LED Light Bar Install?

Yes I have search but didn't really find an answer. I had a light bar installed on my 12 Tacoma in the lower grill. I bought a 31" straight LED light that came with the mounting feet on the ends of the light. I was able to mount the feet right to the aluminum bumper supports and the light was positioned exactly in the right position in the grill. Now I have a new '18 and I've decided to mount a new led bar in the same position. Every installation I've come across shows an optional bracket that has to be mounted so the light bar can be mounted. Can't the light be mounted in the same position as the Gen 2 trucks without using the "special" brackets? Is the height from the aluminum bumper mount to the opening the same for both trucks?

Thanks in advance.

 

It is not the same. You can make your own brackets. And the light bar will fit. The special brackets make life so much easier though.

 

Buy the vehicle specific brackets. It will make your like easier.

 

You cannot mount straight to the crash bar.

I picked up some 2nd gen light bar brackets to experiment with, and was able to use them with little modification. They were ~20$ as opposed to the currently available 3rd gen options that run ~$60.

 

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What was light bar in your 2ed gen did it come with brackets, how did it hold up, that' sounds like what I want to do with my taco do not want to cut out the grill looking for a quality light bar

 

I have a 17 TRD OR and used the Cali raised brackets and a rough country led light bar.. works perfect.
Its stealth mount=no cutting.
I do have a brand new set of RC 2nd gen brackets sitting around.

 

Where are you located? I have a set of stealth mount brackets that I've been meaning to sell but I'm to lazy to hassle with shipping.

 

I was a cheap ebay light bar that worked very well. It has two foot type brackets that I used self tapping screw to hold it down to the bumper supports. It lined up perfect.

 

I'm in Florida for the next two weeks then up to MN 56649.

 

I used the cali raised mounts and light bar from them. Fits perfect and super clean. The 2nd gens crash bar lines up differently allowing you to just screw the regular mount into it. I had an 09 and now a 16.

 

I too used the cali-raised brackets, but I did see someone who drilled it into the area behind the grill...

 

Where did you find them? I would be up for little experiment to save few bucks.

 

I would like to know as well. I had a $50 ebay led light bar on my 2nd gen that worked really well. Three years old and still working great. I wouldn't mind doing this for my 3rd gen. I don't really want to pay $300 for a light and mounts.

 

what's this Cali light brackets you guys are talking about?

 

https://caliraisedled.com/ there you go.

 

I got them on eBay, but the identical ones are all over if you just search for them on Amazon, etc.

On my second gen I had mounted straight to the crash bar with no brackets. On the third gen the offset is not correct to reach the bumper grill. You'll need to use the second gen brackets to get the spacing correct, and then use some sort of adapter to get the height correct. I used the mounting brackets that came with my light bar but drilled a couple extra holes in them.