Roof Rack Wiring Help

[ChrisK]

Hi. So I have a 2018 4Runner trd pro with a front runner full rack on it. I purchased 1 40” Baja Designs Onx6 and 6 S2 sports to go on the rack. There will be 2 S2’s on the left, right, and rear of the car. Everything will be getting wired to a switch pros. Now my question is, how do I get the wires to the switch pros with a pretty clean look. I don’t want to stuff them all on the side of the windshield, so I was wondering what you guys would do. I do not want to put a hole in the roof. What I’ve been seeing is people running the wires though the rear hatch and down inside the car. Would 3 14 gauge wires fit through there? I will run the Onx6 wires thought the front. The S2 lights on the sides are the issue now. Let me know what you think. Appreciate your time. Thanks

 

[Decipher]

The best thing you can do is drill the roof. I ran wires through the back but I only have two light pods mounted to my rack so I used lower gauge wiring. 14 gauge is going to be too big to use my method. Drilling with a proper plug and silicon sealing is the way to go. I’ve done it before. Police, fire and ambulances use this method all the time without an issue.


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[macscac]

drill thru the roof or run the wiring to the front and down the channel in the windshield on the driver side and drill it thru the cowling thing above the firewall to take it into the engine bay

 

[KU4Runner]

Most people will run them through the channel in the windshield. As long as you don't have a million wires, you'll hardly notice them and it'll look pretty clean.

 

[Agent_Outside]

For what’s it’s worth S2 lights are way overkill for side lighting. Those little housings are very very bright.

 

[CF_Machete]

There are probably a million threads on this, but don't drill your roof, you're just inviting water damage. You have a channel on either side of your windshield that you can run wires up and through as well as the grommets under the rear hatch. Way more Access ports than you will need without Drilling.

 

[ChrisK]

The thing is I don’t want the wire just to look so bulky on the side of the windshield. It’s going to be 6 wires.

 

[Peadog]

Do 2 on each side of the windshield and two thru the grommet on the hatch. This isn't rocket science.

 

[57buick]

I have an aftermarket radio so i got rid of the factory shark fin antennae and used one of these grommets they use on yahts to run wiring thru the deck in the factory hole. Ran a multi wire cable thru it so i can hook up a bunch of lights. SO I have a couple extra wires for my baja lights later

Its entirely waterproof

 

[austinquick]

I have an aftermarket radio so i got rid of the factory shark fin antennae and used one of these grommets they use on yahts to run wiring thru the deck in the factory hole. Ran a multi wire cable thru it so i can hook up a bunch of lights. SO I have a couple extra wires for my baja lights later

Its entirely waterproof

That's a pretty solid idea! I dig it.

 

[Peripateo]

Can you send a link where this marine grommet can be purchased? Can’t find online. Thanks!!

I have an aftermarket radio so i got rid of the factory shark fin antennae and used one of these grommets they use on yahts to run wiring thru the deck in the factory hole. Ran a multi wire cable thru it so i can hook up a bunch of lights. SO I have a couple extra wires for my baja lights later

Its entirely waterproof

 

[57buick]

Here's the one I bought on amazon for $48. You do have to drill the 4 small holes for the little screws at all 4 corners. But they are guaranteed water tight. used on yahts to run antenna cables and wiring thru the deck etc

Its called Scanstrut Multi Deck Seal "The Multi Deck Seal is the latest addition to Scanstrut's existing Deck Seal range, which launched earlier this year and has passed stringent IPX6 and IPX7 tests to ensure protection from water ingress, even during extreme weather conditions and heavy seas."

https://www.amazon.com/Scanstrut-Multi-Deck-Seal-Multiple/dp/B004TMFGLS

 

[GO3KIDS]

I ran 3 wires up each side of the windshield

1. Light Bar
2. Left White
3. Right White
4. Rear White
5. Amber (Left, Right, Rear)
6. Ground

Do 2 on each side of the windshield and two thru the grommet on the hatch. This isn't rocket science.

