Custom modular JK hardtop
#1231
How about this?
I was showing these lights to a friend last night and he suggested mounting one to the tail light housing to serve as a backup light.
All it would take is one hole drilled in the top of the light housing to mount the LED using the bracket that comes with the LED and connecting the wires from the LED to the backup light in the tail light housing.
He had a bunch of other ideas for these lights but since it was dark we couldn't take any photos of the ideas on his Jeep, which is equipped differently from mine (a Gobi rack and more) - there are places he could mount these lights that I don't have on mine. We're are planning to get together later in the week so I can take some photos.
Mounting them on his Gobi rack for camp lighting is something we'll play with when we get together later this week.
I was showing these lights to a friend last night and he suggested mounting one to the tail light housing to serve as a backup light.
All it would take is one hole drilled in the top of the light housing to mount the LED using the bracket that comes with the LED and connecting the wires from the LED to the backup light in the tail light housing.
He had a bunch of other ideas for these lights but since it was dark we couldn't take any photos of the ideas on his Jeep, which is equipped differently from mine (a Gobi rack and more) - there are places he could mount these lights that I don't have on mine. We're are planning to get together later in the week so I can take some photos.
Mounting them on his Gobi rack for camp lighting is something we'll play with when we get together later this week.
#1233
Here are a few other combinations that might be useful; for these some location-specific mounts could be made. I'm just holding the lights in place in these photos and in some photos I've taped them together with black tape so that I don't drop any of them while I'm trying to hold a bunch in place in one hand and take a picture with the other.
A strip of them on the side of the windshield, angled to match the windshield (I think this is my favorite):
A "mini" light bar replacing the tie-down loop on the hood, could be 3 (or 5, not shown) horizontally, or 5 in a pyramid. They're just sitting on the tie-down in these photos; the tie-down would be removed and replaced by a mounting bracket:
Brackets could be made up to attach them to the hood hinges. In the top photo the passenger side one is raised a bit, it'll need to be raised so the beam clears the hood bumper in front of it. Below are several possible configurations with one, two or three lights:
Maybe on the rear view mirrors?
I'm going to make up custom mounts for some of these locations, which ones do you think have the most merit?
A strip of them on the side of the windshield, angled to match the windshield (I think this is my favorite):
A "mini" light bar replacing the tie-down loop on the hood, could be 3 (or 5, not shown) horizontally, or 5 in a pyramid. They're just sitting on the tie-down in these photos; the tie-down would be removed and replaced by a mounting bracket:
Brackets could be made up to attach them to the hood hinges. In the top photo the passenger side one is raised a bit, it'll need to be raised so the beam clears the hood bumper in front of it. Below are several possible configurations with one, two or three lights:
Maybe on the rear view mirrors?
I'm going to make up custom mounts for some of these locations, which ones do you think have the most merit?
#1234
Would the lights fit between the slots in the grille? If yes, seems like a great spot to try some at different heights in the grille openings.
Besides the grille slots, I'd most like to see a mount beside the windshield following the same angle. Looks ideal in your pics.
Besides the grille slots, I'd most like to see a mount beside the windshield following the same angle. Looks ideal in your pics.
#1236
For these inserts, it might look very nice to cut holes in the inserts with a hole saw to slip the light into. A custom look could easily be achieved by recessing a few lights into the grille inserts. I did a quick digital edit to see what it might look like:
I used the lights with the silver bezels in the photos and simulation above, the lights with the black bezels would be even more inconspicuous if making the lights less visible was the goal.
The first custom brackets I plan to do will be the ones for the side of the windshield. Stay tuned...
#1237
Someone asked if the lights could mount on the bottom of their winch fairlead, and provided a photo of their Jeep. Here's how I responded:
The lights are only 2.2" long and 1.7" high so they can fit in many small places, and they have mounting holes on the side and in the back, so they can be mounted in different ways.
It looks like the overhang of the fairlead in front of the bumper might be longer than the LED housing, so they probably would tuck nicely under there, although then they would be in front of the license plate.
Here's a crude photo-edit, I've put four of these lights on top of the fairlead, and two on each side of it...
The lights are only 2.2" long and 1.7" high so they can fit in many small places, and they have mounting holes on the side and in the back, so they can be mounted in different ways.
It looks like the overhang of the fairlead in front of the bumper might be longer than the LED housing, so they probably would tuck nicely under there, although then they would be in front of the license plate.
Here's a crude photo-edit, I've put four of these lights on top of the fairlead, and two on each side of it...
#1239
My friend "D" and I got together yesterday to try some light locations on his Jeep. He's equipped his Jeep differently than mine, it's pretty cool (and towers over mine ):
His Gobi rack has four light mounting locations in the front, so we tried that first. The lights fit very well and are well protected by the top bar.
The lights with the silver bezels have a 10-degree beam spread and the black ones have a 20-degeee beam spread. Mixing them like this can provide an optimal light pattern, although some testing at night would have to be done to determine which lights to mount where, maybe the 10-degree ones should be in the center and the 20's on the sides instead of the opposite as we've done here. The bezels can all be the same color, these test units have different color bezels so we can quickly tell them apart.
His Gobi rack has four light mounting locations in the front, so we tried that first. The lights fit very well and are well protected by the top bar.
The lights with the silver bezels have a 10-degree beam spread and the black ones have a 20-degeee beam spread. Mixing them like this can provide an optimal light pattern, although some testing at night would have to be done to determine which lights to mount where, maybe the 10-degree ones should be in the center and the 20's on the sides instead of the opposite as we've done here. The bezels can all be the same color, these test units have different color bezels so we can quickly tell them apart.
#1240
His Jeep has an "over the spare" rack on the back, so we tried a pair on some bolts on that rack. It's a great location for backup lights, also a great location for when he's towing his camping trailer - these lights will be good for opening and setting up the tent on top of his trailer.
In this shot he's angled them outwards, which will provide a wide area of light around each side of the trailer. Also in this photo, we put two lights up on the back edge of the Gobi rack:
A closer look at one of the lights on the back of the Gobi rack:
In this shot he's angled them outwards, which will provide a wide area of light around each side of the trailer. Also in this photo, we put two lights up on the back edge of the Gobi rack:
A closer look at one of the lights on the back of the Gobi rack: