Force 4 XL

[EL1998P71]

I finally started on the XL I have.


It's was all red with a speaker section.


I'm making it all clear with color bulbs (probably red/clear driver side and blue/clear pass side)


But here's the strange part, on the driver side it has these brackets like if it was on an ambulance.


(Unscrew the front then unhook the back) But they are not there on the pass side.


Do I really need them? should there be one per side?


I did have a crazy thought. Since this version is not like the SD version. Can I swap out the sealed beams parts and put them in my mini XL?


Then make the full bar all independent rotators (I have 3 rotators and one mirror, just need one more rotator and mirror)


Or just leave it alone and clean it up?

 

[HillRock]

That looks like a nice bar, I would clean it and leave it alone, the clear domes and colored bulbs is a great idea. That is an XL9000 btw, the Force 4 XL had the independent open reflector rotators.

 

[chief1562]

if it's that clean I'd leave it alone.

 

[EL1998P71]

That is an XL9000 btw, the Force 4 XL had the independent open reflector rotators.

The original domes say Force 4XL on the sides. My Independent rotator mini bar dome just has XL Code 3 PSE on the ends.


So regardless on what is in the insides both versions are Force 4 XL's


I sure someone will chime in to say which is which ( I thought XL9000 is sealed beam whereas XL5000 is independent rotators).


It defiantly needs new seals, they are smushed towards inside the bar and falling off/dried out

 

[CrownVic97]

The original domes say Force 4XL on the sides. My Independent rotator mini bar dome just has XL Code 3 PSE on the ends.
So regardless on what is in the insides both versions are Force 4 XL's


I sure someone will chime in to say which is which ( I thought XL9000 is sealed beam whereas XL5000 is independent rotators).

You are correct, Eric. The XL9000 is the sealed beams, XL5000 for the independent rotators.


If the XL bar was the independent rotator version, it had "FORCE 4 XL" on the labled endcaps.


[Broken External Image]:http://i.oodleimg.com/item/3057770261u_3x424x360f?1343439242


On the other hand, if the XL was the sealed-beam version, then they had "CODE 3 XL" instead of "FORCE 4 XL" on the labels.


[Broken External Image]:http://img.orbitbid.com/2011/11/01/Dutch Haken 005.JPG


Now, or used to be since this workhorse has been put to pasture, all the newer versions after the early-90s had these new style labels








As for these wierd clamps on the rear side of the bars, I guess it was Code 3's way of further fastening down the lenses in case screws fell out and the lenses had potential to take flight while driving. You can take those off and secure the domes with the provided hardware. Both my 48" and 22" Force 4 bar lenses do not have those clamps and stay on just fine (of course, they aren't on service duty anymore :haha: ).

 

[lite-em-up]

As for these wierd clamps on the rear side of the bars, I guess it was Code 3's way of further fastening down the lenses in case screws fell out and the lenses had potential to take flight while driving. You can take those off and secure the domes with the provided hardware. Both my 48" and 22" Force 4 bar lenses do not have those clamps and stay on just fine (of course, they aren't on service duty anymore :haha: ).

These are called "Front Access Lens Clips"


The clips were used for allowing the dome to be removed when the bar was mounted on an ambulance where the rear dome screws were not accessible due to lack of clearance. You would remove the front 3 screws and then lift the dome up in the front and rotate it back to clear the two hold downs. You said it was originally mounted on an ambulance which would make sense as to why it had the lens clips.

 

[CrownVic97]

These are called "Front Access Lens Clips"
The clips were used for allowing the dome to be removed when the bar was mounted on an ambulance where the rear dome screws were not accessible due to lack of clearance. You would remove the front 3 screws and then lift the dome up in the front and rotate it back to clear the two hold downs. You said it was originally mounted on an ambulance which would make sense as to why it had the lens clips.

Ohhhhhhhhh......that makes more sense now, and answers my question. Interesting!

 

[Jesse Volanti]

These bars are rear be careful not to damage anything on that bar the belts alone are hard to find, but you have yourself a good collection to start with, I don't know if you can get replacement lenses because Code 3 discontinued the XL 5000 & LP 6000 lightbars. keep it the way you got it and you should have no issues. They don't make em like they used too. :goodpost:

 

[dmathieu]

Stated new thread with my question.

 

[EL1998P71]

These are called "Front Access Lens Clips"
The clips were used for allowing the dome to be removed when the bar was mounted on an ambulance where the rear dome screws were not accessible due to lack of clearance. You would remove the front 3 screws and then lift the dome up in the front and rotate it back to clear the two hold downs. You said it was originally mounted on an ambulance which would make sense as to why it had the lens clips.

BUT, these clips are on one side only, driver side. none on the pass side.

 

[stansdds]

It is possible that this bar started out as a Code 3 XL mounted on an ambulance or police van. At some point it was removed and placed in service on another vehicle that did not require the front access only clips and also required different dome or at least end cap colors. That would explain the loss of the clips on one side (either lost during retrofit or someone did not understand how they worked) and the use of Force 4 XL marked end caps.