Bison Gear - 4x4 & Overlanding Accessories

parb · Jul 9, 2024

Hi all,

I'm thinking that I'll mount sentinel lights ( https://www.triple-r-lights.com/sentinel-7.html ) on the front of my 3/4 roof rack from bison.

I would like to mount the lights forward on the rack so can use as much as possible of the rack for a rtt. I emailed triple r and their proposal was to drill a hole through the bar and mount it that way. I much rather prefer to add a bracket that lets me mount to the t-slots.

Have any of it seen any suitable brackets? Ideally one that attaches to two t-nuts so the bracket can't rotate around the bolt.

I figure a bracket like this may work, I just can't tell if it fits in front of the rack between the wind deflector and the bar with the t-slot channel.

LIGHT BRACKET - Universal for ACS Bed Rack

PART # 00-LBA-01-1073 Shine some light on the situation! Active Cargo System light brackets are engineered to mount a large variety of LED, HID and halogen lights onto any ACS truck bed rack. Installs within minutes to put light where you need it most. Specifications: Active Cargo System Truck...

www.leitnerdesigns.com

Or does anyone have any ideas? My last solution is to fabricate something. May have to as I want to put one light in the center of the rack and the t-channel is blocked due to the wind deflector in that location.

The easiest is to go for a light bar but I'm not ready to give up quite yet.

TheDocAUS · Jul 9, 2024

You can get these brackets, search on Spot Light Roof rack bracket. My searches give Australian sources. Rhino Rack, Front Runner have them.

parb · Jul 9, 2024

I'm not finding anything great. Tried those search terms and a bunch of others. Most things are just plain light bar mounts, angles 90 degrees in the wrong dimension.

landmannnn · Jul 9, 2024

nickelnoff said:
Worked at treat @landmannnn - Thanks.

Quick question perhaps for @Bison-Gear or anyone else with a Bison roof rack: would the Front Runner BLACK TIE DOWN RINGS / EYE NUTS work?

I couldn't post this before, but I bought M6 X 25mm T bolts and nuts, then M6 eyes. All stainless.

You can tell it is summer here.

12 eyes and 20 bolts for about £15.

drinkmorejava · Jul 9, 2024

landmannnn said:
I couldn't post this before, but I bought M6 X 25mm T bolts and nuts, then M6 eyes. All stainless.

View attachment 7862859

12 eyes and 20 bolts for about £15.

This is basically why I've done. The slots are a standard 30 series profile and have a 8 mm exterior width. M6 t slot nuts are the correct size. Technically an m8 should fit, but you'll have to load the nut on the side.

I used these eye hooks and then bought separate nuts and washers:

Amazon.de : Ouligay 4pcs M6 Lifting Eye Nut 316 Stainless Steel Eye Bolt Heavy Duty Screw Bolt Male Thread Machinery Shoulder Lifting Ring Eye Bolt Lifting Shoulder Eye Bolt Heavy Duty Screw Bolt

A note on front loading t slots. You really want to be careful that when they're loaded with their straps that they can't turn much. If they rotate too far the anti rotation tabs won't engage with the slots and the whole thing can fall off. Also with all t slots, use a good washer setup so it doesn't loosen and slide around.

I'll fill out this post more in a couple days for posterity.

parb · Jul 9, 2024

just to check, the slot on the bison gear roof rack is the right size for M6 t-bolt and t-nuts? You can't use M8 in the slots?

landmannnn · Jul 9, 2024

parb said:
just to check, the slot on the bison gear roof rack is the right size for M6 t-bolt and t-nuts? You can't use M8 in the slots?

I've got my roof tent held on with M8 T bolts. I had to grind a bit off the chamfer of the T part on the bolts I bought.

nickelnoff · Jul 9, 2024

parb said:
just to check, the slot on the bison gear roof rack is the right size for M6 t-bolt and t-nuts? You can't use M8 in the slots?

@parb I did a bunch of measuring last night couldn’t find any way an M8 could fit - the M8 bolt head is to too thick to then run down the slot.

landmannnn said:
I couldn't post this before, but I bought M6 X 25mm T bolts and nuts, then M6 eyes. All stainless.

You can tell it is summer here.

12 eyes and 20 bolts for about £15.

Thanks for posting @landmannnn

I have ordered the following from eBay:

A) Ring nuts M6
B) Hammer Head bolts 12mm

parb · Jul 9, 2024

Thank you @nickelnoff your validation is very much appreciated.

drinkmorejava · Jul 10, 2024

nickelnoff said:
@parb I did a bunch of measuring last night couldn’t find any way an M8 could fit - the M8 bolt head is to too thick to then run down the slot.

