Lighting up the road

[AbnRgr]

I received Mabett’s LED roof-mounted light unit yesterday and started the installation today. I still have to route and secure the wiring to my under the hood control box for my overhead switch panel and to screw down the top cover. I ran the circuit for the nights temporarily and it works great. I feel like a fighter pilot with the overhead console independently controlling, the roof mounted LEDs, ditch lights, a LED strip running light, raptor style grill lights and a 12” amber LED light bar serving as fog lamps. The switch panel allows me to set the provided remote aside. I’ll probably save it for some future project. I should finish the install tomorrow and will prepare a full review with photos..

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[MABETT]

Great. Looking forward to your feedback.

 

[Deleted member 5597]

How much drilling did you have to do?

 

[Superg0]

Drill free

 

[AbnRgr]

I completed the installation of Mabett’s roof-mounted LED light unit on my ’24 XLT hybrid today. I’m impressed with its appearance and the ease in which it is set up. There are four main pieces to the unit, a plastic base that has brackets to secure the four LED light bars, the LEDs themselves, an included wiring harness, and a gloss black top cover. There is no required drilling, nor is there any splicing of wires. Other than plugging individual lights into the harness, the sole required connections are to a 12V positive power source and a ground at the end of the harness.

The included instructions are clear, but don’t address wiring hybrid models. I drew 12V from the terminal under the black flip cover. This is located next to the red covered terminal used for jump starting. The ground can go to any point of bare metal. The harness from the unit is routed along the exterior of the A pillar on the driver’s side into the engine compartment. I chose not to use the provided remote control. Rather, I tied into my under-the-hood control box, which is tied to a switch panel located overhead in the cabin. The unused remote will find its way into a future project.

The LEDs are secured to molded brackets on the base. They can be adjusted vertically but have no play side to side. I would recommend Mabett change that on any future redesign to allow the buyer to set the lights’ flood pattern by adjusting the lamps as they choose. The top cover is held in place with a combination of tape along the leading edge and screws further back. I appreciate that there are no permanent changes to the roof, no holes, no epoxy. I do admit to a degree of trepidation for the first time I will take my Maverick to highway speed or through the automatic car wash. Mabett gives no warning against either.

A couple of assembly hints, when you go to attach the base to the roof after mounting the LEDs, find someone to help. Have them hold one end of the bar away from the roof until you align the other end. I did it by myself with difficulty. The base holding the LEDs is secured to the roof with generous strips of double-sided tape. Prior to placing the top cover in place, start by removing just enough of the red tape for it to stick out from under the cover as it is dropped in place. Don’t press down yet, align the screws with the threaded holes and tighten them loosely. Then remove the red tape and finally screw the back end tight.

Others may differ, but I like the overall appearance. I also have obtained a sport bar sold by Tyger. I haven’t yet mounted it but think the two will visually balance each other. The unit continues the Alas Blue and contrasting black color scheme I have been following with my build. I have any number of Mabett’s products incorporated into my build. None have disappointed, including this latest.

 

[AbnRgr]

Bump

 

[enjoitheride]

I completed the installation of Mabett’s roof-mounted LED light unit on my ’24 XLT hybrid today. I’m impressed with its appearance and the ease in which it is set up. There are four main pieces to the unit, a plastic base that has brackets to secure the four LED light bars, the LEDs themselves, an included wiring harness, and a gloss black top cover. There is no required drilling, nor is there any splicing of wires. Other than plugging individual lights into the harness, the sole required connections are to a 12V positive power source and a ground at the end of the harness.

The included instructions are clear, but don’t address wiring hybrid models. I drew 12V from the terminal under the black flip cover. This is located next to the red covered terminal used for jump starting. The ground can go to any point of bare metal. The harness from the unit is routed along the exterior of the A pillar on the driver’s side into the engine compartment. I chose not to use the provided remote control. Rather, I tied into my under-the-hood control box, which is tied to a switch panel located overhead in the cabin. The unused remote will find its way into a future project.

The LEDs are secured to molded brackets on the base. They can be adjusted vertically but have no play side to side. I would recommend Mabett change that on any future redesign to allow the buyer to set the lights’ flood pattern by adjusting the lamps as they choose. The top cover is held in place with a combination of tape along the leading edge and screws further back. I appreciate that there are no permanent changes to the roof, no holes, no epoxy. I do admit to a degree of trepidation for the first time I will take my Maverick to highway speed or through the automatic car wash. Mabett gives no warning against either.

A couple of assembly hints, when you go to attach the base to the roof after mounting the LEDs, find someone to help. Have them hold one end of the bar away from the roof until you align the other end. I did it by myself with difficulty. The base holding the LEDs is secured to the roof with generous strips of double-sided tape. Prior to placing the top cover in place, start by removing just enough of the red tape for it to stick out from under the cover as it is dropped in place. Don’t press down yet, align the screws with the threaded holes and tighten them loosely. Then remove the red tape and finally screw the back end tight.

Others may differ, but I like the overall appearance. I also have obtained a sport bar sold by Tyger. I haven’t yet mounted it but think the two will visually balance each other. The unit continues the Alas Blue and contrasting black color scheme I have been following with my build. I have any number of Mabett’s products incorporated into my build. None have disappointed, including this latest.

what’s the quality of the lights like? I wonder if they could be upgraded to a Diode Dynamic, and you could gain some Amber. I’ve been struggling to find the best auxiliary lighting option.

 

[Hybrid25XLTAWD]

what’s the quality of the lights like? I wonder if they could be upgraded to a Diode Dynamic, and you could gain some Amber. I’ve been struggling to find the best auxiliary lighting option.

I've been wondering aobut this myself: perhaps if a measurement could be taken of either the width of the mounting holes in the lights or the mounting brackets on the light itself, there may be other higher quality lights available to wap these out.
@MABETT any chance of getting some measurements?

 

[enjoitheride]

I've been wondering aobut this myself: perhaps if a measurement could be taken of either the width of the mounting holes in the lights or the mounting brackets on the light itself, there may be other higher quality lights available to wap these out.
@MABETT any chance of getting some measurements?

It would be rad if there was a company like Diode who made something like this. I love the idea, and the fact of no drilling. However, I think it can be improved upon. The lighting direction, amber lights, high quality lights, and maybe lower profile.

 

[MABETT]

I've been wondering aobut this myself: perhaps if a measurement could be taken of either the width of the mounting holes in the lights or the mounting brackets on the light itself, there may be other higher quality lights available to wap these out.
@MABETT any chance of getting some measurements?

I sent you a PM.

 

[enjoitheride]

I've been wondering aobut this myself: perhaps if a measurement could be taken of either the width of the mounting holes in the lights or the mounting brackets on the light itself, there may be other higher quality lights available to wap these out.
@MABETT any chance of getting some measurements?

Be sure to share when you get them.

 

[enjoitheride]

I sent you a PM.

@MABETT what’s the length of each one of those lights? 4”? 6”? I’m looking at getting the light bar.

 

[MABETT]

@MABETT what’s the length of each one of those lights? 4”? 6”? I’m looking at getting the light bar.

The length is 190mm.

 

[enjoitheride]

The length is 190mm.

Thank you.

 

[Hybrid25XLTAWD]

so, we'
re looking at a light bar with the outter dimensions of roughly 7.5" (7.48, actually)..gonna be tough to find QUALITY lights with that dimension..

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