03 suburban - Post Spotlight UPDATE PICS

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sat Mar 29, 2003 9:33 am

I've orderd up the appropriate spotlight and bracket assembly for a door mounted spotlight from Unity.

Anyone installed one of these on a similar vehicle? Tahoe, Yukon? Silverado pickup?

Any tips or install notes? Seems like a MIGHTY small area to locate the hole through the door and I don't want to !@$% it up on a new vehicle.

Good weathe sealing and grease on the gears is important - I think we're all familiar with how these light get screwed up by poor maintenance or not doing it right during the install. Supposedly they have been redesigned to imrove operations

They were really simple on the older style C/K bodies.

Unitusa.com has some info

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sat Mar 29, 2003 8:58 pm

Is it a post ( A pillar) or a door mount? The post mount requires you notch the door with a sabre saw. If you have never done a post mount Its not for the faint of heart. Make sure you have the correct bracket kit. The bracket mounts on the inside, you need a "BF" drill and long bit with alot of grease to not bind the bit. Its real close to the window. Once you have it drilled you need to drill the interior trim and cut it to fit the bracket.. The trim needs to be cut out with a dremel mini grinder. The door skin has a templateto follow. Before you cut use a few pieces of duct tape at the place to cut. You wont damage the finish and the edges are not as rough

Its a pain but if done right it looks good..

W4KRR · Post by **W4KRR** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 9:35 am

I thought that if you went with an aftermarket kit it was always a door mount; the post mounts, at least the ones that required the notch in the door, (like Crown Vics) came from the factory that way. Then again, I have seen full size pick ups with door mounts, and ones with post mount (door notch). So, I guess it depends on what install kit you order?

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 10:24 am

Door mount bracket 229 from Unity. They offer the post mount but of course that's a :o to install - that's better left for the factory to do.

I got the general instructions and from Unity (the detailed ones are on the way with the light) and did some careful examination of the area the light mounts through. Its pretty clever how they've located it so I don't thinik there will be any problems.

Still, fingers crossed when the drill is out!

W4KRR · Post by **W4KRR** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 12:43 pm

I did a door mount on a Ford Ranger pickup. Since you attach the bracket to the door first, that will guide the drill for you. Just put some tape over the area where the drill will exit through the interior door panel, and go slow, or you might crack the plastic door panel!

The hardest part of the job was running the power wire. I hid it behind the door panel and had it exit at the middle of the door on the edge, near the door hinge. You just need to make sure that the wire doesn't get stretched or pinched when the door opens and closes. And run the wire behind the weatherstripping (not in front) so as not to have any leaks.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Tue Apr 01, 2003 3:51 pm

I will say its a pretty tight fit althoug the drill template looks to be right on the money. I'll be doing the install tomorrow - made sure I had some new and very sharp bits to do the drilling with.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 10:27 pm

THe spotlight is installed. Started at 1830 finished just now around 0030. Its officially the first holed drilled in a mighty expensive truck!

I am happy with the end result looks and operation BUT I will really don't think I'll do another one like this. Install was ok, but it was certainly not plug in play by any means lots of test fitting and adjusting with the mounting to get the perfect fit. A couple glitches came up that we had to work around but no major problems occured.

I'll post some pics everything looks factory done. This will be the ONLY exterior light on the vehicle

This is the HIR halogen model and at 260,000 candle power it is BRIGHT!

Thank God its done.... whew! this makes NMO antenna mounts something you could do with your eyes closed.

JAYMZ · Post by **JAYMZ** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 10:02 am

Posting these for Apco25.... Very nice install.

007 · Post by **007** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 10:04 am

Looks good.

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:10 pm

Looks nice. I have had a door mount spotlight kit for my Lumina ever since the car was new. Never got brave enough.

Jason

007 · Post by **007** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:48 pm

I've got a NIB black 6" Unity with the Vic shaft/brackets that I have thought about putting on the Impala (after I get the right shaft/brackets)....I just have to find someone who could put the hole in the A pillar without destroying the pillar and windshield

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 7:57 pm

Where in wisconsin are you? NE Illinois here.

I'm guessing the impala doesn't have the factory prep package.

007 · Post by **007** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 9:54 pm

Suburb of the rotting cesspool formerly known as Milwaukee

No prep package...plain ol' LS that is trying to be a 9C1

BTW, is that an I-Pass thingy on your windshield?

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 8:10 am

Yes it is an I-Pass - must have dealing with the tollways around here.

Anyway, if you decide to do the light let me know I can probably meet up and help you out.

dawson75 · Post by **dawson75** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 1:46 pm

do you guys know were i can get a bracket for a 98 chevy blazer.... we use it at the hospital , have a spot light laying in the back of the blazer collecting dust....if i could get some info i may be able to get the safety director to put it on!!!!!

(yes , im a rent a cop) Ohio Valley Medical Center located in wheeling Wva

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 5:01 pm

http://www.galls.com or their catalog has all the appropriate mounts for the unity spotlights. Just look for your size code using their chart for you specific vehicle.

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 6:30 am

After reading this and doing some thinking I am going to go ahead and install mine in my 97 Lumina.

I just got done mounting the bracket. The two little mounting holes were no problem. The 1/2" hole, YIKES!!!!! Yes they give you a drill guide and such but the drill bit to metal is at such an angle it didn't want to bite right. I finally got it drilled in. Metal around the hole was bent a little. Straightened it out with a hammer then ground the hole to the same shape as the hole in the gasket. Now I need to go get a longer drill bit to go the rest of the way.

Jason

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 10:01 am

Yep the 1/2 inch is the scary one. Just clean up the hole nicely - I used anti-rust hi temp paint to prevent rust around the hoel. Silicone the gasket to the door frame for extra weather seal.

Just something to check, if the light has been sitting for some time make sure the grease is still good inside it and the shaft and shaft collar that the lights sits in is LIGHTLY greased. use high quality white grease sparingly. Just enough to leave a thin even film on the shaft.

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 10:44 am

Actually all I have is the bracket. I will probably be ordering the light from Gall's in the next few days. They list it at $100. Where did you get yours and how much was it?

Got a 12" bit and finished the job off. The hole in the door panel even looks pretty good.

Jason

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 11:50 am

[quote="JMR964"]Actually all I have is the bracket. I will probably be ordering the light from Gall's in the next few days. They list it at $100. Where did you get yours and how much was it?

Got a 12" bit and finished the job off. The hole in the door panel even looks pretty good.

Good, a long and sharp bit is the key. I made sure i bought a new bit just for this project.

I got mine from Galls, specifically they web store. Their pricing is good and one of the few dealers of Unity Spotlights.

Unity improved much of the design so they are supposed to work more smoothly and last longer - considering how nice mine is they certainly improved the product.

FYI, I'd get the HIR bulb in the spot version not flood - that's the brightest one they sell at 260,000 CP, although a conservation officer buddy of mine had an aircraft landing light bulb as a replacement in his - now THAT is BRIGHT.

Since its a new light its already lubed and greased from the factory - just don't wipe the grease off the inner shaft by mistake.

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Thu Apr 24, 2003 5:44 pm

As an after thought i would drill the two 1/8" mounting holes then put the gasket on temporarily and take a marker and trace the opening in the gasket for the main shaft. I would then take off the gasket and drill out and grind out the hole which would be much faster and easier on the metal. After getting through the main door skin I would then put the actual mount on and drill using the drill guide.

Jason

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:22 pm

Got the spotlight in today and installed it. Very sweet looking. Just need to get power to it now.

Jason

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 6:03 pm

find an unused spot on the fuse panel, put a tap in a go or wire up a relay.

My suburban had a blank 20amp fuse spot so I just installed a fuse and used it.

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 6:05 pm

Finding power isn't the problem. Routing the wire is. Did you go through the door panel then door throught the wire boot and inside or did you just jump across to the dash?

Jason

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Thu May 01, 2003 8:20 am

My only question is this...

Doesn't it mess you all up when you are trying to light something up with spot light and you have to open your door??

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Thu May 01, 2003 9:20 am

Nope, you slide over and get out the passenger door.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Thu May 01, 2003 7:50 pm

Taking the door apart on most vehicles is a HUGE pain in the posterior thanks to the clips they use. On the GM trucks and SUV's there is a small plastic plate on the inside of where the mirror access would be which is immediately below the mounting location of the spotlight. The wire is exposed maybe 1/2 inch then it ducks behind the panel and comes through a grommet across the door jam gap and into another grommet on the side of the dash panel.

I'll take another picture if need be.

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Thu May 01, 2003 7:58 pm

I think I am going to pull the door panel and run it that way. I have had it off several time for strobe cables (used to have mirror stobes) and the panel comes off easily though I will have to pull the spotlight out for that. I'll let you know. It may be a few days.

Jason

mostar · Post by **mostar** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:22 pm

apco25 -

Are you happy with the spotlight? Does it get in the way or create any problems at all? I'm debating whether or not I want to mount one in a '99 Tahoe.

Thanks!

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:02 pm

heh revived and old post here.

yes I am happy with the light. Its mighty bright. Obviously it move when your open and close the door so its not as tactically safe as the post mounted models. Which is ok since i'm not doing traffic stops with this rig - I put the light on for when out in the middle of nowhere.

Just remember to do proper maintenance on it which involves yearly adjustment and re-greasing