Royally F'd up installing Cali Raised 52" LED bar brackets...

Looks just like doing a large drywall patch. Pulling string and stick while the paste sets.

 

Try use toggle bolts

 

About the only time I'll use step bits is chucked into my tabletop drill press with whatever I'm putting a hole into securely clamped to the table.

 

Because it's a step drill..... duh!

 

Bingo. Same concept.

May not be workable if he's going to continue to install, was intended for an abandon-ship try-to-make-it-look-better path forward.

 

Step drill bits are fine. Not knowing how to use your tool is a sin.

 

He only used the step bit for the initial hole. He then used the stated 25/64 drill bit.

 

Yes, but what about the step drill?

 

I have no idea what a step drill is.
https://youtu.be/0yLqjoW418k

https://youtu.be/EZX4VMaAn_E

https://youtu.be/tw5_joEIlS4

 

Thank you guys for the answers.

I think after reading all this and now feeling stupid for even trying it at all, I'm going to return the led bar and send CaliRaisedLED their $100 pieces of metal back...

Maybe a 30" hidden behind the grille and some ditch lights will be better for me.


I guess this quicksand below will be the only 3rd gen ever to successfully use these brackets!

 

#regretpurchase

It definitely can be fixed but you don't seem to like the brackets anyways...

 

good choice, that thing looks hideous

 

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I'm not sure why anyone wants lights on the roof. Hood glare. Lower overhead clearance (should be some nice "trail carnage" when you take a decent sized overhead branch to the lightbar). Reduced shadows of potholes, ditches, rocks when driving at speed. Similar effect as trying to walk through rough terrain with a headlamp on. And I do a lot of that while walking up and down mountains at O-dark-thirty while out hunting, as well as driving at speed over rough, unfamiliar terrain. Can't tell you how many rocks I've tripped over because the light source was over the line of vision. And when you've got high power off road lights that overpower the OEM's, it makes seeing those things in the distance harder, not easier.

For slow work I guess possibly okay and even a benefit (and would certainly help keep mud off the lights), but for my uses, I want the lights down on the bumper area below my line of vision so those ruts and ditches I'm coming up on at 50 mph are casting clearly visible shadows so I have time to brake well in advance. To each his own, but I've found roof (and in the old days, roll bar) mounted lights create more problems than they're worth.

As for a fix....

 

OP, where are you located? If in SoCal, have CaliRaised install it for you.

 

Why don't you just throw the whole truck away and buy a new one, start over.

 

1. Never use a step bit when drilling holes for threaded inserts into such thin sheet metal.

B. Those threaded inserts use 25/64" holes. We included the same ones for our tailgate reinforcement plates. But, they'll never seat right using a step bit. You must use a proper size drill bit, and go slow...