High Fender Mod

[oKLRider]

Updating the thread for those following. Finally got some lights rigged up in the void. I'm a slacker, and haven't documented everything well, but here's a few snippets. Feel free to reply/PM for any Qs.

This is the original mounting bracket sketch that I started with, but ended up with a shorter (~2.75") version. I transferred the pattern to some of the 16ga sheet steel scrap that I had left from the high fender bracket. It seemed a little flimsy with the weight of all three lights, so I added a ~1" tall doubler to the back along the length of plate. That helped, but it still may vibe enough to make the light dance. We'll see...:

Cardboard mockup, again, the final version got shorter/narrower (from top to bottom). I used 1/4-20 pan head style hardware, and nylock nuts:

Plywood spacer for fender turning clearance. Note that the gap, between top of lights and bottom of headlight, was tightened up nicer on the final arrangement. I had to use a spacer between the light bracket and mounting bracket to clear the mount plate hardware:

Wired to temp power just to feed my curiosity: ;D

Hard mounted to something other than cardboard, but still no wiring:

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I plan to run these through the OEM aux plug, with a Skene IQ-175 dimmer. 20% power as full-time running lights, and triggered to kill mode with the high beam. The light arrangement is [FLOOD] [SPOT] [FLOOD].

Light specs:
24W ea, 72 total
2amp ea, 6 total
2800 lumens ea, 8400 total

I'm reluctant to give any additional light info yet because they're an experiment. I'm not even sure if the dimmer will work with them yet. Got 'em from a (semi)local 4x4/overland style shop. If they work, we'll all have a great source of affordable light! If not, well....they 'look' cool. ) I'll keep the thread updated with results. ::008::

 

[~TABASCO~]

Just my $.02... I would suggest you don't run this though the stock plug.. Run it separate with larger gauge wire to a relay.. then just control the relay with what you want... The stock wires were designed to hold those relatively small filaments PIAA lights... just run a 30A Bosch relay... don't rely on the stocker for this app....


EDIT: O' Yea................. BAD ASS light set up... nice work ! ::008:: ::008::

 

[oKLRider]

Thanks for the post, and info.

The dimmer has a built in relay feature. Knowing this, you still wouldn't recommend running these through the aux plug?

 

[oKLRider]

Updated for wiring, finally. ::008::

Instead of trying to explain everything with words, I've annotated a few pics. I've checked all the numbers, and unless I missed something, the load is well within the design parameters of the wiring and dimmer.

I chose to try the IQ-175 dimmer because I liked the function. It's basically a dimmer, switch, and relay...all-in-one. I've got aux lights on my KLR (ADVmoster, model 60s), and the PO had them switched independently of the main lamp. I don't know about you guys, but in the dark I want all the light I can get, and switching them on/off while riding the KLR gets to be a pita. Call me lazy! ;D

Enter the Skene dimmer. It's pricy for a little plastic box, but so far I'm real happy with the functionality of how I want to use the aux lights...which is a low(er) power setting as running lights (20% in my testing so far, I may use that yellow wire you see wrapped up to drop it to 10%), and kill mode for high beam. For the few miles that I've ran this set up, it's worked flawlessly. If it melts down on the way home tonight, Jaxon can say "I told you so!".

On with the pics...

This is a shot of my uncertainty. Wasn't sure this dimmer would even work with my model of lights, so I temp wired everything with jumpers for testing:

Overall shot of completed wiring:

Notes:

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I'm no wiring expert, but have followed from all of the other great posts here before me. If anyone sees an obvious flaw, please, by all means, point it out!

The irony is that unless I can talk my dealer into letting me do the work myself, all of it will have to be disconnected for the recall anyway...! ::017::