Written by: GraniteGuy

Discussion thread: https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ight-tabs.html

Light tabs bolt to your bumper to allow offroad lights to be installed. This how-to outlines how I make
them.

Safety measures should be taken during all operations pictured.

The hardest part is getting a piece of metal bent at 90 degrees. Thickness should be at least 1/4".
The length I use is 6" x 2". 5" will work also. Angle iron comes in 3"x5" and can be used if you have
the means to cut it into 1.5 - 2" strips.

A local machine shop can bend a 1/4" thick, 2" wide x 8" long piece into a 2"x6". My local shop had
a machinery breakdown. They can bend it, but the 90 degrees is eyeballed. This is the solution I came up with:

1/4" thick x 2" x 8" (2 pieces) are cut at the 2" mark using a hand grinder:



I clamp the piece to a stout angle iron with the score (cut) at the edge:


A couple of good hits and another clamp gives you a perfect 90 degree bend:


Weld the cut:


Mark and drill a 1/2" hole for the light. I go 5" from the bend to the center of the hole.
This puts the hole past the bumper:


The hole that bolts to the bumper is crucial. I go 1-5/8" from the outermost part of the tab.
This is important. I am using 1/4" metal. Any thickness greater than this should be added to the
1-5/8" measurement. As an example, 3/8" thick steel would need the hole 1-3/4" past the end.
I drill a 1/2" hole. This hole is larger than the stock bolt. This leaves a little up/down play in the tab
so the measurement can be off slightly:


This shows the bolt that is factory equipped in most Rangers. It is on the "low" part of the bumper.
Removing the grill makes it VERY easy to get to. It can be done from under the truck. You can slide
the light tab between the grill and the bumper from the "high" side, then slide it over to the bolt. a 13mm
wrench is used to remove the bolt:
[img]http://www.stuffforyourranger.com/gallery/d/557-1/lt8.jpg[img]

This shows the tab bolted to the bumper. 2 tabs can be mounted:


I like to make the tab dissappear so I trace the rubber mounting base of the light onto the tab:


I turn this grinder on:


And the product looks like this:


Painted and installed:

 

Excellent write up I'm going to try and make a pair of these tomorrow but I'm new to the forums and was wondering if ur using the slim line kc lights or the regular ones sorry to bother u about this but I have the regular ones I believe so I wanting to no if this would work with both styles thank u in advance