 

[Aznwolf118]

[MENTION=237134]GO3KIDS[/MENTION]
what gauge wire did you run?
any pics?

 

[8480530]

I’ve had two of these on the roof of my Sportsmobile for years = no leaks

Cable Clams - Blue Sea Systems

 

[8480530]

I’ve had two of these on the roof of my Sportsmobile for years = no leaks

Cable Clams - Blue Sea Systems

Google Image Result for https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61ile5s6cuL._SY741_.jpg

 

[GO3KIDS]

[MENTION=237134]GO3KIDS[/MENTION]
what gauge wire did you run?
any pics?

1 14ga and 2 16ga up each side, I used 1 14ga for the light bar that pulls the most power and the other one for the negative. I wrapped then in high quality 3M electric tape.

I lost of of the rubber things at the base of the windshield in some bad crosswinds because it didn't quite fit back in with that many wires. I would use some gasket silicone to hold in them place next time.

I would also see if you could find a single wire that had 3 14ga was thinner then wrapping 3.

There was also two ways I tucked it in. On one side I took out the rubber mold off the side put the wires under it put some windshield silicone and stuck the rubber gasket on top of the wires. This left an ugly lip so I used a razor and cut the excess off to clean it up. On the other side I put the wires on top of the rubber and put the windshield silicone on top of the wires.

 

[dade73]

The thing is I don’t want the wire just to look so bulky on the side of the windshield. It’s going to be 6 wires.

I have 6 wires on drivers side for my main bar (4 16g and 2 14g) and 2 on the passenger side (14g) that run to the rear for my chaser lights.
I would suggest you buy a long roll of heat shrink tubing and run all the wires for it though that first. that way you can run all the cables flat before heat shrinking it.
https://www.amazon.com/BLACKHORSE-RACING-Black-I-D-Feet-Polyolefin/dp/B07HMD676N/ref=sr_1_3


Run the wire on the inside of the rack to the front then tuck in the channel. its clean, no one really notices until they start really looking.

 

[Decipher]

There are probably a million threads on this, but don't drill your roof, you're just inviting water damage. You have a channel on either side of your windshield that you can run wires up and through as well as the grommets under the rear hatch. Way more Access ports than you will need without Drilling.

You realize that blocking that channel on the windshield also impedes water flow and could lead to a leak somewhere, right? If it’s done right, passing wires through the roof does not invite water damage. I work on fire apparatus as a career and not a single one of our rigs has water issues from running A LOT of heavy gauge wiring through the roof (emergency lighting, heavy duty scene lights and radio antennas). Neither do our patrol cars or public works units. All of these see extreme weather more than anyone’s rig on this forum, I’m willing to bet.

Can you do the windshield drain channel? Sure. Does it look bad? Subjective but I think it’s the easy way out and can look tacky on an otherwise clean rig.

At the end of the day, done right, both are probably okay. It if was my rig, I’d stare at the damn wires running down my windshield all the time. My ocd would get the best of me.


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[CF_Machete]

You realize that blocking that channel on the windshield also impedes water flow and could lead to a leak somewhere, right? If it’s done right, passing wires through the roof does not invite water damage. I work on fire apparatus as a career and not a single one of our rigs has water issues from running A LOT of heavy gauge wiring through the roof (emergency lighting, heavy duty scene lights and radio antennas). Neither do our patrol cars or public works units. All of these see extreme weather more than anyone’s rig on this forum, I’m willing to bet.

Can you do the windshield drain channel? Sure. Does it look bad? Subjective but I think it’s the easy way out and can look tacky on an otherwise clean rig.

At the end of the day, done right, both are probably okay. It if was my rig, I’d stare at the damn wires running down my windshield all the time. My ocd would get the best of me.


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Damn near invisible in the channel and never heard of a case where it caused a leak.

If you still feel weird about it, use the lift gate grommets.