JK LED Taillights

[Major Ho]

Hey all,

Wanted to share my tinkering while were in quarantine. Been able to fiddle around about an hours worth in the afternoon after telework.

The current and latest is a set of flush mounted LED tail lights, instead of the factory ones that extend out to be grabbed by a rock/tree.
Some notable material details:

• Got some 12"x12" sheet steel from onlinemetals. 12 gauge
• 4" round LED tail light w/ gasket enclosure. Diameter is actually ~4.5"
• 3/4" white reverse LED

Already have installed AEV corner guards
The 12x12 cuts in half nicely to 6"wx12"h.
My drill press is not true so the holes I ended up drilling for the brake and reverse lights ended up being close to 1/8" proud of the actual hole saw diameter.
As such, I had to weld a washer to the backside to make the 3/4" fit tighter.

Factory light mounts have an odd raised stamped metal points. I had to saw those out so these panels can sit flush.
Made a minor curve to match the body simply just clamping into a vice and bending.

I traced the tail and stop/turn light using a multimeter and associated it to the yellow and blue striped wires and soldered accordingly.

With the resistors in place I managed to not get the fast blink.
2 second vid: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LAu9hQzBeecrSpPy6

Current problem... I can't get the reverse light to come on. Don't have any 9Vs or battery source right now to remotely test if the LEDs work at all.

Thoughts, comments, advise?
UPDATE 13 May: Fixed the links, permissions issue?
Also SUCCESS, the reverse lights work now. Chinesium had the white and black wires reversed
https://photos.app.goo.gl/cPzxuKCUGwM9pATZ6


//Full Disclosure: The Jeep has been a pavement queen for the better part of the last decade, but now that my boys are getting bigger/older hoping to get back involved in the wheeling scene.

15 Jun: Added wiring map I referenced to for the 2nd set.

[jwilson2598]

Not sure what's going on with your picture links, but they are not showing up at all.

[zuke]

Interesting they were showing up for me earlier when I was at work, but now I can't see them either..

[Major Ho]

Can you guys let me know if the pic links work now?
I think it was a permissions issue with my personal Google Photos gallery? Obviously I can see them logged into my own Google, but you guys cant.

[Gr8Dain]

Can you guys let me know if the pic links work now?
I think it was a permissions issue with my personal Google Photos gallery? Obviously I can see them logged into my own Google, but you guys cant.

I can see the pics

[zuke]

I can see them again now too, maybe just a glitch in googleusercontent sharing last night...

[jwilson2598]

Can you guys let me know if the pic links work now?
I think it was a permissions issue with my personal Google Photos gallery? Obviously I can see them logged into my own Google, but you guys cant.

Yep, I can se it them now. looks good!

[Major Ho]

Minor house plumbing issue/emergency Thursday, so progress hindered.

Slapped these in today. Paint job is a bit shoddy and one of my bolt holes is off 




Button head socket screw/bolts coming in tomm.

[Major Ho]

So, bolts/screws never arrived. Haven't shipped yet, amazon tracking lied to me. 

Was able to fab up the second set in only one afternoon yesterday.


I also figured out I can just pinch out the existing screw mounts by squeezing the legs together from behind the body, in through the light enclosure hole. Rather than hacking them out like the other side.


To cut, this afternoon?

[Major Ho]

Never posted the results. Looka' this tight tooshie
All LED lighting in the rear now


Saving up for a rear frame chop bumper, e.g. Crawler Conceptz or Poison Spyder

[unl1mtd]

Very tight indeed, nice flush look. Good work.

[Major Ho]

Quick update: Just failed inspection but not for the reasons I would have suspected.

The reverse LED is not labeled DOT approved, but inspector also said it's technically not required.

Also my round 3rd brake light is also not labeled DOT thus failed not having a proper 3rd brake light.

//Also failed for excessive play in the front tires, guess my ball joints went bad again and didnt notice.
///Prob will throw the factory stuff back on for reinspection (if I can find them  )