Tim2204

I have a2001 cherokee. I'm trying my first real upgrade. I want to chang out my week headlights for something brighter. I found a kit from AVID but there is not a conversion for my sealed beam lights. I want to do this but is it just easier to put in HID fog lights?

brotu123

you need h4 housings, you can get them on fleebay for 25 bucks

CPLSeraphim

Here are some links i found here. These are all HIDs and technically illegal...

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/hi...stions-120835/
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/h4-conversion-118783/
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/xj-hid-kits-120478/
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/hi...stions-119353/

just on the first page. Also, be fully advised that here in PA, well, anywhere, really, but that they are illegal. I'm still doing it, but do it the way that makes it safe for other vehicles. I will post a link in a few to the HID headlights I am doing, that another forum member did, to make it safe for not blinding other people.

CPLSeraphim

This is the link i said i'd post. double posted as to not get mixed with the other links.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f58/7x...-build-112158/

Preppye still will send the PDF to your email if interested. I am waiting to put mine in until after inspection, for the obvious reason stated above. They are illegal, and just do your research, read these and other links, and start orienting yourself towards the HIDs. I have only been interested in them for a few weeks... I think this forum secretly makes us all want these upgrades... lol

With all that said, good luck, and be sure to ask what you need to here.

and hope you knew the search thing is kind of a joke, but at the same time some people get really annoyed, as this topic is asked almost weekly...

xjsnake

CPLSeraphim addressed the HID's however you have some other options to upgrade your headlights and still remain legal.

Upgraded headlights the legal (ish) way...

1) Get a new headlight harness.

You can make your own http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoHeadlightLoom.htm

Or you can buy one: http://www.eautoworks.com/Putco-H4--...s-PRD7540.aspx

The eautoworks harnesses used to be quite cheap until everyone on this forum started recommending them and the price was raised accordingly.

You can pick them up for $29.99 here http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/csd/full.aspx?Page=48 part number 36-3580. It says it fits a chevy blazer but it's the same as the eautoworks harness and I'm running the LMC harness in my XJ.

There are other more expensive options for pre-made harnesses but I'm not super familiar with those.

2) Upgrade to H4 housings

There are two types of regulations pertaining to headlight housings. There are DOT approved housings which are legal in the US and there are Ecode lights which are European housings and aren't legal in the US although many people use them as they are considered superior housings due to the light pattern.

DOT
Rampage http://www.quadratec.com/products/97009_501.htm
IPF http://www.quadratec.com/products/97017_1600.htm
Delta http://www.quadratec.com/products/97009_121.htm
Hella http://www.quadratec.com/products/97009_02.htm

Ecode
Autopals (look on ebay for Autopal 200mm H4 housing)
Hella http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=744
Cibie http://www.clearcorners.com/products/cibie/

Personally I won't buy housings that have plastic lenses, I much prefer glass but your mileage may vary.

3) Get good bulbs

Some of the above housings come with bulbs included with them. I tend not to recommend bulbs as the choices are extremely vast and everyone has their own preferences as to color and wattage.

4) Aim your headlights properly!

I can't say enough how much improperly aimed headlights annoy me on the road plus you are wasting all that time and effort to upgrade the lighting if you don't aim the light where it does the most good... http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=78017

5) On HID Lights

I do not recommend HID's for use in XJ's... People will show links to cheap HID kits and "Projectors" off of ebay and other sites which will give you a lot of light and will also throw a lot of light in all directions making you very visible to police and possibly blinding other drivers.


Read http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html for a well written description of the problems with HID kits.

When using HID's you need a true projector housing. I'm sure people will chime in and say they run HID's and ebay housings and have had no problems but I'm describing the legal (ish) way.

If you want to go down the road of HID's, take a look at what true projector housings cost http://www.kbcarstuff.com/6054-200mm...-p/xd-6054.htm
http://www.brightheadlights.com/hid-upcoming.htm
or you can buy the projectors and retrofit them into existing housings if you are so inclined: https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f58/he...9/#post1391556

There are a myriad of options available to consumers with the limiting factor being cost. One can spend under $100 and have significantly upgraded their lighting or they can spend $1000 and upgrade their lighting more. It's all in how much money you want to spend.

