Recall bulletin SB-25-90-001 Off Road Lightbar new version with bracket

[Art138]

I pried the side covers of the light bar to take a look. They easily come off with a dental pick. This could be a diy if someone can manufacture the bracket and retainer via 3D Printing. I would just install it myself instead of wasting time taking it to the sc. You need to pry from the top for them to release as per the manual.

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[hemiarch]

I pried the side covers of the light bar to take a look. They easily come off with a dental pick. This could be a diy if someone can manufacture the bracket and retainer via 3D Printing. I would just install it myself instead of wasting time taking it to the sc. You need to pry from the top for them to release as per the manual.

Nice. I figured that’s what happens there but it’s nice to see it. So the bracket just sits in that hole and doesn’t actually attach to anything?

 

[Art138]

Nice. I figured that’s what happens there but it’s nice to see it. So the brackets just sits in that hole and doesn’t actually attach to anything?

Correct,unless the retainer is glued.

 

[hemiarch]

I pried the side covers of the light bar to take a look. They easily come off with a dental pick. This could be a diy if someone can manufacture the bracket and retainer via 3D Printing. I would just install it myself instead of wasting time taking it to the sc. You need to pry from the top for them to release as per the manual.

Very cool @Art138 , thanks for figuring that out and posting for all to see.

 

[bg002h]

Correct,unless the retainer is glued.

What could possibly go wrong with that plan? Seriously, are they designing stuff to break on purpose? Such stupidity.

 

[Art138]

It appears that the design effect is to prevent rear/forward motion of the light bar. I don’t know how much pressure the rear bolt of the bracket will support upward movement

 

[hemiarch]

It appears that the design effect is to prevent rear/forward motion of the light bar. I don’t know how much pressure the rear bolt of the bracket will support upward movement

Should be enough because the windshield is angled.

 

[bg002h]

It appears that the design effect is to prevent rear/forward motion of the light bar. I don’t know how much pressure the rear bolt of the bracket will support upward movement

I don’t think it’s gonna work. Glue/tape will fail and there will be upwards force from air passing through the gap between the windshield and light. It seems like they focused on the cheapest solution imaginable to fix one aspect of the problem instead of a reasonable attempt at fixing all potential problems.

 

[hemiarch]

I don’t think it’s gonna work. Glue/tape will fail and there will be upwards force from air passing through the gap between the windshield and light. It seems like they focused on the cheapest solution imaginable to fix one aspect of the problem instead of a reasonable attempt at fixing all potential problems.

I disagree. Mine is taped the way they plan and is holding fine. The brackets are just an insurance policy so if there is failure it doesn’t end in an accident and lawsuit

 

[bg002h]

I disagree. Mine is taped the way they plan and is holding fine. The brackets are just an insurance policy so if there is failure it doesn’t end in an accident and lawsuit

Time will tell. It’s certainly an inexpensive low-touch not-esthetic fix. It kinda feels like an FU-getouttahere to me.

 

[JCERRN]

I disagree. Mine is taped the way they plan and is holding fine. The brackets are just an insurance policy so if there is failure it doesn’t end in an accident and lawsuit

I second this. Mine has been on using the same method for about 1.5 months and the adhesion is still rock solid. Teslas method is very similar to what i was considering before my install, except i wanted to extend back to the first hard point… i dont like the idea of drilling.

 

[dalton108]

Well, my lightbar is wrapped dark blue like my cantrails so it might require some ppf surgery but even if I fuck it up it’ll be covered by the bondage outfit style brackets.

Yeah. I’m back to, “No f-ing way Jose!” They can do this if mine falls off. Not otherwise. I don’t use this word often but this “solution” is cockamamie!

 

[sys700]

Oh man.. None of these steps were listed in the bulletin someone posted earlier. It involves drilling a hole to a specific depth only, masking and painting, etc... I can see this being a mess for the first batch of unlucky customers. .

From the photos in the service bulletin, this fix assumes the lightbar has been installed correctly in the first place, so that it's flush with the sunroof. Many that I've seen have been installed higher than shown in the photos below, which means the bracket won't fit properly without some kind of spacer between bracket and drilled hole, which means the applique will sit up higher once the bracket is installed. I raised this concern when they installed mine, but they claimed it was "within spec".

Mine is not installed flush with the top sunroof but sits up higher (you can see it better in the background). I won't be getting this "fix".

 

[sys700]

It appears that the design effect is to prevent rear/forward motion of the light bar. I don’t know how much pressure the rear bolt of the bracket will support upward movement

But if the lightbar was installed higher than the sunroof, cranking down on the bracket may actually stress the glue joint.

Honestly, the fix is poorly implemented:

1) assumes all lightbars have been installed flush with sunroof, otherwise it will put stress on the glue joint when cranked down
2) replaces a small plastic cover with a piece of aluminum which is basically just pressure fit in place (if that)
3) uses flat black paint for the brackets, which doesn't match the look of the lightbar.
4) uses roundhead stainless screws instead of black tapered screws which would be more aerodynamic

 

[Art138]

But if the lightbar was installed higher than the sunroof, cranking down on the bracket may actually stress the glue joint.

Honestly, the fix is poorly implemented:

1) assumes all lightbars have been installed flush with sunroof, otherwise it will put stress on the glue joint when cranked down
2) replaces a small plastic cover with a piece of aluminum which is basically just pressure fit in place (if that)
3) uses flat black paint for the brackets, which doesn't match the look of the lightbar.
4) uses roundhead stainless screws instead of black tapered screws which would be more aerodynamic

When I was at the SC for the camera cleaning on Monday I showed the service adviser a copy of the bulletin and he had no clue of the impending modifications. Hopefully they will fine tune the application before installing them. Mine is on solid for now; have driven at high speeds. For me it will be a safety net just for peace of mind.

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