Jeep Wrangler TJ LED Headlight Upgrade Options

NickIndy said:
So I just purchased a 2004 TJ and I'm looking to replace the stock headlights as project #1. I was going to go with the Evolution J but the JWSpeaker website says they are designed for the JK. Will I need an adapter or anything for the TJ or are they still plug and play? Are they clearly better/brighter than the Evo 2 for those that have seen both.
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I can't comment on whether they are brighter or not (though I have to assume they are, since they are the latest generation, and the Evo II models have been around for 6+ years now). However, I can tell you for 100% certain that they fit the TJ with no modifications whatsoever. You don't need a harness or anything, they just plug right in.
 
Chris said:
I can't comment on whether they are brighter or not (though I have to assume they are, since they are the latest generation, and the Evo II models have been around for 6+ years now). However, I can tell you for 100% certain that they fit the TJ with no modifications whatsoever. You don't need a harness or anything, they just plug right in.
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Awesome. Thanks! Any suggestions on LED replacement for the stock fog lights and maybe tail lights?
 
NickIndy said:
Awesome. Thanks! Any suggestions on LED replacement for the stock fog lights and maybe tail lights?
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I've been running these LED taillights for about 3 years now:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01774OVY2/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Those things are bright as hell, they look just like stock, and they are one of the best "cheap" mods I've done. Seriously, the difference is night and day with those things, they're so friggin' bright that no one can miss you. Even the reverse lights are so bright that you'd feel like you have a light bar in the back!

If you get LED taillights, you'll need this LED flasher relay:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KQUZHRA/?tag=wranglerorg-20

It's easy to swap your stock one out for, and it will make it so you don't have any "hyper blinking" like you normally get with LEDs.

The best looking LED fog light replacements I've been able to find so far (there don't seem to be many for our TJs) are these ones:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY54MSX/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
Chris said:
I can't comment on whether they are brighter or not (though I have to assume they are, since they are the latest generation, and the Evo II models have been around for 6+ years now). However, I can tell you for 100% certain that they fit the TJ with no modifications whatsoever. You don't need a harness or anything, they just plug right in.
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I just went to install the 8700 Evolution J's in my 2001 and something is off. My stock harness has a female connector that plugs into the male end which has 3 prongs on the existing headlights (Arranged in a triangle pattern, 2 on top parallel and one flat below them). My new JW Speaker headlights come with a male connector that has 3 parallel prongs. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I'll try to get some pics of the connectors as well as the box for the headlights I received. As far as I know and can tell, my headlights were standard factory lamps with factory connectors.

Edited to clear up description of connectors.
 
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Robert Harrison said:
I just went to install the 8700 Evolution J's in my 2001 and something is off. My stock harness has a female connector that plugs into 3 prongs on the existing headlights (Arranged in a triangle pattern, 2 on top parallel and one flat below them). My new JW Speaker headlights also come with a female connector that has 3 parallel prongs. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I'll try to get some pics of the connectors as well as the box for the headlights I received. As far as I know and can tell, my headlights were standard factory lamps with factory connectors.
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Since those new lights have JK connecters on them, you have two options:

1) Cut the old connectors off your TJ headlights and solder them to the new lights. That's easy as can be though, should you need to do it.

2) Buy a set of H4 to H13 headlight adapters, and they'll plug right in:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DRGW14M/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
Thanks for the amazingly quick reply. As far as soldering them, I'd think the easiest way would be to cut the connector off the actual harness and find a way to connect directly to the headlights. I think I'll just get over it and wait for the adapter, though. I'd like to be able to keep everything easily removable for the future.

The connector in the link you provided seems to have an identical female connector as the one from my harness, though. It does not look like it would be able to plug into what I have, unless I'm misunderstanding something.

Here are pics of the various pieces. Just want to confirm, did I order and receive the correct lights and they are just now updated to fit JK's?


The headlights I ordered:
14cyvxy.jpg



The connector on the new headlights:
21mykab.jpg



The old headlights:
xfcmlt.jpg



The plug from the harness to the headlights:
35a3h39.jpg
 
No problem, I happen to be online!

Those are the correct headlights, they just have the JK harness adapters on them. That is because these are the newest light from JW speaker, and the built them thinking they'd sell most of them to JK owners (which is probably right). So they will indeed work with your TJ, you just need those adapters I linked to, which convert that H13 adapter to an H4 adapter. Order them via Amazon Prime and you'll have them by Friday I suspect.

That will allow it to be 100% plug-and-play, and if you ever take them off, you won't have to worry about having cut them or anything.
 
Chris said:
No problem, I happen to be online!

Those are the correct headlights, they just have the JK harness adapters on them. That is because these are the newest light from JW speaker, and the built them thinking they'd sell most of them to JK owners (which is probably right). So they will indeed work with your TJ, you just need those adapters I linked to, which convert that H13 adapter to an H4 adapter. Order them via Amazon Prime and you'll have them by Friday I suspect.

That will allow it to be 100% plug-and-play, and if you ever take them off, you won't have to worry about having cut them or anything.
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Chris, I'm with Robert Harrison on this. It looks like the adapter to which you linked is for the opposite direction.

