97+ front clip swap

[mattbuch96]

I acquired a 97+ front clip and I am interested in replacing it with my original one but I need some assistance. Do you have to use the 97+ front fenders? Can you use the original headlight and turn signal wiring harshness? Thanks for you help! :bowdown:

[Dzimm]

The older fenders are more boxy than the rounded corners of the front clip.  This will cause an awkward edge on the upper front corners of the fenders where they meet the clip.  You can do it but it just doesn't look right.  

 

As far as the wiring, the 97+ clip will have 3 marker bulbs per side and the headlight plugs are the same.  You wouldn't have issue plugging in the headlights but youd have to add lights to the harness to fill all the markers.  What most people do is use the 97+ harness, and adapt the main harness plug to the 96- plug on the truck.  

 

Here is a link to a post from the previous owner of my truck (90piosport99) when he did this front clip swap to it.  It contains the wiring colors that you need to splice together.

 

http://comancheclub.com/topic/17155-adapting-mj-headlight-harness-to-97-xj-harness/

[Airborne Janitor]

You also need the 97+ brackets that attach the header panel to the fenders, even if you retain the old fenders (assuming they bolt to them). There's lots of info about the swap on the forums if you search. Check the link in my sig, there's a wiring diagram for the lighting.

[krustyballer16]

I didn't think the new header panel bolted up to the old fenders...

Even if it does, I've held a new header up to old fenders and the body lines are way off and look horrible.

Best to just swap everything.

I think the wiring is pretty straight forward if you have a wiring diagram

 

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

[Crash]

I didn't think the new header panel bolted up to the old fenders...

Even if it does, I've held a new header up to old fenders and the body lines are way off and look horrible.

Best to just swap everything.

I think the wiring is pretty straight forward if you have a wiring diagram

 

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

They don't entirely, but the header fits with old fenders. Body line at the top is different though.

Years ago, on my XJ I had just the panel for a bit before I got around to swapping fenders.

 

As far as wiring, you can splice/the whole thing. Or just splce in the extra turn signal bulbs.

[mattbuch96]

I didn't think the new header panel bolted up to the old fenders...

Even if it does, I've held a new header up to old fenders and the body lines are way off and look horrible.

Best to just swap everything.

I think the wiring is pretty straight forward if you have a wiring diagram

 

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

So this is what I got, don't know a lot about wiring diagrams, can I just match the colors up on this harness to my original end it will all work? Thanks.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dzimm]

 

I didn't think the new header panel bolted up to the old fenders...

Even if it does, I've held a new header up to old fenders and the body lines are way off and look horrible.

Best to just swap everything.

I think the wiring is pretty straight forward if you have a wiring diagram

 

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

So this is what I got, don't know a lot about wiring diagrams, can I just match the colors up on this harness to my original end it will all work? Thanks.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click the links we posted above to see what colors to match up. That's the plug to work with but the wire colors will be different.