New Wizard / BMB tail lights?
- Thread starter Woodrow
- Start date
Yes.. I drove to Moab to get the corner armor, and then finished up all the wiring when I got home so I didn’t have to remove the basket case evap on the 05-06 again prior to the trip.
I did all the design work. The light housings are machined a few miles from where I live here in SoCal. The anodizing house is in Placentia, yet again a SoCal city. The aluminum was put out for bid to several material houses and surprisingly, Industrial Metal Supply had the best price for 6061-T6 rectangular bar stock. We had discussions about the mill it came from as to time frame and it was short enough that I assume it was onshore but I didn't buy the certs, nor does that matter for a light housing. Don't be fooled by claims of that alloy being special for tail lights, it isn't. The reason we all use that alloy instead of an equally suitable lesser strength is one of logistics. The bar stock is available in the requisite 7" width. Other alloys would have to be a custom run of 1000's of pounds or saw cut out of plate all of which drives costs up. We use it because it is the size we need for the least waste and no other reason.
I buy all of the hardware and electrical bits from US companies and I don't specifically seek out US or offshore so it could be either. The heat shrink is US.
The offshore stuff is the marker lights. But, they are exceptional quality which is custom made for us and the same company supplies the light panel and the tail light connector pre-wired to my spec.
To put that into perspective, the injection mold charge for the custom markers was a grand. Onshore would have been 10 x that amount easily and taken months. They charged that and got it done in a few weeks.
The last bit is our source has never a single time been given price as the criteria. We get quality first, then quantity and finally the price and it is what it is. If someone has a good US source for that panel, I'm all ears. I couldn't find it and I looked for a couple of years. Probably 80% of it is US stuff and that's the best I can do.
That’s what I need!
I don’t get why one would go through the trouble of getting slimmer tail lights (besides looks) and keep the stock license plate holder. I’ve smashed the stock one twice (which dented the tub corner when it folded over) and never touched the tail lights.
For one,I’ve had a couple people just about run into the back of me,the stock single 1157 bulb is just not that bright.
Especially since the lights are not a reflector design from the factory. There is the metal ground plate in the back but that doesn’t reflect much light. You are literally looking at a bulb behind a lens and that’s it. Not bright at all. Reflector housings for incandescent bulbs are much brighter. And of course a good LED is also very good.
A pre-trip inspection would have shown the lights were out.
Knowing Blaine’s attention to detail, the quality of the instructions will probably rival the obviously superb quality of the tail lights 
Knowing Blaine’s attention to detail, the quality of the instructions will probably rival the obviously superb quality of the tail lights
We hope that's true, time will tell.
All I found in federal DOT rear plate holder requirements is a maximum allowable upward angle from vertical, as long as the upper edge of the plate is under 47.25" from the ground. So anywhere between vertical and their chosen number looks kosher. How do they come up with those numbers
Im not being a troll. I find dumb regulations and V.C.s interesting. Im a "spirit of the rule" guy, and Ive been jammed up enough times by PD, CHP, and DPS that pointing out they are wrong brings me joy.
Im not being a troll. I find dumb regulations and V.C.s interesting. Im a "spirit of the rule" guy, and Ive been jammed up enough times by PD, CHP, and DPS that pointing out they are wrong brings me joy.
I found it a long time ago and considered the fact that it was mentioned more than enough for me to leave it be. We get enough trouble without hunting it down.
Stick to the mall, Boogie. Tire shine and wax are safer than boulders and trees
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I don’t doubt it. But I’m also curious as to whether stock license plate holders survive the same trails. Didn’t know about the DOT regulation, but it makes sense.
This is my temporary solution until I get tailgate armor. Uses stock tailgate holes.
Mine is higher than 4' but nobody is missing my brake lights. Even broken cheap POS Amazon Chinesium aquariums are better than the originals. And the side shooter led red/white pod light I rigged for a third brake light and reverse light is nice and bright. Mr. B's taillights should compliment it well.
Want to go to a reinforced hinge and tire carrier instead of the bumper mount. Need to find an OEM tire carrier because I don't have one and all the reinforcement solutions assume you have it.
-Mac
Want to go to a reinforced hinge and tire carrier instead of the bumper mount. Need to find an OEM tire carrier because I don't have one and all the reinforcement solutions assume you have it.
-Mac
Yours gets my vote for "Jeep most in need of a set of Mr. Blaine's soon to be released billet LED tails"
Yours gets my vote for "Jeep most in need of a set of Mr. Blaine's soon to be released billet LED tails"
TOB gets my vote.