Strokermjcomanche Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 So this morning I'm sitting around looking on here and a guy from Stockholm said he needs amber turn signal to pass inspection . I had this busted tail light and figured Id see what I could come up with . $20 bucks in materials and these are what I came up with . Pictures to come in a bit .So what do you guys think? Any improvements / downsides you can think of ? Image Not Found Image Not Found Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Nicely done. Where did you buy the checkered plastic, what kind of plastic (acrylic?), and how did you bend it to fit? Keep in mind that on the European versions the amber is for turn signals and hazard flashers. Our U.S. trucks are wired so that both bulbs operate as dual filamant brake & turn lights. I think the european arrangement is better, and it's what Jeep used on the Cherokee so I don't know why they went retro on the American MJs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 Nicely done. Where did you buy the checkered plastic, what kind of plastic (acrylic?), and how did you bend it to fit? Keep in mind that on the European versions the amber is for turn signals and hazard flashers. Our U.S. trucks are wired so that both bulbs operate as dual filamant brake & turn lights. I think the european arrangement is better, and it's what Jeep used on the Cherokee so I don't know why they went retro on the American MJs. I knew that the wiring was going to be another hurdle to jump . And you are correct it is acrylic amber plastic . I paid $5 for a section 2 5/8 width by 4'length . The acrylic was easy to bend with a heat gun and no bubbles or imperfections surfaced . I backed the clear amber plastic with prizm ? plastic that is used for ceiling fixtures . Thanks Eagle . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 I bought the plastic at a local business called Bakers plastics and it's literally 5 minutes down the road. I also want to thank Hornbrod for posting the pictures for me . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyav8r Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 I think I like it! Have you tried to split out the wiring to separate the turn/hazards and the brake lights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 No. I was just trying to figure out a way to incorporate the amber lenses in the factory tail lights . I've already heard of people separating the turns and brake lights on this forum . Figured it would help with the 97+ conversion as those and even the older xjs have independent turns and brake lights .I'm hoping that there are some tail lights that have holes and cracks in them that can be repurposed for this .As I'm sure not too many people would want to cut up perfectly good tail lights . Thanks keyav8r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldseddie Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 I have wondered if xj tail light lenses could be removed and made to fit mj back part. Has anyone had them both side by side? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 I have wondered if xj tail light lenses could be removed and made to fit mj back part. Has anyone had them both side by side? They are not even close to being the same size and shape. It would be far easier to do as the OP did here, start with flat acrylic and use a heat gun to bend it to shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 If I were in the situation of needing to have a separate amber signal light, I think I'd change out the reverse bulb with an amber bulb and rewire as necessary leaving a stock appearance. Then I'd add a stand alone reverse light under the bumper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 If I were in the situation of needing to have a separate amber signal light, I think I'd change out the reverse bulb with an amber bulb and rewire as necessary leaving a stock appearance. Then I'd add a stand alone reverse light under the bumper. I'm seriously considering doing exactly that. Either that, or installing four cheap amber fog lights and a separate switch and flasher to create my own hazard warning system. The problem with the MJ setup is that the brake lights override the hazard flasher. Since they share the same bulbs in the rear, if you step on the brake when the flashers are on, they stop flashing. That, IMHO, is a stupid arrangement. It's especially stupid because they could easily have set up the Comanche the same way they did the Cherokee -- and, in fact they did -- for Europe, where it's required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyav8r Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Could a Cherokee taillight harness be grafted in? Or, would you have to rewire all the way to the front of the truck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Could a Cherokee taillight harness be grafted in? Or, would you have to rewire all the way to the front of the truck? I haven't checked the respective wiring diagrams, but in the years when there was a Wagoneer model of the XJ, the Wagoneers had all-red taillights and functioned like the MJ. The only difference I could find was in the tailight harness at the back, from a connector somewhere over the left wheelwell to the tailights. So the trick would be to compare the wiring of the XJ Wagoneer to that of the MJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekaz1 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 i found a 2 wire (MJ/XJW/TJ/JK) to 3 wire (XJ/ZJ/WJ) converter for ~$25 http://www.carid.com/tow-ready/2-to-3-tail-light-converter-mpn-118158.