ACC BAR : The NEW & Improved WAYALIFE CB BAR

cafecito820

New member
Dude these look awesome! We have a group ride coming up early next year that requires CB radios, so I just may be taking one of these off your hands :)
 

sugarbear_jt

New member
I am adding this new version to my wish list for my JT and my wife's JLU. :) We have GMRS radios and this would be a way better mounting option. I look forward to them being available. Hopefully shipping to Canada doesn't frighten me. :D I'll order two and get discounted shipping!
 

monstrousmac

Caught the Bug
Just so that it's 100% clear, WAYALIFE will not have a display booth at the 2022 SEMA Show. That said, I thought now would be as good a time as any to introduce a new product that I've been working on - the ACC BAR!

It's been about 4 years since I came out with the original WAYALIFE CB BAR and while I do like it a lot as is, there have been improvements that I've been wanting to make and for quite some time now. Specifically, I've been wanting to address the requests I've gotten to provide more mounting holes to accommodate additional radios, devices and gadgets. I've also wanted to raise it up as high as I could, closer to the roof but while still being able to operate the Freedom Top latches. And, not that the current CB BAR weighs a ton, I wanted to see if I could lighten it up a bit if only to help bring down shipping costs.

Anyway, I am still in the testing phase of this new ACC BAR but thought you might want to get sneak peek of what it will look like.

Please note that the ACC BAR is shown in bare steel but that the final product will be finished in a textured black powder coat, just like the original CB BAR.
20221025141252-e3a45de8.jpg


As you can see, this new ACC BAR is no longer a squared tube but rather, is made out of laser cut and bent steel with the top of it open. This allows for the easy installation of multiple devices and anywhere along the length of the bar.
20221025141256-29a0eb91.jpg


Installation is essentially the same only, the hardware for the bar has been beefed up and now comes with bigger carriage bolts and nyloc nuts to make it even easier.
20221025141349-dc9da8af.jpg


Also, the back side of the bar has hole in it so that you can secure your wiring to it in a plastic conduit as shown.
20221025141334-5eba3ca5.jpg


I also made sure to include mounting points for a GearKeeper mic holder on both sides of the radio.
20221025141346-ad6ad9d0.jpg


As you can see here, the ACC BAR now sits on top of the roll bar brackets so that it can sit as high as possible to the roof.
20221025141410-9c343cf9.jpg


Here's a shot to show how the ACC BAR now sits ABOVE the sun visor.
20221025141239-f20dc96e.jpg


Of course, just as before, the ACC BAR is purposefully positioned to allow for complete access to all the Freedom Top clamps.
20221025141242-9b0e1251.jpg


As well as the latches closes to the windshield.
20221025141358-df55cf53.jpg


One feature that I really wanted to incorporate on the ACC BAR was a means to install a Switch Pros switch panel directly on it as well as provide additional universal mounting holes for something like an Auxbeam switch panel. This is why the front face of the ACC BAR is angled downward a bit - to help you access and see the switches.
20221025141237-4d2c70b8.jpg


With the Switch Pros installed, there is literally 1/4" between it and the Freedom Top. Basically, as close to it as I could and without it being a problem.
20221025141421-ec523e1a.jpg


Anyway, if all goes well with testing, I hope to have these available for sale by the middle of Novembe

Just so that it's 100% clear, WAYALIFE will not have a display booth at the 2022 SEMA Show. That said, I thought now would be as good a time as any to introduce a new product that I've been working on - the ACC BAR!

It's been about 4 years since I came out with the original WAYALIFE CB BAR and while I do like it a lot as is, there have been improvements that I've been wanting to make and for quite some time now. Specifically, I've been wanting to address the requests I've gotten to provide more mounting holes to accommodate additional radios, devices and gadgets. I've also wanted to raise it up as high as I could, closer to the roof but while still being able to operate the Freedom Top latches. And, not that the current CB BAR weighs a ton, I wanted to see if I could lighten it up a bit if only to help bring down shipping costs.

Anyway, I am still in the testing phase of this new ACC BAR but thought you might want to get sneak peek of what it will look like.