Thanks for posting @landmannnn

I have ordered the following from eBay:

A) Ring nuts M6
B) Hammer Head bolts 12mm

This gets really messy I should have clarified. You can get a 3030 series end loading m8 nut that will fit, however, there is no front loading m8 nut because then it would have zero material thickness around the hole. A 4040 series front or side loading nut will not fit because it requires a 10mm slot.

Our slot should be about 8.12mm and an m8 bolt is 8mm of course. There really should be room, but most of this stuff is cheap, so tolerances are hit or miss.

parb · Jul 10, 2024

@drinkmorejava so the material used is a 3030 profile? that is super helpful, i wasn't home today so i couldn't measure the profile. I think i will be fine with an M6 nut, i plan to make my brackets myself using two bolts per bracket to prevent the light from rotating around the bolt in case a bolt ever came loose.

my brother does mechanical design and has a firm that can create brackets for me. I just need to make a prototype for him.

drinkmorejava · Jul 10, 2024

parb said:
@drinkmorejava so the material used is a 3030 profile? that is super helpful, i wasn't home today so i couldn't measure the profile. I think i will be fine with an M6 nut, i plan to make my brackets myself using two bolts per bracket to prevent the light from rotating around the bolt in case a bolt ever came loose.

my brother does mechanical design and has a firm that can create brackets for me. I just need to make a prototype for him.

It uses a 30 series slot profile, it's not actually 3030 extrusion because then it would be square. You'll have to measure the outside dimensions yourself, but the slot is the same as here https://8020.net/30-3030.html

parb · Jul 10, 2024

I should have been more clear, i meant to ask if it is using a 30 series profile. It wasn't clear to me if it was 30 or 40 series profile and I was at work and couldn't measure it. Thanks for confirming!

Tazzieman · Jul 10, 2024

landmannnn said:
I couldn't post this before, but I bought M6 X 25mm T bolts and nuts, then M6 eyes. All stainless.

I use fibre washers to avoid galvanic corrosion issues with alloy racks.

nickelnoff · Jul 11, 2024

Tazzieman said:
I use fibre washers to avoid galvanic corrosion issues with alloy racks.

Wow - 6th grade chemistry stuff..clever. I’ve just looked this up and I must say chapeau

@Tazzieman - vinyl washes will be bought to tackle this phenomenon.

Grey Wolf · Jul 11, 2024

nickelnoff said:
Wow - 6th grade chemistry stuff..clever. I’ve just looked this up and I must say chapeau @Tazzieman - vinyl washes will be bought to tackle this phenomenon.

I have the Bison Gear 3/4 rack fitted and the factory supplied screws have started to rust . Perhaps the steel against the aluminium has caused this? Maybe I also need vinyl washers.

Tazzieman · Jul 11, 2024

Grey Wolf said:
I have the Bison Gear 3/4 rack fitted and the factory supplied screws have started to rust . Perhaps the steel against the aluminium has caused this? Maybe I also need vinyl washers.

Black steel will rust quickly.
Even "Stainless" steel comes in several variants. Including "rusting"

Marine grade, from a ship chandlery is the safest option in my experience.

landmannnn · Jul 11, 2024

Grey Wolf said:
I have the Bison Gear 3/4 rack fitted and the factory supplied screws have started to rust . Perhaps the steel against the aluminium has caused this? Maybe I also need vinyl washers.

The best thing to do is remove the screws and put some Tef-Gel on the threads (one by one I would suggest)

Do you live somewhere near the sea? definitely worse if salt is around

DaBull · Jul 12, 2024

Grey Wolf said:
I have the Bison Gear 3/4 rack fitted and the factory supplied screws have started to rust . Perhaps the steel against the aluminium has caused this? Maybe I also need vinyl washers.

Hi Grey Wolf, As recommended by others, get some Tef-Gel to stop dissimilar metals from having galvanic corrosion. It is pricy, however a little may last you a lifetime.
DaBull

Amazon.com

Grey Wolf · Jul 12, 2024

DaBull said:
Hi Grey Wolf, As recommended by others, get some Tef-Gel to stop dissimilar metals from having galvanic corrosion. It is pricy, however a little may last you a lifetime.
DaBull

Amazon.com

Thanks for the Amazon link. I have attached a couple of images. The rack is about 2 months old and it has been raining a lot here in the UK.

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