2009 GMC Sierra

[Grotonems5]

Updated 5/27/11 with vision lightbar and siren system!

















Updated 4/7/11 with my current setup.. have had to downgrade a little.. Attached thumbnails are the new pics!


Here is my '09 GMC Sierra POV I have installed the following:


red pimp pods in the grille


red/clear "Tir 6 slimlighter" in the center of rear window


red mini phantoms on the outer portion of rear window


insert strobes in the brake/reverse housings (X pattern)


running off of a Whelen USP-64LX? 4 outlet power supply


Whelen 295HFSA1 siren with 1 100W speaker behind the bumper


Whelen LFL 8 strobe with flashing takedowns and alleys


VHF Phantom Antenna and VHF Kenwood Mobile


Custom switch panel installed in overhead


Main power comes from the aux J fuse in the under hood box via heavy gauge wire, under the dash to a high powered solenoid, activated by switch #1 on the overhead switch panel, the solenoid supplies 3 relay's under the dash wired to switches 2,3,4. All load wires from the relays run under the kick panel from the front to the rear under the flooring to a distribution block, all rear lights (lightbar, rear window LED's, rear insert strobes) are on switch #3, all front lights (front lightbar, grille LED's) are on switch #2, and siren power and front center clear strobes are on switch 4. I did not cut the end on the "Slimlighter", I bought an extension for a cigar plug and cut the male end off, wired it into the distribution block and plugged the "Slimlighter" in so the cord could stay in-tact if I so decided to sell it later. The Phantoms I got used and had cut cords already, but this is the way I prefer to wire up lights with plugs to keep them in-tact. All the wiring is tucked away in the back under the flooring, and I used the sticky backed zip tie holders so I could keep all the wiring neat.


I have been working on this since January (2010) when I bought the truck, started with the switch panel, I had to take the whole upper center piece off of the truck, measure to make sure it would fit, then mark and cut the hole, which had to be very precise, if you look closely they are off to one side, there is a little grille there for the ON-STAR mic, otherwise I would have put them smack in the center. I then took my visor and A Pillar cover off, lowered part of my interior ceiling, ran the harness for the switches, take half the dash apart so I could install the solenoid and relays, and once I got that all together it was about another month or two before I got the siren and grille lights in, another month or so before I got the wires ran back to the rear distribution and to the rear LED's. About 1 month ago I installed the strobe power supply under the drivers seat and ran two dual strobe cables (8 wire) to the rear strobes and drilled the hole in the roof for the antenna, ran the wiring to the overhead and installed the radio to that. I swapped the tail lights out with my '08 so they already had the strobes in the reverse light area, just had to drill and install the 2 strobes in the tail light area and make connections. Just this last couple weeks I installed the lightbar, had it on the roof but didn't like it so just swapped it over to the rack today. ( the wire you see above the radio is the cable to hook my IPod to my truck radio, handy storage for it! ) Looking to make or maybe you can buy? a cable to run from my radio to below the dash where I would like to remotely mount the mic for the radio... It is hooked up like that on our tanker, runs into a phone jack like box, but that has two mics, one in cab and one on front pump panel... maybe someone handy with radios and wiring on here could help me out with that one?


Link to my '08 Sierra on the old thread http://www.freeyabb.com/elightbars/view ... elightbars


Now that I am done ranting... how about some pictures?????!

 

[aberfitchguy2472]

Looks good.


I have a couple of suggestions though..


1) Rearrange the lightbar some. Move the flashing TD (which appear to have red filters on them) to the rear and get some red filters for the corners on the rear. More red to the rear up high would be helpful I think. You could also switch the red TD filters out for amber if you wanted some flashing amber to the rear. Then move all of the strobes on the front of the lightbar towards the outside one space so that no lights are behind the radio antenna.


2) Move the TIR6 Slimlighter Knockoff to the front on the dash. Some front warning at the dash level would give you good multilevel warning to the front. I think the back is pretty well covered.


