Police Spot Light

[jav_eee]

They have cowl mounts for golights. I’ve been looking at them…

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[ShadowsPapa]

I am still open to doing it but will need to figure how to add a hole to the roll bar and strengthening it so it doesn't become a failure point.

It will be a failure point. There's almost noting you can do short of having a pro, an engineer type who builds roll cages.
If that thing rolls, that pillar is all that stands between you and death.
I had to retrieve personal items from a Blazer that had flipped and the left front corner of the roof was on the dash.
Why not do something safer - remote control lights, that don't involve drilling into the very safety cage of your truck?

If you drill it and are in an accident and a passenger is killed because of your mods...........

Sorry, but to me it's really silly to risk that structure for "something cool" when perfectly good modern options exist. Plus you MAY, possibly, be devaluing it for future trades or sale.
I'd never buy a Jeep that has extra holes in the A pillar.

Chances are depending on the hole size, you wouldn't need to strengthen it.

That's total speculation. (unless you are an engineer)

 

[ATL_Rubi]

It will be a failure point. There's almost noting you can do short of having a pro, an engineer type who builds roll cages.
If that thing rolls, that pillar is all that stands between you and death.
I had to retrieve personal items from a Blazer that had flipped and the left front corner of the roof was on the dash.
Why not do something safer - remote control lights, that don't involve drilling into the very safety cage of your truck?

If you drill it and are in an accident and a passenger is killed because of your mods...........

Sorry, but to me it's really silly to risk that structure for "something cool" when perfectly good modern options exist. Plus you MAY, possibly, be devaluing it for future trades or sale.
I'd never buy a Jeep that has extra holes in the A pillar.



That's total speculation. (unless you are an engineer)

Based on the fact that the rock hard cage drills into the jeep roll bar multiple times, it’s at least speculation based on someone’s engineering.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

But to bolt on another structure - how large are the holes they drill? 1/2"? 3/8"?
And they are adding structure, not just drilling a large hole to slide a sleeve through.
Drilling is one thing, especially when they also attach further strengthening structure to the Jeeps roll cage/bars, drilling with no added support, just a big hole in the center of the pillar, going ALL the way through that A pillar, inside to outside, that's a different animal. Granny Smith apples to Yellow Delicious apples.

I have a police spotlight. Unless they have changed over the years, it's a healthy hole that goes through the A pillar.
Since it goes not perpendicular to the pillar, but on the horizontal plane, that means the hole is actually a bit taller vertically than horizontally. Just for example, if it took a 1/2" hole, the hole would be 1/2" side to side, but 5/8" up and down.
There's a sleeve that goes through and is screwed to the pillar, so you have the main hole and two screw holes. The sleeve goes through, is screwed to the pillar, then the core of the light slides through the sleeve inside which it rotates. You need to seal around the sleeve to prevent water intrusion.
The hole is fairly substantial, at least with the spotlight I have.

Here's the other negative I've not seen anyone address - the windshield.
You'd have to drill through the windshield frame......
And the act of running that spotlight THROUGH the A pillar necessitates it also go through the windshield FRAME. That means - remove spotlight, remove sealer, take it all apart to fold windshield down for any reason. How will that impact the windshield frame?

Unless he's got something I've not seen (VERY POSSIBLE) police spotlights like I have mean a large hole clear through that A pillar. Not a 1/4" hole, not a 3/8" hole, but BIGGER, and through the windshield frame on a Jeep. The spotlight pivots inside a sleeve that's attached to the vehicle.

Talk about taking away value - who wants a big hole in that pillar and through the windshield frame. And there's nothing to add support after you drill, unlike your RockHard cage that ADDS support during the process.

 

[ATL_Rubi]

Something like this may be a better option?

https://www.amazon.com/Golight-7951...t=&hvlocphy=9010778&hvtargid=pla-907151347184

 

[dcmdon]

Modern police cars don't have those lights because it compromises the strength of the A Pillar.

 

[JTR178]

Modern police cars don't have those lights because it compromises the strength of the A Pillar.

Uh, yes they do.

 

[Phan7omk7]

It will be a failure point. There's almost noting you can do short of having a pro, an engineer type who builds roll cages.
If that thing rolls, that pillar is all that stands between you and death.
I had to retrieve personal items from a Blazer that had flipped and the left front corner of the roof was on the dash.
Why not do something safer - remote control lights, that don't involve drilling into the very safety cage of your truck?

If you drill it and are in an accident and a passenger is killed because of your mods...........

Sorry, but to me it's really silly to risk that structure for "something cool" when perfectly good modern options exist. Plus you MAY, possibly, be devaluing it for future trades or sale.
I'd never buy a Jeep that has extra holes in the A pillar.



That's total speculation. (unless you are an engineer)

I understand that there are modern solutions to the police spot light and all the inherent risks and safety concerns to install the spotlight.

I wanted to do something different but with what everyone has said, it is not something I want to risk in the case of an accident to endanger myself or my passengers.

I am still thinking of solutions using the spotlight I purchase that does not involve drilling into the roll bar and will come back with any new ideas.

 

[jav_eee]

But to bolt on another structure - how large are the holes they drill? 1/2"? 3/8"?
And they are adding structure, not just drilling a large hole to slide a sleeve through.
Drilling is one thing, especially when they also attach further strengthening structure to the Jeeps roll cage/bars, drilling with no added support, just a big hole in the center of the pillar, going ALL the way through that A pillar, inside to outside, that's a different animal. Granny Smith apples to Yellow Delicious apples.

