Slimline Hybrid Bumper vs. Hiline Bumper

Just finished putting the BA Hiline/Smittybilt 9500/ and Nilite 20" Bar on mine. I asked the guy that put the bumper and winch on to add the light at the same time. He told me the lightbar wouldn't go in there (after he was done), so I ended up doing it myself . Had to take off the grill to be able to do the work, but that's not hard. Also had to fab some brackets out of flat steel, since the brackets on the bar wouldn't reach the mount slots on the bumper. Took the time to paint the Toyota letters, just to make it stand out more. My only complaint is that I only weigh about 145, and it's all I can do to unspool some cable off the winch lol

 

That looks good! I had the same experience putting in an Aurora bar light. I've got the same bumper and winch on a 2019 Offroad.

 

Hey fellas, I installed my BA bumper a couple weeks ago now looking at light bars on Amazon. I'm wondering about the lighting hookups, did you guys tie into existing lights or are you running a switch? Any good tutorials on how to hook them up?
Thanks

 

So I got a 20 inch amber bar light from Aurora on Amazon. I had to fab brackets because stock were the wrong height. The cable run is long enough that I go from the bumper, through the firewall to a switch where the change bucket was, and back to a relay (came with it) to the battery directly. I didn't do an ad a fuse or anything. I bought Toyota switches and got rid of the provided toggle.
After fabbing the brackets, it took me about an hour to install everything. I've got a winch already installed and it was a pain to work around.
In hindsight I might find out what barlight BA recommends as it may shorten the process. I like the amber but it doesn't match my yellow baja S2 pro ditch lights.
I looked at a few installs on YouTube, but that was mostly for getting through the hole in the firewall and how to wire the switches.

 

Hey, we're practically twins! I had my local shop install the bumper for me and they installed the LED light bar (and hard wired it into my dash). I only had one blank available but it looks great. I didn't get the winch for two reasons:

1) The cost. The ones I found were MORE than the bumper cost.
2) I wouldn't utilize enough to justify the cost.

I bought a steel flip-up license plate bracket for my truck. In Texas, you have to have a front plate, and I wanted it to be steel, so it didn't bend when I run it through the car wash. Oh, and I found color matched d-rings for about $20 online.

 

I installed the BA Hi-line a couple weeks ago. I paired it with a smittybilt 10k x20 winch and install was fairly simple, even the cutting of the bumoer wasnt bad. I took it out and immediately realized one problem. plugging the controller in for the winch even just to preload was a pain having to reach all the down to get it plugged in.

So I wired in some in cab switches. The wired option still works to when needed but to make it extra simple my winch came with a wireless option, I made it where when I have my master switch for the winch on my wireless remote works to operate it as well. Great option for the hi-line slimline bumpers since the winch is hidden and difficult to get to when you need it. Like in a mud pit, or in the river. Im adding one more option and the is a clutch lever extention so I can put it in freewheel with out opening my hood at all

 

I was about to ask how it was using the winch clutch or plug in remote on one of those bumpers. What did you end up doing for the clutch extension? I'm about to order the bumper in a few weeks and was looking at the same winch.

 

Had it on about a year now and learned a few things along the way. For the extention I just made a handle you put through the grill has a perfect attachment on it it for moving the clutch. I have the hard wire portion rerouted into the cab where I plug the original cable into. I do not have to go behind the bumper or open the hood for any reason which is great. At first I only had the hard cable for emergencies but after taking it in the snow figured I would re route it. I have tons of recoveries with it and it is hold up great, love the winch very simple as wiring goes and you can put the control box pretty much anywhere with no more than extending the power cables. Hope this helps also bumper has worked amazing and fairly strong.