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Light Bar position

Alphah3

Well-Known Member
Messages
48
Location
Pelham,AL
Where are you putting your light bar? In front of the windshield, at a 45 to the windshield or above the vehicle?
Also, what about the noise factor?
 

Korby7

Well-Known Member
Messages
434
Location
Utah
Light bar mounting location

Where are you putting your light bar? In front of the windshield, at a 45 to the windshield or above the vehicle?
Also, what about the noise factor?

I recently mounted mine on the upper windshield. No unexpectedly bad wind noise until I reach 70-80 Mph at which point it starts to whistle. If I'm headed into a headwind at those speeds, it is deafening. We recently had a large snow storm that covered the gap on top and the wind noise disappeared. It seems the wind is kicking up off the windshield causing the whistle. I plan on building a Gobi Stealth style roof rack and I may bring the front deflector to just over the light with a panel that closes the top gap of the light bar. I have also heard of people putting door edging along some of the cooling fins to help with this. I may give that a shot.
LED4..jpgLED6.2.jpg
 

GreatDaneHummer

Well-Known Member
Messages
994
Location
Chicago
I have a 1x32" in the front top. 2x4" on each corner on the top. 4x13.5" on top sides and 1x13.5" in the rear. I installed them up for function on my trip out to Colorado through the Alpine Loop. I took them down now that I am just around the city. They eat up 1-2 MPG and the wind noise is horrible. If you are not going to use them on a regular basis don't put them up for just looks. At 50 mph you will feel the wind resistance even.

Truck Small Size.jpg
 

amrg

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,317
Location
Qatar
I have mine mounted on top of the cross bar. In its location, the incabin noise went up slightly and I only noticed when 3 years later I had to remove the bar in order to pass inspection.
There are no whistles. It doesn't interfere at all with my vision at night as it doesn't light up the hood.
I have it mounted as far forward as possible while still behind the sun roof. Fyi, with the roof open some of the air gets redirected downwards into the cabin and above my head.

IMG-20140129-WA0018.jpgIMG-20140129-WA0016.jpg
 

650Hawk

Well-Known Member
Messages
548
Location
SoCal
I used the G2 mounts, but I installed them about 3/4" lower than they were designed to be installed. My 50" single row whistles a bit at anything over 40mph, but not enough to be a problem. I think that if you can keep it at or below the roof level, your mileage likely won't take as much of a hit.
 

Alphah3

Well-Known Member
Messages
48
Location
Pelham,AL
I installed a ZROADZ noise canceling diffuser on my light bar
and now the only wind noise is from the mirrors.
 
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H3TDave

Well-Known Member
Messages
111
Location
West Virginia
Just installed my light bar. And holy crap the wind noise is ridiculous. It starts at 10mph at 40 it gets annoying loud and around 55+ it vibrates like crazy.

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Kyle

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,707
Location
Santa Clarita, CA
Just installed my light bar. And holy crap the wind noise is ridiculous. It starts at 10mph at 40 it gets annoying loud and around 55+ it vibrates like crazy.

7212867094ed25e0e2b18c814524ccd5.jpg


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Yup! Even with a single row it's that way, that's why I took mine off.


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RamRod

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,914
Location
AB, Canada
I put 3 rows of RTV between the fins and that got rid of the sound for me

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H3TDave

Well-Known Member
Messages
111
Location
West Virginia
So far this door trim stuff has helped up to 55 mph. After that it still has a good roar.

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650Hawk

Well-Known Member
Messages
548
Location
SoCal
Really strange how some have major noise issues, some don't. My straight single row has very little noise, just a slight whistle at anything over 40mph, but it doesn't increase in volume as speed goes up. And I have no trim, fins, silicone, etc. Perhaps a curved bar is more likely to make noise because of the consistency of the gap between the bar and the windshield? With a straight bar, that gap is "broken up" so to speak, and different at the ends vs in the middle?

Hmmmm...the problem is that there is likely no "one size fits all" solution, because every installation is slightly different. Straight vs curved, single row vs double row, how high above the roofline, how far in front of the windshield...even two similar lightbars (same number of rows, etc.) will have slightly different face and cooling fin shape/configurations.

Alphah3's deflector looks nice, I wonder how effective it would be on a straight bar (a straight deflector, obviously), since it would no longer "match" the windshield profile?
H3TDave's vibration is odd...I can see a whistle or howl, but vibration suggests an issue with the mounts. How thick is the metal of your mounts?
 
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lsv_palana

Well-Known Member
Messages
383
Location
Kamchatka, Russia
Do as me: i think installing light bar like this - bad idea... too much light on hood... can't use while off-roading.. i install lights on roof rack and move them a bit back.. no hood lights ..works fine... 20161019_103709.jpg20160709_174618.jpg
 

Kyle

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,707
Location
Santa Clarita, CA
I have mine mounted on top of the cross bar. In its location, the incabin noise went up slightly and I only noticed when 3 years later I had to remove the bar in order to pass inspection.
There are no whistles. It doesn't interfere at all with my vision at night as it doesn't light up the hood.
I have it mounted as far forward as possible while still behind the sun roof. Fyi, with the roof open some of the air gets redirected downwards into the cabin and above my head.

View attachment 21907View attachment 21908
I just realized looking at some pictures of your h3, is your windshield tinted?
 
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