Jeep Wrangler TJ LED Headlight Upgrade Options

bobthetj03 said:
The only real problem I have with the LED's is the color temp. Yes, they are bright as heck, but my eyes seem happier within the 4500K temps. Prolonged night driving with 6000K temps would just create too much eye fatigue for me. Love the LED spots though for trail driving at night.
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It depends on which LEDs you get. My Truck Lites seem to be more around the 5000k temp range. No way at all hey are 6000k, I can say that with certainty.

But yes, I totally get what you're saying. It largely depends on what color LEDs the manufacturer made.
 
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I installed the Rampage H4 halogens today. About a 30 mins start to finish, only tool needed was a T15 torx bit.

Here is what the kit includes: housings, bulbs, boots, just like any H4 set up
View attachment 12104

All ready to install
View attachment 12108

Here is the light installed, not much to it really
View attachment 12105


Need to double check aiming and install trim rings. You can adjust with the ring in place if you have a long tipped T15. I don't, so I will wait to put them back on. Overall good deal for 77 bucks.
 
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I ran those for several years. Definite improvement over the stockers. A rock ended up breaking one of mine, so I went with Hella E-code housings to try them out.
 
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"I don't know why anyone would bother with halogen lights considering how much brighter (and less wattage) LED lights are."

@Chris you might want to notate in your sticky a disadvantage of LED headlights are they don't have nearly the same heat output as Stock or Halogen Conversion units. In cold weather climates with a lot of snow this is a disadvantage as the snow will slowly build up over the lenses, where the other options the snow melts on contact.

UPDATE: Trucklite does make a Heated LED 7" light. Part number is 27275C. It has a threshold sensor that when the temp hits the target mark, the heat will come on inside the light and keep freezing rain, snow or sleet from building up on the outside of the light forming a film over the light and obstructing visibility
 
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FTI76 said:
"I don't know why anyone would bother with halogen lights considering how much brighter (and less wattage) LED lights are."

@Chris you might want to notate in your sticky a disadvantage of LED headlights are they don't have nearly the same heat output as Stock or Halogen Conversion units. In cold weather climates with a lot of snow this is a disadvantage as the snow will slowly build up over the lenses, where the other options the snow melts on contact.

UPDATE: Trucklite does make a Heated LED 7" light. Part number is 27275C. It has a threshold sensor that when the temp hits the target mark, the heat will come on inside the light and keep freezing rain, snow or sleet from building up on the outside of the light forming a film over the light and obstructing visibility
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You're right. Why anyone would waste their money on halogen lights is beyond me. Hell, even the brand new 2017 Jeep Wrangler JKs now come with JW Speaker LED Headlights from the factory. In addition to that, many automotive brands like BMW, Audi, Porsche and others have now begin to transition their vehicles away from HID lights and are using LED lights on a lot of their higher end models. I suspect within 10 years all modern vehicles will be using LED headlights or something similar.

While halogens have their advantages, LEDs have come far enough in technology that they've put halogen headlights to shame.

As for cold weather, I can comment on that a bit. We spend a fair amount of time over in Bend, Oregon where it can snow like crazy and the temperatures will often get below zero at night. I have the non-heated Truck Lites, and I've never once had an issue with snow collecting on them, even when driving in some crazy snow storms. Now that's not to say it couldn't happen, but unless you live somewhere where it's just pouring snow all the time, I don't think it's something to worry about. I've also heard from a lot of guys out there who echo the same sentiment, that they've never had an issue. Those heated Truck Lites though are an option, just incase you're one of the guys who live in blizzard like environments.
 
Why? $300+ vs $80, that's why. Sorry, no way in hell I am paying 285 bucks for one headlight. Plus the fact that no one can seem to make one that does not look like it belongs on a space ship.
 
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Rob5589 said:
Why? $300+ vs $80, that's why. Sorry, no way in hell I am paying 285 bucks for one headlight. Plus the fact that no one can seem to make one that does not look like it belongs on a space ship.
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Truck Lites don't look like they belong on a space ship (IMHO). Though they are $320 for a pair.

If you off-road like I do, you'll appreciate the fact that they have a polycarbonate lens. Meaning they won't crack like halogen glass headlamps will when a tree branch hits them (ask me how I know).
 
The KC Gravity set actually look pretty good but $469 and they come with a 23 year warranty. If I make the switch those are what I am buying.

But for that cost I might as well splurge on a CurrieLync steering upgrade lol.


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I just can't do $320 for headlights. I hear ya on the poly, although I have yet to ever break a headlight of any kind. I did pick up a used Rampage as a spare from @bobthetj03 just in case.

23 years would get me a few years into retirement. And probably longer then I will have this TJ, maybe :D
 
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Rob5589 said:
I just can't do $320 for headlights. I hear ya on the poly, although I have yet to ever break a headlight of any kind. I did pick up a used Rampage as a spare from @bobthetj03 just in case.

23 years would get me a few years into retirement. And probably longer then I will have this TJ, maybe :D
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23 years sounds excessive but I would go ballistic if I dropped $400 on headlights and 2 years later they malfunction and you are SOL.

I wonder how well the H4 Led conversion bulbs would work with the Rampage housings....


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I glanced at the H4 LED conversions when I bought mine. In the end, I can pick up a H4 anywhere if need be, not so on the LED, although you could mix the two in an emergency.
 
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If I was going to stick with halogens, the Cibies would be the ones to get.
 
Rob5589 said:
I just can't do $320 for headlights. I hear ya on the poly, although I have yet to ever break a headlight of any kind. I did pick up a used Rampage as a spare from @bobthetj03 just in case.

23 years would get me a few years into retirement. And probably longer then I will have this TJ, maybe :D
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I said that too until I broke a Rampage housing(my loss, your gain Rob). I am pretty happy with my E-code housings/Phillips Extreme Vision Plus bulbs. When they offer a LED headlight that isn't 6000K+ color temp and less than $200, I would be temped to cross from the dark side. Get it, dark side! Lol!

Just because the TL's have poly len's doesn't mean they won't crack if a rock hit them hard enough. Also, will the lens covers chalk up over time like many car headlights do?
headlight1.jpg
 
Anything will crack if you hit it hard enough. However, I like to think the U.S. Military uses Truck Lite LED headlights for a reason.

I'd be willing to bed that one of those reasons is the lenses don't shatter very easily.
 
I'm sure they are stronger than glass, I was just trying to take a little wind out of your Truck Light sails brah! Lol! I'm feeling a bit snarky today!
 
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Haha, I'm just trying to point out all the benefits of LED headlights. Even the brand new Jeep Wranglers come with LED headlights from the factory (they appear to be JW Speakers). So it appears Jeep has finally caught on.

Audi and BMW are also going this route as well, and it's slowly starting to trickle down. Halogen is quickly becoming a way of the past :D

The only downside I see to some of these LED lights is that a lot of them are ugly as sin. There's several that look good though. I wasn't sure about the Truck Lite look at first, but they really don't look bad at all. They look mostly stock, just a little darker.

Not like some of these headlights that look like they belong on a Honda.
 
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