LED Taillights ?

[Intergate]

Getting ready to convert my taillights to LED on my 2004 TJ.

Was wondering from anybody who has done it what you found to be the
best lights. I am assuming that more LED's = brighter and better.
Looking to get either some4"'s with 56 or 60 led's. I have been to
some sights with tips on installing but would like to hear from any
body here who has done it on 2004's or newer.

I heard that on these years you may have to move the vapor canister on
the passenger side that is tucked in the tub somewhere

Thanks,

--
Tim

[____]
(OIIIIIIO)

[JimG]

I have not done it on a TJ, can't help there.

The problems I see with the LED conversion are:

1) backup lights - you have to mount something on the bumper or elsewhere
2) side markers - maybe another hole for flush mount on the side?
3) license plate light - got me

--
JimG
80' CJ-7 258 CID, HEI
4.56 Gears, Lock-Right F&R
35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines
D44 Rear, D30 Front. SOA
Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks
Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries

00' TJ Sport 4.0L, 5sp
4.56 Gears, TrueTrac rear
33" BFG AT on 15x8 Eagle Alloys
D35 Rear, D30 Front. 3" Suspension Lift

"Intergate" wrote in message ...

[popeyeball]

Tim,
By tail lights (I'm asuming the back only) do you mean the Red -
running, turning, stopping lights? Or the back-ups too? Or what other
lights (do you have to change the running lights with this hook-up)?

Could you post the links that you have viewed for these products?
Thanks,
Steve

[popeyeball]

PS:
Do you intend to use a seperate relay in the back?

[Intergate]

Sorry,

Yeah I mean the flush mount LED Lights where you have to drill a hole
in the tub and put in a rubber grommet.

I just ordered these from Mesa 4x4:
http://www.mesa4x4.com/dynamic/part_details.asp?part_num=DE-030302
http://www.mesa4x4.com/dynamic/part_details.asp?part_num=DE-030302

The only thing I need now is some 2" side marker lights and a flasher.

--
Tim

[____]
(OIIIIIIO)

"popeyeball" <popey...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1107974725.3...@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...

[Nathan Otis]

The evap canister and other stuff is behind the rear passenger wheel well.
Most LEDs will be shallow enough that it won't interfere. I recessed my
stock lights cause I hadn't seen it done before (and I didn't want to shell
out for new lights) and had to... adjust a few things. It's kind of a pain.
I recommend against it. (the adjusting that is)

n

"Intergate" <roadr...@REMOVE.yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:110kh8j...@corp.supernews.com...

[Joe]

check my install out, was pretty painless. the only thing that I don't show
in the pics is the rear backup light. I just mounted a small hella lamp to
the bottom of the license plate. Other then that there bright and I get
allot of comments on them. The only thing I need to figure out, since the
current load is so much less, how to slow down the blinkers, I am guess I
need to change the flasher unit??

http://members.cox.net/tjguy

-Joe

"Nathan Otis" <n...@smeat.spam.net> wrote in message
news:36vok7F...@individual.net...

[Intergate]

Joe,

Thanks for the pix. Where did you get the LED's with the chrome Ring.
I am going to use the ones with the rubber grommets, But I like those,
they are the same ones that are on the trailers I pull. I am a Truck
Driver.

What size where those lights, The Diameter I mean and what size was
the hole saw you used. Did it go through the metal pretty good?

Also what year is your TJ. I was wondering if you ran into the vapor
canister behind the passenger side light and if you had to move it?

There are a couple ways to get around the flasher problem as explained
here:

http://www.bmja.org/forum/showthread.php?p=29461#post29461

I think I am going to try the EP-27 Flasher route first.

--
Tim

[____]
(OIIIIIIO)

"Joe" <tj...@coxdot.net> wrote in message
news:1YBOd.58185$0u.13537@fed1read04...

[RocknCJ]

For your flasher here is a link that will help:
http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=229624

Here is what I did for the running lights, reverse lights and license plate:
http://7slotgrille.com/tech/led/led.htm

I have no idea about the vacuum cannister on the '04.

