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LED Light Bar Install on GR WRX

43K views 59 replies 16 participants last post by  arcticscythe 
#1 ·
2013 Subaru WRX Hatch, Satin Pearl White
Cobb Tuning SF Intake + SF Intake Box Black Stage 1+ OTS
Whitelines Anti-Sway Bars, Kartboys Endlinks, Back to black bushings.
Roof Rack,Bike Rack, Cobb Knob
91 Octane Shell fuel

PHOTOS OF INSTALL ON THE BOTTOM :D

Disclaimer : Aftermarket Lighting is almost NEVER DOT approved and should not be used on public roads. Incorrectly aimed lamps or very bright lamps can cause road hazards for other drivers and the safety of others should be considered when installing.

So I have been spending a bit of time driving on unlit, unmaintained road recently with a few buddies. Noting stupid just taking the cars out to the middle of nowhere to hang out. Recently one of my buddies decided to replace His fog lamps with Rigid quad LED units. We built a custom bracket for his ranger and had them wired and running in an evening. They are insanely bright and as a supplement for his headlamps in the middle of nowhere they are king.

Side note; I am a Huge fan of flashlights, I have some very expensive lights and some very cheap ones, LEDs, Arc lamps and halogens. I daily carry brands like Surefire, G&P, Streamlight and Quantum DD. I love bright lights so I decided I need to add some bright LED lights to my GR WRX.

So I started looking for LED lights of my own.I settled on a bar instead of 2 fog lamps. I found one pretty cheap on ebay (chinese LED) which I am ok with. I have had very good luck with chinese made LED flashlights like G&P in the past and with a removable lens on front and isolated LED boards I feel pretty confident in my own understanding of LEDs and so long as the pictured light is what i get in the mail I will be throughly happy with the purchase. I ordered it a few days ago and started the wiring process today.

So I don’t currently have fog lamps installed, That actually makes this process easier because I will be tapping into the fog lamp tail of the wiring harness near the front corner of the car. Because I do not have OEM fog lamps I do not have the control tree for the fog lamp or the factory relay. Thats Ok I plan on running my own relay closer to the light bar and I will be using the relay harness to trigger the relay near the light bar.

Starting in the cabin, I looked up the install directions for the fog lamp and found that the relay for the fog lamps sits to the right of the 3 installed relays, I found a replacement relay and grabbed the data sheet online to learn that the pinouts for the Subaru fog light relay are (from left to right) 12V+, Accessory, Ground and Trigger. I will be using only the 2 leftmost connections to connect the 12V+ to the accessory through a toggle switch effectively powering the fog lamp tail on the harness. I built a quick harness with 2 male spade connectors on the end and inserted them into the left 2 connectors for the Fog lamp relay harness (bypassing the relay and directly connecting the output pin to 12V+ when the switch is toggled) I removed the OEM heated seats switch plates and cut a rectangle in one of them large enough to fit a LED lit Blue toggle switch. Its a pretty low profle switch so I am not worried at all about my elbow getting below the edge of the armrest and accidentially toggling the LED. I ran the 3 wires for the toggle switch through the center console and used the 12V+ accessory line, Output(to fog lamp 12V+)and Ground to the relay via spade connectors.

Moving on to the front of the car I installed a 12V 40A relay in the driver side fog lamp well. I ran the ground to the battery, 12V+ ( fused at 20A ) to the 12V+ on the battery, trigger to the fog lamp positive connector ( which is now simply a 12V+ line running from the accessory power in the cabin through a toggle switch and out to the front of the car ) and accessory output to a spade connector for the new LED light bar. That configuration allowed me to assemble the system using only the factory wiring( without having to punch through the firewall ) It also keeps the appearance of wires in the engine bay to a minimum. Only the hot and ground line is visible under the hood and I am thinking about wrapping it with corrugated plastic tubing to hide the new wire.

With the system wired I am ready to install the light-bar as soon as it arrives, I am expecting it on Tuesday the 12th. I plan on mounting the LED Light bar under the front license plate as far forward as I can. I will be using the radiator mounting tabs as my bracket and I plan on removing the Black plastic riser on the bottom of the bumper to allow the full potential of the lights to shine through. As soon as it gets in I will complete the Install write up and add a few additional photos showing the final results

LED LIGHT BAR SWITCH LOCATION


SWITCH INSTALLED IN OEM HEATED SEATS PANEL


SPADE CONNECTORS IN OEM FOG LAMP RELAY HOLDER


POWER LINES RUN FROM BATTERY TO RELAY IN FRONT RIGHT FOG LAMP BAY


RELAY WIRED TO POSATIVE LINE FROM FOG LAMP TAIL
 
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#2 ·
Update

Quick Revision, I was playing with the switch last night and realized that the relay ground and 12V+ were toggled by the Low beams. Effectively the switch would power off when the headlights were on, that just wont do. So I rewired the Cabin portion and uploaded a quick diagram of the proper wiring.

