JW Speaker Model 8700 J LED headlight for JK Wrangler
- Thread starter Hilldweller
- Start date
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
JFarris
Wanderer
Do you have a link to this you could share? I looked and couldn't find them on the website.
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
If you ping Rick at Q you get a discount.
http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/j...t-for-jk-wrangler-1203737-7.html#post20561521
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
Headlight condoms steal a bit of light and degrade faster than the polycarb lens.
If you do use it, change it annually or at least every other year.
JWS used to have glass lenses that were replaceable. That didn't work out and they switched to polycarb. If you keep them clean and use a good plastic polish like Plexus, they should last a very long time. They have a hardcoat and UV inhibitors built in that are better than what you get on OE lighting.
But nothing lasts forever in the sun/wind/sand/etc.
My second set, first that were polycarb, got a big honking scratch from a tree branch. Didn't affect the light output. Looked gnarly though...
Headlight condoms, lol, that's a nice way to put them. I think I'm better off running without them then, Plexus should be easier maintenance vs. replacing the Xpel every two years or so.
Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the info.
Garbinator
SeekTheMoneyTree
I see the fog lights being pushed heavily. As expensive as they are are they worth upgrading to as well? I do like the tail lights, very very impressive.
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
I got my set of tail lights back yesterday with the improvements I had asked for ------ they're perfect now.
Tail light logic: LEDs last long, are very vivid and easy to see in all weather, light up instantly. Safety improvement, maintenance improvement. All around good investment.
The bling factor is only icing and not relevant to me at all.
Headlight logic: Headlights are important; you need to see where you're going, avoid that bag of nails in the road and that errant deer, and not blind other drivers. LEDs don't need to be replaced, use less amperage, resist vibration. Safety upgrade.
Bling icing factor again.
Foglight logic: The stock fogs do what stock fogs are supposed to do. They're not great at it but, if the weather conditions call for it, they allow you to see the lines in the road and get where you're going (albeit at a slow pace).
JWS LEDs are an upgrade for sure. They're much much much brighter than stock. They look nicer. They work measurably better.
But do you need them? Not likely unless you travel in heavy fog often.
They are nice offroad when you've got a particularly nasty bit of technical stuff to cross in the dark.
I'd say that they're for the person that already has upgraded their headlights, tail lights, added driving lights, and wants to cap it all off. They're only beneficial at very slow speeds ----- this is something that I see people getting wrong all the time, driving with their foglights on in good weather. It really kills your distant vision by over-saturating the near field with light and constricting your pupils.
Like Hilldweller said, the headlights and tail lights are safety items in my mind and are worth every penny. I did the fogs as well, and I personally find them worth it but can understand hesitation on them. I'm using mine in my ARB bumper as DRLs (using the Procal), and not only does it make the Jeep look more modern and cooler, it seems I'm more visible to other drivers in heavy traffic. To me, the increased visibility they give the Jeep combined with the look and the better performance is worth the ~$400, but I'd definitely do the headlights then tail lights before the fogs. I certainly intend to get the tails when they start shipping!
Garbinator
SeekTheMoneyTree
Honestly, I have no problem saying I think they look sexy, well? The JW's that is. After watching Headlight Revolutions eval videos for me it came down to comparing the newest J model headlight matched with the blackened version 4000r driving mode lense as a complement to high beams, heck? Even low beams now that I think about it.
The light pattern the 4000 produces looked amazing... So much so the reviewer stated headlights purely un-needed!
Maybe I should just buy the 4000r and call it a day. Just leave stock alone. Only use those for city.
Lookswise? For me? I would have JW replacements in every light opening I believe. Because they look good! [:>)
The light pattern the 4000 produces looked amazing... So much so the reviewer stated headlights purely un-needed!
Maybe I should just buy the 4000r and call it a day. Just leave stock alone. Only use those for city.
Lookswise? For me? I would have JW replacements in every light opening I believe. Because they look good! [:>)
Garbinator
SeekTheMoneyTree
I finally pulled the trigger after reading tons of reviews and other information resources on the net.
