2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Uberlanding Build

[MattScott]

I just figure that I'm going to use the vehicle on the road most of the time and I'd prefer my mods to be legal (and safe). Supplemental lighting is regulated to an extent ---- and there are quality lighting choices that both do the job and comply with the law.
A lightbar on the hood? Really? Why.....?

There are other places to put "offroad" lights that will work better for you. And better products for driving or foglights.

Sorry. I get grouchy about light abuse.

I wouldn't exactly call this light abuse...

Again, I think people are really taking this out of hand—I'm testing this light bar for the ExPo front page, and I'm also evaluating these brackets to see if it is a mounting viable position. I HIGHLY doubt it'll stay mounted there. When new options are out there, someone has to try them, right?

People are all too happy to put a bunch of lights on their roof rack for that "expedition" look—if this is a position that has added performance, without the glare and aerodynamic drag of lights mounted above the windshield, then there is a point to it. Right now I'm not happy with the brackets, the construction is good, but they interfere with the spray of the washer jets...and they make me look like a SoCal bro.

Are you saying Rigid isn't a quality lighting choice?

 

[MattScott]

I will concede that technically these lights do need to be have an opaque cover installed on public roads in the State of California, as they are more than 42" above the ground and will likely be wired independently.

Hmm, lighting laws could be a great article.

 

[toxicity_27]

Is there a mount on the front bumper that you're going with? I plan on mounting some light bars on my bumper eventually. That might be an option for you too.

 

[SSF556]

Bill is passionate about lighting....he pointed me in the right direction for my WK.


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[MattScott]

Is there a mount on the front bumper that you're going with? I plan on mounting some light bars on my bumper eventually. That might be an option for you too.

We'll see, I need to figure out how that'll work with my Pronghorn MFES and Top Mount Winch Case.

 

[MattScott]

Bill is passionate about lighting....he pointed me in the right direction for my WK.


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I'd love to get his thoughts.

 

[SSF556]

I'd love to get his thoughts.

He just got a brand new JKU as well....in the thread below is what he just bought for lights...

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123010


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[Hilldweller]

I will concede that technically these lights do need to be have an opaque cover installed on public roads in the State of California, as they are more than 42" above the ground and will likely be wired independently.

Hmm, lighting laws could be a great article.

Doesn't make for entertaining reading:
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=r49CFR571.108

I didn't mean your light abuse, Matt. You're a grown-up, responsible member of society, and smart.

But there are people (lots of them) putting illegal and ill-conceived HID retrofit kits in their vehicles. Monster lights on their roofs, hoods, in their bumpers. LED retrofits that scatter light willy-nilly all over the place are going in stock foglight housings to "improve" them.
I see a body-lifted fullsize pick-up in my area all the time with an illegal HID headlight kit and Rigid Dually lights where his foglights used to be; the glare is insane and dangerous.
And the use of Rigids in foglight position is rampant ---- that's light abuse.

Rigid makes fine products. Bright. Useful.
For offroad.

Good headlights are the first step. Do that and you usually don't look as hard for supplemental lighting except for extreme conditions.

 

[crawler#976]

Hey Matt!

Nice choice - you'll really like it.

Indeed, the stock headlights suck. They were one of the things we addressed pretty quickly. The first solution was to upgrade to a better stock bulb, namely Silverstar Ultras, and while that helped, it wasn't the cure.

For headlights we decided to go with the Susquahanna Motor Sports H4/9003 conversion with the harness. They have a lot of other opportunities for lights:

http://www.rallylights.com/vehicle-type/automobiles/jeep.html

The H4/9003 bulbs come in a vast array of wattage combinations, but based on Bill's advice, we're using Philips 9003XVS2 X-Treme Vision Headlight Bulbs. They are 67/60W DOT legal bulbs that produce an enormous amount of light in the Hella lamps. The lows are good, the high beams are stellar.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQWQLPO/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

Mark

 

[MattScott]

Hey Matt!

Nice choice - you'll really like it.

Indeed, the stock headlights suck. They were one of the things we addressed pretty quickly. The first solution was to upgrade to a better stock bulb, namely Silverstar Ultras, and while that helped, it wasn't the cure.

