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LED Truck-lite Issue

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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 12:45 AM
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Default LED Truck-lite Issue

I just installed my new pair of Truck-lite LED headlights yesterday on my 99 Cherokee. The jeep is still running the factory harness and has factory fog lights. When the key is in the on position, both the low beams and the high beams work well, and I am able to switch between the two without issue. However, when the jeep is running, the high beams are permanently on and the low beams cannot be used. I pulled my fog lamp relay as a temporary solution to the problem. Is there a modification I can perform on my factory harness to allow the use of my fog lights alongside low and high beam for my truck-lites? Or will I have to upgrade my harness, like the Putco, in order to perform these modifications as described in this thread? I apologize for my electrical ignorance.
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/ri...lights-185978/
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 12:50 AM
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Do you have day time running lights?
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 01:00 AM
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I do not have DRL
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 01:08 AM
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Post number 4 http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/h...stuck-2095201/
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 01:24 AM
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I've been referencing that thread as well, especially post #6. I could be wrong, but post #4 sounds like he is referring to the Putco harness when he says check the wiring. I just wasn't sure if I could do anything to the factory harness to make my fogs work. If I have to upgrade my harness and then splice some wires, then I can go that route as well.
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 10:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Expedition_XJ
I've been referencing that thread as well, especially post #6. I could be wrong, but post #4 sounds like he is referring to the Putco harness when he says check the wiring. I just wasn't sure if I could do anything to the factory harness to make my fogs work. If I have to upgrade my harness and then splice some wires, then I can go that route as well.
Upgrading your wiring harness with the TruckLite LEDs is unnecessary. The Putco harness is intended for higher-amperage headlights where the factory harness is known to restrict amperage. This is why after doing the Putco harness, higher amperage headlights appear brighter than they were before the change. LEDs don't use a lot of amperage, and as such, they're already operating at peak efficiency with your factory wiring and you won't notice a change (I have TruckLites and did the Putco, so ask me how I know).

You have fog lights, and there's a well-known problem somewhere with HIDs/LEDs and the fog lights. There's a little red wire somewhere with those fog lights that needs to be snipped (IIRC). It has something to do with fog lights being disabled when high beams are turned on and it can cause all kinds of adverse side effects.

Last edited by thatXJguy; Sep 2, 2015 at 10:52 AM.
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 10:53 AM
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Originally Posted by thatXJguy
Upgrading your wiring harness with the TruckLite LEDs is unnecessary. The Putco harness is intended for higher-amperage headlights where the factory harness is known to restrict amperage. LEDs don't use a lot.

You have fog lights, and there's a well-known problem somewhere with HIDs/LEDs and the fog lights. There's a little red wire somewhere with those fog lights that needs to be snipped (IIRC). It has something to do with fog lights being disabled when high beams are turned on.

From all that I had read just upgrading to the Putco harness with the stock headlights made quite a difference even in them as far as brightness. Is this just another "Urban XJ Legend"
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 10:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Fred/N0AZZ
From all that I had read just upgrading to the Putco harness with the stock headlights made quite a difference even in them as far as brightness. Is this just another "Urban XJ Legend"
Stock headlights are relatively high amp. They use a filament and not an LED diode. Not as high as a lot of H4 upgrades, but I'm sure you get the picture here.

FWIW, I didn't notice a difference, and that's why I pulled the trigger and bought the TruckLites. No looking back now, these things are great.
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 11:08 AM
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Originally Posted by thatXJguy
Stock headlights are relatively high amp. They use a filament and not an LED diode. Not as high as a lot of H4 upgrades, but I'm sure you get the picture here.

FWIW, I didn't notice a difference, and that's why I pulled the trigger and bought the TruckLites. No looking back now, these things are great.

Yes I like those but weren't they $25 each or so


I wondered about the stock headlights you see a lot posted.
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 12:13 PM
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Don't get me wrong, I love the truck lites. I ultimately want to covert my fogs to LED as well. When you mentioned that red wire, do I just need to cut it and cap it off or do I need to splice it in somewhere? Is the wire you're referencing found behind the driver's headlight or is it located somewhere else?
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Old Sep 2, 2015 | 05:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Expedition_XJ
Don't get me wrong, I love the truck lites. I ultimately want to covert my fogs to LED as well. When you mentioned that red wire, do I just need to cut it and cap it off or do I need to splice it in somewhere? Is the wire you're referencing found behind the driver's headlight or is it located somewhere else?
I'm not 100% sure whether you cut or splice... it may have even had something to do with the relay.

I've read on in somewhere before. Not sure if this is related:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/hig...-lights-71074/
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Old Apr 7, 2016 | 08:08 AM
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Just installed Truck-Lites in my 98 XJ. Same problem as OP Expedition XJ. I will post the eventual fix here if I find it first.
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Old Apr 7, 2016 | 09:31 AM
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As a temporary fix, you can pull the fog light fuse and relay. This will bring your headlights back into proper operation, while you search out the way to fix it by adjusting the wiring.
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Old Apr 8, 2016 | 06:42 AM
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Originally Posted by gpXJ
As a temporary fix, you can pull the fog light fuse and relay. This will bring your headlights back into proper operation, while you search out the way to fix it by adjusting the wiring.
Done. Now, Thanks to everyone's input when I get a chance to play with it, I'm thinking of either a diode in the path of the relay coil or a second identical relay in the PDC (I have an empty space ; no daytime running lights) to isolate the fog lamp relay coil from the high beam terminal. The Diode would ideally be in the relay housing and the only modification needed (no changes in the jeep wiring).
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Old Apr 10, 2016 | 02:00 AM
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Opps

Last edited by Lmao_37; Apr 10, 2016 at 02:04 AM.
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