3) Add some HAWs to the front headlight housings to hopefully give you a little front end intersection coverage. In my opinion, if the lightheads will work with HAWs, you can't beat them. The placement of the HAWs to the rear look like they give you great light output to the rear and the side.


4) If you are allowed to have a HLF, add one. They provide the best long range and effective warning. Traffic will move much better with them, but they still won't fix stupid drivers.


Just my opinion and advice. Again, good looking install.

 

[natep24]

looks good would like to see video..... :lol: :mrgreen:

 

[Grotonems5]

I will upload a video for everyone else, but for you Natep24 I'll give you a live demonstration!! Thanks for helping me switch the lightbar to the rack the other day by the way


Thanks for the suggestions, most of what you mentioned I am planning on doing down the road when I have some spare cash for lenses and filters. I plan on installing 500 series led's in the rear for a TA. I do sometimes first respond to EMS calls with my truck, but most of the time I am only responding 1/2 mile to the station, so lights in the front don't concern me so much, I was looking for warning to the rear for when I am stopped on the side of the road at MVA's and such.


Down the road I will be installing an HLF, probably two more pimp pods in the grille, new lenses for the LFL, and adding LED TA to lightbar.

 

[medicandy]

Good looking truck. Other then the few ideas others have said I think it looks good.

 

[jonny521]

yes very nice install you plan on adding anymore stuff to it

 

[TCO]

nice job

 

[Grotonems5]

Thanks for the compliments! Like always... It's a work in process :lol:

 

[Sailor]

What's an HLF?


Where did you get that headache rack on the back? I would like something just like that to mount my bar on, but on a 2010 F150 I don't need the window protection, just a place to mount the bar and that looks perfect!

 

[nerdly_dood]

What's an HLF?

Headlight flasher.

 

[Grotonems5]

Custom made by my brother in-law for my truck. I get lots of compliments on it. Not sure the difference in bed width between Ford and GM, thinking about selling it in the near future, not sure where you are located..


I had it made so it doesn't sit on the top rails, it has clearance so it won't scratch top rails, attaches on the side of the rail with two bolts each side with optional bolt in the front, I had it bolted in the front on my old truck but didn't make much difference so on this truck I just used the four on the side. Pretty rugged hauled a bunch of lumber on it but main purpose was for lights when I had it built. Shakes a lot on bumpy roads with heavy lightbar but the LFL seems to be doing alright up there. Kind of acts like a shock absorber :!:


-Jonathan

 

[localhero800]

Great looking truck!!

 

[Sailor]

Headlight flasher.

DOH

Custom made by my brother in-law for my truck. I get lots of compliments on it. Not sure the difference in bed width between Ford and GM, thinking about selling it in the near future, not sure where you are located..

I figured as much. It looks sharp, and very well done. I'm in Canada, so a little far though I have a friend that does a ton of aluminum welding...i might have to see if he can do something similar.

 

[07GD SFD]

Isn't white/clear to the rear illegal in VT?

 

[Grotonems5]

I haven't heard of VT specifying what colors you can have to front or back. I know it is frowned upon by some people but I have always run clear HAW's to the rear. As for the clear lightbar to the back I only am running that until I can afford new lenses (will be changing to amber and red or red/red haven't decided yet) and the KO LED I haven't decided yet, would like to trade it for an amber/red but no one would want to trade a KO light they are EVIL! I haven't had any problems with that KO LED though for the 1 1/2 years I have had it.


I do know MOST people don't run amber to the front or clear to the rear but some unwritten rules just must be broken


And MY light permit says red and or red/white lights and Siren

 

[Grotonems5]

OH and amber is pretty much unregulated in VT :!:

 

[07GD SFD]

Just asking...

 

[Grotonems5]

Yes sorry I had to give my speil How is your recovery coming anyway?

 

[stfd1911]

What is a KO light?

