geolchris
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
I really liked the look of the high top painted rubicon fenders, especially with the LED turn signals to match the LED headlights that come on the Willys. So, I added them. Here’s what I did.
First, I sourced a used set of painted fenders off a Rubicon. They were $400 on Craigslist, in good enough shape. What I sadly didn’t see until I got them home was that whoever removed them was an ape and cut the turn signal wiring about halfway back inside the fender. Bummer.
I figured I’d go the DIY route for painting the fenders using the Mopar rattle can paint and SprayMax 2k high gloss clear coat. I am not sure I recommend this method, as it ended up taking 13(!!) cans of the Mopar paint to get the job done. The Mopar paint says it does not need clear coat, but that’s a lie. It does not have a very nice finish. So I also used 6 cans of really nice clear coat to finish it up. The final product is pretty damn good, but it was about $225 in paint. Still, cheaper than what body shops were quoting me for the job, though, which was $200 to $300 per fender.
Mounting on the car was dead simple, just like any guide out there for removing and replacing the fenders.
Wiring to make the LEDs work as expected was pretty easy too with the right components. I did have to buy a programmer. I did not want to spend the money for a Tazer, so I went the iPhone App route. I got the JSCAN app (free app to view, $18.99 license in-app purchase to save changes), vGate iCar Pro BLE 4 ($29, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071D8SYXN?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) and the Chrysler 12+8 cable to get around the OBD security gateway ($37, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07W4YF2H7?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title). All in, $85 for a device that seems to be functionally similar to the tazer, you just use your phone to change the settings. More money saved for more Jeep toys!
Since my wires were unfortunately cut, I spliced them into my existing halogen harness. If your turn signal harness is the complete Rubicon harness, and you have five wires on the body side of the fender harness - this is plug and play. In my case the halogen fender harness was missing one wire, the wire that goes to the DRLs. Now, my car had the wire on the body harness side for the DRL, white/yellow on the left, white/blue on the right. I am not sure if a normal sport or sport S has the wire on the body side, it would be interesting for someone to confirm. If not, then the Willys has it because the Willys has half the LED package (headlights, not fenders). But, since I had the wire on the body side, I just tee spliced into it and ran a wire along side the fender harness to the proper wire at the turn signal. I also tee’d in the yellow/brown wire (bulb fault wire) into the side marker wire, from all my research it seems like that’s how it is on the Rubi harness. If you have a cut rubi harness too, PM me and I can give you more detail on how I wired it up if you need help.
At this point, the fender LEDs worked for blinkers and the dim white LEDs would come on when the park lights or headlights were on. The lights were off when the headlights were in off or auto. Also, without programming, the blinkers would work for about a minute and then the system would report a bulb out and the hyper flash would start, and interestingly the computer would fully disable the whole front fender light assembly (amber and white lights) until the computer was cycled.
Onto programming - with the JSCAN app open, and the bypass cable plugged into the wires under the dash and above the OBD plug, and the iCar adapter plugged into the bypass cable, you’re ready to go. Press the ignition button until the car is in run, but don’t turn it on. In the app, connect to the car.
Sweet!
I hope this helps some of you other adventurous Jeepers out there.
First, I sourced a used set of painted fenders off a Rubicon. They were $400 on Craigslist, in good enough shape. What I sadly didn’t see until I got them home was that whoever removed them was an ape and cut the turn signal wiring about halfway back inside the fender. Bummer.
I figured I’d go the DIY route for painting the fenders using the Mopar rattle can paint and SprayMax 2k high gloss clear coat. I am not sure I recommend this method, as it ended up taking 13(!!) cans of the Mopar paint to get the job done. The Mopar paint says it does not need clear coat, but that’s a lie. It does not have a very nice finish. So I also used 6 cans of really nice clear coat to finish it up. The final product is pretty damn good, but it was about $225 in paint. Still, cheaper than what body shops were quoting me for the job, though, which was $200 to $300 per fender.
Mounting on the car was dead simple, just like any guide out there for removing and replacing the fenders.
Wiring to make the LEDs work as expected was pretty easy too with the right components. I did have to buy a programmer. I did not want to spend the money for a Tazer, so I went the iPhone App route. I got the JSCAN app (free app to view, $18.99 license in-app purchase to save changes), vGate iCar Pro BLE 4 ($29, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071D8SYXN?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) and the Chrysler 12+8 cable to get around the OBD security gateway ($37, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07W4YF2H7?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title). All in, $85 for a device that seems to be functionally similar to the tazer, you just use your phone to change the settings. More money saved for more Jeep toys!
Since my wires were unfortunately cut, I spliced them into my existing halogen harness. If your turn signal harness is the complete Rubicon harness, and you have five wires on the body side of the fender harness - this is plug and play. In my case the halogen fender harness was missing one wire, the wire that goes to the DRLs. Now, my car had the wire on the body harness side for the DRL, white/yellow on the left, white/blue on the right. I am not sure if a normal sport or sport S has the wire on the body side, it would be interesting for someone to confirm. If not, then the Willys has it because the Willys has half the LED package (headlights, not fenders). But, since I had the wire on the body side, I just tee spliced into it and ran a wire along side the fender harness to the proper wire at the turn signal. I also tee’d in the yellow/brown wire (bulb fault wire) into the side marker wire, from all my research it seems like that’s how it is on the Rubi harness. If you have a cut rubi harness too, PM me and I can give you more detail on how I wired it up if you need help.
At this point, the fender LEDs worked for blinkers and the dim white LEDs would come on when the park lights or headlights were on. The lights were off when the headlights were in off or auto. Also, without programming, the blinkers would work for about a minute and then the system would report a bulb out and the hyper flash would start, and interestingly the computer would fully disable the whole front fender light assembly (amber and white lights) until the computer was cycled.
Onto programming - with the JSCAN app open, and the bypass cable plugged into the wires under the dash and above the OBD plug, and the iCar adapter plugged into the bypass cable, you’re ready to go. Press the ignition button until the car is in run, but don’t turn it on. In the app, connect to the car.
- Go to adaptation
- Go to LED Lights Settings
- Go to LED Front Park/Marker Lamps settings and change to activate
- Go back, and go to LED Front Turn Lamps present, change to activate
- Go back twice, go to DRL Daytime Running Lights configuration. In here, there’s multiple things you have to change:
- DRL Configuration: Optional DRL
- DRL Dropout Enable: Active (turns off bright white lamp when amber is flashing)
- DRL Lamp Location: Dedicated
- LED Dedicated DRL Present: Active
- Left Dedicated DRL Lamps Output Present: Active
- Right Dedicated DRL Lamps Output Present: Active
Sweet!
I hope this helps some of you other adventurous Jeepers out there.
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