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[The Evil Twin]

Gentlemen, all I have to say is sitting around for hours at a time monitoring a computer flying a jet at 37,000’ above terra firma while doing 82% the speed of sound gets a bit tedious at times. Gotta be on our toes

View attachment 260110

And all along I thought you guys just did mundane things like draw penises with your flight path. Who knew?

 

[mrmag00]

It’s just poor customer service when they tell you at 1pm that they will get back to you as soon as I get to my computer and then you hear nothing. Just doesn’t seem that hard, for a small mom and pop shop to give you an answer to a simple question. Just a little follow thru on there end would help a lot.

 

[Toxophilite]

Well I received mine with multiple scratches/gouges. Trail guard broke through the box. Kind of bummed that I paid 200 for shipping and received it the way I did.
I reached out to dirtcom. Hopefully we can make it right. I hope you guys have have better luck with transport than I did.

I just received mine the same way - Box broken on both ends where the guard poked through with scratches on the exposed pieces. However, this is basically a skid plate, so I am not too worried about a couple of scratches that realistically no one will ever see.

With this said, they do need to do a better job of keeping it secured within the inside of the box.

For those with a stage three bar, see posts #105 and #107 below for instructions on how to mount the lights so they work properly.

 

[securityguy]

For those with a stage three bar, I will be posting some pics on how to mount the Baja lights so they can be aimed where you want them and still clear the bar.

Looking forward to it!

 

[Toxophilite]

EDIT - See Post #107 as well for additional install instructions.

Stage 3 Bar - Light install instructions:

These instructions are for those who want the lights facing straight out, slightly down, or slightly up. If you want them pointing significantly down, then you can mount them with the lights oriented the way the come from the factory - If you do mount them "right side up" you cannot swivel them to face outwards without a significant proton of the light being blocked by the top bar.

1. You will need to mount the Baja S2's upside down (this is not an issue), If you do not, the top round bar will block the light path due to how tall the lights will sit in the mounting locations.
2. Remove the bezel with a 2.5mm allen and flip it 180° (this is so the wording is facing the correct direction once mounted) - See Pic 4 where it is NOT done yet.
3. Put the large mounting bolt through the hole in the bracket first, then attach the bracket to the lights. The star washers go between the bracket and the housing, they do not go between the bolt and the bracket. - See pic 2
4. Attach the bracket to the light so it is oriented and looks like pic 1 and 2. The bracket should be 3/4" away from the body of the light housing
5. You need to decide where you want your lights aimed. You cannot adjust the up and down once they are bolted to the bar (there is no space) - See Pic 3

If you position the bracket all the way against the heat fins (like in the picture), this will point the lights basically level, or even slightly down.
If you want them pointed more upwards (not sure why), you just need to swivel them so there is a little space between the brackets and the heat fins.

This will all make perfect sense once you mount them yourself.

You can see in pic 4 that I have not flipped my bezel yet, so the light looks upside down. You can also see how much room you have for the light to clear the top bar. The bar is sitting about level, basically the same position it will be once its is mounted on the truck.

If you have not ordered your lights yet - @OmahaBravo is your guy. He will get you sorted quickly with the model and lenses you want.

Cheers,
Bo

Pic 1

Pic 2

PIc 3 - Showing how the light will look once mounted in the bar. This shows how there is no access to the side screws to adjust the pitch of the lights once bolted in.

Pic 4 - Showing clearance to the top bar

 

[mrmag00]

Thanks for the pictures, bummer about the shipping issues hope they take care of you.

 

[Toxophilite]

Update to the S2 Lights install on the Trail Guard -

****Again, if you are happy with them pointing down at about a 20° angle, you do not need to do any of this except ensure that you fully mount the lights before you mount the bar.

Everything in post #105 is correct, but unfortunately, there are a few more things that need to be done in order to get the lights working with this trail guard like they should.

