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50" Lightbar with a soft top..

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Old 02-21-2018, 05:42 AM
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Default 50" Lightbar with a soft top..

Hey guys,

I recently installed a 50" light bar and knew that I was going to face the apparent "whistling" noise due to the wind flowing over the rear fins of the light bar. Took it for a quick drive after I installed it and people were not joking when they say ear-popping whistling noise that gets worse the faster you go, so I installed three rubber spacers into the fins and that solved that issue.

My question for you now; I have a soft-top JK and because the light bar sticks up higher than the roof of my Jeep there is a pretty strong turbulent flow of air that goes over the light bar and crashes hard onto my soft-top making the soft-top beat like a set of drums. It's literally loud enough that the radio doesn't drown the sound out.

Is anyone familiar with some sort of DIY way, or lip-kit that can attach behind the light bar or to the top of the windshield to break-up that turbulent flow?

Thanks guys
Old 02-21-2018, 08:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Mlord
Hey guys,

I recently installed a 50" light bar and knew that I was going to face the apparent "whistling" noise due to the wind flowing over the rear fins of the light bar. Took it for a quick drive after I installed it and people were not joking when they say ear-popping whistling noise that gets worse the faster you go, so I installed three rubber spacers into the fins and that solved that issue.

My question for you now; I have a soft-top JK and because the light bar sticks up higher than the roof of my Jeep there is a pretty strong turbulent flow of air that goes over the light bar and crashes hard onto my soft-top making the soft-top beat like a set of drums. It's literally loud enough that the radio doesn't drown the sound out.

Is anyone familiar with some sort of DIY way, or lip-kit that can attach behind the light bar or to the top of the windshield to break-up that turbulent flow?

Thanks guys
I've seen what you're describing. It's similar in nature to those wind deflectors found on the front portion of a truck's hood. Several years ago I purchased one and it mounts on the top of the windshield frame, just above the windshield. It worked well for a few years, but I broke it on a trail. Sorry, I forgot who made it.
Old 02-21-2018, 09:54 AM
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Originally Posted by RodCyn
I've seen what you're describing. It's similar in nature to those wind deflectors found on the front portion of a truck's hood. Several years ago I purchased one and it mounts on the top of the windshield frame, just above the windshield. It worked well for a few years, but I broke it on a trail. Sorry, I forgot who made it.

haha, I'm glad you know what I'm talking about. So at least there is something roaming around out there to fix this. And thats what I was thinking, I need something similar to the wind deflector that go on the front of the hood to put on top of the windshield.
Old 02-21-2018, 10:31 AM
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50" mounts can be real hit and miss sometimes. I had a cheap set off eBay one time that were perfect. They were a bit shorter than most and held the light so the top was about even with the windshield frame rather than up above it....and I never had any of these issues with those particular brackets, neither hard top nor with soft top. Really didn't have whistling issues either. Chaulked it up to dumb luck with cheap eBay purchase. LOL
Old 02-21-2018, 10:44 AM
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I helped a buddy resolve this issue. We simply lined all the heat sink fins on the back with edge trim, and angled the bar slightly down a few degrees. He said he only really hears it now when he's going over 70mph, and the soft top chilled out.
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Old 02-21-2018, 04:25 PM
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Here's an easy fix: Upgrade the stereo. Problem solved.

I'd look at some new mounts that drop below the windshield frame rather than reinventing the wheel on a deflector system.
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