For those wanting to do some of these upgrades but not necessarily all I would do them in the following order:
1) Headlight Harness (major improvement even with sealed beams)
2) Housings and Associated Bulbs
3) Hid and Projectors (Cost prohibitive to do correctly)


For installation of the harness and housings see this excellent write up: https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f59/my-h4-upgrade-114440/

Disclaimer: Always check your local and state laws as some places have more stringent lighting laws than others... I am in no way associated with any of the above companies and none of what I say should be taken as the absolute truth or only way to do things. Flame on...

CPLSeraphim

I quess i shouldn't be a smart *** when I misread the question... lol

midnightjeeper

I did this to my XJ, '95 4 door:

Bought two Hella halogen conversion lights from Morris 4x4, p/n HEL-003427291 and took the bulbs out. These housings take a H4/HB2/9003 HID bulb and they mount in the same manner as the Halogen bulb.

Then I went on amazon.com and ordered a Kensun HID conversion kit and swapped in the HID kit to the Hella housing. I went with the Hi/Low halogen type bulb with a 10000K rating. Here is the link to the HID kit I used.

The only modification I needed to make was to cut a 1" hole behind the light to make room for the HID bulb, which is much longer than the Halogen bulb. The rest of the HID kit was either plug and play or need 12 volt power or a good ground.

These turned out way better than I expected and it blows the old Halogen sealed beam lights out of the water, I mean it is truely a day and night difference. And it's a way easy conversion!!

xjsnake

PLEASE don't do this...

Halogen housings are meant for halogen bulbs ONLY. HID's must be in a projector housing to avoid blinding other drivers...

midnightjeeper

I don't think you know what your talking about. The lights I am refering to are not going to blind anyone. These things work great and are a perfect upgrade to replace the sealed beam headlights and get the most out of your headlights. The headlight housings have a reflector in front of the bulb to keep them from blinding anyone. If you knew what housings I was refering to then maybe you would not have made you previous statement!!

Tom95YJ

XJ Snake knows exactly what he is talking about, You obviously do not know anything about HID lighting. If your going to go hid do it properly with a projector retrofit and not like a ricer by putting HID's in a housing designed around a Halogen bulb. Halogen Bulbs emit light differently than Hid which is why cars with hid's from the factory have projectors.

Read the entire article in the link below and you will see how wrong you are !


http://www.hidretrofits.com/

midnightjeeper

Nice article but its to a vendor site and vendors will say just about anything to sell you their products. A buddy has the same style Projector housings that your speaking of but they are not as bright as the housing I'm using and it gives off more of a blinding light than the housing I'm using as well. I'm also using a HID bulb with a HI/LOW beam that changes the light beam from being low to the ground on low beam and a more head level beam that is much brighter on high beam. The housing I'm refering to does not allow the beam of light to come straight out and makes it spread the light over more of a complete area instead of being like a spot light and coming out as a more solid beam.

I was just stating what I have done and it works well for me!! Never have had any complaints from the guys I wheel with when I'm behind them or coming at them while out at night.
Sorry and I didn't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers!
So lets have a a cold one and see where this leads.

felipeg007

New housing and xenon kit.

http://www.carhidkits.com/jeep-83/cherokee-hid-kit-241/

Gee oh Dee

NorCalMR2.com/store

I bought these. Damn near direct drop ins, if you get the PEG-HID. They are amazing.

Its really easy. Those coupled with the Putco harness upgrade, you've got the best around.

Slimgoaty

That reflector is not used for anything but to reflect the light coming from the bulb, BACK onto the housings reflector and reflecting it AGAIN out in front of the jeep. It in no way shape or form stops the light from blinding other drivers.

Tim2204

Thanks everyone for all the great input