What did you do TO your Jeep JL today?

[emilboya]

Finally found the spare 5 minutes to take the freedom panels off for the first time!

 

[Roky]

Finally got around to getting the bump stops in place. I've been admittedly too lazy to cut the plastic tubes to size... pain in the ass getting them to fit just right. Still, one of the best "mods" for < $10, even though I cut the tubes too short the first time & had to make another Home Depot run for extras.

Been there done that, got the tee shirt on multiple store runs......

 

[Roky]

Put in my dead pedal, even though I’m a left foot brake user I have it adjusted up so I can just slide my foot over, so far I think I like it, thanks to @Rhinebeck01 and @GreyFox for finally explaining to me what it was. ... I had never heard of it, but they didn’t believe me, so I had to look it up.........

 

[obwahn]

Put in a solenoid for the winch off of Aux 4. I've already ordered a longer battery jumper wire since I goofed on the length of this one, but it works. I'll pretty it up more when the new wire arrives.

 

[fightingmajor]

The cost is the tooling and the heat sinks for the fixture body, the LED components are the lowest cost parts, the other problems is the demand for aftermarket is not there they for JL so tooling cost is being re-cooped by early adopters (early adopters of any technology never win) however cost will dive in 1-2 years. Personally LED heat lights, fogs and tail lights are superficial to me headlights maybe no so much, however I will wait for more commodity based options. As I have said in other threads the current cost for LED Wangler lights far exceeds the cost per watt of many of the higher end commercial LED lighting products. I do agree on one thing that the Wrangler headlights suck!!! However I have installed LED lamp in that fixture that improved the output considerably. Even if they do not last but a few years they are easy and cheap to replace versus several hundred for fill fixture replacements. And because I rarely drive at night not a big deal to me. The lamp replacements have also come a long way and will continue to improve.

You don't think there is a demand and your put an LED bulb in the stock headlight housing that's not meant for one? SMH

 

[noloc45]

Finally got around to getting the bump stops in place. I've been admittedly too lazy to cut the plastic tubes to size... pain in the ass getting them to fit just right. Still, one of the best "mods" for < $10, even though I cut the tubes too short the first time & had to make another Home Depot run for extras.

Im too dumb for this, could you explain the reason for doing this?

 

[jlewissystem]

@BbyGrlJJ and I gave the first baths!
We were going to put our TrekTops on today, but i spent 1/2 the day hanging our ARC door hangers - all 8 of them. I would like to thank both of my studfinders for lying to me and allowing me to swiss-cheese my newly drywalled garage walls

TrekTops and doorless tomorrow

OH! And also received my first windshield chip at 7 days old and 250miles....gotta love a Wrangler..

BTW - i know @BbyGrlJJ is my only love, but that Mojito is on the list.....NOT first of course

 

[noloc45]

Installed Bushwacker rocker/sill guard and also the Westin slider steps.

Really like the rocker sill guard and the steps are much better than i thought. From all of the photos i saw they looked extremely bulky and wide.

But theyre actually very low profile and only as wide as the fenders

 

[brazos]

Finally found the spare 5 minutes to take the freedom panels off for the first time!

I just got back from 5 days wheeling/camping in Big Bend NP. An amazing way to get to know my new Jeep.
Started out putting both Freedom panels in bag. No trouble, but at least 5 minutes.
And man, that sucker takes up some room now!
Ended up just taking driver’s side on and off as needed. Laid it on top of gear. Under a minute.
Don’t reckon the bag will ever leave my garage again.

 

[Tritonman]

Installed Bushwacker rocker/sill guard and also the Westin slider steps.

Really like the rocker sill guard and the steps are much better than i thought. From all of the photos i saw they looked extremely bulky and wide.

But theyre actually very low profile and only as wide as the fenders

These are on my short list, I have the exact same side steps as well so your pictures are perfect. I assume they stick on with dpu led sided tape?

 

[Roky]

Just finished up installing my Artec rear inner fenders, no more rubbing at full stuff....