More LED's does not nescarily mean brighter. There are some 9 LED lights
that are just as bright as the 56. Check eBay for the lights, I heard there
was a guy on there that sells some good lights. It should be evident who he
is, he sells a bunch of them.

--James

"Joe" <tj...@coxdot.net> wrote in message
news:1YBOd.58185$0u.13537@fed1read04...

[Intergate]

Damn, That only goes up to 2000, Mine is a 2004 and I guess they
changed in 2001. I need to know the fix for 2001's up.............
anybody?

I have seen the link about cutting open the original and modifying
that but am wondering if there is a direct replacement flasher unit
for the 2001 and up models

Good Link though.

--
Tim

[____]
(OIIIIIIO)

"RocknCJ" <jet...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:QvoPd.75010$0u.49227@fed1read04...

[Nathan Otis]

I was going to suggest this guy too, but I can not find a link to his
name... He's on there though and his stuff is cheaper than most... I rode a
trail behind someone with his LED tail lights installed and MAN were they
bright! I'll keep looking for his name.

n.

"RocknCJ" <jet...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:QvoPd.75010$0u.49227@fed1read04...

[Dirty Ditch Dawg]

I ordered my lights from Mesa 4x4 2-weeks ago, then had a family
emergency and left for Aberdeen, for a week, i had ordered the
light-boltz also but my bank was off line, i emailed Mesa 4X4 but
wasnt home for his response, when we finaly connected over the phone,
He informed me he had already sent the boltz, and i got him my card
numbers over the phone, this was 5 days later, NOW thats AWSOME
customer service,
home now and installing the lights tommorrow,
there nice looking and well built,
also ordered the side marker lights from them, didnt think of that till
this thread, DU,,,
i am in no way afiliated with them, i just think his customer service
was tops,

johnp

[RocknCJ]

The other thing you can do is, solder in the resistors like I did in my
write up.

--James

"Intergate" <roadr...@REMOVE.yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:110s88a...@corp.supernews.com...

[Intergate]

I agree, this was my first order and Jay was the best!

--
Tim

[____]
(OIIIIIIO)

"Dirty Ditch Dawg" <scop...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1108231404....@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

[Jeff Strickland]

I don't think you have to move anything, but you might have to take the
vapor canister out while cutting the hole for the tail lights. You will find
this out when you reach inside the fender to unscrew the mounting bolts for
the existing tail lights.

All you need to do is find the resistance of the standard light bulb, and
put a resistor in the brake/turn light wire when you connect the LED to the
existing wire harness. The stock light bulbs have X resistance - whatever X
might be - but the LED has virtually no resistance, so the flasher circuit
won't behave properly. All you need do is determine the value of X, and
install a resistor that is that value, ą a few ohms. I think a standard bulb
will have 390 ohms, so you can use a 470 ohm resistor. This is a very common
size of resistor, and you can get them in quarter- or half-watt versions
that can take the heat of holding the brake lights on for extended periods
of time. I am not sure how heavy the resistor needs to be, but my
inclination is that a quarter-watt should do the trick just fine.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
I flush-mounted my stock tail lights on my CJ, they look pretty good, and
they are protected from brush and branches much better than the way the
factory lights are normally mounted. Using this approach required me to make
larger holes, but I retained the stock behavior of the circuits, and I
didn't have to buy new lights.

"Intergate" <roadr...@REMOVE.yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:110kh8j...@corp.supernews.com...

[Intergate]

Hey dawg,

What size hole saw did you use if you used one?

