ALTA Light Bar Install (part 1)

This isn't a full tutorial on the install but might be of some help.

I have run into a few "snags" if you will in the ALTA Light bar/IPF lights install on 'enry, UKDragon's MCS. So far we have about 2 lazy working days on the project and it's not satisfactory.

1. We FINALLY installed that light bar itself, those directions could have been better and at least it had some pictures that came with it. Should have looked online for a tutorial first. Here's the point to note: The MCS bumper is bowed outward and when you measure exactly 18" it turns into about 18 ¼" at the tip of the L Brackets. No biggie, with some tugging you can get that puppy to connect.

2. Installing electrical wires for the 4 IPF driving lights (extra high-beams) was basically easy except I got stuck on the getting the wires from the engine compartment through the firewall and into the cabin. The firewall is hard to get to and IMPOSSIBLE to get a good drilled hole in, not that i wanted to drill- the directions kept telling me to use an existing grommet and the one most people told me to use "the one with a thousand wires on the driver side going in just in front of the steering wheel." Yea, there was no way I was going to open that up. But it did get me looking in the right direction and I found a plastic cap that led right into the cabin with no problem at all!!! Just drill a hole in that and make a slit to the center to put the wires through, worked GREAT! Here's some pics:

Match the colors, need to have centers on, or outside on as stand alone for maximum coolness!

Places i drilled holes for the wires:

This is exactly where you put the wires through. On the right side of the power steering.

3. According to both sheets of directions we were done. But those stupid push-button on/off switches just won't do in the Mini. It turns out that 'enry has 2 empty toggle switches on the toggle switch panel. So we bought some basic toggle switches to install there. We easily got the toggle switches working with the lights (flip on = armed, still have to switch to high-beams to turn them on).

THE QUESTION (1): I tried for about an hour to get into the toggle switch pannel w/o any luck. There is 1 screw I can't get to, the plastic piece beneath the steering wheel needs to swing down (or get taken off) in order for me to get to the top screw. Anyone know how to get it off?

Pic taken from inside & behind the steering wheel, no idea what ANYTHING is back there or what's hoding that piece on. So I started labeling random parts:

THE QUESTION (2): We want to protect these lights from rocks and such but don't want to cover them up with the supid looking IPF covers. We would like to cover with Union Jack covers, solid colored/blank ones to paint on ourselves, (anyone know if they make?) or leave them bare but with a protective seal. What do are your thoughs on getting a roll of this: http://www.clear-guard.com/bulkmaterial.asp

Otherwise this job has turned out SWEET. (thanks to some help from other NAM members) Right now the lights are working great but they are always 'armed' so any time you flip to high-beams you get 8 lights (yes, driving + high beams + Rally lights) BLARE!

That's 440W of light. Can't wait to put in the 100W bulbs (620W TOTAL !!!)

01-01-2007

Update: Run the wires through the bonnet first before soldering. The best way to fish the wires through the bonnet was to use a coat hanger, then attach the wires to it and pull it through.

Connecting the relays to the trigger of the high-beams. I decided it was easier to solder 1 time than it was to solder 2 times so I soldered both lights up to the same termal. After using a volt meeter, it turned out that the correct termal to solder to is the white wire.

11-03-2008