Still waiting on the LED bar itself but at least now it is 100% ready to be installed.

 
#3 · (Edited)
**Installed this afternoon**

Used the existing holes on the front bumper, tapped them for SAE 1/2 13 and used 2x1/2 rough cut bolts to attach the hangers, Also installed a Universal Licence plate adapter allowing me to move the plate up enough that it does not obstruct the light while still conforming to CA law.

Its about 6:30 in CA right now si still another few hours before dark, When the sun finally disappears I will post updates with Beam patterns and light output notes.


Light bar and 1/2 inch bolts cut through mounting hardware


Cut out larger squares in bumper plastic to allow for mounting hardware and installed hangers for LED bar


Finally installed pretty clean, I only wish the plasti bumper was 2 peices instead of one, The cuts all came out clean but I like the idea of parts being removable/swapable in case I want to make a change later


Sitting in the driveway waiting for it to get dark >:D


Finally dark enough to start testing


OEM Halogen Low beams, Philips 4300k 9005/9006 bulbs


NEW LED Light Bar
 
#6 ·
Thanks blaze,

I am pretty tickled with the outcome. I still cant believe how much light it throws for so little money. Total installed price was around $120. It took 2 evenings to prep and install and 3 trips to the hardware store for odds and ends but I am very pleased with the way it looks.

Some of the more expensive brands make yellow covers for them if you like yellow, That said I wouldn't use these as fog lights. Fog is internally refractive, that means that light bounces off the water droplets that make fog and the light bounces back to you. Too much light causes the fog to illuminate rather than cutting under the fog and making reflectors on the road more visible. That's why normal headlights aren't good in the fog.

I'm also borrowing a buddys SLR this evening to take pictures with a set ISO and F stop. That should make for better comparison shots than my cell phone. Ill post them when Im done.
 
#8 ·
That's awesome!
Nice write up for it as well.
You wouldn't expect it to throw off that much light just by seeing it in the day time.
I dont see to many off road LED setups for a wrx that look hidden like that.
 
#9 ·
@AllExtinct thanks for the kudos, I was really trying to keep it low profile.
@Epictofer, I cant recommend it enough, the light output per dollar if off the charts. Its only a few hours of real work, and a few hours of drinking beers with the guys to get one installed, If you have the pocket cash you wont be disappointed : )
 
#11 ·
Thats a super clean install arctic! Most of my driving is on road, but Im toying with the idea of putting in super bright fog lights on a separate circuit so I can easily toggle them on/off without interfering with the headlights. My one concern would be that its blocking you rad. Does this or would this cause any issues with airflow over the rad? I would hate to see it overheat due to a light.

how sturdy is the cover over the LEDs? you said you were driving on unpaved roads i would imagine being that low would make it more susceptible to rocks and dirt. Just a thought.
 
#12 ·
I monitor coolant temps with a V3 accessport and I haven't seen abnormally high temps. low 200s is about as high as I have ever seen it and thats sitting in LA traffic on a hot summer day. In the evening when Im driving with the LED bar it hovers around 160.

As for restricting airflow to the radiator the front bumper where the plate is mounted takes up more airspace than the LED bar. that duct is also at the bottom of the radiator and It has about 2 inches up top and 1 inch on the bottom with the current mounting hardware. I was worried about the heat from the radiator not letting the lamps cool correctly but when the car is moving at night the lamps are just as cool to the touch as the outside of the car.

The LED cover still looks brand new and I have had the light on for almost 3 months. Its a replaceable crush resistant Lexan plastic, sheets of the plastic are available at the hardware store for cheap. If you are worried about protecting them you could always throw a 3m film over it. I figure for the $100 I can replace the whole lamp if it ever gets damaged.

If you want to do a pair of LED lamps you can get some really high powered LED emitters pre loaded into enclosures from the retrofit source. They are more expensive but then come with mounting hardware and wiring. all you would need to do is tie into the stock fogs harness like I did. XB is the product line 2400 lumens on the ground which is pretty bright for fog lamps but should be safe and "Almost" road legal.

Hope that helps
 
#16 ·
I love the black faceplate.

What output is available on your bars? and at what amperage? I ask because Ive been toying with the idea of adding a 40 inch bar up top under the front roof rack.

If nothing else I just want to have more insane light output : )
 
#20 ·
Getting anything larger than a flashlight into an integrating sphere is a job in and of itself, , It would take up an entire room trying to get a sphere large enough to test a 40 inch bar.

