LED Tail Lights

Last weekend at Johnson Valley, I finally hit one of my stock tail lights on a rock.  These lights are the factory original lights.  I'm amazed it's taken me 10 years to hit one, but it finally happened.  I've seen a lot of different ideas for the tail lights over the years.  The idea I liked best was 2 oval lights on each side.  I've seen them installed horizontally, and at a 45 degree angle.  The angle thing just doesn't look right to me.  My current plan is to install them horizontally.  The goal is to try to cover up the stock brake light hole, and the holes from the Canyon City tire carrier I use to have.  I'm also going to relocate my license plate to the center of my spare tire.  Seems every time I go wheel'n these days I knock the license plate off it's hinge.  I like that the factory location covers up the gas cap, but the Jeep body just isn't wide enough to keep the license plate from being hit.

04/03/03 - Ordered the lights
I ordered my LED tail lights from www.mesa4x4.com.  They're 6.54" (L) x 2.27" (W) x 2.07" (D) each.  I ordered 2 sets so I can have 2 lights on each side. 

04/14/03 - Received the lights
There was a little confusion over payment for the lights, but they're finally here.

04/18/03 - Installed the lights
I knocked out the entire installation today.  I was originally going to try to fit 2 lights on each side, but it just didn't work out.  If I relocate my gas fill, I could fit two.  Maybe someday in the future.  Anyways.  I laid out the locations of the lights on blue masking tape.  Then I marked the centers of the circles and used a 2.5" hole saw to cut them out.  I then used a Sawzall to connect the circles to make the ovals.  As for the wiring, I chopped the connectors off the old lights and soldered them to the new lights.  Makes removing the lights easier at a later date.

Here's a few shots of the lights installed.  The first is with no power.  The second is "tail lights", and the third is "brake" lights.

To finish this project, I still have to deal with the license plate with it's illumination and backup lights.