finished LED conversion

[ehall]

festoon bulbs are sold by size, so pull one out and measure the diameter and length then find one that matches

 

[NCjeepgirl83]

That looks awesome! I have been looking into doing this with my xj. However, I want to be able to keep the stock dimming option for the gauge lights. If I buy the lights off the list, will I be able to dim the LEDs?

Also has anyone done their interior in xenon rather than led? What are the main differences as far as light output is concerned? And does anyone have any pics using xenon?

 

[VestaviaPirate]

Does anyone know what part number the Overhead console lights are?

It's out of a 98.

Don't go by part number, or even the owner's manual. I did that, looked everywhere for this question, and everyone kept telling me 912 bulbs are the right bulbs. I even saw it in my manual. This is in fact FALSE! I bough 4 of them, they didn't even come close.

The right bulb is a festoon, the same exact size of the rear dome light, I forget the size, I believe it's a 44mm x 11mm... almost positive. Bought on fLeabay for a few bones, and works beautifully. Now I have to buy 4 more, as I only got one...

But this is the correct answer that I spent days looking for before I quit being lazy and fiqured it out myself... they are NOT 912 bulbs! So beware

 

[ausi02]

I have a 98 with remote entry and it has a rigid loop festoon for the overhead light, weird right? Good thing I checked before ordering.

 

[NCjeepgirl83]

get a real gauge overlay kit and youll be able to dim em. they look better too.

Can you elaborate on this? I'd like to keep the stock dimming option while using LEDs. What would I need to make this possible?

Thanks!!

 

[CheekyMcgee]

Just finished installing the 44mm Festoons for my dome light and cargo light. Also did the BA15s for my kick panels. Results are awesome! Thanks to everyone for all the info.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Just finished installing the 44mm Festoons for my dome light and cargo light. Also did the BA15s for my kick panels. Results are awesome! Thanks to everyone for all the info.

Did you have to modify the bulbs to fit? I took the plastic off of the bulbs because of some interference between the bulb and the plastic part of the bulb socket. They fit great now.

 

[CheekyMcgee]

Not at all. Only issue I came up against was that the front and rear dome light bulbs were different.

The front was a 561 style bulb like this:

The rear bulb was a regular 44mm Festoon like this:

I ordered a pair of each just to have some spares. I still don't understand why they used 2 different style bulbs for the same job.

 

[FlexdXJ]

OK mine look similar to the first but are SMD LED's. They had a plastic housing around them that resembled the regular bulbs. I just popped that off and they are fine now. Thankfully I can solder, I broke one of the ends off and had to solder it back on.

 

[Root Moose]

Has anyone figured out how to change the lights for the door switches?

 

[CheekyMcgee]

Funny thing is, I was getting all frustrated because they didn't work at first. Like a jackass, I didn't realize the only worked when installed using correct polarity! I'm sitting there beating myself up until I tried turning them around and viola! Worked like a charm.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Funny thing is, I was getting all frustrated because they didn't work at first. Like a jackass, I didn't realize the only worked when installed using correct polarity! I'm sitting there beating myself up until I tried turning them around and viola! Worked like a charm.

Ha, Oops. At least it was an easy fix.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Has anyone figured out how to change the lights for the door switches?

I am guessing it could be done but not worth the extra effort. That and I have manual doors!

 

[VestaviaPirate]

After about 2 months of this conversion I am happy and disappointed. I ordered the kicker bulbs, installed, amazing. Ordered the bulbs for the licsense plate light, ehh, not as bright as I would like, but looks good I guess. Ordered the festoon bulbs (4 LED) for the 4 overhead console lights... at first, they were ok; again, not as bright as I wanted, and a little too blue, but they did the job. 2 months later... they all started flickering, at different rates. Some would stay on all the time, some wouldn't, it was a crap shoot.

I'm assuming I bough crappy bulbs off fleabay... so who has done this mod, and after a few months they were very satisfied with the light and no problems like mine? If you have, tell me where you got the bulbs, because I'm a light whore and want more light in my cab when I'm searching for the small thing I have to have to make the tailgate party work... Thanks!

 

[FlexdXJ]

so who has done this mod, and after a few months they were very satisfied with the light and no problems like mine? If you have, tell me where you got the bulbs, because I'm a light whore and want more light in my cab when I'm searching for the small thing I have to have to make the tailgate party work... Thanks!

I did it and used bulbs from www.superbrightleds.com I first used the regular LED's in the gauge cluster and they were a bit too blue for my taste. I got some of the SMD bulbs and they are brighter. I am very happy with the dome lights. No problems with the bulbs to report.

 

[VestaviaPirate]

I did it and used bulbs from www.superbrightleds.com I first used the regular LED's in the gauge cluster and they were a bit too blue for my taste. I got some of the SMD bulbs and they are brighter. I am very happy with the dome lights. No problems with the bulbs to report.

SMD? What's SMD? Which one's did you use in the domes? Is it a ton of light? I mean, like a ton? I want to be able to wear sunglasses in my car... at midnight (joke), because my interior lights are so bright.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Surface mount diode, much brighter than traditional LED's

 

[VestaviaPirate]

Surface mount diode, much brighter than traditional LED's

without sounding too much like a moron, where can you get some SMD's? Same place? Super Bright?

 

[VestaviaPirate]

can anyone tell me which SMDs I need or which ones people have used? Thanks

 

[willsmysticcobra]

I am going to take on this project this weekend. I am going to start with the ba15 floor lights and the 44mm festoons in the overhead lights (1999 xj)