Headlight harness conversion 1993 to 1998
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 2
From: Florida
Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 6 cylinder
So I got a 93 Cherokee and I'm putting a 98 front panel assembly on it. The 98 came with the 98 headlight harness and I can't find any adapters to go from a 93 to a 98. Could I just find the 98 headlight harness entirely at the junkyard and plug it into my 93 or would I have to find a conversion kit online, and if so, where would I find that kit
CF Veteran




Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,609
Likes: 446
From: Michigan
Year: 1987 MJ, 1973 J2000, 1986 XJ, 08 JK
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0L H.O
Simplest would be prolly swapping 98 front and side marker bulbs sockets onto your older harness. Headlights setup don't change so that can be retained.
Use heat shrink butt-connectors or solder the wires and then cover them in heat shrink as cheap butt-connectors and electrical tape will work inititally but as the wire corrodes in the elements, you'll have intermittent issues until complete light failures
Use heat shrink butt-connectors or solder the wires and then cover them in heat shrink as cheap butt-connectors and electrical tape will work inititally but as the wire corrodes in the elements, you'll have intermittent issues until complete light failures
Senior Member





Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 789
Likes: 233
From: Current XJ is
Year: 95
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
The factory headlight harnesses are skimpy and were barely adequate to fully power the headlights the day they were made.
Old age and resistance "creep" in the wire makes them choke power to the headlights and brightness decreases.
If it has an upgrade harness with two relays disregard this post.
If it doesn't have one then now is the perfect time to put one in. And they're cheap.
Bleepinjeep shows, with a lux meter, why it's worth twenty-five bucks and twenty minutes of time.
Old age and resistance "creep" in the wire makes them choke power to the headlights and brightness decreases.
If it has an upgrade harness with two relays disregard this post.
If it doesn't have one then now is the perfect time to put one in. And they're cheap.
Bleepinjeep shows, with a lux meter, why it's worth twenty-five bucks and twenty minutes of time.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 8
Likes: 2
From: Florida
Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 6 cylinder
The factory headlight harnesses are skimpy and were barely adequate to fully power the headlights the day they were made.
Old age and resistance "creep" in the wire makes them choke power to the headlights and brightness decreases.
If it has an upgrade harness with two relays disregard this post.
If it doesn't have one then now is the perfect time to put one in. And they're cheap.
Bleepinjeep shows, with a lux meter, why it's worth twenty-five bucks and twenty minutes of time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGf9eNK5ZYA
Old age and resistance "creep" in the wire makes them choke power to the headlights and brightness decreases.
If it has an upgrade harness with two relays disregard this post.
If it doesn't have one then now is the perfect time to put one in. And they're cheap.
Bleepinjeep shows, with a lux meter, why it's worth twenty-five bucks and twenty minutes of time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGf9eNK5ZYA
CF Veteran




Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,609
Likes: 446
From: Michigan
Year: 1987 MJ, 1973 J2000, 1986 XJ, 08 JK
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0L H.O
That's the only negative point for the headlight harness upgrade it's that it doesn't include the blinker or running lights. It's absolutely worth doing for the headlights sake in itself but as your realizing - does nothing for the other front end lights
CF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 232
From: England
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
I reckon that will entail far more work than the very simple modifications that have been suggested.
You talk about harnesses but, in truth all the foglights require is re-routing what you already have (as those wires should be long enough) & fitting spade terminal, if that's not what they already have (I'm not familiar with the pre-'97 bumper mounted fogs). There is an upgraded foglight harness but, like the headlight ones, it supplements, not replaces the original.
The blinkers prob'ly need the most work as you have to replace a single socket with 2 of a different type, but the pigtails that come with any aftermarket sockets should be more than enough for the job. If you buy a late model blinker, etc harness, where you going to patch it into the main harness?.
You talk about harnesses but, in truth all the foglights require is re-routing what you already have (as those wires should be long enough) & fitting spade terminal, if that's not what they already have (I'm not familiar with the pre-'97 bumper mounted fogs). There is an upgraded foglight harness but, like the headlight ones, it supplements, not replaces the original.
The blinkers prob'ly need the most work as you have to replace a single socket with 2 of a different type, but the pigtails that come with any aftermarket sockets should be more than enough for the job. If you buy a late model blinker, etc harness, where you going to patch it into the main harness?.
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