 

[Grotonems5]

Knock Off when another company copy's someone's (usually Whelen) lights and sells them as their brand or a no brand generic for a LOT less the real thing. Sometimes you get a good deal on a decent one, sometimes you get junk that you might as well have flushed your money down the toilet!

 

[MiFF]

Hey Grotonems, I have a Whelen 5mm in Red/Amber I's be willing to trade if you were interested. I've been wanting to get rid of it for a while. It's a decent light, I just don't wnat amber in my back window any more, I'd rather add another amber Tir 3 to the license plate area. The heavy tint in my back window makes it hard to differentiate between the red and amber.


Let me know if your interested.

 

[pdk9]

nice truck. i like the led/strobe combination and u did a nice, clean mounting of the switches. only thing i'm not a fan of is the location of the kenwood, but other than that, looks great

 

[Grotonems5]

you don't like my radio placement? haha I didn't really know where else to put it out of the way :?: and the radio fit so nicely in that space where do ppl usually put radios in these trucks?

 

[Luismariadarlene]

Looks good

 

[Grotonems5]

Have had to downgrade some. Currently have the following installed:


12 strobe 9M w/TD and AL's


Touchmaster Delta


Insert strobes in tail lights (4)

 

[Fenn]

What happen with your roof console with the switches?

 

[Grotonems5]

The roof console and switches are still there as well as the VHF mobile radio. I use my switches for Master, Front bar, rear bar, and power to touchmaster delta. I use the touchmaster switches for the takedowns and alleys as well as rear amber strobes only.

 

[buddabean]

I recently learned from experience, the HAW dont do well in the reverse lights. If the lights are used for extended periods of time, they WILL melt the inside of the reverse light housing and also cause the light assembly to melt. I had to change my vertex from the front driving lights to the reverse lights and move the strobes back into my fog lights. Just make sure you keep a close eye on them in case they start to damage your light housing

 

[Grotonems5]

I recently learned from experience, the HAW dont do well in the reverse lights. If the lights are used for extended periods of time, they WILL melt the inside of the reverse light housing and also cause the light assembly to melt. I had to change my vertex from the front driving lights to the reverse lights and move the strobes back into my fog lights. Just make sure you keep a close eye on them in case they start to damage your light housing

Thanks for the heads up! I actually limit my use of them just for that reason. I have had these tail lights since 07 when I bought my 08 and have switched them out in the last couple trucks I've had to save the hassle of covering holes on the old ones and drilling the new ones!

 

[natep24]

Looks good !!!!! is thata hallogen T/A in the light bar? I know a guy who has a smart messenger that he would let you have for a VERY VERY good price.... it just needs a control head

 

[Grotonems5]

Updated again today with vision bar.. as you can tell I have a problem.. I can't keep a light for very long, I have this insatiable urge to get something different and change it up every 4-6 months! I really think my next step is going to be all undercover, interior lightbar and a warning stick in the back window

 

[Fluffy126577]

Looks nice up there.

 

[Grotonems5]

Looks nice up there.

Thank you sir! Good thing the guy before me took care of it, people keep asking how much dough I dropped on my brand new light! The sticker inside said it was repaired in 2001!!

 

[SBFD-E-9]

That Vision looks really nice up there!


Dan

 

[Fluffy126577]

I still have nightmares of how long that thing took to clean and refurb...

 

[Tom]

That's a nice looking bar!

 

[FireGuru]

What headache rack are you using??

 

[Grotonems5]

What headache rack are you using??

That is all long gone! I had that aluminum rack custom made for my truck, sold it to a guy in Canada. Last I knew the guy I sold the LFL to still has it and is trying to sell it

 

[FireGuru]

That is all long gone! I had that aluminum rack custom made for my truck, sold it to a guy in Canada. Last I knew the guy I sold the LFL to still has it and is trying to sell it

LOL, I know I didn't recognize it. Looked great. Will see if I can make contact with him.


Thanks!!


Darren

 

[frfighter15]

the vision looks great man. I used to have one on my truck and miss it a lot. They definetly move traffic better than any other bar ive owned.