--
Tim

[____]
(OIIIIIIO)

"Dirty Ditch Dawg" <scop...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1108231404....@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

[Dirty Ditch Dawg]

im using a jigsaw, its on tommorows agenda, i ordered the side-marker
lights
and im waiting for them, i have a 2 3/8 holesaw for those,
,
trying to get the bugs outa my 1inch body lift i did today first,
i wasnt gonna pay 18 bucks for a 4.25 holesaw, and another 16, for the
bitt,
jigsaw blades and a small drill-stone was onlt 12bucks,
,
i copied some-ones idea i saw on a web-page, (cant remember who or id
give him credit,,sorry,) and have a tractor/bus light
mounted on my spare-tire so im wiring that up on the backup wires,
johnp

[JimG]

Hi Jeff,

I differ with your resistance assumption of brake and tail lamps. In the
standard 1157 bulb used in CJ's, the brake filament is about 6 ohms and the
tail is 22 ohms. A resistor would have to be rated at 27 watts for exact
brake/turn lamp simulation. That's a huge resistor that will get very hot.
That said, I don't know what resistance it would take to achieve a
satisfactory blink rate, it could very well be higher than 6 ohms, thus
reducing the wattage requirement.

I think modifying the blinker relay is the safer more efficient way to go
IMO.

--
JimG
80' CJ-7 258 CID, HEI
4.56 Gears, Lock-Right F&R
35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines
D44 Rear, D30 Front. SOA
Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks
Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries

00' TJ Sport 4.0L, 5sp
4.56 Gears, TrueTrac rear
33" BFG AT on 15x8 Eagle Alloys
D35 Rear, D30 Front. 3" Suspension Lift

"Jeff Strickland" < wrote in message ...

[Jeff Strickland]

Whatever.

The brake and turn are the same, the tail is the other. I was winging it,
and tried not to give a spec for the resistance. The thing to do is to
measure a bulb, find the resistance and buy an appropriate resistor.

I suppose you are right on the wattage though. Lamps are easily way to hot
to touch, so the wattage is gonna be way up there.

"JimG" <Ji...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:fBnQd.5230$LB7....@news02.roc.ny...

[Dirty Ditch Dawg]

got mine in today, Gawd that back corners THIN,, (maybe some corner
guards later on, it never ends does it,,grin)
you could cut it witha pair of sizzors, but the jigsaw worked fine,
and MAN there bright, got my light-boltz wired up,
side lights and backup tommorrow,
oh ya blinkers didnt work, just like the instructions said, as ive got
the YJ i need to get a high rate flasher,
tommorrow,
johnp

DAM Dirty Ditch Dawg, is startin to look like a real jeep,

[steveg...@sprintmail.com]

Well I am scraping by with the old trailer lights on my 7 but for trailer
towing I got the "cheap" flasher (maybe $3.50) from Advance or Autozone.
That is the one that heats up two leaves inside, then cools - over and over.
Happy Jeeping

"Dirty Ditch Dawg" <scop...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:1108515599.5...@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

[Jeff Strickland]

If you are going to get diamond plating for the corners, NOW is the time to
do it.

"Dirty Ditch Dawg" <scop...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1108515599.5...@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

[Dirty Ditch Dawg]

Ya i know, but my pockets are empty,,go figure,,,grin,
90YJ -2000,00
2.5L motor 30,000 miles,
regerstering/title in this state from oregon,
inshurance--ouch,,
Highlift-jack,
tow straps
tow hooks,
power steering box,
roll bar padding,tape,
fire-extingushers, 2-cab 1 engine compartment with cable-spring
release,
1.5 shackle lift----gone now,,dumb idea, slopy driving on highway
2.5 spring-lift,-after bending my original front leafs hence the "Ditch
Dawg,"
9000-winch,--fun,
1inch body lift
rocker bars--self built,
KC lights, on self built brush bar,
CB,
Led-tail lights,

all within the last two monthes, and my wife STILL loves me,,,am i
lucky or what?

YA, im definatly addicted,
and need a 12 step program,

doing a reverse, scribe, on new corners wont be much fun, but doable,
when i get them,
im looking at the poision spyder corners, i personaly dont like diamond
plate,
but the smooth look, and my jeeps all de-cromed, all black on
white-body,
with a black gril,
if i could anodize my aluminum rims black i would,
johnp

[Dirty Ditch Dawg]