For headlights we decided to go with the Susquahanna Motor Sports H4/9003 conversion with the harness. They have a lot of other opportunities for lights:

http://www.rallylights.com/vehicle-type/automobiles/jeep.html

The H4/9003 bulbs come in a vast array of wattage combinations, but based on Bill's advice, we're using Philips 9003XVS2 X-Treme Vision Headlight Bulbs. They are 67/60W DOT legal bulbs that produce an enormous amount of light in the Hella lamps. The lows are good, the high beams are stellar.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQWQLPO/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

Mark

Hey Mark—hope all is well in Prescott.

I've looked at the Sesquahanna/Hella conversion, and it's on my list, as is the JW Speaker conversion.

Someone really needs to do a comparison and review of all JK headlight upgrades. Hmm.

 

[daveh]

Yeah Matt, who do you think might be able to put together something like that?

 

[dstock]

Hilldweller kind of did that already on the JeepForum, it's up to about 50 pages now, lots of good info and testing if you haven't seen it already.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f96/headlight-shootout-1166827/

 

[Hilldweller]

The SMS 7" Hella H4 conversion is better than stock but not great. The lowbeam is too low and the highbeam is too high. But it is a bocacious highbeam.
Dan Stern sells H4s in two flavors that kick the Hella butt: Cibie or Koito. He also can get a Koito sealed beam that he says is very good.
That's about it for H4 ---- you can use a full harness to get max power or you can do an adapter and use the PWM'd power (bulbs will last longer).

Trucklite's LED is good but has a funky/choppy pattern with a couple of "X" artifacts. They consume the least power out of every option and are very light and durable.
Peterson makes an LED that I hear is good. KC rebrands it. GE rebrands the Trucklite.
JW Speaker makes the best LED though.
And all of these need either a full harness with caps/resistors or an adapter with caps/resistors (JWS & TL both sell an adapter).

SMS also sells a VERY good bi-halogen 90mm Hella projector that's better than all of these. Pricey and needs their harness. Uses an H9 bulb @ 2100 lumen.
And they also have a better HID bi-xenon 90mm Hella projector that's even better. It's very very very good but even pricier.

That's the Cliff's notes version.

Low on the list but also legal: Nolden LED
Lowest on the list, worst performer, and not legal: IPF H4 conversion

 

[Ratman1979]

Once you start installing drawers and a fridge, this awesome space underneath the rear cargo floor is rendered essentially useless. It's begging for some kind of water storage. I bet you could get a few gallons in there easy.

Front Runner makes a nice slider that allows you to still access that space as well as provide tie down spots for securing gear. Retails at $399 I think, simple install and clean look.

 

[GetOutThere]

The SMS 7" Hella H4 conversion is better than stock but not great. The lowbeam is too low and the highbeam is too high. But it is a bocacious highbeam.
Dan Stern sells H4s in two flavors that kick the Hella butt: Cibie or Koito. He also can get a Koito sealed beam that he says is very good.
That's about it for H4 ---- you can use a full harness to get max power or you can do an adapter and use the PWM'd power (bulbs will last longer).

Trucklite's LED is good but has a funky/choppy pattern with a couple of "X" artifacts. They consume the least power out of every option and are very light and durable.
Peterson makes an LED that I hear is good. KC rebrands it. GE rebrands the Trucklite.
JW Speaker makes the best LED though.
And all of these need either a full harness with caps/resistors or an adapter with caps/resistors (JWS & TL both sell an adapter).

SMS also sells a VERY good bi-halogen 90mm Hella projector that's better than all of these. Pricey and needs their harness. Uses an H9 bulb @ 2100 lumen.
And they also have a better HID bi-xenon 90mm Hella projector that's even better. It's very very very good but even pricier.

That's the Cliff's notes version.

Low on the list but also legal: Nolden LED
Lowest on the list, worst performer, and not legal: IPF H4 conversion

I can tell this thread is going to be a wealth of information all in one place. Looking forward to fully stocking my brain with JK upgrade ideas.