- You cannot mount or remove the lights once the guard is installed on the truck. This is because you cannot reach the head of bolt that goes through the bracket, and you cannot reach the side bolts to adjust the pitch once they are mounted. This makes adjusting the lights almost impossible, as it requires removing the entire Trail Guard to adjust the pitch of the lights.

- To Fix this:
- I have a welder, so I welded the bolt head to the bracket - See Pic #5
- If you do not have a welder, use some JB Weld and make sure it is cured

- The second update is that you must space the bracket away from the Trail Guard by 1/4" to allow for the necessary pitch adjustment. I had some lage 1/4" rectangular washers that worked perfect, but I know most of you will not have these. See Pic #6
- You can use regular washers, just stack them 1/4" high. See Pic #7


It is absurd that you cannot mount the S2 lights in their proper orientation without the top bar blocking a significant portion of the lights, this is a design flaw that they need to address.

After all of the modifications, the bar and lights are finally installed, I just need to hook up the lights (probably going to connect them to my fog lights). With the bolts welded to the brackets, I can easily remove them for any pitch adjustments if needed. See Pic #8

This process should not have been this hard, and as I stated, is a direct result of poor engineering of the light mounting positions on the Trail Guard Bar.

But….I really like how everything came out, and it was worth the hassle.


Pic #5 - Bolt Welded to the bracket

Pic # 6 - 1/4' Washer for spacing the bracket away from the Trail Guard to allow for adjustment.

Pic #7 - Regular Washer Option

Pic #8 - Trail Guard Bar and Lights installed.

 

[securityguy]

Thanks for the pics! My lights are prepped and ready to be installed once my bar comes.

 

[pickleknuckles]

View attachment 260213

It sure does look good.

 

[sarj]

It is absurd that you cannot mount the S2 lights in their proper orientation without the top bar blocking a significant portion of the lights, this is a design flaw that they need to address.

I'm gonna try a different route I described earlier. Been too busy lately to get around to it but I'm taking the week after the fourth off with the woman out of town, so I'm figuring to try it out then, Same idea as yours, to get it lower and forward for better clearance. I ordered spare brackets from BD for the S2's to experiment with. Reverse the mounting, re-drill as marked, and then trim the excess off the ears for proper clearance where they mount on the light. The bolt that mounted to the DG will need to be swapped out to a stainless carriage bolt for the limited clearance with the S2 sitting lower in the bracket.

 

[securityguy]

I'm gonna try a different route I described earlier. Been too busy lately to get around to it but I'm taking the week after the fourth off with the woman out of town, so I'm figuring to try it out then, Same idea as yours, to get it lower and forward for better clearance. I ordered spare brackets from BD for the S2's to experiment with. Reverse the mounting, re-drill as marked, and then trim the excess off the ears for proper clearance where they mount on the light. The bolt that mounted to the DG will need to be swapped out to a stainless carriage bolt for the limited clearance with the S2 sitting lower in the bracket.

View attachment 260224

Why?

 

[securityguy]

Update to the S2 Lights install on the Trail Guard -

****Again, if you are happy with them pointing down at about a 20° angle, you do not need to do any of this except ensure that you fully mount the lights before you mount the bar.

Everything in post #105 is correct, but unfortunately, there are a few more things that need to be done in order to get the lights working with this trail guard like they should.

- You cannot mount or remove the lights once the guard is installed on the truck. This is because you cannot reach the head of bolt that goes through the bracket, and you cannot reach the side bolts to adjust the pitch once they are mounted. This makes adjusting the lights almost impossible, as it requires removing the entire Trail Guard to adjust the pitch of the lights.

- To Fix this:
- I have a welder, so I welded the bolt head to the bracket - See Pic #5
- If you do not have a welder, use some JB Weld and make sure it is cured

- The second update is that you must space the bracket away from the Trail Guard by 1/4" to allow for the necessary pitch adjustment. I had some lage 1/4" rectangular washers that worked perfect, but I know most of you will not have these. See Pic #6
- You can use regular washers, just stack them 1/4" high. See Pic #7


It is absurd that you cannot mount the S2 lights in their proper orientation without the top bar blocking a significant portion of the lights, this is a design flaw that they need to address.

