For off-roading enthusiasts, off-roading is both an attitude and a way of life. It is also fun to equip your own UTV or ATV. Many off-roading enthusiasts who like to explore at night will install light bars on their UTVs or ATVs, so that they can enjoy the adventure better at night, and the brightness of the light bars can provide security for them. This section uses UTV (CAN-am Maverick Sport) as an example to provide some detailed installation procedures of light bars for those who want to install light bars on their ATVs or UTVs. Keep reading if you're interested.
Determine the installation size and position
For ATVs, many of them will be installed on the head of vehicle. The proper size is 12-20 inches light bars. Small pods can also be installed on both sides of the car. The example here is Can-AM Maverick Sport, which can optionally be installed a 32-inch light bar on the top.
Install the light bar
The light bar is generally equipped with some installation parts. According to the installation instructions, it will be ok to assemble the corresponding parts and light bars. Using the bracket provided with the light bar, install a bracket bolt at the top and then insert these nuts into the channel of the light bar. Assemble and fix all hexagon socket screws and brackets to the light pole using plates. Next, fix the mounting plate and bracket with washers and tighten the bolts, then your bracket is well assembled. The assembled light bar is then installed on the machine. There's a big thick washer on the bottom, a big thick washer on the top, a lock washer and a nut. These two washers are tightened before tightening the internal 4mm hex key bolts. It is best to bring a tape measure to make sure the light bar is centered on the machine. Once the light bar is centered and keep horizontal, tighten the bolts. So the light bar is preliminarily installed.
The wiring
The first thing to do is open the UTV window. Remove the two fixed screws on the side and remove the small plastic cover from the side so it can be wired from the bottom. You just need to pull open the plastic cover a little bit to pull the wire up from the driver's side of the vehicle. You have a rubber boot that goes through the firewall, cut the zipper tape on the rubber boot, run the wire through there, then run it up along the frame, come out of the hole that just exposed. The power cord connects from the inside through the hole in the firewall through the rubber boot to the light bar, and then comes out here and bypasses the other wires up along the frame, and comes out through the hole at the top. The next thing you need to do is connect the wire harness to the power supply, the key is right here, right below the key is the power strip, this is the negative terminal, this is a hot power terminal, the third is the keyed power supply, connect it to the keyed power supply and the negative terminal. Connect the negative cable to the negative terminal and the positive cable to the keyed power supply.
Install the switch
If the light bar comes with a circular switch, you can install this switch in your dashboard. If you prefer, you can use cutouts of rectangular switches. To install the switch here, just reach into from behind, push the lid out and grab it. Run the wire through and replace the connector there with three Mil Spade connectors. Then you can connect the switch, which will light up when it is turned on and go off when it is turned off to show that your connection is correct. Next push the switch into the dashboard. If the connector on the harness doesn't match the connector on the light bar, cut it off and use some butting connectors to connect all the wires you've tied. The connector that comes with the light bar just to make sure it works.
Tidy up the wiring harness and hide it
You can use the zipper to tie up those loose wires. An option is to use a plastic screw through the relay to fix it to the dashboard, then use a lot of zip ties to fix the wire to the carframe, make sure nothing is hanging down, in this way, you can use it if you need. Also make sure you attach a new zip tie to the rubber boot that runs through the firewall, to the carframe and to the wires leading to the light bar.
Assembly test
Now the last thing we need to do is put the plastic board back on the machine, and then we can start testing the light bar.
