Trucklite or JW Speaker 8700 HEadlight replacements...

rob_p said:
I was thinking heated TLs especially as winter is around the corner, is this the one area, other than price, where TLs win out over JW, or is it a non issue with the Speakers?
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I'll be able to answer that in the coming months. From what the guys around here tell me with the standard TL's, it's only bad when it's heavy wet snow.
 
jnabird333 said:
As mentioned, they are both great lights. My wife has TruckLites and we have a good friend with Speakers. We personally couldn't justify the added cost of the Speakers but in our opinion they have a much better light output and pattern. We do have the "X" that was mentioned. My wife has grown used to it as it is in her DD. But when I drive the Jeep in the dark it drives me crazy. Still, if I were to buy again... it would likely be TruckLites.
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You can purchase the horizontal headlight adjustment screws from mopar in order to resolve the issue. The part number is 55078114AA and you'll need 2 of them (one per headlight)
 
USMMA11NC said:
You can purchase the horizontal headlight adjustment screws from mopar in order to resolve the issue. The part number is 55078114AA and you'll need 2 of them (one per headlight)
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USMC Wrangler said:
Yep, it's so easy even this Jarhead could do it! http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?30873-JK-Horizontal-Headlight-Adjustment
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This really isn't a "fix" in my opinion. I don't have a problem with how my wife's headlights are aimed. The hot spot ("X") is from poor reflector design. Widening or narrowing my lights to fix this only puts light where it doesn't need to be.

The fact is there are other lights (including the stock ones) that are aimed the same way without the hot spot.

I don't like the idea of putting light into oncoming traffic so I don't have an "X"

....at least that's how I feel anyway.
 
jnabird333 said:
This really isn't a "fix" in my opinion. I don't have a problem with how my wife's headlights are aimed. The hot spot ("X") is from poor reflector design. Widening or narrowing my lights to fix this only puts light where it doesn't need to be.

The fact is there are other lights (including the stock ones) that are aimed the same way without the hot spot.

I don't like the idea of putting light into oncoming traffic so I don't have an "X"

....at least that's how I feel anyway.
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Understood. It wasn't or isn't my goal to put my lights into oncoming traffic just so I can see better. It just made the spread a little better. There are still hotspots on low, but just not as noticeable as an "X". I recently drove about 1800 miles on a trip, partially at night on two lane highways. Not one high beam flash.

I really wish I could have the headlights from my wife's '13 Explorer in my Jeep. I can only imagine that would be a pretty penny though. :idontknow:
 
I know this isn't the for sale section but if anybody want to buy my heated truck lites with anti flicker module pm me, they are used about 1 month.
 
Don't get the trucklites. They're no good at any price due to the X pattern and it's really annoying and distracting. Horizontal adjustment makes no difference, it just widens or narrows the distorted light pattern. High beams are awesome but low beams just suck. I installed the heated ones and pulled them the next day and returned them. I'll get the JWs the day they offer a heated version. Their light pattern is excellent.
 
GoldenJK said:
Don't get the trucklites. They're no good at any price due to the X pattern and it's really annoying and distracting. Horizontal adjustment makes no difference, it just widens or narrows the distorted light pattern. High beams are awesome but low beams just suck. I installed the heated ones and pulled them the next day and returned them. I'll get the JWs the day they offer a heated version. Their light pattern is excellent.
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I have to disagree. While I do see the X pattern where the lights cross in the center it doesn't bother me at all. This is my second set been running these lights for 3 years and love them. I get how it could bother some but for the price these really light up the road and are a huge improvement over stock.
 
We'll have to agree to disagree. For 500 bucks they can do better and should be reasonably uniform. It's possible some pairs are worse than others but mine gave a bright X that went slightly above the cutoff line. That bright spot deceives your eyes and makes the rest of the beam not look very well lit unless you are in complete darkness, but in those cases you'll have the high beams on. Also, since the X went above the cutoff line you would get flashed whenever it hit oncoming traffic. You could overcompensate by lower the beam but then they were no better than stock.
 
Also, I don't believe the X is the beams crossing. The right bulb makes the right side and the left makes the left side of the X or at least that is how is was on mine when I tested them individually.
 
The hot spot has never once bothered me. I adjusted the TLs according to the write up here. The hot spot is far out, the light spread lights up everything. Hell, I think the lights are adjusted to the point that I expect oncoming cars to flash me but it has never once happened. And that is just the lows...when the highs are in it is like the sun is out! It boils down to it being subjective just like anything else.
 
It is a Personel preference they are huge difference over stock I just don't like the hot spot or x pattern it bugs me when I'm driving, I will say the short time I'm using they are bright
 
I noticed when I put on the LED fogs the x pattern seems less noticeable but then again it never really bothered me lol
 
Recently Installed JW Speaker Evolution J's

I recently installed a pair of JW Speaker Evolution J's on my 2011 JK Sport. I am very, very happy with them. I struggled with the cost, but after my first drive over the Sierra's at night I wondered why I waited so long. I do not have any experience with the Truck Lites, I can only tell you I a very happy with my JW Speakers. IMO the increased safety factor form the increased visibility is well worth the cost.
 
MA2LA said:
What about the KC led kit. It's not the cheeper option but heck a 23 yr warenty is kinda attractive. I'm trying to decide aswell since my wife hate the lights on the jk after coming from her ,azda that had HID projectors
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I'm running KC Hilites on my JKUR and I don't have any complaints so far considering I have only owned them about a month now. I can't compare them to trucklites or JW Speakers but I don't think you could go wrong with any of those brands. If needed, I can take a pic looking thru the windshield so you can see the pattern...
 
I too got tired of the stock headlights. Seeing as everyone had TL, I wanted to be different. I bought the JW evo 2's with the SMS Printed Circuit Harness (#HL28130JP) for $725 (also have the Horizontal adjustment screws... IMO worth having to adjust the light throw which blends nicely once tweaked). Love them! The reason why I went with that Light harness instead of the "anti-flicker" pigtail is that it pulls from the battery and cuts down on the High to Low 3 second delay when you install LED lights. Either headlight you choose, I would recommend that harness. :thumb:
 
I had the JW Speaker 8700 Evolution J lights installed, along with the JW Speaker 4145 Fog Lights and love them! The J series are plug and play and have the anti flicker built into them. I got them for $600, when a Christmas special was run. Amazon had them for the same price, but I found out that the warranty (lifetime) wasn't any good because Amazon is not an Authorized dealer.
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I'm running the KC headlights and the their 4" led fogs. Stoked so far! Tons of light and no flashes from oncoming traffic now that I adjusted them. No goofy x patterns either. I couldn't get over the import look of the JW's. KC's look old school and modern at the same time.
 
As far as I am concerned, get better headlight made by any reputable company.

Trucklites have a huge following, but you have the x artifacts. JW are reported to be great lights, but are really pricey. KC light has made great lights for decades, didn't know they solved the x problem as they look like Trucklites knockoffs.

They are all going to be much better than the stock lights, and none are really cheap. Pick what you like for what you are willing and able to pay. Good headlights should really be the number one mod for every single JK - for safety reasons.

I think it is criminal how terrible the stock lights are. 20 year old yellowed headlights are better and brighter. I can't believe the jeep headlights are approved for use by the federal government as meeting any kind of standards. That is DC for you.

I went with heated Trucklites for icing conditions, and not in GA, but for my eventual return to ice storm prone OK. They do melt the frost off here though. The x is easy to ignore, especially since the lights are so much brighter.
 
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