[daviddup78]

Im designing my own pre runner/light bar. i have a 2012 Ram 4x4 1500 with tow hooks. Well I'm look for pictures of the Westin light bar and any other light bar that lets you keep the factory tow hooks on a 1500. And even if there are pdf downloads showing how the bar installs and pictures would help out alot. And I searched and looked so im using the forum to help me out. So let the help begin.

 

[slimpartywagon]

I wish I still had pictures of my light bar that I built for my '95 Ram, but here is pretty much what I did.

I built it using 1 1/2" x 28" Aluminum tubing, and some aluminum sheeting I had laying around. The bar mounts to the OEM bumper mounting bolts located under the plastic trim. I had to pull the grey plastic trim piece off of the top of the bumper to gain access to the carriage bolts, I also cut a slit into the plastic trim piece so as to hide the install when it was all done.

 

[daviddup78]

Thanks. But im trying to do it as a bolt on without cutting anything on my bumper.Westin light bar is bolt on.im hoping someone with one for a 2012 1500 will chime in.

 

[slimpartywagon]

ok, so instead of cuting it, make mounting tabs that go behind the tow hooks. I have seen a few on Pirate 4x4, but none of them were bolt on applications, all were home brewed.

 

[daviddup78]

im making mine, bu ti wanted to see diagrams on how other people / businesses do theres

 

[slimpartywagon]

I think you are over thinking the problem. Front hoop type light bars are very easy to build. In fact it was the first thing I ever built for my first off-road Jeep ( I was 13).
Take off a tow hook and use it as a pattern for how the light bar will attach to the frame. you are going to want to either space the tow hooks away from the lightbar mounts, or you are going to want to bend the mounts away from the lightbar (or a little bit of both). Check out www.pirate4x4.com and navigate to the dodge forum, or even the general off road sections to get some ideas.

If you need help drawing something up let me know and I can give you a hand. I will nee to know the distance between the frame rails, how big the holes are in the bumper for the tow hooks, and if the tow hooks are angled I need to know the angle of them.

 

[daviddup78]

light bar

something like this
excuse the paint work lol
but im sure it will look better in person

 

[slimpartywagon]

that is prety much what I thought you meant... the brackets mount up between the tow hooks and the frame. from there just bend the tubing to fit your needs.

I have some pictures of my bumper build that might help you...

we started off building the frame work right off the frame

I hope that givss you a little bit of an idea... I know its a second Gen, but still should be real similar.

 

[daviddup78]

yes its a idea, but im keeping my front bumper,

 

[slimpartywagon]

yes I know you are, I meant look at the way its mounted, your bar would be the top outer most bar, it sits parallel to the oem bumper, just out an extra inch and up 2 " from stock. we used the OEM bumper to get the measurements for bending the tube.

 

[daviddup78]

yes , i see that., my tow hooks are bolted from the bottom side not the frontside. What I will do is either make the front out of tubing and bend going up or just take the plate and bend it up