I have a police spotlight. Unless they have changed over the years, it's a healthy hole that goes through the A pillar.
Since it goes not perpendicular to the pillar, but on the horizontal plane, that means the hole is actually a bit taller vertically than horizontally. Just for example, if it took a 1/2" hole, the hole would be 1/2" side to side, but 5/8" up and down.
There's a sleeve that goes through and is screwed to the pillar, so you have the main hole and two screw holes. The sleeve goes through, is screwed to the pillar, then the core of the light slides through the sleeve inside which it rotates. You need to seal around the sleeve to prevent water intrusion.
The hole is fairly substantial, at least with the spotlight I have.

Here's the other negative I've not seen anyone address - the windshield.
You'd have to drill through the windshield frame......
And the act of running that spotlight THROUGH the A pillar necessitates it also go through the windshield FRAME. That means - remove spotlight, remove sealer, take it all apart to fold windshield down for any reason. How will that impact the windshield frame?

Unless he's got something I've not seen (VERY POSSIBLE) police spotlights like I have mean a large hole clear through that A pillar. Not a 1/4" hole, not a 3/8" hole, but BIGGER, and through the windshield frame on a Jeep. The spotlight pivots inside a sleeve that's attached to the vehicle.

Talk about taking away value - who wants a big hole in that pillar and through the windshield frame. And there's nothing to add support after you drill, unlike your RockHard cage that ADDS support during the process.

The hole required for a unity brand spotlight is 1/2”

 

[jav_eee]

Something like this may be a better option?

https://www.amazon.com/Golight-7951...t=&hvlocphy=9010778&hvtargid=pla-907151347184

I have the led version version of this light and it is insanely brighter than the unity spotlight I have mounted on my truck.

 

[Phan7omk7]

But to bolt on another structure - how large are the holes they drill? 1/2"? 3/8"?
And they are adding structure, not just drilling a large hole to slide a sleeve through.
Drilling is one thing, especially when they also attach further strengthening structure to the Jeeps roll cage/bars, drilling with no added support, just a big hole in the center of the pillar, going ALL the way through that A pillar, inside to outside, that's a different animal. Granny Smith apples to Yellow Delicious apples.

I have a police spotlight. Unless they have changed over the years, it's a healthy hole that goes through the A pillar.
Since it goes not perpendicular to the pillar, but on the horizontal plane, that means the hole is actually a bit taller vertically than horizontally. Just for example, if it took a 1/2" hole, the hole would be 1/2" side to side, but 5/8" up and down.
There's a sleeve that goes through and is screwed to the pillar, so you have the main hole and two screw holes. The sleeve goes through, is screwed to the pillar, then the core of the light slides through the sleeve inside which it rotates. You need to seal around the sleeve to prevent water intrusion.
The hole is fairly substantial, at least with the spotlight I have.

Here's the other negative I've not seen anyone address - the windshield.
You'd have to drill through the windshield frame......
And the act of running that spotlight THROUGH the A pillar necessitates it also go through the windshield FRAME. That means - remove spotlight, remove sealer, take it all apart to fold windshield down for any reason. How will that impact the windshield frame?

Unless he's got something I've not seen (VERY POSSIBLE) police spotlights like I have mean a large hole clear through that A pillar. Not a 1/4" hole, not a 3/8" hole, but BIGGER, and through the windshield frame on a Jeep. The spotlight pivots inside a sleeve that's attached to the vehicle.

Talk about taking away value - who wants a big hole in that pillar and through the windshield frame. And there's nothing to add support after you drill, unlike your RockHard cage that ADDS support during the process.

If I had the time and ability to install the spotlight as originally intended, I would have taken the steps to strengthen the roll bar on the A pillar. As you mentioned the police spotlight is nothing new and would involve a 1/2" hole to be drilled through the A pillar using a guide on the mounting bracket to align the drill. When originally planning out the drilling, I was thinking the best way to reinforce the roll bar was to drill a 3/4" hole and adding a steel sleeve with a 3/4" OD and 1/2" ID and having a professional grind the roll bar to bare metal and the sleeve welded to the roll bar.

As for the windshield, I did fold down the windshield to see if there was anything that was in the way of the hole and if it was aligned properly to the windshield then it would have cleared. I would have to make sure that the hole would be above the VIN plate. I have a snorkel on the passenger side and the idea of losing the ability to fold down the windshield was not a deal breaker.

Originally I was thinking it would be a DIY project but after digging into it and hearing what others had to say, if I were to pursue this, I would need help from a fabrication shop. I am quite handy with tools but the idea of having to drill a hold into a structural member and having it be done straight at an off angle from the outside to the inside of the A pillar is daunting. It is not impossible but it would be quite expensive to add a manual spot light with some additional movements.

Lastly, I also understand drilling into the gladiator would significantly drive down the value of the truck and if I were to take it off, it would take more fabrication to fill the holes. I have no plans to sell the truck or care about the resale value but I get the concern.

 

[dcmdon]

Uh, yes they do.

I haven't seen one in years. Maybe someone does them. But they are pretty rare, at least in New England

 

[4xjeepr]

They are still popular in NC. I Always had one on my patrol cars and trucks. Went by a local dealer the other day and everyone of the approximately 60 patrol vehicles on their lot had spotlights. They are needed here due to all the rural areas. Way better than take downs and alleys.

 

[TroutFishingInAmerica]

I didn't read the 3 pages of this thread and I'm not going to.

 

[JTR178]

They are still popular in NC. I Always had one on my patrol cars and trucks. Went by a local dealer the other day and everyone of the approximately 60 patrol vehicles on their lot had spotlights. They are needed here due to all the rural areas. Way better than take downs and alleys.

Wow, must be nice to get vehicle orders in. Ford has cancelled ours the last 3 years.

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