Dzimm Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 Just now, ghetdjc320 said: I'm sure the Dakota lights are an option but since Key Parts is bringing new oem tail lights to market, an adapter that fits an oem Dakota light may not be as marketable as something that could fit the newer 97+ XJ style given all the aftermarket options and styles. The adapter bracket would likely just be a thin frame that would adapt the mounting points from an MJ and creates an XJ light opening. I believe the 97+ XJ light is too tall for the opening. I recall seeing someone had to cut the bedside to get a 97 tail to fit, which isn't ideal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dan Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 If you do go the route of printing any kind of adapter, i would be interested. Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greentoy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 On 12/29/2020 at 11:43 AM, Big Dan said: When you can, just a reminder Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk Big Dan, Sorry it took a bit with the holidays to get back online. Here are some additional photos with the tail light assembly off the truck. In hindsight, I should have taken pics all through the process. I guess it was all just an experiment for me from the start. Hopefully it shows clearly how I mounted everything as well as the cuts that had to be made to the original lens (the JK light is waterproof already, so I wasn't worried about that). You will notice that I had to use some washers to adjust the slightly different angles from the JK body on 1 of the 2 outside mounting screws. The longer screw in the back that I mounted the resistor to is the 3rd mounting point of the JK lens as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greentoy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 On 12/29/2020 at 11:28 AM, Tex06 said: I already have people asking me about my "Gladiator Truck" and when I ask if they mean the Comanche they say, "Oh is that what they called Gladiators back then?" Nice work though. Looks pretty good and a great use for a set of otherwise trashed taillights. Tex06, I figured that I had nothing to lose by trying, and I ended up happier than I thought with the results. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greentoy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 On 12/29/2020 at 4:54 PM, MercManche said: Half those morons print with the wrong materials and use horrible printers that don't print consistently. I think those lights would look fantastic if they were mounted directly in fabricated sheet metal brackets instead of within the original plastic lights. Just like the JTs. MercManche, I was thinking that sheet metal or a good quality 3d printed plastic adapter bracket would look great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercManche Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 6 minutes ago, Greentoy said: MercManche, I was thinking that sheet metal or a good quality 3d printed plastic adapter bracket would look great! IMHO, the best way to do this would be to make a sheet metal overlay that screws into the factory locations then house the JL/JT tailight in the sheet metal, literally what you did but instead of sacrificing the tail light you would have a nice looking, secure mount. Even something like this that just use standard push in lights would be nice: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greentoy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 On 12/29/2020 at 7:00 PM, Dzimm said: XJ could work, if the 97+ XJ lenses fit without cutting that would be ideal since they are rounded. I believe the older XJ ones fit within the cutout but that 90* corner is kind of a bummer. May look fine though if it's not sticking out past the body. I should pick up a set of Dakota tail lights and see just how far off they are. Those are still available on the aftermarket and are fairly cheap. Maybe I could make an adapter to fit those. Dzimm, I took some photos from top looking down and the reality is that with the proper adapter you could bring even the JK light that I used even deeper into the available space in the truck bed. I actually chose to leave mine out a bit to have that side marker stick out a bit from the body like the gladiator tail lights do. I looked at a bunch of different tail light options before choosing the JK lights for my experiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greentoy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 3 minutes ago, MercManche said: IMHO, the best way to do this would be to make a sheet metal overlay that screws into the factory locations then house the JL/JT tailight in the sheet metal, literally what you did but instead of sacrificing the tail light you would have a nice looking, secure mount. Even something like this that just use standard push in lights would be nice: Yes, a sheet metal adapter that curved with the bed lines would be awesome. I saw a few of these with the trailer lights in them, but didn't really care for the final product Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercManche Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Just now, Greentoy said: Yes, a sheet metal adapter that curved with the bed lines would be awesome. I saw a few of these with the trailer lights in them, but didn't really care for the final product Someone could even just start doing their own molding lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 10 minutes ago, Greentoy said: Dzimm, I took some photos from top looking down and the reality is that with the proper adapter you could bring even the JK light that I used even deeper into the available space in the truck bed. I actually chose to leave mine out a bit to have that side marker stick out a bit from the body like the gladiator tail lights do. I looked at a bunch of different tail light options before choosing the JK lights for my experiment. Yeah that's one of the big reasons I'm reluctant personally with the JL/JT style lights is that they stick out so far. I have been putting more thought into the tail lights and wonder if they would work being at a slight angle even? I wish I had the money to buy a bunch of lights to do a bunch of testing and making adapters for all kind of different light options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greentoy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 3 minutes ago, MercManche said: Someone could even just start doing their own molding lol I watched several videos about this too including this one. HaHa. My problem was that even my bulb housing behind the bulbs was damaged on my oem lenses, so I would have to make both halves of the clamshell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 7 minutes ago, MercManche said: Someone could even just start doing their own molding lol This would be ideal but the startup cost is too high for me personally and I presume for most of us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greentoy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 Just now, Dzimm said: This would be ideal but the startup cost is too high for me personally and I presume for most of us here. Yeah, that was the other speed bump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 On 12/29/2020 at 10:15 PM, ghetdjc320 said: I but since Key Parts is bringing new oem tail lights to market lenses. it appears they are just making lenses and you have to separate your housings and glue in the new parts. but they are pure stock from what I've seen and so that leaves open the market for snazzy upgrades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercManche Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 18 hours ago, Pete M said: lenses. it appears they are just making lenses and you have to separate your housings and glue in the new parts. but they are pure stock from what I've seen and so that leaves open the market for snazzy upgrades. Thats perfect. The housings are easily 3d printable or molded if someone wished. The lenses would be the most important as you would never get them 100% with other methods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex06 Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 On 1/1/2021 at 9:37 PM, MercManche said: Someone could even just start doing their own molding lol I saw this years ago and bought a 5 gallon pressure/vacuum chamber to do this with. Just never got around to actually doing it, lol. Edit, I even have a couple/3 taillights I picked from the jy to use as my molds. Anybody got a free weekend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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