Interior/Exterior Interior and exterior modifications for Cooper (R50), Cabrio (R52), and Cooper S (R53) MINIs.

Interior/Exterior Palo Uber Light Bar (Installation Hell)

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  #1  
Old 12-27-2006, 11:49 AM
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Palo Uber Light Bar (Installation Hell)

Ok, Nothing sucks worse than bad directions. Except maybe leaving one key component out of the directions. Like how to get the light bar and bumper remounted to the car????
Anyone had any luck installing one of these?
My only hold up at this point is getting everything reattached back to the car and their directions mention nothing about how that is supposed to happen when eveything you need to bolt together is covered by bumper! :impatient
 
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Old 12-27-2006, 01:27 PM
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Thinking about this Light Bar. I thought this one was suppose to be easier that ALta's to install...
 
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Old 12-27-2006, 02:29 PM
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With the aero kit it is a royal pain in the A**!
 
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Old 12-27-2006, 02:42 PM
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Ah, I do not have an Aero kit so... But could you email/fax whatever, the install intructions? It might help me decide. TIA Michael
 
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Old 12-27-2006, 03:01 PM
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Even better. They're online. http://www.paloubermini.com/files/22654140.pdf
Finally finished with the bar installation portion. Too dark to finish wiring.
My arms are shredded with cuts from forcing them up under the bumper to tighten everything. Should be fairly easy with the standard bumper as it does not extend back (toward the engine) as much as the aero kit.
 
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Old 12-27-2006, 03:03 PM
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Thanks. I did not see them on line. I'd love to see pix whenever.
 
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Old 12-27-2006, 05:35 PM
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Gee, now I'm really looking forward to installing mine.....under my aerokit.....
 
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Old 12-27-2006, 06:34 PM
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Eventually I'd like to add lights to my car and I'm torn between the Alta bar and this Palo Uber bar. Currently I'm leaning heavily towards the Alta bar in part because of this thread.

What I'm really confused about is this statement from the Palo Uber site:
No drilling steel to mount bar or leveling required.
But then in the directions (pdf) that is linked above, the second 'step' in the directions is:
Take template and drill holes for lights and wires
They claim no drilling yet the second thing you're supposed to do is drill?!? Am I missing something?
 
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Old 12-27-2006, 06:43 PM
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Here is my homemade light bar.
 
Attached Thumbnails Palo Uber Light Bar (Installation Hell)-img_2883.jpg   Palo Uber Light Bar (Installation Hell)-img_2888.jpg   Palo Uber Light Bar (Installation Hell)-lights-side.jpg  
  #10  
Old 12-27-2006, 07:08 PM
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The holes you drill are in the bumper cover. Its the biggest pain in the AS* ever to install or remove. Very strong setup, just not installer friendly you just have to work your fingers in places they dont really fit, and havinig a ratcheting wrench helps ALOT tightening the lights to the bar.
 
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Old 12-27-2006, 08:53 PM
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so does Palo Uber sell a new bar to mount the lights under the bumper cover, or are they selling a template to drill into the existing under bumper cover frame, and from what I have learned a very good wiring/switch setup?
 
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Old 12-28-2006, 01:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Fireballed Brian
The holes you drill are in the bumper cover. Its the biggest pain in the AS* ever to install or remove. Very strong setup, just not installer friendly you just have to work your fingers in places they dont really fit, and havinig a ratcheting wrench helps ALOT tightening the lights to the bar.
Ah... now I get it. It's all in the wording... "No drilling steel..."

Thanks Brian.
 
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Old 12-28-2006, 05:45 AM
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Could someone who has the Palo Uber Bar and has not installed it (Kurvhugr?) take a pix of what is included? I thought Alta's discription and photos were sparse, but I'm not sure what you are getting with the Palo Uber. TIA Michael
 
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Old 12-28-2006, 05:54 AM
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Here ya go from another tread.
 
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Old 12-28-2006, 06:07 AM
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Originally Posted by mistro
so does Palo Uber sell a new bar to mount the lights under the bumper cover, or are they selling a template to drill into the existing under bumper cover frame, and from what I have learned a very good wiring/switch setup?
The only problem I had with the wiring is there is no provision to disconect it when you have to pull the front of the car off. Its very nicely done though.
 
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Old 12-28-2006, 06:11 AM
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Can't argue with the quality. It's the best I've seen yet. Just don't appreciate the glossing over of the install difficulty. Changing a transmission didn't cut me up this bad! LOL
 
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Old 12-28-2006, 06:42 AM
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Fireballed, did you install on an '05 or '06. Seems their instructions call for using the purple wire on my '06 and instead of turning the lights on and off, I end up turning the radio on and off! LOL

Also, their wiring dagram does not show where to conect the wires on the switches.
 
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Old 12-29-2006, 02:14 PM
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Update; Finally completed! Seems the wiring harness was incompatable with the switches which where sent. Disconnected the extra ground to the control switches and "voila!" lights!
Will take some pictures tonight at the car show.
 
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Old 12-30-2006, 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Minibeast
Update; Finally completed! Seems the wiring harness was incompatable with the switches which where sent. Disconnected the extra ground to the control switches and "voila!" lights!
Will take some pictures tonight at the car show.

I can't wait to see the pics. I just bought the light bar and we just took delivery of a new 06 MCS with the Aero Kit. After readiing your post, I think I'm gonna take ours to Palo Uber and let them install it. :impatient
 
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Old 12-30-2006, 01:47 PM
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Finished product. (For now) I only installed the two outside fog lights for now as I'm looking for another mounting solution for the Driving lights.





 
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Old 12-30-2006, 02:49 PM
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Which Hellas are those? Running this regularly in PBOC for 07 I assume?
 
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Old 12-30-2006, 02:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Motor On
Which Hellas are those? Running this regularly in PBOC for 07 I assume?
Hella 500. Of course it'll be running as a regular in PBOC!
Wish we were doing Daytona but it looks like that won't happen till next year.
 
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Old 12-30-2006, 02:53 PM
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Looks great. Did you wait for the promised improved installation instructions from the Palo Uber folks or did you just wing it?
 
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Old 12-30-2006, 02:56 PM
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Just winged it. Used a pencil and the bar to mark the hole locations, then the smallest drill bit I could find to place the starter hole.
 
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Old 12-30-2006, 02:59 PM
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never mind
 

Last edited by kurvhugr; 12-30-2006 at 03:00 PM. Reason: double post


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