LS/LT spotlight install

[Mullett]

So I didn't think the focus lights were good enough, and there's a HUGE hole behind the grille..So this is how I put spotlights in without hanging them out the front and looking crappy.

Remove the top cover, it comes off with push plugs and two clips at the back.
[IMG][/IMG]

[Mullett]

This little plastic tab has to come off...I did a little research, and I can't find any use for it.
[IMG][/IMG]

Using two 40mm long bits of 40x40x3 angle bar, drill a hole in each to suit the holes already drilled in the front crossmember, and attach with 2 M6x20 bolts and nyloch nuts. These brackets will also have a hole in the top to attach the crossbar.

[IMG][/IMG]

The crossbar i made was out of 40x5 flat aluminium bar, drilled to sit 15mm out from the back edge of each bracket. MAKE SURE you file or cut a recess out for the bonnet latch mechanism, and of course make sure you check that it turns freely before you close the bonnet, or it won't open again...
[IMG][img=http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1043/p1000774ae5.jpg][/IMG]
[IMG][img=http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/6634/p1000771jr0.jpg][/IMG]

Using the bonnet latch as a centre point, I drilled the holes for mounting the lights at 150 each side of the centre. There's plenty of adjustment room for the lights, and they're well clear of interfering with anything else.
[IMG][img=http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/7617/p1000779uv8.jpg][/IMG]

Now, the wiring. Pull the headlight out (Remove the screw in the top and pull it sharply forward), and unplug the loom from the light. The green and black wire is +12V on high beam (check your wire with a multimeter of course), so pull back some of the loom and solder a trigger wire on. Use that to trigger the relay, with +12v from the battery feeding the relay, and an earth straight to the chassis. Don't be tempted to run the spotlights straight from this wire, it cannot handle the amps, and will blow a fuse or melt
Wired like this, the lights will be on whenever the high beams are, and apart from being annoying sometimes, that's illegal. You can switch the earth wire from the relay with a switch in the cab, or you can do what i did, and run a second relay off the foglight wire, and use that relay to switch the 12V feed from the battery. That way, the cab looks standard, you don't have to run wires or have tacky switches because it works off the factory foglight switch. The foglights will work as factory, and the spotlights will come on when the foglights are on and you're on high beam. At this point, take the globe out of your rear foglight. EVERYONE hates them.
[IMG][img=http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8742/p1000776sn5.jpg][/IMG] [IMG][img=http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/6629/p1000778bt2.jpg][/IMG]

Adjust the lights with the covers off, check all the bolts and the insulation of the wiring, and you're away!

RM.

[BlackLS]

Very nice! I've had the same idea since I got the car but never got off my lazy *** to do something.

How do you find the extra light put out by these? Do you find the grille blocks a lot of light?

[Mullett]

I had the lights on a cruiser before, and I don't think there's much difference in the light output, I think the grill is far enough out of focal range that it all kinda blends back together. The only annoying thing is adjusting them, but I've only had to do that once.

RM.

[20focus05]

I just put a number plate spotty mount on ours. bit jiggly though.
I have some 100mm ones, one pencil and the other spread.
saved my bacon on my trip to sydney, seen a mob of beefies covering the whole road, if i did not have spotties I would not have seen them in time.

oh BTW i had a simmilar set up on my old corona, I had 150mm ones behind the grill, the grill did not effect them at all.
That old girl had 640w of light across the front on high beam.

[bob^]

Just fixed up some of your photos

[Mullett]

Cheers mate

RM.

[marg99]

thanks for the advice