Ultra-bright reversing lamps

[casm]

Anyone know where I can get a set of reversing lights (3157 bulb pattern) that're considerably brighter than stock yet won't melt the lamp housing?

I tried a set of 25-element (19 straight, 6 radial) 8200mcd white LED lights from superbrightleds.com, but the lens seems to have a filtering effect on them that makes them less effective than the standard units. The lack of reflectors in XJ light clusters doesn't help much either.

 

[KarlVP]

Most truck stops have 12 volt implemnent lights.

Tractor supply places too.

Or, if you are good with wiring up relays and stuff, take a stock headlight and wire up both beams (high and low) together. Run your relay and some wire to your backup light switch.

Winner.

 

[casm]

Most truck stops have 12 volt implemnent lights.

Yup. I'd just prefer to not go that route if possible - don't really want extra lights up top or in the license plate frame area, though I do like the Olds Aurora license plate holder modification rather a lot.

 

[casm]

though I do like the Olds Aurora license plate holder modification rather a lot.

Screw it, I just scored one cheap on eBay. Problem solved.

 

[theksmith]

Try also searching for a 3156 as that is actually what it is (3157 has 2 filaments, only really need the single for reverse). I have a 35 watt xenon in but I can't remember where online I got it. I believe 27 what is the standard "bright" ones - that aren't really that bright!

Aha... this looks like what I have:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300037440200&category=71537

And just found this... let me know if you get it and how you like it, I might upgrade!
http://www.autobarn.net/des20108.html

 

[8Mud]

Wiring a relay into the back up light circuit is pretty easy. I got lucky and had an unused high amp hot wire for the trailer harness I tapped for power.
I use a single 55 watt lamp, 8 inch wide metal housing defused lens.
I tucked it up near the gas tank, well underneath the bumper. The bumper keeps it directed low so it doesn't blind anybody. I haven't managed to break it off yet.
I was thinking of a pair of small roof mounts, but the police around here are death on most any sort of aux lighting (up high).
I tried most everything in the stock taillights over the years and never found anything that was satisfactory. Either the bulbs were too hot or weren't an improvement.
Hella makes a cut into the bumper (or hatch) mount, that may be a neat install.

http://www.hella.com/produktion/Hel...r/LichtModule/Premium_Heckleuchten-Module.pdf

 

[casm]

And just found this... let me know if you get it and how you like it, I might upgrade!
http://www.autobarn.net/des20108.html

Dammit - that's a quarter of what I just paid on eBay for both! No biggie, though. I'm planning on wiring these through a switched relay so that I can make them independent of the reversing lights on an as-needed basis. It'd be nice to be able to flip them on as campsite floodlights while setting up, for example. Running a Yellowtop so not too concerned about the current draw.

Hella makes a cut into the bumper (or hatch) mount, that may be a neat install.

Shades of the Talbot Rancho front bumper Actually, I rather like those vehicles; briefly owned one once. Styling was good enough to be recycled for the Land-Rover Discovery a decade later...

 

[XJ Beater]

olds aurora liscense plate holder?????

 

[stewie]

olds aurora liscense plate holder?????

i agree. please elaborate

 

[casm]

i agree. please elaborate

Basically, the licence plate holder from a '95-'99 Olds Aurora came with integrated reversing lights and fits in the rear plate indentation on XJs like a glove:

The original thread detailing the installation was here, but it looks as though the images are broken. Go-Jeep's did something similar, but not using that exact item - however, if you scroll down to the bottom of that page, you can see how JEONLYEP's Aurora setup looks. Obviously this isn't too useful if you're using a rear spare carrier, but since my spare goes up on the roof rack it wasn't a consideration.

AFAIK nobody's done this on a '97-up model yet. Be interesting to see how it looks on the later 'flat' tailgate without the plate indentation.

 

[JEONLYEP]

Olds Aurora liscense plate holder.

Before:

After:

Durning:

On:

DAryl

 

[KarlVP]

That's sweet dude.

Nice work!!!

 

[Atl XJ]

Thats pretty sweet. It sucks that you have to cut those huge holes in the liftgate though...

 

[JEONLYEP]

Thats pretty sweet. It sucks that you have to cut those huge holes in the liftgate though...

Yea, surface mounts would be nice, but I used some foam weather stripping for sealing a topper to a truck bed. The only time that I have had water trouble was durning a heavy rain and we were under the open hatch. That makes the tag pocket more like a rain gauge.

DAryl

 

[mtsz52784]

Has anybody done this with a 97+?? I am looking to do this and would like to know if anybody has even tried this? Thanks

 

[casm]

Has anybody done this with a 97+?? I am looking to do this and would like to know if anybody has even tried this? Thanks

I will be in the next few weeks, assuming I survive the Christmas season without going on a murderous rampage. That aside, it looks as though the procedure's going to be pretty much the same as for the earlier vehicles only you're cutting into metal instead of fibreglass. I've already scoped it out and everything should fit without any serious issues. Doing the wiring's going to be a complete PITA, though.

 

[WheelinJR]

dang, ebay doesn't have any of those right now.

 

[casm]

dang, ebay doesn't have any of those right now.

Check the For Sale forum; I know there were a couple in there in the last week or so.

 

[mtsz52784]

i seen 1 on ebay last night while searching "olds aurora"

 

[andrew2516]

And just found this... let me know if you get it and how you like it, I might upgrade!
http://www.autobarn.net/des20108.html

Will those fit a 93 XJ? I just ordered them and now that I look at the description it only says they fit 97+ grand's...