Are you sure the adapter shouldn't be something like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DRGW14M/?tag=wranglerorg-20?

I'm interested in this as I'm sure I'll be upgrading my headlights in the future.
 
Gerund said:
Chris, I'm with Robert Harrison on this. It looks like the adapter to which you linked is for the opposite direction.

Are you sure the adapter shouldn't be something like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DRGW14M/?tag=wranglerorg-20?

I'm interested in this as I'm sure I'll be upgrading my headlights in the future.
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I sent him a PM because I edited the post as he was replying in regards to the adapter. The one you just linked is the one that I just purchased as it works for my application. The one he originally linked to by accident is basically a reversed adapter.
 
Gerund said:
Chris, I'm with Robert Harrison on this. It looks like the adapter to which you linked is for the opposite direction.

Are you sure the adapter shouldn't be something like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DRGW14M/?tag=wranglerorg-20?

I'm interested in this as I'm sure I'll be upgrading my headlights in the future.
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Yep, I edited my original post. I totally missed the fact that the connectors has the opposite (i.e. male instead of female) ends!
 
NickIndy said:
So I just purchased a 2004 TJ and I'm looking to replace the stock headlights as project #1. I was going to go with the Evolution J but the JWSpeaker website says they are designed for the JK. Will I need an adapter or anything for the TJ or are they still plug and play? Are they clearly better/brighter than the Evo 2 for those that have seen both.
Click to expand...
I run the Evo 2's which are fantastic. The Evo J's are a bit more complicated with the DRL feature. You would need to fab and adapter if you wanted to run that, unlike the Evo 2's which are plug and play. From what I understand they are the same projector style housing with no significant changes other than the half halo. They were designed with JK's in mind as JK's didn't have a true plug and play headlight available to them that retained all factory features. I wouldn't trade my Evo 2's for anything in the world.
 
JamesAndTheSahara said:
I run the Evo 2's which are fantastic. The Evo J's are a bit more complicated with the DRL feature. You would need to fab and adapter if you wanted to run that, unlike the Evo 2's which are plug and play. From what I understand they are the same projector style housing with no significant changes other than the half halo. They were designed with JK's in mind as JK's didn't have a true plug and play headlight available to them that retained all factory features. I wouldn't trade my Evo 2's for anything in the world.
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Yep, that's my understanding as well, that the Evo J models were designed to be a straight plug-and-play for the JKs. They look pretty cool though, and if I were to put them on a TJ, I'd probably just forego the DRL feature.

Either way, you can't go wrong with a set of JW Speakers. They are the best LED headlight out there for our Wranglers in my opinion.
 
I purchased the KC hilites from amazon for $110 in April and man am I BUMMED! I always read a ton of reviews before making a purchase and expected a lot more than what I got. Live and learn I guess.
 
Machinehead49 said:
I purchased the KC hilites from amazon for $110 in April and man am I BUMMED! I always read a ton of reviews before making a purchase and expected a lot more than what I got. Live and learn I guess.
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Are those the halogen ones or LEDs?
 
Machinehead49 said:
I purchased the KC hilites from amazon for $110 in April and man am I BUMMED! I always read a ton of reviews before making a purchase and expected a lot more than what I got. Live and learn I guess.
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Headlights, not foglight, right? If so, get/make a wiring harness with a relay to pull the power right from the battery instead of through the wiring harness. It will improve the light output significantly.
 
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Chris said:
Yep, that's my understanding as well, that the Evo J models were designed to be a straight plug-and-play for the JKs. They look pretty cool though, and if I were to put them on a TJ, I'd probably just forego the DRL feature.

Either way, you can't go wrong with a set of JW Speakers. They are the best LED headlight out there for our Wranglers in my opinion.
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Any chance you would know if there are any options other than the EVO J for my TJ built for Canada? I'm reading that the DRL module in the Canadian version makes it complicated to switch out to the plug and play LED headlights out there. The DRL module outputs a lower wattage designed for the halogen lights. So I need a headlight that can "handle" that lower wattage. The only one I see that's designed for my particular TJ is the EVO J... but it's SUPER expensive. Hoping to spend under $200. Which there are a ton of options... assuming it'll work w/ my Jeep.
 
Brian Yardley said:
Any chance you would know if there are any options other than the EVO J for my TJ built for Canada? I'm reading that the DRL module in the Canadian version makes it complicated to switch out to the plug and play LED headlights out there. The DRL module outputs a lower wattage designed for the halogen lights. So I need a headlight that can "handle" that lower wattage. The only one I see that's designed for my particular TJ is the EVO J... but it's SUPER expensive. Hoping to spend under $200. Which there are a ton of options... assuming it'll work w/ my Jeep.
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Canadian TJs have a DRL module in them, really? If so, I didn't know that. Have you considered just taking out the DRL module altogether (that's what I would do)?

I can't comment for 100% certain since I don't know if all of these lights would work with a DRL option (since our TJs here in the U.S. don't have DRLs). If it was me, I would remove the DRLs altogether. However, if you don't want to do that, you should be able to use any headlight that says it was designed specifically for the JKs, since those things come with DRLs here in the U.S., and they will plug right up with an adapter.
 
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