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The Official JK Aftermarket Lighting Thread (HID, HALO, Fog, Etc..)

316K views 1K replies 233 participants last post by  Tnheritage 
#1 · (Edited)

__________________________________________________

Not all lighting options are legal and it is up
to the individual buying/installing the lights
to determine if it is legal or not. It is not up
to the members or staff of this forum to
make that decision for you.


__________________________________________________


If you plan to post your opinion or interpretation about the legality of certain lights, DON'T!!!

This thread and any other JK lighting thread is to be a discussion about lights, not the law. If you
can't do that, STAY OUT!!! And if you can't do that either, it's three strikes and
you're out. Third offense is a permanent ban.

This is your ONLY warning.





If you have questions about aftermarket HID lighting kits and whether or not they are legal you can follow the link below and read the article. You can also visit to your local law enforcement office or just Google lighting laws.

Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply
 
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#2 ·
Ill Post First, Just got home from my shift at the Prison and the UPS man was kind enough to get a signature from my buddy a couple of doors down. My Rigid D2's have arrived. And now Im clueless how to go about getting them installed. It has directions and I can follow them But I dont know the best place to run the wire Harness. ( suggestions )
 
#3 ·
I want to run a pair of driving lights on my front bumper hoop and I don't want to spend any serious cash on them as they could magically disappear.

But, they will need to be as short as possible so they don't show over the hood when I drive, say less than 2 1/2" tall.

So the question is, which set of lights have you seen that might fit the area and are of good quality?

Thanks,
 
#4 ·
You want cheap-n-stinky and work pretty well?
Pilot makes some.

There are tamper-proof hardware kits available if you want something that works really well though. The difference in light quality makes a big difference in visual acuity when you use driving lights (auxiliary highbeams) on the road.
If you're just using them offroad, get some cheap HIDs; lots and lots of light, poor CRI and focus (but who cares?).
 
#5 ·
What do you guys prefer halogen or HID? Driving or long range for the bumper?
 
#398 ·
USMC - thank God, where can I get tactical red lights to replace stock fog lights for a 2013 or 2010 Rubicon JK - been looking online can't find just the bulb - thanks

I'm a former Army Infantry guy that likes to drive offroad tactical on occasion for no sane or rational reason
 
#12 ·
SilverSport said:
IMHO get halogen or LED. Extra light for offroading and DDing.
Thanks I will look at halogen (leds cost an arm and a leg). Do you think I should get driving or spot lense?
 
#13 ·
Would it be possible to post links to places you can purchase LED lights? It seems like JW Speakers are hard to find especially the fogs and signals.
 
#15 ·
The Chrome Shop in Arkansas has sold Speaker in the past at good prices. River Raider sometimes too.
You can always contact Speaker for a list of retailers...

For lots of unbiased headlight info:
Headlight Shootout - JeepForum.com
 
#14 ·
#18 ·
Thank you for the links and replies. I contacted Speaker before to find a dealer in my area, Kansas, and they sent me to a place in Colorado. I contacted that dealer who never contacted me back. Plus, their website sucked. Clicking on the Speaker lighting section of their website sends me back to JW Speaker's website.

So I gave up.
 
#19 ·
#24 ·
I'm leaning towards the PIAA 520 series aux lights. Can anyone suggest which model (such as ATP or SMR or ION Crystal) I should get? I plan to use mainly for on-road travel. My area is rural with many dark 2 lane high speed roads and we have deer all over the place. I want something I can flick on when there are no other vehicles on the road to keep from hitting deer. Thanks.
 
#71 ·
I'll let you know shortly, I have a pair of the 520 ATP's on order. If you go to PIAA.com they have a good explanation of the three types, differences being optics and bulb wattage. If I remember correctly ION = fog lights, SMR = driving lights, ATP = off road lights. The website shows graphics of the different patterns. ATP has wider light spread and (presumably) greater range than the SMR, which would be your other choice, based on stated usage..
 