Anyway after you guys reinvent the wheel for measuring light bars, I would love to see some beam-shots with those dark surrounds.

I am also planning on pulling off my existing bar and coating the lens with yellow film to comply with CA regulations about "covered" offroad lamps. I haven't had trouble yet but I would rather avoid the bullet than perform first aid later.

Maybe while Im in there I can shoot the outer reflective surface on my bar with some high temp gloss black, Ill post photos when I get around to the project.
 
#21 ·
I am thinking about doing just this in the near future like next month on a 2009 wrx, and I was wondering if you had any advice besides the great write up. For instance, I saw where you mounted it, but I'm not sure how you actually mounted it. Also, what did you do to stop the light from vibrating?
 
#22 ·
On the 08+ the front bumper cover sits over a metal support beam. Its a piece of thin steel with a number of holes drilled in it so it can crumple in the event of an accident. Its visable in from of the blue cusco part here :
http://www.rallysportdirect.com/user_submitted_content/photos/CUS%20692%20492%20FM_1.jpg

I used a 1/2 inch tap set and tapped 2 of the existing holes in the bottom of that support beam, The holes were almost perfect for the 1/2 in tap and after opening up slightly the support beam took the threads fine. I then used 1/2 inch galvanized bolts from the hardware store and screwed them directly into the support beam to hold the LED bar brackets in place.

The brackets from the LED bar do a pretty great job of keeping vibration at bay, each bracket uses 4 machine screws to hold the light bar in place so there are 8 screws holding things from vibrating.

Only Advice I can give is to be very careful and test your relay before you install, I made a mistake with my relay and had it permanently open which could have caused problems if left un-checked. Also I strongly recommend a LED bar with adjustable mounts rather than end mounts, they run along a channel on the bottom/top of the light and they use a set screw to tighten in place. There is just enough room for that style of light bar, I dont think I could have fit a 22 inch light bar with side mounts.

I check it every time I wash the car and thus far everything has held tight /knock on wood/

If you need more help shoot me a PM and we can do a skype call to show you in more detail.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Actually I had a vertical piece of plastic as well. About 2 inches thick. I ended up cutting the plastic part out to fit the light bar. It looks great in that slot.

You can see the brace still in the left side of the photo where I was showing the mounting brackets and the cuts on the top of that slot. If you need more photos let me know I would be glad to post some.
 
#25 ·
My name is Jason and I definitely have a Lighting problem. Rather than start a new thread I will be posting LED light bar updates here.

So this week I helped a friend swap out coil packs, plugs, wires and an IAC on his ranger and for payment He sent me an Amazon gift card which I immediately converted into a new light bar for top mounting.

Again I went with the same supplier of Chinese made light bars. I cant endorse a particular supplier or brand for the LED bars because I don't have a clear picture of their R&D or MFG processes, that said I went with Amazon brand "lamphus" "Cruizer" model again for my second bar because I love the mounting solution, I find that they C brackets are easier to aim and are more stable than the L brackets that most light bars include.

Side Note - Bugs love the extra light coming out the front. I cant tell if I get more bug strikes because of the light but I feel like I collect more bugs with my current lamp on, cant wait till I get the new light but I expect I will be carrying some window cleaner as well.

Again with the legal language - Top mounted light bars are NOT DOT APPROVED, you don't run with them on while you are on the freeway or any other public road
( unless the guy in front of you is being a jerk, then bring the heat >:D ) I am being facetious of course:D. I only run my current bar on dark desert highways and off roading, It also works great as a work light when its pitch black outside. I will also be upgrading my toggle switch as part of this project just to be more secure in the On / Off function.

Considering this 36 inch bar in particular is rated just over 18k lumens there is a relative road hazard if oncoming traffic is exposed to that kind of light output, Combined with my existing lower light bar at 12k Lumens thats almost 30k lumens pointed forward in the dark.

I started pre-fabrication for the mounting hardware and wiring last night so I will post that first, when The light comes in I will post the remaining installation video.

On to the install. with photos.

My wiring diagram will be the same as my previous installation, I will be using the same 12V+ for my trigger from the fog lamp connector(9005), wired to a new 40Amp relay with 4.5 feet of 14 Gauge shielded pair black wire running up the channel next to the windshield to the new light bar. I will be using spade connectors to connect the light bar to the wiring harness for easy removal in the future if needed.



