icrashbikes

I like the smaller, recessed signals too. Do you have an actual physical lamp in mind?

What I can't decide on is the placement. I like them inboard in the picture above but I can't get past liking where they sit on the Safari. Maybe on the Safari they better fill that big slab of empty space under the headlights? The JL grill is also narrower at the bottom so it's really that we're looking at something different there. I am excited for another round of molding/fiberglassing though! I'm about halfway through the book you recommended. It's cool stuff.

Erok

The smaller lights are great! I like the idea of moving the signals inboard, but like icrashbikes said, I think the extra space on the bottom of the grill sort of dictates a more central placement- the first mold attempt looks pretty much spot on.

jscherb

I'll probaby use 2 1/2" dual function LEDs like these: https://grandgeneral.com/auto-parts/...unction-light/

This molding process will be pretty much the same as the first grille, except that I'll be adding temporary forms to the mold for the turn signal buckets. And I may mold this one in either primer gray gelcoat or perhaps black, haven't decided yet.

jscherb

Arrived Flagstaff yesterday for Overland Expo, which starts tomorrow, so today spent some time playing in the Cinder Hills OHV area. Just outside of Flagstaff, Cinder Hills is a 13,000+ acre area created about 1000 years ago by volcanic activity; the whole area is still covered in cinders. Did quite a few miles on the trails there and stopped to take some photos on a big hill in the Cinder Basin Area (hey, driveway and parking lot photos of the new grille are fine, but this Jeep isn't a mall crawler so some trail photos are in order now).

Some of the surface is loose enough to be a challenge for the overland-equipped/heavy JKU, but all the hill climbs attempted were successful. Views from the top of this hill are fantastic; the photos also show some of the expanse of cinders. And the dust on the Jeep, which I'll have to wash off before letting MORryde use the Jeep at the Expo tomorrow.

jscherb

Almost forgot I took these photos the other day - made a stop in Santa Fe on the way out and in the morning there was a 2013 Sahara in the parking lot in the same color as mine so I had to do some parking lot shots to compare the grilles, fenders, etc...

jscherb

The Jeep set up in the MORryde area at the Overland West vendor show.





MORryde created this window sticker to describe all of the things installed on the Jeep...



For lunch I cooked hot dogs in the kitchen for myself and the MORryde crew; they caught me washing the frying pan in the kitchen sink after, you can see the water running in this photo...

icrashbikes

That's amazing. There's no need to go home! Except maybe a toilet...

jscherb

This morning at Overland Expo MORryde forced me to do two demo videos for the Trail Kitchen. I was forced, but you have a choice, you can watch these or not .


First, the basic setup of the kitchen, which took just under 2 minutes:




This next one shows some of the accessories:

jscherb

As I posted last week, I'm planning to mold another test grille with buckets to recess the turn signals flush with hte face of the grille. I've decided to use 2.5" LED turn signals instead of the 3.5" factory incandescent ones and before I mold the next grille with the 2.5" buckets, I needed to test the LEDs to make sure they work as intended. Here's a quick test with clip leads; the LED is taped to the grille.


Off topic, but when the hazard flashers are on you can see how much faster an LED responds than an incandescent bulb.

That test was with LEDs I had on hand, but I probably won't use those, I've got a few other candidates I'm considering that will look a little more like the factory lights. This image shows two I'm considering, each one lit and unlit:



I'll probably order a pair of both of the above and see which one I like best.

There are two types of these LEDs on the market - the type called "dual function" have three terminals - ground, low intensity (marker) and high intensity (turn signal). The other type are single function, and only have two terminals - they don't have a provision for both low and high intensity.

The JK requires dual functions for the lights - the factory bulb is a dual filament bulb. The dual function LEDs only require a resistor on the turn signal side of the circuit to avoid "hyper flash" but other than that can be connected directly to the factory wiring.

Single function LEDs can also be used with the JK, all that's required is a second small resistor to dim the LED for the marker light function and a diode to stop feedback through the turn signal circuit that would prevent the marker function from working. One of the LED's pictured above is a single function, if it turns out I like that one better I'll wire it as necessary to work properly with the JK's light circuits.

Once I decide whether I'll be using single or dual function LEDs I'll make up a "plug and play" wiring harnesses for the LEDs that connect to the factory wiring and includes the necessary components.

Now that I've verified the operation of the LEDs I'll make up the inserts I'll put in the mold to form the buckets to recess the lights flush with the surface of the grille.

karls10jk

The LED's you just sampled look like winners. It's nice that they're considerably brighter than the factory lights. The stock turn signal really disappoints when it comes to letting other people know that you're turning. Is that a drop in bulb?