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Light bar causing soft top buffeting...ELIMINATED!!!!!!

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Old Jul 15, 2014 | 07:19 PM
  #1  
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From: Tabernash,Co.
Default Light bar causing soft top buffeting...ELIMINATED!!!!!!

I found the key is to lower the light bar so the top is even with the top of the windshield frame and to get it out away from the frame so there is enough room for a significant amount of air flowing up the windshield and under the light. The plexi-glass that I added even further quieted the whole thing down. I think that by putting it there it forces the wind from under the light to speed up like an airplane wing acts and smooth out the air that is coming over the top.
The wind buffeting that I had was extreme, to the point that if I couldn't figure something out the bar was going up for sale. I was truly worried that the way the soft top was slamming around that I would reduce it's life dramatically.

The light is a 300w (100LED) measuring 52" at the mounting surfaces, the mounts are Rough Country and they were meant for a 50" (288w/96Led) so the first thing that I had to do was to chop them to widen them, and (at first) I thought that if I got the bar down and CLOSER to the windshield was the way to go. Well that almost worked, it was better than stock because the original set up had the light way to high and the wind was very turbulent. The I added the extensions to move the bar forward about 3".....BINGO... low enough and far enough away.

The adjustable mounts are temporary till I get it dialed in and then I will remove them and replace them with a straight bar support, and actually I think that this is very close to perfect right now.

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Old Jul 15, 2014 | 08:39 PM
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nice job!

I always wondered how much noise the light bars made. How did you attach the Plexiglas?

Sent from my d2lte using Tapatalk
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Old Jul 16, 2014 | 03:28 AM
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:rotfl mao2:

seriously, everything causes soft tops to buffet, its rediculous!

the bug/rock guard i put on my hood was rated as atrocious for causing it, light bars cause it, driving over 50 seems to cause it! are soft tops even worth it?!
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Old Jul 16, 2014 | 03:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Mountain Man Tim
:rotfl mao2: seriously, everything causes soft tops to buffet, its rediculous! the bug/rock guard i put on my hood was rated as atrocious for causing it, light bars cause it, driving over 50 seems to cause it! are soft tops even worth it?!
Yeah, they are! You take them off and the noise goes away!
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Old Jul 16, 2014 | 06:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Gforce!
Yeah, they are! You take them off and the noise goes away!
Was wondering what was causing that!
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Old Jul 16, 2014 | 07:53 PM
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I wonder if just adding plexi glass or something similar would help.

I can't chop up my mounts...lol
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Old Jul 18, 2014 | 07:28 AM
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There's a deflector called the "WADE" windshield air deflector. I just saw one on eBay. The reviews were so-so, but I'd check it out.
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Old Jul 18, 2014 | 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted by bigpooma
There's a deflector called the "WADE" windshield air deflector. I just saw one on eBay. The reviews were so-so, but I'd check it out.
Wade Automotive Products 20102 - Wade Automotive Top Wind Deflector for 07-14 Jeep® Wrangler & Wrangler Unlimited JK - Quadratec
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Old Jul 18, 2014 | 03:32 PM
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Yes how did you mount the plexi glass and what thickness did you use
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Old Jul 18, 2014 | 05:36 PM
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I got a piece of 3/8" thick by 48"x4". I then started to slowly cut out a curve on my band saw to match the profile of the windshield curve. As to the mounting, it is just stuffed into the cooling fin gap which is also 3/8".

I have been experimenting with where to place the plexi because what I found is the higher it is placed the more "hum" is produced by the fins, but the buffeting is gone, BUT the lower it is place the opposite is happening...more buffeting but less hum.

So far the third opening from the bottom seems to be the best compromise.
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