How to Install an LED Light Bar on A Truck Roll Bar or Roof Rack
Vision X pioneered the modern LED light bar as we know it. With their XPR LED Light Bar, they have created a benchmark for long-distance projection. Coming in at 29,133 Raw Lumens, the XPR will easily be able to light your way through the night.
It does not matter if you have a Jeep, a Ram, a GMC, or a Ford, if you like off-road lighting and light bars; this article is for you! We will be walking you through how to install the Vision X XPR light bar and all the tricky wiring so that you are ready for your next adventure.
ABOUT
With the most recent release of the Vision X XPR, you have the option for it to come with a smooth back-lit halo function that is SAE J3098 Compliant (up to 24in). The light bar can be purchased in several sizes ranging from 6-inches to 51-inches.
It comes with two different mounting options. One being end-cap mounting and the other being Vision X’s patented mounting feet.
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The XPR also features Prime Drive Technology from Vision X. This controls vital functions such as temperature and the diming of your LED Light Bar. PDT will allow for the LEDs to turn on and off in order to lower the bar’s overall temperature and maximize lifespan.
If you would like a full review of Vision X’s XPR, check out our video here.
INSTALLATION
Before we get into the installation, keep in mind that every light bar installation will be different. Everyone will have different vehicles which require different roll bars from various manufacturers. This is in addition to the fact that where you mount your bar, will change the amount of wiring you will need.
Vision X has included some brackets in the kit to give you different mounting options that should cater to most applications.
They have rubber vibration isolators to reduce the amount of shake the bar creates when on the road and in the wind. The vibration insulators are positioned in a way to give you total adjustability.
If you use the black brackets, they will be mounted to either end of the light bar. They can be mounted with two bolts and allow for your light bar to be adjusted up and down.
Mounting to Bracket
For our application, we used a GMC specification mounting bracket. We also got some spacers from the local hardware store to raise the bar’s height to shine over the top of the truck. First, we put the spacers on and then put the GMC bracket on the bottom of the bar.
To hold the light bar and bracket together, we put the washers that came with the light bar and a 10mm nut under the bracket. Do not fully tighten these until you have your light in your ideal position.
To adjust the light when connected to the mounting bracket, use an Allen key to turn the screw on either side of the bar. We recommend putting the whole setup on your truck and then adjusting it to where you think it will look good.
Mounting To Vehicle
Every vehicle is different, but on ours, the roofline was a little high, so we utilized another set of spacers to mount our light bar bracket to the roll bar.
WIRING
Depending on where you have your XPR mounted, you may not have enough wire to reach your car’s battery. If your light is mounted on the hood, front bumper, or above the windscreen; you will most likely be able to reach the battery.
We have our XPR mounted on the rear roll bar, so we have to extend the wire. First, we cut the battery wire connector off the XPR’s cable system. Do not lose the connector.
Once you have exposed the wires, twist and solder them together while using heat shrink, if you have some. Then, wrap the wires up with electrical tape.
Do not forget to reuse the sheathing you have around the wiring. The more you have the better.
Before putting the connector back onto the wire, we recommend starting from the battery before soldering. That way you will know how much wire you will need.
Once you have decided where you are running your wires, move to your battery so we can establish the connection.
We do not want to install the positive terminal just yet so we will put the negative wire on the outward-facing side of the battery. Remember, leave your positive wire alone for now.
Grab your relay and regardless of where you mount it to, make sure it is facing upwards. If you have the wire end pointing up, you leave it prone to water retention that can short the connection.
From here you can run your switch for the bar into the cabin. We will get into the switch installation in a moment. But for our build, we opted to have the light bar connect to our high beams instead of routing into the cabin.
Wiring to Light Bar from Battery
To route your wire to the light bar, begin by removing some plastic cladding inside the engine bay. A pry tool will be needed for the plastic clamps.
Keeping your wiring neat will make projects down the road easier and keep your engine bay looking clean. Be sure to route the wire slowly so you do not run it over any moving parts.
Next is to route the wire down under the truck. We recommend running the wire along the subframe. You can either zip tie the wire as you go or do so once you have it connected to the light bar.
Once you have mocked up where your wire will be routed, grab that connector your cut off at the beginning of our wiring job. Now you can solder that connection back together and plug it into the light bar.
Be sure to tidy up your wiring with zip ties to avoid a messy appearance and from your wire snagging on any debris while off-roading.
At this point, you may have noticed a white wire leading from the XPR. This is to power the bar’s backlight.
To connect this wire, we routed it to the rock light connector and then spliced the white wire with our rock light’s power wire. This is so that when we turn on the rock lights, the backlight of the XPR would turn on as well.
Switch Installation
Rather than use the switch that came with the bar, we chose to use our high beams as the toggle for the light bar. Thankfully, Vision X’s switch can be unplugged from the button at the connector so there is no need to cut wires at this point.
You do, however, need to cut the white plastic connector from the main wire. Before soldering anything, test the wires with a voltmeter to ensure you are not splicing wires that do not need to be spliced. In our case, we only used the red wire. The red wire is connected to our high beam wiring and the remaining XPR wires are taped shut with electrical tape.
Remember, every installation is different. So, if you are unsure of how your wiring should go, consult an expert on the matter.
After you have soldered your wires and zip-tied where needed, you can now connect that positive wire from before to the appropriate battery terminal.
ADJUSTING YOUR XPR
Ideally, you want your beam to sit just above the high beam on your vehicle. In our test, we have the truck parked indoors so the position of the beam is not entirely accurate to how the real-life position will look.
If possible, we recommend going somewhere dark and spread out and turning on your high beams and light bar. From there, adjust the light bar with either the Allen screw or mounting tabs.
Set it to where you are comfortable, and the beams are being used effectively.
Please note that not all states allow the use of light bars on the road, even in a backlit mode. Refer to your local laws for guidance and drive responsibly.
If you are interested in some more lighting for your vehicle, check out our rock light shootout video here to see some of the top rock light brands go against each other. We also took a closer look at the Rigid Industries, Vision X, and Profile Pixel LED Rock Lights in another blog post.
If you are more of a visual learner, be sure to check out our video on how to install an LED light bar to your vehicle. While you are there, make sure to like and subscribe to our channel for the latest lighting upgrades for your vehicle.
Have any questions about one of the products we mentioned? Contact us today, and our customer service team would be happy to help.