Please note that the ACC BAR is shown in bare steel but that the final product will be finished in a textured black powder coat, just like the original CB BAR.
20221025141252-e3a45de8.jpg


As you can see, this new ACC BAR is no longer a squared tube but rather, is made out of laser cut and bent steel with the top of it open. This allows for the easy installation of multiple devices and anywhere along the length of the bar.
20221025141256-29a0eb91.jpg


Installation is essentially the same only, the hardware for the bar has been beefed up and now comes with bigger carriage bolts and nyloc nuts to make it even easier.
20221025141349-dc9da8af.jpg


Also, the back side of the bar has hole in it so that you can secure your wiring to it in a plastic conduit as shown.
20221025141334-5eba3ca5.jpg


I also made sure to include mounting points for a GearKeeper mic holder on both sides of the radio.
20221025141346-ad6ad9d0.jpg


As you can see here, the ACC BAR now sits on top of the roll bar brackets so that it can sit as high as possible to the roof.
20221025141410-9c343cf9.jpg


Here's a shot to show how the ACC BAR now sits ABOVE the sun visor.
20221025141239-f20dc96e.jpg


Of course, just as before, the ACC BAR is purposefully positioned to allow for complete access to all the Freedom Top clamps.
20221025141242-9b0e1251.jpg


As well as the latches closes to the windshield.
20221025141358-df55cf53.jpg


One feature that I really wanted to incorporate on the ACC BAR was a means to install a Switch Pros switch panel directly on it as well as provide additional universal mounting holes for something like an Auxbeam switch panel. This is why the front face of the ACC BAR is angled downward a bit - to help you access and see the switches.
20221025141237-4d2c70b8.jpg


With the Switch Pros installed, there is literally 1/4" between it and the Freedom Top. Basically, as close to it as I could and without it being a problem.
20221025141421-ec523e1a.jpg


Anyway, if all goes well with testing, I hope to have these available for sale by the middle of November. :cool:
I will definitely be picking one up for my JK. Even though I already have the CB Bar, I like this new design.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I really am sorry for these not being available just yet. After more testing, I decided it needed to be modified and tested again. Although it works well, I really want it to be as perfect as I can get it. Needless to say, I'm doing more testing now.
 

jal

Active Member
I really am sorry for these not being available just yet. After more testing, I decided it needed to be modified and tested again. Although it works well, I really want it to be as perfect as I can get it. Needless to say, I'm doing more testing now.
Awesome thank you for the update
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I appreciate your willingness to wait. I'm on my 4th prototype and they aren't cheap to make so you can believe me when I say, I'm eager to start selling them. I just need them to be right.
 

JimLee

Hooked
I appreciate your willingness to wait. I'm on my 4th prototype and they aren't cheap to make so you can believe me when I say, I'm eager to start selling them. I just need them to be right.
We may give you a hard time Eddie, but it's all in fun. I think most people recognize that its your name and your brand on the final product, take your time and get it perfected the way you want.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Okay, so the reason why I haven't made this new ACC BAR available for sale yet and it's because there was one thing about it that I wasn't happy with. Being that it was made out of laser cut and bent steel, this as opposed to a tube like before, you could see some bouncing of the radio when driving on rough roads - like washboards and at slow speeds. It was nothing major and certainly not a big problem but... knowing that it was there just annoyed me. Needless to say, I looked into a whole host of options to address it including welds, a bolt on truss and a combination of both but all of that added in more man hours to make and install and it drove the cost way way up!

With that said, I decided to look into an option I had considered from the beginning but steered clear of due to it being considerably more expensive but ultimately, the best solution - laser cut tube. And, here are a few teaser pics of what the final ACC BAR will look like.

This is a view of it from the top and the side that will face the windshield.
IMG_4905.jpg

The large holes on top exists for accessing bolts inside the bar.
IMG_4914.jpg

Like the previous design, the bottom of the bar is lined with slots that allow for the installation of multiple devices and accessories.
IMG_4909.jpg

Using a tube, no bending was required and so I was able to eliminate the slits on the ends. This helps to stiffen things up substantially.
IMG_4913.jpg

And, just like the previous design, I was able to remove material from the center of the bar to allow the Freedom Top Panel latches to clear but left enough there to still offer rigidity. I also included holes on the ACC BAR that will allow for the installation of a future T-BAR.
IMG_4915.jpg

Because this is now being made out of tube, I did have to remove the switch mount option but I will be offering a separate mount that will be offered as an option.
IMG_2522.jpg

I will post of more pics once I get this installed. Assuming all goes well with testing, I will greenlight production and will start accepting pre-orders. Unfortunately, the cost of this new ACC BAR will be more than what I was hoping for but I will make it so that forum members can buy it for a significant discount. Essentially, for what I was originally shooting for.
 
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