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97+ XJ taillight install


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copied from a lost thread (aka: not mine)

 

 

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Ok, so I took a bunch of photos and I will share them with you. However, I think I owe you more photos and a sufficient write up. The write up will have to occur on the passenger side tail light. The drivers side was my trail and error side. I have my thoughts, but I would like you thoughts. This took me a total of about 5 hours to do one side. I feel like the other side will take half as long. I say that because the first 2.5 hours of work was fruitless, but I will share that with you as well.

 

Here is what I started with:

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What you see here is the first part of my day. I figured that i would use the XJ rear hatch to trace the curve of the light. Great Idea!!!!!! Bad execution. once I found the curve, the next step was to trace that onto the the bed and use tape to get the body line correct.. I measured the lip of the sheet metal so that I could replicate it.........don't try this, its stupid and it will waste your time trying to make the factory lip. Its possible...but stupid.

 

 

 

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At this point, I google the cost of a new bed. This was after I had beat the sheet metal in after cutting those relief cuts. I then unfolded it all and cut it off even. The was no measurements for this, it was a complete eyeball through a face shield. Don't do that,.......its not smart. I guess I didn't completely realize that there was going to be a gap on both sides of the light.

 

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And this is what it looks like completed without body filler or paint. 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
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  • 3 months later...
  • 9 months later...
On 7/16/2019 at 12:30 PM, Mopar_Luvr said:

Are the Dakota lights easier to mciver into our beds?

 

not really.  with zero fabrication (maybe some duct tape?) they can both be made "functional", but in order to not look like crap they both require welding. 

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  • 1 year later...
9 hours ago, Pete M said:

 

not yet that I've seen.  you could be the first! :D 

I'm thinking in those as an option but not 100% convinced that they will look good, I think those are to modern for the MJ. Another option that I have seen fitted is late 80's early 90's F150 rear tail ligths,(may have some pictures of that) look very similar to de XJ ones. I'm also considering TJ's or someting similar, like the Galdiator has.

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  • 3 months later...
9 hours ago, Greentoy said:

Just did this to mine today.  Wrangler LED lights mounted inside oem lenses.  Fit was actually pretty easy. Thoughts?

Got any pictures from further away? Was thinking of doing this for my trailer project cause take off are super cheap.

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  • 1 month later...
On 12/23/2020 at 11:43 PM, Greentoy said:

Just did this to mine today.  Wrangler LED lights mounted inside oem lenses.  Fit was actually pretty easy. Thoughts?

 

What kind of fitment issues?  I certainly can't tell in the pics of there was modifications to the sheet metal.

 

These actually look pretty good to me.

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What kind of fitment issues?  I certainly can't tell in the pics of there was modifications to the sheet metal.
 
These actually look pretty good to me.

Coolwind57, I used the original cracked tail lamp assemblies as a sort of adapter for the wrangler lights. I did not cut any sheet metal and retained the original mounting screws so I could easily go back to oem later if desired.


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On 2/17/2021 at 10:33 PM, Greentoy said:


Coolwind57, I used the original cracked tail lamp assemblies as a sort of adapter for the wrangler lights. I did not cut any sheet metal and retained the original mounting screws so I could easily go back to oem later if desired.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

So, you maybe cut out your MJ lenses to fit and glue in the Wrangler lenses, is that what I'm seeing here?  Maybe shot black paint on what still visible of the MJ lens housing?

 

I'm diggin this.

 

 

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25 minutes ago, coolwind57 said:

 

So, you maybe cut out your MJ lenses to fit and glue in the Wrangler lenses, is that what I'm seeing here?  Maybe shot black paint on what still visible of the MJ lens housing?

 

I'm diggin this.

 

 

Coolwind57,

That's pretty much correct. The mounting tab on the back of the watertight wrangler lenses matched up perfectly with part of the rear housing allowing a small bolt and locknut to be used to fasten it securely. I used a black adhesive caulk (Flex seal) to fill the small gaps in the cutout, then taped off the new lenses and shot the whole thing with spray bedliner to match the texture on both pieces while adding durability.  I wish I had taken pics or video during the process, but the fact is that even I am amazed at how well they turned out. :cool:

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3 hours ago, Cerbomach said:

Not bad actually!, look's pretty nice. like it!

Thank You.  I have had some people really hate on it on another thread. (cardinal sin or something?)  Most have liked it though.  I like it, and that is all that matters.  Cost $55 instead of $250-350 each on ebay for oem. :))

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6 minutes ago, Greentoy said:

Thank You.  I have had some people really hate on it on another thread. (cardinal sin or something?)  Most have liked it though.  I like it, and that is all that matters.  Cost $55 instead of $250-350 each on ebay for oem. :))

I think they look good enough and more important you like them and were only 55 $. I was thinking in doing similar with TJ rear lights, but I score a par of ONS rear MJ lights for 40 $ the pair:banana: so definetly  went with those.

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11 minutes ago, Greentoy said:

Thank You.  I have had some people really hate on it on another thread. (cardinal sin or something?)  Most have liked it though.  I like it, and that is all that matters.  Cost $55 instead of $250-350 each on ebay for oem. :))

well just like that gladiator bumper and jk wheels they are sacreligious but they look cool. new things on 80s trucks are just awkward and need to be done right like 97+ swaps

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34 minutes ago, Cerbomach said:

I think they look good enough and more important you like them and were only 55 $. I was thinking in doing similar with TJ rear lights, but I score a par of ONS rear MJ lights for 40 $ the pair:banana: so definetly  went with those.

$40 for the pair! You did good! 

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1 minute ago, Greentoy said:

Jesse J,

I just saw that gladiator bumper, and I like it too! I really am a terrible MJ owner! LOL  

LOL some small part of me want's to build a "modern" comanche (not the renegade one) but put those wrangler lights and a gladiator bumper and a 97 swap and jk wheels. make everything LED, backup camera, infotainment screen. probably won't happen but it would be cool

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  • 1 year later...

To each their own.  I don't mind the 97+ XJ lights but wouldn't want to do the metal work to accomplish it.  But I'm one of the ones that think that the wrangler taillights are sacrilegious.  The direct on from the back looks awesome and then once you get to the side of the vehicle and that's where you lost me.  You can tell all you did is cut the original lenses and used a can of Krylon paint, painted them black the original lenses black, glued it together and called it a day.  It looks cheap.  (And it is.)  And that's fine.  But everyone has different objectives with their cars.  Not as big of a deal if it's a trail buggy.  But with dwindling numbers of a vehicle that never had a high production number to begin with this isn't kosher for a proper restoration and the direction many are headed.

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