Friends,
Got to test drive the new generation 2018 Jeep Wrangler (JL) today. First one to arrive at the dealership here in town, great vehicle. Many upgrades over the prior generation JK. =Probably going to buy if I can iron out a lighting setup that makes sense.
I would really appreciate input from anyone who's got the opportunity to look at a JL because the opportunities for undercover lighting are significantly different than they are on the JK's. Bolts in different places, a diamond grille protecting the radiator and creating a very inaccessible space (arghhhh), different taillight housing, and so on. Note this will be for a soft top configuration so roof gutter mountings and the like are out, I guess.
What I WANT:
"Undercover"--vehicle should look very close to stock when lights are turned off
360* coverage---it doesn't have to be great coverage for sides/rear but there has to be something.
No lights inside the passenger cabin if possible. Yes I know LED's don't flash back at you in the windshield as badly as the strobes or halogen rotator dash light of the "old days", but I'm really not wanting to blind myself at night. At all.
How I would like to do it:
1. Wig-wag headlights (In my experience these are a lot of bang for the buck especially out in the country where we have long stretches of straight roads. Even in town, people stop and get out of your way; I never got such strong results with blue lights alone.)
2. Blue grille lights (required by state law in order to have the headlights flash)
3. Side warning--Whelen ION V-Series Super-LED model XONV3B --this light provides blue side warning as well as "some" alley lighting which would be a nice step up. Also "puddle lighting", whoopee. The "X" at the beginning of the light model number gives you a "smoked lens" which seems like a win.
4. Rear warning--if required. I say "if required" because the Whelen ION's on the side provide 180 degree light. The only problem is there is a slight curve to the side of the Jeep where if I mount them just in front of the windshield, just below hood level, as planned, they will be angled ever so slightly forward and I'm not sure will provide any light directly to the rear. This is why I am hoping someone has access to look at a JL and give some good feedback. (Hello Whelen....can you go to your local Jeep dealership please....) If I do need additional rear warning, and I think I probably will, my preference would be for "hide-a-way" LED light heads inside the backup light housing. If they fit. I have no idea if they would fit. Does anyone know? Should I ask the salesman to have their service guy open up the new housing so I can take a look?? If LEDs in the backup light housing didn't work I guess I would go for some kind of sad license plate mount LED's or try to figure a way to mount something on the swing bar for the spare tire. I can't think of any really great options. Certainly no other way I can think of to mount lights widely apart, as I would like on the rear, unless I go with something interior
SOoooooo the outstanding questions for anyone who's able to see (or who is familiar with) the new Jeep Wrangler JL's:
1. How the heck can I mount grill lights in this thing? I noticed the lateral part of the grille on each side is closed, possibly a horn on one side and something else on the other. Perhaps a custom made bracket that screws into whatever's at the edges, behind the grille but in front of the radiator?!?! Perhaps a custom mount on one of the vertical members is possible but I have no idea how to even get at it. I am 100% at a loss on this. I've only had a short time to look but it's a puzzle so far.
2. Anyone have thoughts on whether the ION's would provide lighting to the rear? I have no way to tell, guess there IS no way to tell other than trying it.. (Do I need to be more specific on where I'd be mounting them, I can provide a picture..)
3. Anyone care to recommend a blue LED to hide in the backup lights? Should I just go with whatever Whelen has and keep it all with one manufacturer, use the sync patterns? I don't see a huge benefit there. If another mfr has a great product for this (like really tiny*g*) I would probably go that way. Please send input...
4. Recommendation on the grille lights? Any real benefit to syncing with the side lights that will definitely be visible from the front? They will be mounted vertically I'm sure so I'll need something with a focused (straight ahead) light spread, not something that disperses 50% of the light into the pavement/sky.
5. Last thing, anybody have tips for switch panels they like or have come on the market recently? No sirens here. Will need just 6 switches. I don't mind pushing 4 buttons to make all the blues and headlights go; don't need the "one throw lever turns everything on". One for grille lights, one for wigwags, one for side warning, one for rear warning(potentially). Then one for left alley/puddle and one for right alley/puddle. Love to get some pointers to a decent, nice looking switch panel that isn't huge and would fit well someplace in the Jeep's small cockpit.
Thanks all for reading. If you want pics of the relevant parts of the vehicle let me know and I'll figure out how to post them.
