Feniex Wide-Lux Mount Debate

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

Sooo we prefabbed a prototype in mocking up our Wide-Lux mount for the last gen tahoe/suburban/yukon platform.

A couple questions we are having amongst everyone at the shop:

1) This one seems to be handled already but I'll post it anyways. Is it worth mounting a Cannon to the sides of this thing? Either the 360 or the 120? It sounds like the 120 would be the one we'd role with for side warning. The debate is if it's needed. Most of us think the added cost won't really generate a big enough return for the investment. The Wide-Lux already have 180 degrees worth of warning. Adding the Cannons to it would add $120-$140 to the cost. (Right now the decision is to not go through with adding Cannons.)

2) Do we go with the 3x7'' Wide-Lux all the way across for uniformity purposes? The issue is that doing so will not really mean they are uniform. The reason the 3x7'' are where they are is because of the third brake light (I know you can't tell in the picture. I didn't care to take a quality picture of it because I really wasn't thinking of posting it). Had the third brake light not been there we would have gone with 6x4 all the way across. Doing the 3x7 in the middle gave it enough clearance to match up with the 6x4 along the bottom edge of the mount. If we did 3x7 all the way across the ones mounted to the outside would be an inch higher than the ones under the 3rd brake light. If the Wide-Lux came in dual color we would be replacing the third brake light but it is not an option. (start screaming about how illegal it is.. it's not the topic at hand... I'll ignore you as always because its debatable and not the point of this post.)

3) Finish. What is a preferred finish. We thought about powder coat, paint, and liner spray. The liner spray we use is going to be tougher than the other two. What do you prefer and why?

 

[7d9_z28]

1) Do the 120, just because 'Merica and lights.

2) 3x7 uniformity

3) Body match FTW! (Boulder would agree)

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

1) Do the 120, just because 'Merica and lights.

2) 3x7 uniformity

3) Body match FTW! (Boulder would agree)

3x7 uneven?

yeah... I thought about body matching it on this... but I'm not sure we are sticking with the flat desert tan... that AND there is enough black on the vehicle to make a black mount look ok on here.

 

[7d9_z28]

I do not understand the "3x7 uneven?" part...

If you are producing to sell just offer the options for colors, but on that I would match it. If you change the truck color later......Just change that too...

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

the 3x7 on the outside will sit an inch higher than the two in the center.

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

3x7 all the way across would look like this

 

[7d9_z28]

Dont see why they would have to, why not just in a row and make the bar shorter?

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

Then there would be a 1inch gap at the top of the ones on the outside and I think that looks worse.


The red bar is the third brake light.

 

[ems60]

I think the 6x4 looks to big for a small area like that.

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

I was worried about that but I wanted to fill out the area. No way this would fly on the explorer or even new gen Tahoe platform

 

[bullfrog4ever]

I think the 6x4's look a little awkward there. It almost looks a bit crowded, maybe? Or maybe it's because of all the extra lights all around, since this is a demo vehicle. But it just seems very crowded. But that's just my thoughts, I'm still very interested to see this in action.

I think the cannons would be unnecessary, but if you're intent on putting lights on the side of it, maybe put some T3's there or have the option to put T3's there. That would keep the cost down over cannons.

As for the finish, powder coat is the standard and wouldn't be a bad idea. Bed liners, can get tricky because they're not smooth like powder coating and the rubber gasket may not seal all the way and let water behind. Just my thoughts though.

I can't wait to see the finished product though! I'm anxiously awaiting a full product demo video from someone on these wide-lux lights.

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

The gaskets don't prevent water from getting behind the lightheads. If anything its more to act as a buffer between the light and the surface. (two screw points are not enough to make a water tight seal)

I think it looks really crowded because of everything else in the picture. If this was just this lightbar up there, I don't think it would matter.

There isn't quite enough room for a T3 on the side unless we enlarged the bracket, which would make it stick out farther.
adfa
Hmm... I'm not quite sure what I want to do with the final product right now. I liked the idea of them staying even across the bottom.

 

[got_yogurt]

Uniform 7x3 fore sure, even if they are staggered in height

 

[bullfrog4ever]

The gaskets don't prevent water from getting behind the lightheads. If anything its more to act as a buffer between the light and the surface. (two screw points are not enough to make a water tight seal)

I suppose I didn't think about that. That's a good point, thank you.

I think it looks really crowded because of everything else in the picture. If this was just this lightbar up there, I don't think it would matter.