I bought the complete set fog lights an headlights to include tail lights for my 2012 two-door call of duty edition JK. I have yet to receive the taillights as they are on backorder.
Some thoughts; headlight installation could be vastly improved in the fitment portion of the install. The plastic alignment tabs did not match very well to the stock housing box. This makes the install sort of willy-nilly meaning that you have to place the light where it needs to be as best you can then replace with bezel bracket and secure. It seemed I had trouble lining up the left front headlight over the right for some reason. I may have to uninstall and reinstall so as to make for an adjustment to the right high beam positioning.
JW Speaker fog light installation; being that it is a special edition jeep with AEV military style bumper I decided to take my rig to four-wheel-drive parts wholesale and have them do the install. They did the install, however the lights do not work correctly at all. Flickr, the main culprit. After all these years of being on the market one would think by now this would be addressed. But it is not. So once again, the end-user gets a product that does not have the supporting harness which it needs to operate included in the box. This is problematic due to the fact that the stated part is designed for a 2012 Jeep JK. Then of course there is the cost to consider. I did send in my concerns to JW Speaker and have yet to receive a reply. My thoughts are if it's a $40 harness, then why is it not in the box? Better yet, why is the light not built to work right out-of-the-box? As I don't have a need for fog lights during this time of year it is a non-issue at this time. However it would be nice to be able to use the fog lights as daytime running lights as has been suggested in here by means of a ProCal.
Headlight effectiveness; focusing and effective pattern ahead is absolutely amazing. Upon reaching a county park in which I am well acquainted with having done numerous hours of Night time patrol using the older lighting technology of the 1970s had me in a State of oh my God! While using high-beam The best I can describe under such night-time conditions is Picture a 180° Field of nicely lighted area to the front of your jeep... Moving at 18 to 25 mph soon had me eyeing small critters that reside within the Park itself. Especially note The type of lighting I am describing here is very soft (JWSpeaker comfort light Technology) meaning not harsh nor is it excessively bright but a brilliant display by my best estimate a light emitting technology like none other I have yet to see. For those who can relate, using these particular headlights as a patrol lighting tool in similar conditions as described above would definitely minimize the use of mounted spotlights by the officer. But again, this is my opinion.
Rural driving conditions; being retired, I tend not to travel at very high speeds as much of my nighttime driving consist of getting out of the house and heading to the foothills here in my hometown. Historically Speaking, such endeavors go way back to when I drove for fun my grandpas six volt GMC pick up. Very same rural conditions. So another words I know pitiful lighting when I speak of it, JW speakers make driving at night really a blast! After a while on the road enjoying the music I have found myself traveling faster, actually Way faster than I normally Ever would. Again this is due to the brilliant speaker lighting technology, This display before you that turns night into day only, it's not really day of course, but you see so much better. When road conditions change into a long sweeping like straightaway heading uphill and to the right has every roadside sign and County Road reflector sign lit up like Christmas tree landing lights as far as the beam can carry. We are talking miles here. As highly reflective signs get closer while you were moving they do not appear overly bright at all making the drivers Eye more effective in reading what is on the sign without such condition being overwhelming to the brain. Again, I believe this to be a large part of JW speakers comfort light technology it speaks of. And I am very impressed as I am very pleased as well.
Aesthetics; simply stated these lights turn heads, Especially those fellow jeep owners having an eye for detail. True affection autos. As I always enjoy seeing JW speakers on Harley Davidson motorcycles, I believe they look equally as good if not better on the front of my jeep. Which for me, is another all-time American icon going back to its wartime development and use.
And this is my assessment thus far.
I bought the complete set fog lights an headlights to include tail lights for my 2012 two-door call of duty edition JK. I have yet to receive the taillights as they are on backorder.
