Rbelchak's Rail Thread, CAN YOU SEE ME NOW?!

[rbelchak]

The seats are already back in but if you look at the picture above of where I started painting it you can see where the seats mount in. They took like 3" wide X like 1/4" steel strips and formed them to dip below the floor, the seats are bolted directly to the metal strap you see in the picture above, biggest problem with this is I have to at least get a chunk of flat steel to mount below the seats so if trail riding and we come over a stump no one ends up with an enema or anything. I'll pull one of the seats out and snap a picture later today. My buddy has the same type of setup I have but he made his own, he got a sheet of 1/4" steel and used the some concept as mine but completely closed it in under his seats.

[rbelchak]

CAN YOU SEE ME NOW! Good because after taking the picture I can't see much of anything lol. Bottum row of lights shoot about 1' off the ground at 25' away, middle row are about 2.5' and the top row are around 5'-6'. When they were originally mounted (before I adjusted them some) they were lighting up the trees 30' in the air behind the neighbors house across the road in the daylight lol (about 20 mins before I took the above picture). I need info on how to correctly wire these, What gauge to use how to safely wire them all in without running power wires from a fuse panel for EVERY light.

[rbelchak]

Carb kit is in, no more gas leaks! hopefully master cylinder and oil change get done tomorrow and ill be out doing a little riding.

[81pumagtc]

If you are running a generator, these will quickly drain the battery because they don't put out much power.

An alternator would be better, but again, check how many amps you are pulling with everything running. Bosch alternators still put out much less power than a Delco,

With real off-road lights, you always have to run a relay to each set of lights, and wire the light directly with heavy gauge wire. Your switch does nothing but turn the relay on and off.

Anything else will be junk.

Use good relays, and good switches.


Dave

[rbelchak]

I don't plan on running them all most likely just 2 if anything for now. This winter its getting a full overhaul, alternator swap, and stuff like that. I'm more less just looking at how it will look.

[81pumagtc]

Doesn't make any difference. VW generators do not make much power...it's just a fact of life. If you use your lights much, you will be running at a current deficit.

Using relays will actually help you because you use better wire to connect, and it does not have to be routed far. Big lights melt switches. They get hot due to internal resistance, which in turn creates more resistance and heat, and so on.

Do the lights right, and you won't have to do them a second time when you start to bring the buggy up to snuff.

Lighting is important, and if it's not right, you can hit something. It can also kill your battery. If you plan to drive at night or in the rain, I would do it right.


Dave

[rbelchak]

Thanks for the input on the lights, if anything I will only be running 2 kc h3 lights for now but ill only be riding it in the day light and such for now, this winter the whole electrical is getting redone and thats when the rail will get an actual dash and stuff. In the mean time What gauges are recommended to always have for these? Right now I'm looking at getting a oil pressure and oil temp gauge, and I picked up a tach about 10 minutes ago.

And whats considered a safe "red line" point to mark on my tach? Its a completely stock 1600

[MadMike]

4500-5000 rpm max,OP&OT gages are fine,Madmike

[Ruffuss]

I had aircraft landing lights on a Baja they would drain the battery in a matter of minutes, but nobody left their brights on after being hit with them.

[rbelchak]

I took my rail out to my girlfriends grandmas house to be tore down and rebuilt this winter and decided to take it for its first cruise ever and I was more than happy with the results, ran it for about a half hour, it still runs a little funny due to the one carb having a bad accelerator pump, but was still a great time and I know for sure I will have it in top condition for next summer.