Spotlights installation instructions

This is the sheet with templates for the most common cars available back then. When you ordered the spotlight you have to specify which brand and year car you wanted to use the lights for.

Clear instructions were included. With well detailed instruction diagrams. The backside of the instruction sheet included an diagram showing each part used in the spotlight assambly.

This in case you needed to replace a broken part or had to repair something. Not included in the box, but needed for installation are these two brackets that go onto the A-Pillar.

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So detailed and valuable, I wish I could of seen this before I installed mine. It was a little nerve racking to put it gently. Once again…. I love Appletons on sleds…. ONLY on the Chronicle will you find such a in depth article about an accessory part of a custom. Most other so called custom mags or sites really dont give a shit about this kind of stuff. Guide was GMs own brand. Unity was another multimake aftermarket brand. These are a combined spotlight and mirror. Similar in shape to Appleton Ss.

I am missing the RH bracket that attaches to the outer door. I have searched for 10 years on ebay for a replacement Guide RH bracket. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Disconnect the battery. Open the hood and use a hand or socket wrench to loosen the nut holding the black ground cable on the negative terminal on the battery. Once loose, pull the cable off and tuck it to the side of the battery to avoid allowing it to come back into contact with the terminal.

You will not need to disconnect the positive cable. Choose a suitable mounting location. Some common locations include on top of your side mirror or on the roof of the vehicle. Remember that if you install the spotlight on your roof, you will have to drill through it, which may cause leaking.

Decide what type of light to use. There are a number of options on the market for spotlights and installation kits. Each style of light has its own strengths and weaknesses and should be chosen based on application and budget.

However, the bulbs are less expensive to replace when they blow out. LED lights can be extremely bright and cost more than most halogen spotlight applications. HID lamps are the most expensive, but offer the longest lifespan and often the brightest lights. Determine where you want to place the switch. You may decide to install a button or switch inside your vehicle to turn the spotlight on and off.

On many spotlights, the switch will be on the light itself and will require no further wiring. If you opt to wire the light to a switch on your dashboard, however, the installation will be a bit more in depth.

Determining where you want the switch will help you establish how much wire the project will require. Part 2. Mount the relay in the engine bay. If your spotlight did not come with an electrical relay, you will need to install one. Most stoplights should not be wired directly to a power source without being run through a relay. Mount it inside your engine bay somewhere along the body of the vehicle.

You can use heavy duty double sided tape, an adhesive, or drill holes through the metal to mount the relay. Ground the relay. Run a short length of black wire from the relay to a bolt on the body or frame of the vehicle. Expose a length of wire at the end and make a loop with it, then loosen the bolt and loop the exposed wire around it below the head. Twist the wire around itself to secure it to the bolt, then tighten the bolt again.

Whenever possible, use black wiring for grounds to make them easy to identify. Run a wire from the relay to an in-line fuse. Purchase an in-line fuse holder and connect it to the positive post on the relay. Make sure there is a fuse in the fuse holder rated to withstand the amperage required to power the spotlight.

The fuse will blow out if too much power flows through it, cutting the power and preventing a fire. Connect the fuse to the positive terminal on the battery. Run a length of wire from the fuse holder to the positive terminal on the battery. You may choose to wrap a length of exposed wire around a bolt on the battery cable, or you may choose to purchase a new Positive cable end. Ensure the cable to securely fastened to the positive terminal. If it jostles loose, the spotlight will fail to function.

Wire the relay to the positive post on the spotlight. Run a wire from the relay to the positive post on the spotlight itself. You may choose to twist the wire around the positive post or solder it into place. Regardless of how you connect the wiring, be sure to wrap it in electrical tape or a shrink wrap sleeve to protect the connection from the elements. Run a wire from the relay to the switch. Run a wire from the last open post on the relay to the switch in your vehicle if you choose to mount one.

This will enable to the switch to cut the power to the spotlight. This will make the wire come out near the pedals inside the cabin. Be careful not to run the wire through anything that may melt or break it in the regular use of your vehicle.

Part 3. Drill the mounting holes for the spotlight. Use the hardware supplied in your spotlight kit to mount the light in the location of your choosing. If it was designed to be mounted on your roof, it may have come with a strip of weather proofing material to prevent water from leaking through your roof where the holes are drilled. If it did not, you may want to put silicone in and around the holes as you bolt the light into place to create a waterproof seal. Mounting a spotlight on a light bar or otherwise attached bracket will also require no drilling or weather proofing.

Mount the switch in the dashboard. Secure the switch on your dashboard in place by drilling a hole through the trim and sliding the switch through it from behind. This will leave only the switch visible, with the rest behind the trim. Place the screw on cap over the switch, with the switch itself sticking out through it, then screw it in place to hold the switch against the trim.

Ensure the switch is someplace easy to access without looking to be able to use the light while you drive. Ground the switch.

Run a black wire from one of the three prongs on the switch to a bolt on the body or frame of the vehicle just as you grounded the relay under the hood. Make a loop with the exposed end of the wire and wrap it around a bolt.

Tighten the bolt back into place once completed. Run a wire from the switch to a switched power source.