Agreed. Would be interested to see how it looks by itself.

There isn't quite enough room for a T3 on the side unless we enlarged the bracket, which would make it stick out farther.

If that's the case, then I retract my previous statement, lol. I wasn't sure how big the sides were. Definitely don't want it too big and bulky.

Hmm... I'm not quite sure what I want to do with the final product right now. I liked the idea of them staying even across the bottom.

I kinda like that idea, 7x3's even across the bottom. Would like to see how that looks too.

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

Across the bottom of the glass? I mocked them up at the top with them all even along the bottom edge of the bracket. The gap between the top ones on the outside and the top of the bracket looked really bad to me.

 

[Hoff]

I wouldn't bother with the cannon on the side. Much better ways to get some side warning for just as much or less as a pair of cannons.

I like the look of the 3x7 even if they are slightly staggered in the middle.

Powder coat black would work for most vehicles. Second choice would be the liner.

 

[7d9_z28]

Maybe put the 3x7 all on a taper, leave the center two, put the outer two in the top corners, and the ones inbetween could be halfway down. Like the back window has angry eyes, you know?

 

[bullfrog4ever]

Across the bottom of the glass? I mocked them up at the top with them all even along the bottom edge of the bracket. The gap between the top ones on the outside and the top of the bracket looked really bad to me.

At the bottom edge of the bracket, it seems like it would look better in a straight line, but I trust your opinion on the looks.

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

I wouldn't bother with the cannon on the side. Much better ways to get some side warning for just as much or less as a pair of cannons.

I like the look of the 3x7 even if they are slightly staggered in the middle.

Powder coat black would work for most vehicles. Second choice would be the liner.

wasn't REALLY planning on selling these.. the cost would be pretty high. I don't think there would be anything comparable though... its pretty nuts.

 

[Hoff]

When I hit the lottery I'll pick one up Nic! As far as cost would it be more than the razorbak lonestar has with the M4s?

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

Most likely...... IF we went with the 6x4'' I think im gonna have the bracket fabbed to do the 6x4 but won't drill holes so you can go with 7x3 to lessen cost. The good thing is you can add the lights as you go if its better for you that way.

Ps your bracket will ship as soon as my finalized one gets done.

 

[acala91]

I think the 7x3 all the way across is the way to go. The 6x4s look too big there. If you are planning on selling these you could offer the side facing cannon as an option.

What I think would look really good is a outer edge style light with double stacked T6s. It would be more low profile but insanely bright.

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

The bracket is going to be the same regardless because of the third brake light being there. I have to have it come down that far so it's just easier to make it straight across the bottom. Not really planning on selling them but I'll have the specs so I guess I could replicate them. I was going to do the T3 triple stacked at first but I wanted to use the wide lux so that the 6x4 on either side can double as massive turn signals because I disabled my turnsignals in the tail lamp so that the brake light is all four red lights and not just the lower half. It's something that has always bothered me about the tahoe platform.

 

[pdk9]

Nic, at first glance on my iPhone, I thought the 6x4s were 9x7s b/c they just seemed so big in comparison to the size of the rear window.

I would def stay all 7x3, but have you thought about just doing a 4 head unit (and omitting the inboards that go under the 3rd brake light)? I think 4 7x3s would definitely be bright enough, it would bring down the cost (and make it more affordable to POV owners with the more limited budgets), and the uniformity won't be thrown off by having offset inboards in the middle. Although I like the output they provide, all outer edge/spoiler type lights are just too attractive IMHO, so I think keep it simple here with the large lightheads.

Also, has Feniex told you about what their rear spoiler plans are ever since they filmed the laser scan vid?

 

[Carlos SpicyWeiner]

This really isn't meant to be marketed as much as it is a way to display the different capabilities of the wide lux models on our demo. I hate the half bar look which is why I wanted it go all the way across. I'd rather it look gaudy and get questions than look split like that. I'll have the specs if someone REALLY wants one but I don't see a huge market for something like this.

Additionally these are for an outgoing model vehicle. I don't have any plans to expand it to the new tahoe/interceptor utility platforms for a few reasons. (Feniex will have a version, those rear windows are ALOT smaller, cost of fabricating them for new model vehicles is pretty high).

At this point I might just leave it like this so we can get the project rolling and get the vehicle wrapped. The only thing preventing us from wrapping it now is this and the last set of rocker panels we are putting on it.

Feniex is going to release a spoiler for the new tahoe/explorer platforms for the apollo/cobra lines.