Build thread: daily driven tow rig

[Woodswanderer]

Has anyone successfully wired led cube lights in as hatch or bumper mounted reverse lights? Whats the best place to tap into the reverse wiring back there? I’d like to keep them on a killswitch as well that can on/off seperately…so relayed setup with reverse as trigger


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[Woodswanderer]

Found my use tax form from my gold 2.8l 2 door 5spd 4wd XJ I had in college…wish i would have kept it…midwest jeep, no tin worm and lower miles.

Anyone here have a gold Renix 2 door VIN ending in ET087264? Would have been bought off a used lot around 2009/2010 in bumble**** Nebraska🤣


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[XJI6191]

Originally Posted by Woodswanderer

Has anyone successfully wired led cube lights in as hatch or bumper mounted reverse lights? Whats the best place to tap into the reverse wiring back there? I’d like to keep them on a killswitch as well that can on/off seperately…so relayed setup with reverse as trigger


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If you have a towbar, then the trailer electrics, back of the socket for lights on/in the bumper, the connector behind the rear trim panel if mounted on the hatch.

Not sure I understand how you propose to wire them up, is the kill switch to be between the stock lights & the relay?

[Anak]

Originally Posted by Woodswanderer

Has anyone successfully wired led cube lights in as hatch or bumper mounted reverse lights? Whats the best place to tap into the reverse wiring back there? I’d like to keep them on a killswitch as well that can on/off seperately…so relayed setup with reverse as trigger


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If I can interpret my own pics, I think on my '96 it is a dark brown wire.

See post #17 on page two of this thread: https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthre...1123321&page=2

A ways down in there is a pic of my wiring, including a trailer wiring adapter. The reverse lights do not go through that adapter. That leaves only the grounds and the reverse light wire that don't have to go through the adapter. The grounds are on the mounting bolts for my junction block. The only wire left is the dark brown on at the top.

Note that this is all behind the driver's tail light.

The pathetic factory reverse lights were one of the reasons that project got done.

In case you have not stumbled across it, one other way folks go about this is to install Aurora back up lights on either side of the license plate. It fits, provided you are willing to make holes in the fiberglass hatch to gain some clearance on the back side (at least that is what I understand).

[XJI6191]

Lots of stuff here about adding/improving reversing lights, including Aurora ones:-
http://gojeep.willyshotrod.com/HowtoReverseLights.htm

[Woodswanderer]

Originally Posted by Anak

If I can interpret my own pics, I think on my '96 it is a dark brown wire.

See post #17 on page two of this thread: https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthre...1123321&page=2

A ways down in there is a pic of my wiring, including a trailer wiring adapter. The reverse lights do not go through that adapter. That leaves only the grounds and the reverse light wire that don't have to go through the adapter. The grounds are on the mounting bolts for my junction block. The only wire left is the dark brown on at the top.

Note that this is all behind the driver's tail light.

The pathetic factory reverse lights were one of the reasons that project got done.

In case you have not stumbled across it, one other way folks go about this is to install Aurora back up lights on either side of the license plate. It fits, provided you are willing to make holes in the fiberglass hatch to gain some clearance on the back side (at least that is what I understand).

Is the 99 a fiberglass hatch? I thought they switched in 95-96 from fiberglass

I didnt even think about wiring them into the trailer wiring. I dont really need to install the cubes in the back (i have led bulbs that do ok), but i want to take them out of the stock fog location up front. The idea for the seperate kill switch was so i could maybe run them as reverse lamps and rear fogs with some red Lamin-X film over them.


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[Anak]

Sorry, didn't think about the switch. '96 is the last year of fiberglass. '97 is the first year of steel.

[Woodswanderer]

Originally Posted by Anak

Sorry, didn't think about the switch. '96 is the last year of fiberglass. '97 is the first year of steel.

😉😉😉


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[Woodswanderer]

Same old same old. Mileage is coming up on 199,199. Getting closer to the automobile equivalent of 55 “over the hill”.

Still running strong


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[Woodswanderer]

Appointment scheduled for next week. Exhaust shop is installing an 87522CB cherry bomb with a passenger side dump tail pipe, in prep for the crossover rear suspension mount.


Next month maybe the Azzys 242 linkage.

[Woodswanderer]

So this happened today…



Dont ever put a sawzall and 6lb dead blow hammer in my hands 🤣. Running around now with straight pipe til i can get a pipe expander and clamps to put muffler on. Or an expanded coupler pipe and some clamps that will slip over the cat pipe and inside the 2.5” cherry bomb


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[Woodswanderer]

Straight pipe is growing on me 🤣 kind of makes me curious what the 4.0 would sound like with header mufflers and a cam job 🙄🤣 maybe i should install a dummy cat while im at it with the cherry bomb


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[Anak]

Give it time and you will be happy to have a muffler back on there.

Swing by an exhaust shop, be nice, and they may expand those pieces for you at no charge. Of course it probably helps if you have been a paying customer in the past.

[Woodswanderer]

Originally Posted by Anak

Give it time and you will be happy to have a muffler back on there.

Swing by an exhaust shop, be nice, and they may expand those pieces for you at no charge. Of course it probably helps if you have been a paying customer in the past.

The heat shield rattle is more irritating than the exhaust. Its surprisingly quiet while cruising, and loud outside the vehicle when taking off or cold starts. Have a feeling the 12” cherry bomb wont do much to quiet it down, a side dump tailpipe with tip will do more in that respect

I have an appointment next week with the exhaust guy..shouldnt be much more than $40 to fit and weld it up, bend a new 45/60/90ish pipe, and fashion up some sort of new hanger on the frame rail.


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[Woodswanderer]

Made my first highway trip yesterday (100 miles round trip at 70-75mph). The open exhaust doesnt drone on the highway, its tolerable…Until I stand on it :p. Nothing the noise cancellation knob cant fix (radio volume).

Strangely enough, my gas mileage went up significantly. Overhead trip computer says i’m pulling 17.5mpg (+\- 2 pt spread due to larger tires but they are closer to actual speedo gearing than the factory size). It does feel less sluggish off the line too. I lost a lot of mpg when i did the injectors, tires, and roof basket, now back to where i started almost. Stock configuration i was seeing 17.5-18 city and 22-23 highway.

Thinking maybe a TB re-bore to match intake manifold is in order, since the cherry bomb wont do much more than change the exhaust tone. Should smooth it out more and in theory keep my mpg up. As it sits it definitely is rich and once it warms up and goes into open loop doesnt really lean out the fuel mix much like it did before the injectors. Almost suspect i need better fuel/spark management or a re-flash on the pcm to a different map. Does anyone do that for the 99+ models? Re-map the fuel curve and timing advance/spark tables?