake. May leave mote than a 1/4" gap at top where it meets door seal. I'm awaiting y'alls tips.

 

[Chris Delancy]

Looking for general consensus on front and rear 4" lights. Did any of y'all order the lights from Exp One? I wound up ordering the more economical Halo's and am rethinking. Does anyone plan on using rears as reverse lights? Fronts as driving?
I only have rear bumper on, as of yet, with lights mounted, not wired. Probably could've done without the 4" lights, altogether, but have the holes. Something's got to fill them.

Curious the functionality of y'alls installs.

Chris Delancy

 

[Chris Delancy]

I have the halo lights in my front bumper. I just used them all weekend at the FJ Northeasters run and they did great in the fog! Not a bad light for the price

By driving lights, pardon my stupidity, but are the Halo's and lights on with DRL's, headlights only, or bright lights only? I know that driving lights are typically on with headlights, so are the Halo's on with DRL's, or are they on constantly? I didn't realize they were Halo's when I bought. I don't really want to wire the Halo portion to be on separately.

 

[Chris Delancy]

I have HID projectors for the front holes, and ordered their halo lights for the rear.

I already have a light bar on the rear roof rack so I'm going to tap these into the back up lights, halos as well.
I installed them before for a customer and they are barely noticeable! Not like the CCFL halos.

I'd like for them to be reverse lights and, eventually, would like to add rack reverse lights, as well. Is there a way to wire relay into the rear wiring harness, or does power and relay have to come from front?

 

[Chris Delancy]

My rear lights a wired in the front kick panel with all my other relays and switches on the dash. I don't think there is enough juice in the back to power whatever your taping into and run more than 2 bulbs.
But I have seen some people tap lights into the rear outlet so when you push the button for the power outlet, the rear lights came on. ... But I didn't see them at night to see if there was any dimming.

Seen a couple of "how to's" on, just wish I could wire for rear rack lights, as well. Just not sure what I'll be using. Assuming the Halo and light can be wired as one, will follow suit and install correctly. Not my forte, but I'll have to figure it out sometime. Just hate to do twice. Already had headliner down once, would've been a good time to prep rack lights.

Chris Delancy

 

[Chris Delancy]

Will post in another portion, as well, but figured start here. Installed front today, but having an issue mating Exp One skid plate (filler plate) to Budbuilt skid plate. No way it'll work without fabrication that I can see. Has anyone crossed this bridge yet? Ideas?

 

[Chris Delancy]

What your email address? Exp one emailed to me, can forward.

 

[Chris Delancy]

I hesitate to add on to a group buy thread, but I will send you here to see gripe #3: http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/foru...tall-instructions-need-some-serious-help.html

I will try and snap a couple pictures to help clarify (over in the other thread)since I have no idea what the particular frame pieces are called by name.

Thank you for link and pic, but I don't have the curved bars at all. I didn't have even when factory skid was on. In looking at, the Budbuilt skid bolts back into same location as OEM tin. Even if there wasn't a return on the Budbuilt, this wouldn't fit with OEM skid. At least not an '08.

 

[Chris Delancy]

Replied Pm. Email sent. Did from iPhone. Sone kinda bug has got it's grips on me. If they don't open, let me know and I'll resend in morning.

What year FJ do you have? Are the factory tow hooks exposed on yours?

 

[Chris Delancy]

Sliders, Front Bumper and Winch installed...

...got the lights in too after I took the pic. Tomorrow ill start on the Swingout Rear!

Did you install Halo's in front?

 

[Chris Delancy]

Hey guys (specifically those who have installed the rear exp-1). Do you have any close up pics of the rear bumper where it wraps around the quarter panel? I just had mine installed and there's about an inch of space between the bumper and the plastic fender. Wondering if it was installed incorrectly, or if that's how they sit? Any help/pics would be greatly appreciated!! :cheers: Sorry for the dark pics, its the best I could get right now... Pretty sure it was installed wrong!

Looks like same reveal I wound up with. At first, I bolted lower bumper to lower frame, then pushed up, to narrow gap, then tighten the other 8 bolts at mounting plates. It was a tight fit, and looked better, but somewhere it was too tight, and squeaked. Slowly increased the distance between, until it didn't squeak, and what you have is what I wound with is a tighter fit at the back where it meets. At first, I couldn't deal with it, and kept trying to find a solution to eliminate noise, and narrow gap. After two weeks, I don't hardly notice. My attention is more focused on the front. Ha. The radius on the inside of bumper top plate flares out more than the plastic behind, creating more if a gap. After searching through threads here, found that be normal. Allows for flexing.

Chris Delancy

 

[Chris Delancy]

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[Chris Delancy]

Since I can't figure out how to post pics, do in separate. One shows the rear bumper reveal as close as I could get without noise. Hope this helps. If you bolt to lower frame first, can "roll" the top of bumper closer, then bolt.

While I'm here, and all pics are posted. One show the metal tab spun around, in what I'm assuming is the location for the 4" through frame bolts. Sound correct to y'all?

Also, still seeking verified input on winch that'll mount below winch cover plate, even if plate has to be removed fir occasional use.

Input on the two plastic OEM brackets that were what front bumper skins were attached to, did you leave on, or remove?

And, what lights, other than Halo's is anyone mounting in front bumper. Are 4" Piaa's with cover sufficient to fill the hole? I know this sounds stupid, but the 4" Halo's aren't large enough to fill, and I'm returning for the Piaa's, but not real sure what size.

 

[Chris Delancy]

Sorry,

And wouldn't it be prudent to remove the oem tow hooks? I'm thinking about removing and re fabbing the filler panel provided be Exp one to cover the exposed hooks (after removal) to the inside of their outer mounting brackets. Have to somehow get the mating point to budbuilts bolted, anyhow. Advise? Input?

 

[Chris Delancy]

Hey Bro that tap with the nut affixed to it is suppose to be inside that frame, threw that frame hole! It's step one in the brace instructions.
Take everything off. Only put the bolt a few turns into the tab, then feed the tap into the frame hole. Install the other bolts and retighten everything!
:cheers:

And yes the rear leaves room for flex, you might wanna pull your whole bumper back about 1/4 in from the rear body, to prevent damage. I used some #2 pencils to leave the gap in the rear when I bolted everything up. : bigthumb:

The tab I spun around to high light for pic, but I had assumed this was the location for the 4" through the frame bolt, for use with 12k bumper winch. I have intention of putting the 4" bolt in, just drilling through the frame, didn't want hassle of trying to get tab out after completed. That all being said, do you agree this is the correct location for the 4" bolt? Also, on your Halo's, are they on a fog switch or drl circuit?