For a mounting solution I again looked for a simple solution first then I made it infinitely more complicated. I have an existing bike rack crossbar mounted to the roof of my WRX. The pillars hold the crossbar with 4 T25 torx M6 screws. I decided to make a bracket that I could attach the light bars C mounts to. I choose not to drill/tap the underside of the bike rack because I am unsure if the integrity of the aluminum. The part is hollow and in the event that my custom made brackets are insufficient I will most likley drill and tap the bike rack and insert a nut on the inside to give the brackets something stronger to hold.

Without having the light bar handy I don't have measurements for the height of the C-bracket so I am still unaware of weather or not it will fit directly under the bike rack of if these custom brackets are needed.

Anyway Custom 1/8inch Steel Brackets. I am going to spray them with bed liner paint after I get the light-bar and have a chance to measure out the mounting holes.

These 3 photos show the bar as it sits now, Only 3 days to wait for the new bar and switch and I will have the install done Sunday night. Hopefully I will be able to post again with results Monday morning : )





 
#26 ·
OK, so the part is installed : )

I did not photograph the actual process because I was working with a dead phone battery last night. I will post the final products and I can give more details about eh install process if anyone is interested in trying this themselves.

So this is the final installed product, The photo is slightly stylized because the camera was having a tough time with the street lamps last night.


During my install I decided to scrap the brackets that I spent a evening making last week, They were mounted in a parrallel line and I didnt feel comfortable trusting/risking the aluminum whisp-bar to stay true with the extra weight mounted to it.

So instead of using those brackets I measured 3.5 inches from the outer edges of the bar and drilled 3/8 holes. I then used a 3/8 - 24 x 3/8 bolt and slid it through a washer>bracket>bar>washer>nut inside the bar. The idea was to add some additional support inside the whisp-bar I used the open end of a combo wrench to hold the nut inside.

I didnt have the battery life last night to snap photos so I draw a quick sketch, Hope that makes things clear.


As for wiring the new lamp I took some time a decided to keep as much external as possible. I was ver pleased with my previous install and not needing to run a trigger through the firewall so I tied into the existing trigger line for my relay. I used 14 gauge copper double shielded power lines with spade connectors on the battery like the last install and I ran the power output along the side of the windshield. I choose 2 wire single shielded 14 gauge landscape wire because it was black and it resembles weather stripping. I ran it under the windshield trim up front and under the top striping.


I exited the weather striping near the bike rack pillar and for the moment I am using crimp connectors and heat shrink to hold everything in place.


This afternoon I will be replacing the crimp connections with hobby grade XT60 connectors, I still like the idea of the bar being easily removable for when I go to put a bike up top and I will be looking for a new bike rack mounting solution that doesn't require me to remove either.

Last but no least some beam shots. I was low on battery when I grabbed these shots, It was also with a Note 4 cell phone camera. I was shooting from on top of the driver side mirror for reference. I might need to try again without automatic mode on because I think my camera may have tried to compensate for how bright the street sign was. For a more personal understanding I was giggling like a schoolgirl when I turned them on in the local canyon.

I am very pleased with the results.

Before, Headlamps H9 to H11 conversion, Parking lamps 5000k 500Lm Parking/indicator switchback LEDs.


After, Headlamps H9 to H11 conversion, Parking Lamps 5000k 500Lm Switchback, 20" 12,000Lm LED fog lamp and 38" 18,500Lm top mount bar


TLDR - New light bar is installed, On the stock bike rack, It is so bright you cant read signs because they are over lit. Definitely a cool upgrade : )
 
#28 ·
I monitor temps with an access-port V3, During canyon and off-road drives it tends to hover between 160-170. Its a nominal difference with and without the light bar. The majority of the airflow comes through the front grill, and Im not sure how visible it is in the pictures but I have about an inch of space on top of the lower light bar, it should direct the airflow up into the radiator. .

The new bar on top shouldn't have any effect on temps other than putting extra strain on the alternator, about 20 amps to be exact : )

If your thinking about it I say go for it. I couldn't be happier, Just make sure you are being respectful on the road. keep it turned off unless you are sure there is no oncoming traffic.
 
#31 ·
@boo-key, Ive always seen cool temps like that running in the canyons. I just figured that the temp sensor was on the cool side of the radiator? It gets up to around 210-215 sitting traffic but thats as high as I have ever read. I think it might have a bit to do with living in the dessert, cools down pretty nice at night and thats really the only time I have to drive for enjoyment.

During normal highway driving in Los Angeles traffic I see about 200-210 but in the canyons at night with the low fog I tend to be closer to 170. Average exterior temps between 55 and 65, ~25% humidity 1500Ft elevation.

Just because you made me think about it I grabbed a log on my way to work this morning ( 50 degrees outside 35% humidity 1500ft elevation ) and at speed my coolant reading averaged 174. I don't think thats too far under but I will check the thermostat connector this evening just to be sure.
 
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