 

[Jo's Jeep]

In the lighting business that is called a RETROFIT and using the existing fixture body is typically a cost savings measure. You are welcome to drink the Koolaid though. I design High end LED sports lighting fixtures high end LED fixtures that have 10 times the lumen output and do not cost what they charge, additionally with LED it is not an advantage to reuse a fixture body deigned for HID as they do not have the thermal management needed for electronics longevity, Ideally you want a fixture body engineered from maximum thermal management (heat sinking) otherwise premature failure is likely. This is important especially if you drive in a warm climate, heat is the #1 killer of LED electronics whereas heat is like a cancer it kills slowly and if not managed your crazy expensive lights will be paper weights in a couple years, after the 1 tear warranty. That is one of the weakest warranties I have seen. Now I know that these are HID with LED accents so HID put out heat (not good for LED), however the other issue is companies that manufacture HID lamps are getting out of that business, they will be obsolete before too long. (it has already happened in the commercial lighting market)

They are cool looking lights just way overpriced and not the best engineered product considering it is just a retrofit (at least the LED component)

Look being in the design side of the LED industry I also take exception to all the other so called high end LED 4x4 lighting out there, many are just trying to massively profit from the LED buzz. The big issue with LED for vehicles is you just do not replace a Bulb/lamp any maintenance is expensive and you have to replace the entire fixture and you better hope is 2-3-5 or 10 years something similar is available or when one fails you will need to replace both even if one is still working. Most LED lighting these days are throw away fixtures. LED performance is REAL, LED reliability is subjective.

Great write up. You were spot on with your comments. That said, I have seen "Retrofit" builds that exceed quality standards that you would find buying commercially. It all depends on the quality of the materials and the experience of the Tech putting it together. The right combination of those two factors is what cost money. Cheers.

 

[lightsout]

You don't think there is a demand and your put an LED bulb in the stock headlight housing that's not meant for one? SMH

Considering the retofit lamps only the LED Diodes are in the fixture and the driver/engine are external along with the heatsinks, makes the lamps a great sort term solution considering I spent $50 for both and I do not run head lamps during the day. I have owned the Wrangler since Sept. and driven at night only once. Frankly with little to no burn time they may likely last many years especially here in the NW with daylight till 10pm in summer. Now for warmer southern climates I would predict a much shorter life including for the foll LED head lamps since heat is the #1 factor determining lamp life.

People think that LED is the wholy grail of lighting, while it has great performance it also has significant weaknesses. HID lamps while not very efficient can manage heat and cold environments with little to no issues, LED is just so sensitive to heat. What is not discussed is LED diodes in general are very solid and has a long life, it is the drivers (transformers) that are the weak link of any LED system.

Look I am just not willing to throw money at Headlamps and tail-light fixtures especially with aftermarket fixtures, as you are basically a beta tester since they are all new to the market.

The commercial LED industry 5-10 years is typical warranty (never under 5). With that said 1 year is redicules shows the manufacture has little confidence in their products. If you are going to buy LED lamps make sure good warranty and reliable warranty support.

Who knows my retrofit lamps may outlast the proprietary LED headlamp fixtures, know one knows at this point as it is all a beta test.

You will also see LED head lamps and full head light fixtures that also use fans to cool them which is just another moving part to fail.

 

[emilboya]

I just got back from 5 days wheeling/camping in Big Bend NP. An amazing way to get to know my new Jeep.
Started out putting both Freedom panels in bag. No trouble, but at least 5 minutes.
And man, that sucker takes up some room now!
Ended up just taking driver’s side on and off as needed. Laid it on top of gear. Under a minute.
Don’t reckon the bag will ever leave my garage again.

Haha yeah I just throw them in the trunk lol

 

[noloc45]

These are on my short list, I have the exact same side steps as well so your pictures are perfect. I assume they stick on with dpu led sided tape?

Yes. Which I was a little disappointed in actually. The video for the JK version uses screws on the pinch seam. I thought it would be the same.

Heres 1 flaw i noticed. Theres a portion of the pinch seam near the front wheel that sort of doubled and has 2 screws holding it all together tight

I didnt think it would make sense to try and lay it over that since the screws would cause the guard to bulge out and not stick correctly. So removed, applied guard, drilled hole into the guard, tightened screw back OVER the guard

I think i might go back later and apply screws where i removed the rubicon rock sliders from. Sort of like the JK version of the guards