Any of you wagon owners tried mounting any type of lighting to the cross bars on your rack. This idea has crossed my mind but I can't picture how it would look on the car. I am thinking it may look a little out of place but without actually seeing it I can't decide. So who has done it?

Any of you wagon owners tried mounting any type of lighting to the cross bars on your rack.This idea has crossed my mind but I can't picture how it would look on the car. I am thinking it may look a little out of place but without actually seeing it I can't decide. So who has done it?


Yeah, I've thought about it. Seems like it would look a bit too "redneck off-road" instead of "rally cool."

Since I have some extra roof rack parts, I also thought about making an additional cross bar with lights that could be added for camping, TSD rally, and other night time, back road excursions. That way you could put it on for those times you need it, but you leave it off most of the time so you wouldn't look like a dork when you take your girl out to a movie or something. If you're into that kind of stuff.

I've since decided to work on a removable driving light attachment on the front bumper/grill area.

Still doing the brain work, there's nothing in 3 dimensions yet.

I am thinking it may look a little out of place but without actually seeing it I can't decide. So who has done it?

An easy way to get some idea without photoshop or seeing pictures of other's setup is to duct tape a pair of aux light units there. If you don't have aux lights around, you could take the oem fogs temporarily and tape it up there. Then see if you like it or not.

One thing though, afaik, some local laws require aux lighting placed that high up to be covered when driving on public roads. Just having it turned off or not hooked up to power may not be enough to avoid getting ticketed for illegal off-road lights.

Click on my www image, I had exactly what you're talking about. It looked kinda funny, but the worst part was that it was very unnatural to have the lights coming from behind you/above you, and it caused waaaay too much glare from dust or fog, I would recommend putting them on the front, just my .02.
-O

I was actually just talking to a really experienced Time-Speed-Distance Rally driver about the new Jeep Liberty Renegade's high-mounted lights. He agreed with silvertoy in that no one who's serious about lighting would mount their lights on top of the car. It simply causes too much glare from any dust or fog. The optimal placement for driving lights is in front of you and not much higher than stock headlights. That's where my Hella's are mounted (see my WWW link).

I have never considered it on the cross bar - it is too far back. I use a Thule playpen basket for camping and road trips that extends almost to the windshield. I have considered installing lights up there but only for recreational use not competition. Setting up camp at night and lighting up a trail with no one in front of you it would work very well. If you were following someone you wouldn't need them in a noncompetitive situation and the dust would glare.