headlight harness upgrade
08-31-2013, 11:36 AM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
headlight harness upgrade
I have a 1994 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 with 169k. I have had it for about 3 months and slowly doing some basic maintenance to make it a daily driver. I read with much interest about upgrading the headlights because as everyone knows, the stock ones are dim (to say the least). I decided to do with a custom harness from Daniel Stern lighting after reading all the recent problems on Amazon with the Putco harness. I am in the process of installing it and from the description in the XJ write-up section on installing a new harness, it looked easy. However, I can not find the headlamp connector that I would plug the new harness into. I assumed it was on the passenger side close to the battery. Am I totally blind or ?? Attached is a picture of the harness with the male connector that I need to plug into the original headlamp connector.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
08-31-2013, 11:50 AM
#3
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
If it is, I sure can't find it! I have the headlight unplug on the passenger side and follow the wire but can not find the wiring harness plug-in spot. I can find where it goes over to the drivers side but I am assuming the plug-in in close to the battery area.
08-31-2013, 11:59 AM
#4
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: ☼ Blackhole Sun
Posts: 8,567
Likes: 0
Received 18 Likes
on
16 Posts
Year: My Jeep is a GMC
No need to follow the wire, just plug the dingle-dongle into the passenger side headlight connector.
Last edited by Turbo X_J; 08-31-2013 at 12:37 PM. Reason: cuz i kan
08-31-2013, 12:00 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 541
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1998 and 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.7
Harness should plug to:battery (power), lights x 2 (duh), one factory light socket(harness relay on/off/HB/LB control).
You don't have to connect directly to factory socket. I followed lines to splice it in as close to relays as possible to use less unnecessary wire.
You don't have to connect directly to factory socket. I followed lines to splice it in as close to relays as possible to use less unnecessary wire.
08-31-2013, 09:16 PM
#7
::CF Moderator::
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Prescott, Az
Posts: 43,875
Received 1,526 Likes
on
1,238 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Cruiser’s Headlight Upgrade Harness Instructions
It's easy to install a supplemental headlight harness.
From the factory, the voltage to the headlight bulbs travels from the battery, inside the cabin, to the headlamp switch, and then back out to the lamps via undersized wire. It's not uncommon to find only 10.5 volts at the lamps.
The supplemental harness is installed so that it provides battery voltage to the lamps and is just triggered by the factory wiring. The result is about 30% brighter headlamps and headlight switches that don't melt and burn out.
Absolutely plug and play. Remove grille and headlamp bulbs. I fed my harnesses from the passenger side starting between the battery and the back of the headlamp housing, over to the driver side. Plug the driver side bulb into the new harness. Attach the new harness's ground wire under one of the small bolts on the radiator support after scraping the paint off under it. Attach the harness to the existing harness behind the grille working toward the passenger side. . Plug the new harness plug into passenger headlamp. Plug original headlamp plug into receptacle on new harness. Attach the ground for the passenger side just like you did the driver side under a radiator support bolt. Attach relays with provided bracket on the passenger side inner fender. Connect power wires to battery.
Revised 12/10/2012
It's easy to install a supplemental headlight harness.
From the factory, the voltage to the headlight bulbs travels from the battery, inside the cabin, to the headlamp switch, and then back out to the lamps via undersized wire. It's not uncommon to find only 10.5 volts at the lamps.
The supplemental harness is installed so that it provides battery voltage to the lamps and is just triggered by the factory wiring. The result is about 30% brighter headlamps and headlight switches that don't melt and burn out.
Absolutely plug and play. Remove grille and headlamp bulbs. I fed my harnesses from the passenger side starting between the battery and the back of the headlamp housing, over to the driver side. Plug the driver side bulb into the new harness. Attach the new harness's ground wire under one of the small bolts on the radiator support after scraping the paint off under it. Attach the harness to the existing harness behind the grille working toward the passenger side. . Plug the new harness plug into passenger headlamp. Plug original headlamp plug into receptacle on new harness. Attach the ground for the passenger side just like you did the driver side under a radiator support bolt. Attach relays with provided bracket on the passenger side inner fender. Connect power wires to battery.
Revised 12/10/2012
Trending Topics
08-31-2013, 09:44 PM
#8
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
and what I didn't read or pay attention to was "Plug original headlamp plug into receptacle on new harness."
It was very clear on every instructions that I read but at the time, I was....
It is very easy and I will use this example to make sure that before I post again, that I read and re-read, print out and read again re-read things before I ask! The answer was there but I was frustrated and impatient!
This forum has helped me with so much...again thanks to everyone who contributes to the wealth of knowledge that is on this forum
It was very clear on every instructions that I read but at the time, I was....
It is very easy and I will use this example to make sure that before I post again, that I read and re-read, print out and read again re-read things before I ask! The answer was there but I was frustrated and impatient!
This forum has helped me with so much...again thanks to everyone who contributes to the wealth of knowledge that is on this forum
08-31-2013, 09:49 PM
#9
::CF Moderator::
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Prescott, Az
Posts: 43,875
Received 1,526 Likes
on
1,238 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
and what I didn't read or pay attention to was "Plug original headlamp plug into receptacle on new harness."
It was very clear on every instructions that I read but at the time, I was....
It is very easy and I will use this example to make sure that before I post again, that I read and re-read, print out and read again re-read things before I ask! The answer was there but I was frustrated and impatient!
This forum has helped me with so much...again thanks to everyone who contributes to the wealth of knowledge that is on this forum
It was very clear on every instructions that I read but at the time, I was....
It is very easy and I will use this example to make sure that before I post again, that I read and re-read, print out and read again re-read things before I ask! The answer was there but I was frustrated and impatient!
This forum has helped me with so much...again thanks to everyone who contributes to the wealth of knowledge that is on this forum
Well, since you humbled yourself and admitted readily to your oversight, we won't beat up on you. You're gonna love that harness!!!!!
08-31-2013, 10:18 PM
#10
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
oh I do and I can't wait to upgrade the lights now that I have the juice; between this upgrade and going with www.kelleyswip.com battery cables, I am getting there!
It is almost simple if you read, read and read some more!
It is almost simple if you read, read and read some more!
08-31-2013, 10:29 PM
#11
::CF Moderator::
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Prescott, Az
Posts: 43,875
Received 1,526 Likes
on
1,238 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
oh I do and I can't wait to upgrade the lights now that I have the juice; between this upgrade and going with www.kelleyswip.com battery cables, I am getting there!
It is almost simple if you read, read and read some more!
It is almost simple if you read, read and read some more!
Autopals with good bulbs will serve you well. I use 90/100 Phillips bulbs in mine. Nobody gets pissed when approaching me and I can see a country mile. Good thin cuz I live in the country.
09-01-2013, 06:12 AM
#12
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
I am leaning towards Cibie replaceable-bulb headlamp units with Osram 70/65w bulbs; both suggested to me by Daniel Stern Lighting. I do live outside town but drive a lot in town so need to make sure I don't great lights that don't upset other drivers. And of course properly aiming the lights are extremely important!
09-01-2013, 09:26 AM
#13
::CF Moderator::
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Prescott, Az
Posts: 43,875
Received 1,526 Likes
on
1,238 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
I am leaning towards Cibie replaceable-bulb headlamp units with Osram 70/65w bulbs; both suggested to me by Daniel Stern Lighting. I do live outside town but drive a lot in town so need to make sure I don't great lights that don't upset other drivers. And of course properly aiming the lights are extremely important!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
HEAP of JEEP
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
5
09-20-2015 10:13 AM
Dannymac1216
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
13
09-08-2015 06:28 AM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)