After all of the modifications, the bar and lights are finally installed, I just need to hook up the lights (probably going to connect them to my fog lights). With the bolts welded to the brackets, I can easily remove them for any pitch adjustments if needed. See Pic #8

This process should not have been this hard, and as I stated, is a direct result of poor engineering of the light mounting positions on the Trail Guard Bar.

I really like how everything came out.


Pic #5 - Bolt Welded to the bracket

View attachment 260210

Pic # 6 - 1/4' Washer for spacing the bracket away from the Trail Guard to allow for adjustment.

View attachment 260211

Pic #7 - Regular Washer Option

View attachment 260212

Pic #8 - Trail Guard Bar and Lights installed.

View attachment 260213

Why do you need 1/4" washers? Not following the rationale and what will happen without them? Thx

 

[Toxophilite]

Why do you need 1/4" washers? Not following the rationale and what will happen without them? Thx

If you do not raise the bracket off the bar, when you tighten the bracket down, the light housing will hit the bottom plate and be forced upwards. spacing the bracket gives you the necessary clearance to adjust the pitch (with the lights mounted upside down). You would not need spacers if you mount the lights the other way, but then they sit too high and the bar blocks a portion of the lights.

 

[securityguy]

If you do not raise the bracket off the bar, when you tighten the bracket down, the light housing will hit the bottom plate and be forced upwards. spacing the bracket gives you the necessary clearance to adjust the pitch (with the lights mounted upside down). You would not need spacers if you mount the lights the other way, but then they sit too high and the bar blocks a portion of the lights.

OK...so now I need to buy some stainless washers Just completed JB welding my bolts to the bracket.

 

[Toxophilite]

I'm gonna try a different route I described earlier. Been too busy lately to get around to it but I'm taking the week after the fourth off with the woman out of town, so I'm figuring to try it out then, Same idea as yours, to get it lower and forward for better clearance. I ordered spare brackets from BD for the S2's to experiment with. Reverse the mounting, re-drill as marked, and then trim the excess off the ears for proper clearance where they mount on the light. The bolt that mounted to the DG will need to be swapped out to a stainless carriage bolt for the limited clearance with the S2 sitting lower in the bracket.

View attachment 260224

I can see what you are trying to achieve, and I hope it works for you.

I assume you will be cutting/filing a square hole in the bracket for the carriage bolt to index to? There is not a lot of material there, so you will probably need to find another way to hold the bolt head when tightening it down.

I am not sure how you are going to test everything to determine the bracket length before you drill your holes, but you probably only have one shot to get it right. If it does not work, at least you will have a spare set and can use my method. Keep us posted on how yours come out, It is always good to have alternative solutions to problems.

 

[goodquest]

Thanks guys for explaining on what you have to do to correctly install these lights. This comes as a surprise as I asked Heidi directly if these lights were facing out and not angled down.

 

[goodquest]

Question for the people who ordered lights, did your lights come before you received the bar? My Credit Card cleared June 1 and I have not received the lights or the Bar.

 

[Toxophilite]

Thanks guys for explaining on what you have to do to correctly install these lights. This come as a surprise as I asked Heidi directly if these lights were facing out and not angled down.

The lights do face out….they are just partially blocked by the top bar.

 

[mrmag00]

I didn’t order lights but did order a stage 3 June 3rd and Heidi said today that it would ship Wednesday and I’d receive a tracking number then.

 

[securityguy]

Question for the people who ordered lights, did your lights come before you received the bar? My Credit Card cleared June 1 and I have not received the lights or the Bar.

Still waiting on mine. Harrison said it should ship soon as I asked him to fill everyone's order and take care of me last.