Be safe,
/pbz
Got to test drive the new generation 2018 Jeep Wrangler (JL) today. First one to arrive at the dealership here in town, great vehicle. Many upgrades over the prior generation JK. =Probably going to buy if I can iron out a lighting setup that makes sense.
I would really appreciate input from anyone who's got the opportunity to look at a JL because the opportunities for undercover lighting are significantly different than they are on the JK's. Bolts in different places, a diamond grille protecting the radiator and creating a very inaccessible space (arghhhh), different taillight housing, and so on. Note this will be for a soft top configuration so roof gutter mountings and the like are out, I guess.
What I WANT:
"Undercover"--vehicle should look very close to stock when lights are turned off
360* coverage---it doesn't have to be great coverage for sides/rear but there has to be something.
No lights inside the passenger cabin if possible. Yes I know LED's don't flash back at you in the windshield as badly as the strobes or halogen rotator dash light of the "old days", but I'm really not wanting to blind myself at night. At all.
How I would like to do it:
1. Wig-wag headlights (In my experience these are a lot of bang for the buck especially out in the country where we have long stretches of straight roads. Even in town, people stop and get out of your way; I never got such strong results with blue lights alone.)
2. Blue grille lights (required by state law in order to have the headlights flash)
3. Side warning--Whelen ION V-Series Super-LED model XONV3B --this light provides blue side warning as well as "some" alley lighting which would be a nice step up. Also "puddle lighting", whoopee. The "X" at the beginning of the light model number gives you a "smoked lens" which seems like a win.
4. Rear warning--if required. I say "if required" because the Whelen ION's on the side provide 180 degree light. The only problem is there is a slight curve to the side of the Jeep where if I mount them just in front of the windshield, just below hood level, as planned, they will be angled ever so slightly forward and I'm not sure will provide any light directly to the rear. This is why I am hoping someone has access to look at a JL and give some good feedback. (Hello Whelen....can you go to your local Jeep dealership please....) If I do need additional rear warning, and I think I probably will, my preference would be for "hide-a-way" LED light heads inside the backup light housing. If they fit. I have no idea if they would fit. Does anyone know? Should I ask the salesman to have their service guy open up the new housing so I can take a look?? If LEDs in the backup light housing didn't work I guess I would go for some kind of sad license plate mount LED's or try to figure a way to mount something on the swing bar for the spare tire. I can't think of any really great options. Certainly no other way I can think of to mount lights widely apart, as I would like on the rear, unless I go with something interior
SOoooooo the outstanding questions for anyone who's able to see (or who is familiar with) the new Jeep Wrangler JL's:
1. How the heck can I mount grill lights in this thing? I noticed the lateral part of the grille on each side is closed, possibly a horn on one side and something else on the other. Perhaps a custom made bracket that screws into whatever's at the edges, behind the grille but in front of the radiator?!?! Perhaps a custom mount on one of the vertical members is possible but I have no idea how to even get at it. I am 100% at a loss on this. I've only had a short time to look but it's a puzzle so far.
2. Anyone have thoughts on whether the ION's would provide lighting to the rear? I have no way to tell, guess there IS no way to tell other than trying it.. (Do I need to be more specific on where I'd be mounting them, I can provide a picture..)
3. Anyone care to recommend a blue LED to hide in the backup lights? Should I just go with whatever Whelen has and keep it all with one manufacturer, use the sync patterns? I don't see a huge benefit there. If another mfr has a great product for this (like really tiny*g*) I would probably go that way. Please send input...
4. Recommendation on the grille lights? Any real benefit to syncing with the side lights that will definitely be visible from the front? They will be mounted vertically I'm sure so I'll need something with a focused (straight ahead) light spread, not something that disperses 50% of the light into the pavement/sky.
5. Last thing, anybody have tips for switch panels they like or have come on the market recently? No sirens here. Will need just 6 switches. I don't mind pushing 4 buttons to make all the blues and headlights go; don't need the "one throw lever turns everything on". One for grille lights, one for wigwags, one for side warning, one for rear warning(potentially). Then one for left alley/puddle and one for right alley/puddle. Love to get some pointers to a decent, nice looking switch panel that isn't huge and would fit well someplace in the Jeep's small cockpit.
Thanks all for reading. If you want pics of the relevant parts of the vehicle let me know and I'll figure out how to post them.
Be safe,
/pbz