Comanche tail lights are too damn high!

[Warthog]

I thought I’d share my tail light dilemma with you guys cause I know someone out there feels the same way I do! Chevy ford and dodge did a huge disservice to people when the decided to do wrap around tail lights. They get bumped they break and add to the fact these trucks haven’t been around in decades makes for a price sunami! Never have been a fan of wrap around period. Takes away from the body lines and just look ugly to me. Just my opinion and I’m old so there. Looked for boxes but nobody makes em for the mj. Xj yes but those won’t work. Dakotas from certain years will with some cutting filing and massage. No thanks cause you’re still in the same boat. I’ve seen originals for $500 and repos for $300! No thanks. You’re still in the same boat. So thought I’d weld some sheet over the hole like some guys I’ve seen! Bought a welder and everything! My whole family welds! I however do not. I can not. Took all of 20 mins to realize you need a basic certain skill which I don’t possess. So gave it to my brother and was gonna get him to do it. Problem is he is always up to his @$$ in alligators so I might as well wait on the lord himself to come down and do it. Talked to lots of I’ll do it for you! And that’s as far as it got. Offered to hire someone but didn’t pan either. Folks are busy and don’t wanna work on there day off. It’s a complete rebuild so a shop is out of the question. After many many moons and thinking sessions it came to me. I took a tool box someone gave me some poster board and made a template. Ground down the diamond treads so the aluminum would bend easy but left it on the non bend areas for strength. I put smooth side out. Took some pliers and tye tab where the originals screwed in I bent it out flat for a lip. To the inside by the tail gate the is a little bend lip I assume to meet tye taillight? I beat it into a flat lip. Took a tiger paw on a grinder and made small slow increment changes to the aluminum til it fit. Made the bend using the upper side of the bed just pushin til it got close then hands and eyeballed it. I kept the tailgat portion a bit long. I’ll explain in a minute. Once I had it like I liked I put it in place and made my rivet marks and drilled. 3/16 on the side and 1/8 or smaller by the tailgate. Once I had it lined and rivets would go in I removed and layed jb well onto the tab lips. Use it pretty thick so it makes a nice squish and pop rivet it in place. Wipe the excess jb weld off but try to use it to make it sorta flush in the gaps? Took a cutoff disc on a grinder and trimmed the excess by the tailgate flush and jb weld after sanding to fill in the seam.Next day took some steel stick jb weld and pushed into gaps and seams to make it as flush as possible. Not a fan of bondo I took jb weld again and used it to make the body lines shape in best I could. Once everything was close I used bondo to skim to make the finish. Sand repeat etc. til you get it how you want it. The goal is to have no seam lines where it looks like all one piece. Once it’s where you like it prime and start sanding and eyeballing til it’s to your satisfaction. I used Rust-Oleum. Once you it’s done mark and cut out for your tail lights. Paint, plug em up and install. I am almost to the cut stage. Wanted tye 4”rounds but couldn’t get em to fit right so went with some nice ovals. I also used a metal ss light bezel so it looks cleaner. I got pics for you to get a reference. I bedlined my whole truck, even my Cherokee and yj so the prep work doesn’t need to be as spot on as if you use paint etc. it’s a jeep a truck and it will be used as such. Total cost? A large size jb weld pk, one steel stick, can of primer and paint. You can get tool boxes free if you look around. Hope this helps someone.

[Eagle_SX4]

It will be interesting to see how this turns out. 

 

Are you planning on installing a marker light on the outside of the bed?

[Warthog]

I don’t think so. If I do it will be those 2.5” round jobs with the clear lens red led. I’m now at the cut in stage. Got a bit more liner to apply but for the most part it’s cut wire install. If I was painting I’d still have moser body work? Bondo skimming. But bedliner is sooooo much more forgiving. Soon as I find my step up bits for the ends I’m gonna cut. To get the round part plumb and draw a line from bottom to top of those holes for the cut off wheel to finish the cutout.

[Warthog]

On 3/5/2026 at 2:22 PM, Eagle_SX4 said:

It will be interesting to see how this turns out. 

 

Are you planning on installing a marker light on the outside of the bed?

Well I wasn’t but I’ve been informed it’s mandatory! So a small round one will be added.