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How To - Add Bumper light WITHOUT drilling! (Light tabs)


K-Slice

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Original Poster: ME!

Difficulty: 3 out of 10

Time to install: +- 1hr


Disclaimer: The Ranger Station.com, The Ranger Station.com Staff, nor the original poster are responsible for you doing this modification to your vehicle. By doing this modification and following this how-to you, the installer, take full responsibility if anything is damaged or messed up. If you have questions, feel free to PM the original poster or ask in the appropriate section of The Ranger Station.com forums.


Brief Explanation: I'll show you how to put lights on the front bumper of your first or second gen ranger without drilling into your nice chrome bumper!



Tools Needed:
- Bench vice
- Channel locks
- Ratchet and sockets
- 1/2" drill bit

Parts Needed:
- 2 4"-4.5" corner braces
- 2 lock washers (recommended)


Step 1:
Get some 4-5 inch corner braces from any Home improvement store. I don't remember the exact size I bought, think they were 4.5 inch. And make sure the steel is thick enough to support the kind of light your using. The wall-mart specials I put on there don't weigh much, but some of the KC's and such do..


Step 2: Drill the holes on both ends of the tabs out. Drill one side to fit whatever size bolt your light mounts with and drill the other to a 1/2 inch hole. That should be just enough that you can slip it onto the bolt that holds the bumper on.

Step 3: Put the bottom of the brace in a vice and bend away! You'll want it to be a similar shape to what's pictured. Unfortunately they can't just be 90* like newer ranger light tabs. Make sure that you keep the bottom hole in or beneath the jaws of the vice.



Step 4: Take off the nut on the upper bumper bolt and check if you have it bent right. It will probably take a few tries to get it exact. This is a pic of the bolt on the inside of the bumper with the bracket attached.


Step 5: once you have it bent perfectly so the top part sticks out in between the bumper and grill, bent the other one to the same shape. Slide them on the bolts along with a lock washer. The washer will prevent the brackets from tilting sideways, which I learned they do... Should look like this with the bracket attached:


And with the light on it:


Now all that's left to do is wire your lights! Here are a few more pics after the install. Pretty good I think! And done for less than $15!


 
Last edited:


mp3deviant721

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Hmmm. I may have to try this on my third gen when I can afford off road lights.
 

Ranger Sport Honduras

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looks good. nice idea
 

schanusa

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Good idea for a quick add. How much do they bounce when driving on dirt roads?
 

backroad101

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Same brackets i used (from Home Depot) except I did not bend them. I just cut off the excess on each end, enlarged the holes a little and that's it. I have a 99 thou.
 

K-Slice

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I've been surprised, the bounce hasn't been bad at all! The steel is pretty thick and holds them in place well!

Yes the barckets are MUCH easier to make for newer trucks. Unfortunatley our bumper bolts are tucked underneath the bumper so a bracket mor them has to be oddly shaped :/
 

4.0B2

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nice.

personally i'd rather just drill the bumper-- but i know some people don't like to drill their stuff.
 

K-Slice

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These also work good for mounting dune flags!
 

06RangerXLT

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for new the new gens:




flat stock, bent 90 degrees with c channel welded to it for strength. sandwiched between bumber and frame bolts, with washers on other bolts to keep everything even.
 

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