LED bar mounting

[lee467]

I'm looking at having an LED bar driving light installed on my 2015 Forester. The salesman suggested using a Bushranger X-bar (link). After looking at the vehicle a little closer, I'm concerned the number plate mount is just threaded inserts in the plastic bumper. The weight of the bar and LEDs looks to be <4kg.
Any thoughts?
A better mounting idea? Ensure they bolt through into the metal chassis structure behind the bumper?
Cheers
Lee

 

[Taroona]

I have a super cheap one on my MY15 fixed to the bumper bar.

But I added a piece of aluminium about 25mm wide by about 200mm long fixed to the bracket and the steel frame behind the grill to reduce vibration.

So far works ok

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Lee & Taroona

@Lee:

Be careful about drilling into the bumper support bar - don't drill anywhere near the crash sensors or wiring!

@Taroona:

Looks good, mate.

Personally, I found the wiring to be the most frustrating part, but I have a SubaXtreme front bar on my car, so physically mounting the light bar was really very easy.

 

[Taroona]

@Ratbag
In behind the grill right in the centre of the MY15 there is a Hex head screw which I used to connect my piece of Al, didnt need to drill any holes(and I wasnt going to).
I used Al as the brace in case I do have an accident in which case the Al will crumple as its only 2mm thick and shouldnt effect the airbags.

I used a Hex head tec screw to fix the Al to the light Bar.

And because of the Upc controls in the car I had an auto electrician connect the light to work on high beam, also had a small black rocker switch mounted to the right of the steering column plastic cover, so that I can turn off the light manually

@Lee467
See pictures

 

[Ratbag]

^ good thinking!

The trials and tribulations of my install are here:

https://offroadsubarus.com/showthread.php?t=6232

 

[lee467]

@Taroona - thanks for replying, that looks like a good solution - did you otherwise just use the number plate bolts to hold the light bar to the vehicle?
I intend to have it all professionally done, but may attach the light bar myself....

@Ratbag - thanks for the heads up, I'll try be careful with the drill near my 10 month old car!

 

[Taroona]

@lee467
Yes I used the number plate mounting screws to support the light bracket as LED light is only 300mm long and not that heavy. My light is mainly for side of road lighting rather than miles down the road