DesertFab Steel Taillights Installed

TheHighHeat

NAXJA Forum User
I've been on the waiting list for these things forever and it was well worth the wait. I'll have a writeup done in the next few days, and I'll take some night pics of the reverse light, parking light, and brake light later on tonight.


 
I put those 6" oval light inserts on the back of a CJ. I decided to use the incandescent bulbs over the diode lights because I was always beating the crap out of my tail lights, and I figured when(not "if") I broke one out, 5-7.00 replacements from napa, A-zone, or any truck stop were better then 25-40.00 replacements special ordered from somewhere.(Turns out I was right)
Stick with the incandescents unless you're staying on the street.
 
Jes and Ba-riedo: I may be "special". I just can't seem to stay away from them trees. ...,And, to be honest, I've only broken one of them myself.
 
I realize that it may not be an issue for many of you guys, but L.E.D. lights are too damn efficient. What I mean is that they don't put out any heat. In a snowy climate like the one I live in, that can be a real problem. After just a short trip on the highway, your lights will be totally covered and no one will be able to see you.

That is why they just aren't catching on up here in a very big way. Most people only run them for a few weeks, maybe one winter at most.
 
Word doc with pictures can be downloaded from here http://www.4shared.com/file/49646214/5b68f26b/DesertFab_Steel_Taillight_Install_2000XJ.html

Things Needed
10mm Wrench
7mm Wrench
Wire Cutter
Wire Stripper
Electrical Tape
(2) Taillight Converters (Hopkins Part# 48845)

Drivers Side
1. Install the grommets in the housing
2. Install the lights into the grommets
3. On the Tail/Stop/Turn light the White=Ground, Red=Turn, Black=Tail
4. On the Hopkins Converter the White=Ground, Red=Brake, Yellow=Left Turn, Green= Right turn, Brown=Tail Light
5. Remove the green wire from the Hopkins Converter
6. Seal off the end of the green wire with solder, shrink wrap, or electrical tape
7. Take the wiring harness for the stop, brake, turn light and connect the red wire to the yellow wire, the black wire to the brown wire and the white wire to the white wire
8. Remove the (3)10mm bolts holding the factory taillight to the body
9. Remove the 7mm bolt holding the wires to the taillight housing
10. Turn the light sockets counter clockwise to remove
11. Mark the wires with Tail/Stop, Turn, or Reverse
12. Cut the wires as close the socket as you can
13. Wire the reverse light to the factory harness, polarity does not matter unless you have leds, so it doesn’t matter which color goes where.
14. For the converter, Wire the Black wires into the White wire, the brake wire into the Red wire, the turn signal wire into the Yellow wire, and the tail light wire into the Brown wire.
a. On my 2000 here are the wire colors(colors will vary year to year)
i. White/Tan = Brake
ii. Dark Green/Red = Left turn
iii. Brown = Tail
iv. Black = Ground

Passenger Side
***Haven’t installed yet, cannot confirm wire colors, pictures to come***
1. Remove the (3)10mm bolts holding the factory taillight to the body
2. Remove the 7mm bolt holding the wires to the taillight housing
3. Turn the light sockets counter clockwise to remove
4. Mark the wires with Tail/Stop, Turn, or Reverse
5. Cut the wires as close the socket as you can
6. Install the grommets in the housing
7. Install the lights into the grommets
8. On the Tail/Stop/Turn light the White=Ground, Red=Turn, Black=Tail
9. On the Hopkins Converter the White=Ground, Red=Brake, Yellow=Left Turn, Green= Right turn, Brown=Tail Light
10. Remove the yellow wire from the Hopkins Converter
11. Seal off the end of the yellow wire with solder, shrink wrap, or electrical tape
12. Take the wiring harness for the stop, brake, turn light and connect the red wire to the green wire, the black wire to the brown wire and the white wire to the white wire
13. Wire the reverse light to the factory harness, polarity does not matter unless you have leds, so it doesn’t matter which color goes where.
14. For the converter, Wire the Black wires into the White wire, the brake wire into the Red wire, the turn signal wire into the Green wire, and the tail light wire into the Brown wire.
a. On my 2000 here are the wire colors(colors will vary year to year)
i. White/Tan = Brake
ii. Brown/Red = Right turn
iii. Dark Green/Yellow = Tail
iv. Black = Ground
 
They look nice, I think they need something on the side to be totally legal. Not likely to get shit over it but side markers are required front and rear I think. What kind of $$ are these?
 
After spending almost 2 months trying to get my lights wired up with those converters I gave up, I could get one light wired up fine and the second I tried to wire in the second light the converter blew...so I ditched the backup lights and replaced them with LED lights from American Superlite, I will take some pictures at some point, I currently only have 55 watt hellas for my backup lights(which won't pass inspection)
 
just got my set. unbelievable quality! exccelent would reccomend to anyone.


Yep the guys at Desert Fab make excellent work. One of them fabbed me up some light mounts so I could stick my KC's on the A-pillar.

I'm planning on having them build me the rockers that are on their XJ.
110_1424.jpg


110_1442.jpg


Sorry, back on topic.
 
Back
Top