Removing Light Bar Mounts

[CL REDBEARD]

I'm not sure too many people usually have this problem. I've googled it, I've searched it here, etc. There is no documented removal of the N-Fab light bar mounts.

Maybe I'm alone here, but I think the light bar hanging out across the top of the truck sticking up looks stupid as hell, so I want to take mine off (bought it that way). Problem is really what to do about the holes left in the roof, and cleaning up the black silicone the last owner slathered around the bottom of the mount. I'd rather not tear anything up, and I'm not sure what to do with the holes. Maybe I'll add some cab roof lights haha.

My question here is if anyone else has done this removal and what to expect in the process.

 

[Aaron]

Post pics of what you have. We'll be able to better advise at that point.

 

[EricM]

All you can do with the holes is either weld them up and repaint the roof, or plug them.

Personally, I'd plug them. Find some plastic plugs that fit the holes tightly, then put them in with some type of sealant. I'd use "The Right Stuff". It's the best RTV on the market. You can paint them first if you want. Color match, then a 2K clear will make it last.

 

[CL REDBEARD]

All you can do with the holes is either weld them up and repaint the roof, or plug them.

Personally, I'd plug them. Find some plastic plugs that fit the holes tightly, then put them in with some type of sealant. I'd use "The Right Stuff". It's the best RTV on the market. You can paint them first if you want. Color match, then a 2K clear will make it last.

This is kinda what I was thinking. Just wasn't sure if anyone else had done this and had issues later, or if someone had more experience and a better option. Probably what I'll end up doing once I get the headliner pulled and actually get the mounts off to see what size hole is there.

 

[EricM]

If you are going to pull the headliner and have access from the inside, you could use a button head bolt and some rubber washers instead. Would be more durable. I'd be careful not to over tighten and distort the curve of the roof though.

 

[CL REDBEARD]

Okay... so if there's any advice I can give... NEVER NEVER NEVER remove an NFAB mount.... pics to come.

 

[BC119]

Okay... so if there's any advice I can give... NEVER NEVER NEVER remove an NFAB mount.... pics to come.

Should include NEVER NEVER NEVER install an NFAB mount on your roof

 

[MatMan]

My rivet holes are underneath/behind the weather stripping so not too concerned about removing someday, which I don't ever plan on doing. I am not running the NFAB brackets, I have the ADD brackets.

 

[CL REDBEARD]

Should include NEVER NEVER NEVER install an NFAB mount on your roof

I thought that was just common sense, but apparently not for the previous owner of this truck...

My rivet holes are underneath/behind the weather stripping so not too concerned about removing someday, which I don't ever plan on doing. I am not running the NFAB brackets, I have the ADD brackets.

This is down inside the groove where the black strip would normally go on the roof, but looking at pictures online, I don't think the Ford trucks have that black stripping in those grooves on the roof. . And there was so much RTV on it, that when I finally got it pulled off, about a quarter of the paint came with it. Along with the fact that there has been some sort of moisture in there, and I now have 5 holes in my roof, along with the nasty, rusted looking patches where the bar mounts were. No one local has any sort of plastic caps that I can find in the right size, so I just layer filled the holes with clear RTV, and I'm thinking of just cutting 2 strips of black vinyl to lay in that groove until i can afford the few hundred dollars it's going to be to refinish the roof.

I like the look of the ADD bracket better, and wouldn't have taken it off if I had that, but the NFAB sticks out so far from the windshield, and above the roof, that it made the truck look stupid. The ADD mount keeps the bar close to the windshield, and below the roof.

 

[cayenne]

I thought that was just common sense, but apparently not for the previous owner of this truck...



This is down inside the groove where the black strip would normally go on the roof, but looking at pictures online, I don't think the Ford trucks have that black stripping in those grooves on the roof. . And there was so much RTV on it, that when I finally got it pulled off, about a quarter of the paint came with it. Along with the fact that there has been some sort of moisture in there, and I now have 5 holes in my roof, along with the nasty, rusted looking patches where the bar mounts were. No one local has any sort of plastic caps that I can find in the right size, so I just layer filled the holes with clear RTV, and I'm thinking of just cutting 2 strips of black vinyl to lay in that groove until i can afford the few hundred dollars it's going to be to refinish the roof.

I like the look of the ADD bracket better, and wouldn't have taken it off if I had that, but the NFAB sticks out so far from the windshield, and above the roof, that it made the truck look stupid. The ADD mount keeps the bar close to the windshield, and below the roof.

ouch, that sucks. Sorry to hear that! Suspect it will be more than a few hundred bucks to fix that though...