I'm with him, something is grounding out as soon as you put power to the lights, a bigger fuse is not the answer. If you manage to get one not to pop and it's a grounded hot wires, you will burn the wire and maybe others too. Jeep fires are bad. Trace the wire, start at the dome light and work your way back to the switch. To check behind the gauges, you only have to pull off the cover that goes from the radio to the side of the instrument cluster. A couple of philips screws. After that, I think it's four philips screws to pull the cluster itself out. FIND WHERE YOUR GROUNDING.

 

thanks for all the help. what is the easiest way to trace those wires from the dome light since they are in the headliner?? any voltages or resistance i should be reading from the dome light?? also can you explain how to take out the instrument cluster a little more?? thanks again for all the help. problem is starting to get under my skin. lol

 

thank you didnt know that

 

Well if I were you, I would find a line I can put a 5 amp fuse in and connect it to power at the fuse box, cut the wire where they go along the door/windshield post (make sure to leave slack so you can get them back together with a coupler) and see if it pops the fuse when you hook up power. Just make sure you get the hot wire. I actually think the dome light grounds at the light, but I could be wrong. If it doesn't pop the fuse, it's a safe bet your short is below there.
Ok as for the instrument cluster, be ready to exercise patience cuz its a pain. Find the screws holding it in, all philips on mine. After those are all taken out, there are clips by the radio/heater switch. Simple clips, use a flat object, I use a 1 inch putty knife and pop them out gently. The hard part is working it around the steering wheel cover (you might not have the problem there cuz I think it is 95 and up that have the big bulky cover). The instrument cover underneath that is 4 philips screws and clips behind the warning lights in the corner. Should pop out far enough to get your fingers in there to unplug the warning light connector since it's not long enough to leave connected with the cluster out. Once the cluster is out, check your grounds and see if you can find any issues in the wiring.

 

thanks for all the help guys i really appreciate it! i will try what you said and i will let you know what i find. thanks

 

so i took the whole dash apart today. pulled the trim off and took out the gauge cluster. ohmed all of the lights. unhooked the two connectors and put the fuse in and it still popped so i knew it was the wiring. found that on the wiring schematic is says that is an orange and black wire. traced it but it goes way up into the dash and i am assuming that is where it is grounded. got frustrated. could not find where it it grounded so i put it all back together.

 

I had the same exact problem as you. I changed the headlight switch and got the same result you did. I finally took it into a shop. My problem was that the light that comes on under the steering column when you open the door was grounding out and popping the fuse. They fixed it and I've had no problems ever since. So maybe you can check any lights under the steering column. Good luck!