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwtr6sBRDv7uzB492H9XISJADj6aqbGIyik0p-XQipM2bj9jO5eznGl98gAeluJ4pbSnDNBhoCeADw_wcB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekaz1 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 you could also use that to split the stock housing. from STT/STT/R to ST/T/R or ST/TT/R. the only thing i don't know is how the hazard light would operate. being the turn overpowers the stop. but then the stop overpowers the hazard, if I'm not mistaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekaz1 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 curious on your trucks, ive never noticed this before but on front signals -marker lights OFF front and side lights blinker simultaneous. -marker lights ON front and side lights blinker alternate. ive read a bunch of different posts about rewiring to make sides a turn... mine seems to be already like that (factory). is this a renix mod rather than an HO mod? also ive never noticed a vehicle flash pattern change with/without marker input. do they all (MJ/XJ) do this? i know on my TJ the side ONLY works if markers are on and then its an alternating pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 ever since I added aftermarket lights as backup lights, I will not go back. never underestimate the awesomeness that is being able to see where you're going. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpdriver1 Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 not intending to hijack --- Pete, did you just splice those b/u lights into the harness? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 nah. hooked them up to a separate switch/relay so I had more control over them. but if I was to wire anything to the trans switch, I'd still use a relay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 curious on your trucks, ive never noticed this before but on front signals -marker lights OFF front and side lights blinker simultaneous. -marker lights ON front and side lights blinker alternate. ive read a bunch of different posts about rewiring to make sides a turn... mine seems to be already like that (factory). is this a renix mod rather than an HO mod? also ive never noticed a vehicle flash pattern change with/without marker input. do they all (MJ/XJ) do this? i know on my TJ the side ONLY works if markers are on and then its an alternating pattern. That feature began in 89 or 90. You can mod an earlier version easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I at one time was very interested in making my own set of tail lights... nicely done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I suppose I have to dissent from the group. I don't like the amber anywhere. I had them on my XJ, I switched to clear corners in front and painted the rears with hobby (Testors) gloss clear red, so it was all clear or red. Never had a problem with the CHP or local cops. Don't have "inspections" here, but if it was an issue, I like neohic's solution. My back-ups work fine but I also have a dedicated light on a switch in the rear for very dark or snowy situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crash Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I suppose I have to dissent from the group. I don't like the amber anywhere. I had them on my XJ, I switched to clear corners in front and painted the rears with hobby (Testors) gloss clear red, so it was all clear or red. Never had a problem with the CHP or local cops. Don't have "inspections" here, but if it was an issue, I like neohic's solution. My back-ups work fine but I also have a dedicated light on a switch in the rear for very dark or snowy situations. I agree to a point. For XJ, I really like the Euro tails but the amber is minimal. I also like the waggy talis that are all red, minus the backup of course. What seems odd about this is that these trucks came FROM THE FACTORY with Fully red tail lights. As do a lot of other vehicles. I guess it is one thing to be picky about something that is aftermarket, but factory? That sounds like a load of fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 If I were in the situation of needing to have a separate amber signal light, I think I'd change out the reverse bulb with an amber bulb and rewire as necessary leaving a stock appearance. Then I'd add a stand alone reverse light under the bumper. I hope to do exactly this (plus an additional LED marker/turn on the side) when I rewire my lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekaz1 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I suppose I have to dissent from the group. I don't like the amber anywhere. I had them on my XJ, I switched to clear corners in front and painted the rears with hobby (Testors) gloss clear red, so it was all clear or red. Never had a problem with the CHP or local cops. Don't have "inspections" here, but if it was an issue, I like neohic's solution. My back-ups work fine but I also have a dedicated light on a switch in the rear for very dark or snowy situations. I agree to a point. For XJ, I really like the Euro tails but the amber is minimal. I also like the waggy talis that are all red, minus the backup of course. What seems odd about this is that these trucks came FROM THE FACTORY with Fully red tail lights. As do a lot of other vehicles. I guess it is one thing to be picky about something that is aftermarket, but factory? That sounds like a load of fail. I get why they did "its the american standard" but just odd that XJ/ZJ would have amber but the MJ wouldn't. Why the switch for just that one model Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 because the MJ was too cool for those ugly yellow lights. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now