Desert Fox lights....bought 'em...

takza · Post by **takza** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 4:49 pm

Bought a pair of these lights at Walmart for $17.

<a href='http://shop.store.yahoo.com/rodi/blazauxhaltr.html' target='_blank'>http://shop.store.yahoo.com/rodi/blazauxhaltr.html</a>

They are pretty heavy duty lights with glass lenses and a grill...have 55W bulbs for a limited load on the alternator. These should make a good set of aux lights to go with the OEM sealed beams.

They have a heavy single mounting bolt....now I have to get them mounted on the bumper. Wanting to put them on top of the bumper between the headlights.

Would like to drill and tap a hole in the steel bumper frame under the cover.......but not so sure how much foam and plastic there is under there....or where it is solid. Might make a small plate to set each light on.

Does anyone have detailed drawings of the bumper or has anyone taken one apart????

Thinking of drilling towards the back...looks OK by the small drawing I have.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 8:35 pm

I havent done anything with the bumper but Im looking forward to hearing how your install goes since I might do the same.I did remove the backseat and built a flip~up shelf that works pretty~well.Yesterday I went to a place called "Camper World" and they had 3~Amp,3 GPM Pumps for $60,plus lots of Fun

- DC equipment! B)

takza · Post by **takza** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 3:56 am

I'd advise avoiding those RV outlets if they are like the one's I've seen.

Get a JCWhitney catalog (or check online?)...they have a whole RV section where you can find lights/pumps, etc. Darn sure they have a pump for less than $60...I used one of theirs for about 3 years continuously. Shipping might be pretty steep though.

<a href='http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... reId=10101' target='_blank'>http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... d=10101</a>

<a href='http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... reId=10101' target='_blank'>http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... d=10101</a>

Ask for a catolog...don't pay for one either......

Like to hear about that shelf.......

Thereminator · Post by **Thereminator** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:30 pm

That "Shelf" is simply a 1/2" plywood piece,cut to the same dimentions as the cloth materiel on the "fold~down" sections of the rear seat.I then mounted the plywood on the same hinged~seat~fasteners,secured the cloth with those screw~washer fasteners and added a two~piece aluminum L~metal strip along the frount for strenth and a clean~edge over the cloth.I put a couple 10" carradge~bolts in the seat~fastener floor~slots for the fold~down shelf(extention)to land on and will probably add a couple L~metal diagnals for added support.The way the seat~hinges mount,when I lift the shelf,it drives the back of it into the exsiting floor sheetmetal and act as brace to hold it open.So in~effect,I created storage~space where the lower seat used~to~be and continued the exsiting shelf~area with little modification.In Keeping with my Low~center~of gravity efforts,the under~shelf pasenger side will become a tool~storage area and the drivers side,water storage.Witch leeds me to this question,I realy like JCs ABS water~tanks,do you have Solid Evidence that "They" will Leak?

takza · Post by **takza** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 7:04 am

Hope you mean"won't leak'? Can't say for sure. but ABS plastic is pretty tough stuff. I think you'd want to set it on a solid flat surface for sure (plywood?).

Didn't know you meant the shelf replacing the seats. Since it will have weight on it...I used 3 hinges on the rail between the rear wheels with mine and it sits on 3 2X4s that hit the rail that the front of the seat sat on....it's pretty solid. Mine won't stay up though.

As far as the stuff that JCWhitney has....once you get the product name...you can then search the web in general, Ebay, Amazon, Yahoo etc for a better deal.

takza · Post by **takza** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 9:25 pm

Got the lights mounted. Turns out the steel part of the bumper is about 1" below the plastic over foam cover.

Had to use some longer bolts and drill & tap thru the plastic into the metal.

Drilled about 1 1/4" out from the back lip of the bumper and maybe 5 1/2" in from the end of the grill...both sides. Then used a large fender washer under the mounting piece to help support it when tightened.

Still pulled the plastic down some in that area...but the lights are pretty solid. Got to get used to the new look.

* loosened the lights and made a rubber washer to put under the light bracket to keep the lights from moving too easliy if bumped.

* a better mounting method would be to use a length of steel tubing over the bolt and set down on the metal part of the bumper with a fender washer on top to take the load instead of pushing the plastic down so much...seal with silicone caulk?

* the lights actually look pretty good...they fit in with the rest of the rectangular shapes on the front...fills in the empty looking grill area....real BAAAAD!