Some thoughts; headlight installation could be vastly improved in the fitment portion of the install. The plastic alignment tabs did not match very well to the stock housing box. This makes the install sort of willy-nilly meaning that you have to place the light where it needs to be as best you can then replace with bezel bracket and secure. It seemed I had trouble lining up the left front headlight over the right for some reason. I may have to uninstall and reinstall so as to make for an adjustment to the right high beam positioning.
JW Speaker fog light installation; being that it is a special edition jeep with AEV military style bumper I decided to take my rig to four-wheel-drive parts wholesale and have them do the install. They did the install, however the lights do not work correctly at all. Flickr, the main culprit. After all these years of being on the market one would think by now this would be addressed. But it is not. So once again, the end-user gets a product that does not have the supporting harness which it needs to operate included in the box. This is problematic due to the fact that the stated part is designed for a 2012 Jeep JK. Then of course there is the cost to consider. I did send in my concerns to JW Speaker and have yet to receive a reply. My thoughts are if it's a $40 harness, then why is it not in the box? Better yet, why is the light not built to work right out-of-the-box? As I don't have a need for fog lights during this time of year it is a non-issue at this time. However it would be nice to be able to use the fog lights as daytime running lights as has been suggested in here by means of a ProCal.
Headlight effectiveness; focusing and effective pattern ahead is absolutely amazing. Upon reaching a county park in which I am well acquainted with having done numerous hours of Night time patrol using the older lighting technology of the 1970s had me in a State of oh my God! While using high-beam The best I can describe under such night-time conditions is Picture a 180° Field of nicely lighted area to the front of your jeep... Moving at 18 to 25 mph soon had me eyeing small critters that reside within the Park itself. Especially note The type of lighting I am describing here is very soft (JWSpeaker comfort light Technology) meaning not harsh nor is it excessively bright but a brilliant display by my best estimate a light emitting technology like none other I have yet to see. For those who can relate, using these particular headlights as a patrol lighting tool in similar conditions as described above would definitely minimize the use of mounted spotlights by the officer. But again, this is my opinion.
Rural driving conditions; being retired, I tend not to travel at very high speeds as much of my nighttime driving consist of getting out of the house and heading to the foothills here in my hometown. Historically Speaking, such endeavors go way back to when I drove for fun my grandpas six volt GMC pick up. Very same rural conditions. So another words I know pitiful lighting when I speak of it, JW speakers make driving at night really a blast! After a while on the road enjoying the music I have found myself traveling faster, actually Way faster than I normally Ever would. Again this is due to the brilliant speaker lighting technology, This display before you that turns night into day only, it's not really day of course, but you see so much better. When road conditions change into a long sweeping like straightaway heading uphill and to the right has every roadside sign and County Road reflector sign lit up like Christmas tree landing lights as far as the beam can carry. We are talking miles here. As highly reflective signs get closer while you were moving they do not appear overly bright at all making the drivers Eye more effective in reading what is on the sign without such condition being overwhelming to the brain. Again, I believe this to be a large part of JW speakers comfort light technology it speaks of. And I am very impressed as I am very pleased as well.
Aesthetics; simply stated these lights turn heads, Especially those fellow jeep owners having an eye for detail. True affection autos. As I always enjoy seeing JW speakers on Harley Davidson motorcycles, I believe they look equally as good if not better on the front of my jeep. Which for me, is another all-time American icon going back to its wartime development and use.
And this is my assessment thus far.
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Garbinator
SeekTheMoneyTree
Other than the comfort bright technology I would think one would have to study JW speakers technology behind the improved design of their latest light. There is a lot of description and explanation to be had and I just don't wish to repeat it
As for the silly Halo lighting, I had an issue in the beginning with it as well. But I decided eventually I would like to make it a daytime running light if possible.
As to differences of beam pattern there are excellent photographs showing the highbeam and low beam these new "J" model lights produce.
As for the silly Halo lighting, I had an issue in the beginning with it as well. But I decided eventually I would like to make it a daytime running light if possible.
As to differences of beam pattern there are excellent photographs showing the highbeam and low beam these new "J" model lights produce.
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