#25 ·
Hilldweller, I was hoping you'd be on this thread... as I value your oppion on this subject. Fluted lights vs. Spot and placement. are spots better for windshield mounts or front mounted light bar. also if I run fluted is the light pattern directed enough that I can use them while on the highway?
 
#27 ·
This thread and Joel's work have merit; lest we forget it:
http://www.wranglerforum.com/f33/rallylight-hella-headlight-upgrade-install-73538.html

Those are broad questions.
I'm not a huge fan of lights up by the A-pillar but can see the usefulness of them in a couple of situations:
1. A couple of smallish lights pointed down and away from the Jeep to see the sides of the road in really tricky areas with dangerous side obstacles.
2. A pair of sharp focus pencil beams for use when you're plowing your way through tall grass or you've been doused with mud and can't get out yet to clean your headlights.

As for patterns and whatnots on the bumper, I personally like a set of floods up there for trail use and a set of driving (Euro) pattern for auxiliary highbeam use. Some could be fluted and that isn't always an indicator of how the beam will actually work. I'd just stay away from anything with hokey claims, weird lenses/reflectors, claims of extra light from bulb coatings, etc.

Bosch Compact 100s come in a few flavors and work great. Hella Rallye 4000s in the Euro pattern have a wonderful spread of light. Cibie 5.75" convex H1 reflectors in a simple Grote bucket yields you one of the best set of driving lights you can imagine and won't cost much.


What are some thoughts on the jw speakers, they worth the money??? Stuck between the trucklites 2 and the jw
I haven't installed or tested the new Speakers yet but I have them on my bench. The heatsink area is smaller than their previous iteration and the lens is plastic; but other than that, they look the same as the old ones.

So, extrapolating from that, let's assume that the light pattern will be about the same as the old ones.
If that's the case, and that's a big if, there are differences in the beam pattern between the Trucklites and the Speakers.
The Trucklites have a very broad spread of light and maybe a bit too much foreground lighting to be considered perfect for fast highway speeds. They have amazing highbeams but a weird "X" artifact from each light that some find distracting.

The old gen Speakers that I had produced a predictable spread of light, fairly broad and even but not nearly as wide as the Trucklites. The highbeams were also quite good.
The Speakers did not have superfluous amounts of foreground lighting and were well-suited for the highway in that regard.

Foreground lighting ---- if you're going fast you don't want it because it tends to constrict your pupils and you won't see as far.
If you're going slow and picking your way along a trail, along a twisty road with deer, you'll like it.

So, pick a winner? It's up to the user.
For me, I'd go with the Trucklites for where I live and how I drive. I'd be perfectly happy with the Speakers though and would just use my supplemental lights more often...
 
#28 ·
Anyone have a reccomendation for a replacement fog light for the bumper. I know some think they are useless but im currently upgrading to h4's from rallylights for my headlights with the phillip extreme bulbs. (Thanks for the advice hilldweller) . .would really like to upgrade the fogs with a nice white light to match the headlights. Stock fogs blow imo. Any help would be appreciated
 
#29 ·
Search on here for somebody who's done the Pilot swap.
Doesn't break the bank and it gives you more light.
 
#34 ·
Light topics are a common interest that does not deserve a open thread. A sticky with individual topics possibly, but to lump everything into a huge open topic does this fourm no justice. Just look at the very few posts here people that are trying to determine what lighting direction to go wont look at this general no information thread.
 
#37 ·
Interesting story, despite some ommissions on their part. They completely forgot the motorcycle and big-truck market for 7" round par-56-based lights.
Thank goodness they exist too or we'd have no new lighting innovations to fit into our blunt-faced icons.
 
#39 ·
Woop Woop! :dance:

The Brown Truck dropped off two packages today! They are from Daniel Stern. One contained the Cibie headlights, Narva 100/90wbulbs, and a pair of Tyco relays. Other package contained the complete wiring harness to make the upgrade plug -n- play from H13 to H4.

Another reason to look forward to the weekend! :thumb:
 
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