LITE-Dots LED lights install(State Inspection!)

[greenbean]

All,
Just got back in town from an unexpected trip and finally got time to install these. Got a awesome deal on my favorite parts store, (Ebay!) which was about $100. (Retail is $195-200) Anyways here's some pics!

Will

Remove lenses from OEM taillights, then unscrew 3 bolts inside the tail lamp housing to remove it.



Next pull the wiring connector out where you can get at it and dis-connect it. The Drivers side is pretty easy, passenger side not so much due to the charcoal cannister being on that side. Also it will help on the passenger side to remove the inner fender lining so you can reach up in there to help push the passenger connector out, it is a tight fit getting it out the body panel hole.



Once this is accomplished dis-connect the tail light housings, set them aside and clean up the body panel area with some soap and water before you re-install the new lights. Also at this time remove the license plate holder, it will need cleaning underneath too, and the some modification so the new tail light will fit properly.


Notch cut out of plate holder:


LITE-Dots out of packaging:


Here is the hard wear and wiring connectors sent with the lights from Off-Road-Only. The connectors are a Heat-shrink/glue and has solder inside that melts your connection together when you shrink it. 2 allen-head screws mount the lights to the body. Also you have to cut the OEM tail-light connectors as shown below.


Trim away OEM sheathing as shown and strip ends back about 3/4 inch.(Wires need to be about 6inches long as measured from the connector)



Back of LITE-Dot (Body-side) showing wiring. In my hand is the ground wire with the attached grounding clip.



Here is a series of pics showing the stripped wiring of the lights and OEM connector. Twist the 2 ends together, slide the heat-shrink/solder connector over your connection, and heat em up!(There is an included chart showing which wires to connect to on the OEM connector/LITE-Dot)





Finished connection!


Next take the including self-tapping screw to cut new threads in the body mounted nuts used to attach the lights. You only use the lower 2 holes.


From here just snap the factory connector back together, fish the wires back down into the body, then last attach your ground clip in an out of the way place on the body or frame. Screw the lights onto the Jeep, be careful not to over tighten the screws! Reattach license plate holder and thats it! No hole saws or any of that business, and they can be re-moved if needed too!




Shot of lights in garage with lights on:


Brake lights:


Reverse:


Night-time lights on and reverse:



Finished! Remember your need to do 1 more thing...Modify the existing flasher relay in the steering column or purchase one for LED lights so you don't have the "Fast-flashing" problem. I think so far these things are pretty awesome and again no permanent modifications are done. I recommend them!

Will - aka - greenbean



8 May 2008

Just wanted to let anyone who are considering these that I took a chance down the street where I live and went to a new supercarcarecenter to get my inspection after getting the exhaust welded in last week and I was 8 days past my expiration. I am happy to say that with the lift and the Lite-Dot's I passed no issues so I will definitely utilize this place again. If anyone near me is wondering it is at 3429 Dam Neck Rd, VA beach. In and out in less than an hour. Just wanted everyone to know I had a good experience there! ;D

Later,

Will

[Chele]

That's very cool! A lot less light to knock off. I'd like to have those in yellow as well for my front grill (no directionals in front).

Very nice. I'll put that on my list of stuff to buy someday!

[bensredyj]

Looks great WIll, I can across a link on Jeeps Unlimited on people having similar lights and eventually the LEDS start too burn out, so keep the companies number at hand. I think some else in the club installed them a while back and is just now having issues with burnouts, not the tire kind with ALL that additional HP them lights give ya BEN

[N2Rocks]

I'm curious if you're going to have state inspection issues. Those aren't DOT approved. Probably because of back-up lighting. How well can you see backing up?

[jpnut]

No state inspection issues, at least I haven't had any. And they do have back up lights built in. I have had problems with led's going out and have a new set to install just haven't gotten around to it. They had some manufacturing issues at first but as long as your lights were manufactured after Jan of 07 you should be fine.

[Deleted]

I've been wanting a set of these too Will, they look great. But I haven't found any for less than about $185, and not worth that much to me. That's a good deal for $100, does he have any more?

[N2Rocks]

jpnut said:

No state inspection issues, at least I haven't had any. And they do have back up lights built in.

I know they have the "reverse indicator" as the mfg calls em. Back-up LED lights typically require a lot of LED's to put out enough light for DOT approval. Some inspection stations my not be familiar enough to reject. Even my Hella headlamps usually get checked for DOT marking. I looked at those lights but decided to wait.

[Deleted]

No, they aren't DOT approved, but this is one of those cases where they are actually better than factory. They are brighter and of course have the all the benefits of running LED's. I *think* those don't meet DOT requirements because of the lenses; there is no reflective part on the lenses. I doubt there's too many inspectors that would look too hard at them, and if they did...well I would be finding a more reasonable inspector. Plus, I wouldn't worry too much about it, I'd bet my last dollar every one of us has at least one thing or has done something on our rigs that isn't legal/DOT/SAE approved. It's a good thing height isn't a requirement for an inspection sticker anymore!
Oh hey Will, just so you know, a side effect of that LED flasher is that you signal will work even if the key is off. So keep that in mind so you don't accidentally hit it and leave it on to run the battery down (I would think that would be obvious, but I guess there's a lot of people that have done it).

[greenbean]

fromme said:

No, they aren't DOT approved, but this is one of those cases where they are actually better than factory. They are brighter and of course have the all the benefits of running LED's. I *think* those don't meet DOT requirements because of the lenses; there is no reflective part on the lenses. I doubt there's too many inspectors that would look too hard at them, and if they did...well I would be finding a more reasonable inspector. Plus, I wouldn't worry too much about it, I'd bet my last dollar every one of us has at least one thing or has done something on our rigs that isn't legal/DOT/SAE approved. It's a good thing height isn't a requirement for an inspection sticker anymore!
Oh hey Will, just so you know, a side effect of that LED flasher is that you signal will work even if the key is off. So keep that in mind so you don't accidentally hit it and leave it on to run the battery down (I would think that would be obvious, but I guess there's a lot of people that have done it).

I choose who I get inspected by carefully based on expirience around town....that being said I will probably take it to one of the guys I know at the local 4x4 shops here in VA Beach, so no issues there. One thing I still need to do is get is a light for the plate which you can put together on your own or buy a plate light from the company...(It's cheap!)

Keith - To answer your question...No it was one of those deals on Ebay where the individual had sold their Jeep without putting these on and was selling them, wish I had a line on more but I don't....I had been looking at these for a while even when I had the 98TJ, just happened to come across these browsing Ebay!!!!

Will

[greenbean]

Update at the top of the thread...

Will