2017 Rav4 questions

[Bill Idaho]

I recently bought a 2017 Toyota Rav4. I want to add a few things, such as a cargo rack up above, some A/T tires, and several HAM radios. And........as expected.........some additional candle power.
I have a. 2003 Dodge 2500 that sees a whole bunch of night driving in the desert in rural Idaho. I have a set of J.W. Speaker TS4000s that are beyond belief. (And before someone lights into me regarding off-road use only........I am WAAAAAY off-road, often times not seeing another vehicle for the entire night!)
Ok, I accumulated another set of TS4000s that I want to install on the Rav4, but it seems to be less than optimal mounting options. My son mentioned mounting them up on the front of the cargo rack up above, but I'm not 100% in love with that idea.
Any suggestions? In my initial inspection of the front end area, it sure seems like my options are quite limited. I have seem numerous mounting kits for the current LED light bars of various lengths, but the TS4000s are relatively heavy and certainly would tax the support and rigidity of the LED bar mounting kits.
I should say I am NOT wanting to change entire front bumpers inorder to have mounting locations, which seems to be a thing these days.

 

[eggsalad]

Were I in your situation, I'd highly consider a bull bar. A quick google search indicates there are plenty of choices in the $250-$500 range. I didn't do a deep dive, but I'll assume that at least some of them have mounting points for auxiliary lights.

 

[turbodog]

From my mtn bike night racing...

If the light source is close to the same level as your eyes you get NO shadows and NO depth perception. This is _BAD_.

So, probably front bumper area (height-wise) would generally be a good place.

 

[scalpel_ninja]

I have a pair of Hellas on my Mini Countryman. They're mounted on powder coated steel brackets that poke through the front grille. It's been 10 years since I've installed them, but IIRC they are screwed into the metal fender or radiator bracket with self-tapping screws. The plastic grille needed minimal trimming and the brackets cleared without issue. While it was a custom kit, I believe basic welding skills could produce similar results with 1/8 mild steel trimmed and angled for mounting points.

 

[John_Galt]

Looks like "northwoods performance" sells a "bull/lightbar for the rav4 that bolts to the factory tow/recovery points across the front bumper. Perhaps you could make a simple tube/angle iron cross bar with two "feet," and the appropriate bolts. Better and likely easier that trying to make a mount to tie into the radiator support.

 

[Bill Idaho]

After reading some input on Rav4 forums, apparently a bull bar setup is not optimum, as there are a whole bunch of sensors, and radar devices up front, and a bull bar really fouls them up. Plus with a bull bar (or a more elaborate aftermarket front bumper) any impact at all could feasibly make things way worse. From the factory cars are designed to crumble, whereas a stout aftermarket bumper or bull bar could move major structural things. Not cool.
So, I started to drift back towards mounting the lights up on the roof top cargo rack. Doable. I guess.
Until I studied up on the problems I create involving my antennas I will need for the HAM radios.....(Roof top cargo racks wreak havoc with standing wave in regards to radios.)

("If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.....)

 

[John_Galt]

"Bull bars" typically do act as damage multipliers in small impacts, as they're typically providing a lot of leverage on their mounting points, and built too flimsily to not flex into the grille/radiator.

Perhaps a workaround is mounting driving lamps using a "ditch light" bracket mounted to the hood hinges. That still gets the lamps lower and perhaps less immediately noticeable than roof mounted lamps. Glare off the hood may be an issue, especially if your vehicle is white. You'll need to select a lamp that has a fairly tight beam profile.

 

[Bill Idaho]

I already have a pair of JW Speaker TS4000s I intend to sue.

 

[John_Galt]

Whoa whoa whoa my guy, I don't see the reason we gotta get lawyers involved here!

 

[jzchen]

Pretty sure sue is actually use.

 

[Bill Idaho]

oops..........

 

[Fuzzywuzzies]

@turbodog has a good point. Night depth perception is an important consideration for light additions on vehicles. I recently did a fairly complex setup on an Isuzu truck which involved two Hella light bars on the front. In the end they got mounted just atop the bumper, instead of above the cab. You can see several country miles with those things!

@Bill Idaho, for the 2012-2017 shape Rav 4, (excellent vehicle choice, by the way) I would recommend just below the height plane of the factory headlights, and slightly toward the centreline of the vehicle. If I remember rightly, there is a spot there that should accommodate the type of light you have in mind. For goodness' sake though do a nice custom bracket, in stainless steel if you can, with stainless fixings to avoid oxidisation.

Check your local regulations on how to connect the lights, so you don't end up in the wrong side of the law / inspection agents if applicable. That's what made the Isuzu setup so complex, there were scenarios in which certain lights are and aren't allowed on in combination, and how the aftermarket system interacts with the factory controls is very important to be road legal here.

Good luck! (And please come back and post photos so we can see how you got on!)

 

[jzchen]

I tried to look for some A-pillar mounts, but came up empty I'm afraid…

 

[John_Galt]

Pretty sure sue is actually use.

I couldn't resist the setup for the joke.

Looks like there's some ditch light brackets available.

LP Aventure - Hood light brackets (Pair) - 2016-2018 Toyota RAV4

Add two LED lights easily with these LP Aventure Hood light brackets ADVANTAGES: Manufactured in stainless steel.Designed with 304 stainless steel. They are tough, durable and resistant to corrosion. Designed for easy installation.The installation is very simple. You don't need to remove the...

lpaventure.com

legal issues will arise with using any mounting point above the factory headlamps, however, as with many things, the practical assessment may be how strict enforcement is for these types of things.

I agree that a bumper height mounting solution is best, but with more and more vehicles having front facing radar/lidar systems, mounting becomes even more of an issue

 

[Bill Idaho]

Update!
Sadly, after a bunch of investigation and weighing my options, it appears mounting my TS4000s ain't gonna be a happenin' thing. At least on the front. Even up on my cargo rack I just installed, that's not going to really work out either. \
So, with reluctance it looks like I am going to find some worthy "ditch lights" (their term, not mine) which will bolt on near the bottom of the A pillar by means of a bracket that attaches to the hood hinge. (As shown above by John Galt.) There are a couple of positives though, it is a super easy install, and I can actually utilize both sides for my Ham radio antenna mounts. That really helped out as well, as my options for mounting antennas is/was limited too.
I have been studying up on my light options. 3" square LEDs (what ISN'T LED anymore?!) with a "driving light" beam pattern, aimed forward, not at an angle which the term ditch lights came from. One thing for sure, I will be staying away from the Auto-Zone/Orielly's/China mart ones. Anyone have any real world experience with anything in my ball park?

 

[John_Galt]

The SAE J581 Aux High Beam Thread

The SAE J581 Aux High Beam Thread SAE J581 is the SAE standard for an auxiliary high beam driving light. This thread is to serve as a discussion point...

www.tacomaworld.com

Give this thread a look through. Can't go wrong with any if the diode dynamics SS3 pods with the driving light beam pattern, imo.

 

[Bill Idaho]

UPDATE!!

I bought a new style Northwoods Performance light bar for my 4th Gen Rav4. ( I actually got it on sale too!) Before that, I had relegated myself to not being able to use my TS4000s, and installed a pair of Hella pod lights, which are sold as a "spot" beam. (Not so much a spot beam as a "limited flood" beam!) I mounted those using LP Adventures ditch mount brackets.
The light bar mounted in about 30 minutes, is extremely rigid, and with the new style upper brackets, I was able to throw my TS4000s on without a problem. Best of all--absolutely zero issues with any of the sensors.
My life doesn't suck quite as bad for a change. Oywhee County, here I come!!!