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Homemade LED tail light enclosures..

XJeepified

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Here's how I addressed making my own LED tail light enclosures out of 16g sheet from the hardware store.

LIGHT%20IT%20UP


Open image in a new tab.... it's a slideshow.

And apologies for the mixed up upload.... it's my first attempt.
 
I don't see any upload. o_O
How did you do the wiring?
and where did you source the lights?

I look forward to seeing this :D
 
TAILLIGHT02.jpg

TAILLIGHT05.jpg

TAILLIGHT04.jpg

TAILLIGHT08.jpg

TAILLIGHT10.jpg
TAILLIGHT09.jpg
 
Wiring.... The reds operate as Brake/Tail, the ambers as Turn/Hazard, but with a switch and separate flasher the reds rapid flash/emergency vehicle style.

Actual units... from SuperBrightLEDS.com as well as flasher modules.

FYI.... You can wire LEDs to flasher controlled circuits directly without load issues if your XJ came with a towing package (non current reliant flasher).
 
Wiring.... The reds operate as Brake/Tail, the ambers as Turn/Hazard, but with a switch and separate flasher the reds rapid flash/emergency vehicle style.

Actual units... from SuperBrightLEDS.com as well as flasher modules.

FYI.... You can wire LEDs to flasher controlled circuits directly without load issues if your XJ came with a towing package (non current reliant flasher).

Oh really, do you tap into the tow wiring or can you use your normal taillight wiring?
 
Well I'll be, I didn't know there was a difference in how they were wired.
It was actually the difference between running my own light box or 2500 lights since I didn't want to figure the whole flasher module bit out right now. So thanks a lot

How are your bulbs mounted?
 
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Are these the lights?

http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...-rectangular-stoptailturn-led-truck-lamp/563/

Did they come with the grommet? I see the specs for the opening the grommet requires, but I can't find the grommet mentioned in the product details, nor do I see it as an accessory.

I like the look. The rectangular lights seem much more in keeping with the rest of the vehicle lines.

Nice job.

A: Yes, those are the lights I used, they come in RED, AMBER, WHITE.
B: No, they do not come with a grommet...and the grommets they THINK work with these lights are f'ing HUGE and wouldn't fit the way I used the elements by themselves.
C: I simply used RTV silicone to mount them from behind....easy peasy.

Great questions.
 
Off topic, sorry, but I'm pretty sure I need that rear bumper/tire carrier. Who makes it?

Just like the light enclosures I made it myself, primarily from scrap. The scraps came from an auto shop alignment rack that was being discarded... the main crossbeams are "D" shaped 1/4" wall, and the diamond plate was from the drive up ramps.
 
To give credit where credit is due, you are going to have a copycat out there.

I will post up my own thread once I finish these up, but I am pretty happy with how it is going so far:


LEDsFitted21OPT.jpg



From the back side. You can see the piece of Lexan that serves as a retainer.
LEDsFitted25OPT.jpg



You can't see the piece of Lexan that serves as a spacer, but there is one between the lights themselves and the metal. It gets me pretty close to flush.
LEDsFitted24OPT.jpg



The metal enclosure is quarter armor from Ares, ordered with blank light boxes. The stainless button head 1/4-20 hardware matches what Ares sent out for the mounting of the quarter armor.

Making the openings was a bit of a bear. I really wish someone already offered this as a product, but if someone wants to do so I am going to suggest they need to supply the lights themselves. I have lights from three different manufacturers on hand and the shapes are all slightly different. You might not immediately pick it up by looking at the pictures, but the center lights (back-up lights) are different from the upper/lower lights. They are slightly less wide (long dimension) and have a slightly different radius in the corners. Compare the black reference lines and the material left between those lines and the lights and you should be able to note the difference. Also you should be able to see they stand more proud than do the others. Whatever the standard is for this configuration it has a pretty loose tolerance.
 
To give credit where credit is due, you are going to have a copycat out there.

I will post up my own thread once I finish these up, but I am pretty happy with how it is going so far:


LEDsFitted21OPT.jpg



From the back side. You can see the piece of Lexan that serves as a retainer.
LEDsFitted25OPT.jpg




You can't see the piece of Lexan that serves as a spacer, but there is one between the lights themselves and the metal. It gets me pretty close to flush.
LEDsFitted24OPT.jpg



The metal enclosure is quarter armor from Ares, ordered with blank light boxes. The stainless button head 1/4-20 hardware matches what Ares sent out for the mounting of the quarter armor.

Making the openings was a bit of a bear. I really wish someone already offered this as a product, but if someone wants to do so I am going to suggest they need to supply the lights themselves. I have lights from three different manufacturers on hand and the shapes are all slightly different. You might not immediately pick it up by looking at the pictures, but the center lights (back-up lights) are different from the upper/lower lights. They are slightly less wide (long dimension) and have a slightly different radius in the corners. Compare the black reference lines and the material left between those lines and the lights and you should be able to note the difference. Also you should be able to see they stand more proud than do the others. Whatever the standard is for this configuration it has a pretty loose tolerance.

Look great! I don't mind a copycat as the idea is a solid one. The LED pods from SuperBrite have all been the same size so far but I've only used the RED and AMBER ones. They also offer a WHITE that is solid white and a bit more expensive.
 
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