Please bear with me as this is obviously my first post. Anyhow, I recently bought a 2008 Rubicon and couldn't help myself by having to mess with it. Ten years ago I had a 97 SE and have missed it badly, hence the JK. Anyhow after reading this thread, I decided to do the mirror myself. I did it exactly as the OP did with the exception I painted all the hardware and used a wing nut on the bottom to allow for easy on-off.









I also read several write-ups on the Rubicon locker bypass and did that this weekend too. I used the Daystar lower panel with ARB switches. Front and rear switch covers were used on the switches. Since the mod required a negative (ground) to be applied to the locker relays, I wired a couple reverse polarity relays to the switches so they would send the ground. VERY easy to do. On a four pole relay, simply ground the relay (30) and ground the input "power" to the relay (86). Connect the 12v+ output wire from the switch to the signal input of the relay (86) and attached the wire run to the locker relay to the output of the relay (87) you are wiring. When activated, the relay will close, connecting the ground to the output pole (87). It works flawlessly. The lights in the switch work when activated and (due to the relays) send a ground to the locker relays. I wasn't able to solder the connections under the hood, but applied a healthy two coats of liquid electrical tape to the scotch locks.

 

Very nice! All that wiring mumbo jumbo quickly had me lost....wish I knew how to perform a task like that.

 

Thank you! Before becoming a cop over five years ago, I was a custom car stereo shop manager for a little over three years. I installed occasionally when we got busy, but mostly ran the place. I am 32yo and fortunate to be able to remember how to do all that still LOL. A relay in it's basic form is an electromagnet internally. When power is supplied, a "latch" closes between the input and output, connecting the two. Think of it as an electromagnet turning on and picking up a nail. The contact between the magnet and the nail is like the input and output connecting inside the relay. when I flip the switch, it sends power to the relay, turning on the "electromagnet." Whether the input be a positive or a negative is irrelevant to the relay. If you need negative (ground) as an output, simply feed it negative at the input and otherwise for positive. Did that help or make it worse? LOL I can be a confusing sob at times.

 

Hahahah, yeah I understood that... kinda makes sense. Rather than muck up your thread, maybe you could quickly explain to me (in my recently started thread here https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/modi...-mod-s-247336/ ) why the factory switches couldnt simply be used. Or can they? Why the added switches?


Where did you purchase those mirrors?

 

I got the mirror at O'reilly Auto Parts. I believe it was $8.99. As the OP for the thread I referenced, they can be found at nearly any auto parts store. Just be sure you get one with a right-angle adapter as they sell one without it for the same price. The rubber tubing, 3/8" x 12" all thread, nuts, and washers were around $7.00 at Lowes. I'll look up the internal schematic on the factory switches and get back to you on your thread later today if I find anything useful.

 

Thankya mister. No hurry.

 

Can you explain to me why you had to do a bypass? Doesn't the factory e-locker work? I don't have a Rubi, so adding switches and bypass when a stock Rubi seems already good to go perplexes me. Thx.

 

What he is doing, correct me if i'm wrong, is making it so that he can use the lockers whenever he wants to. The stock rubicon is set up in a way that only allows you to engage the lockers when in 4lo. Now he can use them whenever he wants to no matter what transfer case range he is in. Additionally I think that he can now use the lockers independent of each other. At least that what I have observed from what others have done and what he seems to be doing.

 

You are exactly right. In north Alabama, we have mud... lots of mud. Four locked tires spinning at 4H speeds are more useful in our area than lower wheel speeds found in 4L. Also, an occasional 2wd usage locked would be nice in certain situations. I have this weird thing where I want my vehicle to work the way I want it to (safely of course) and not necessarily the way the factory intended.

 

That totally makes sense. Thanks for the explanation. I had no idea the lockers only engaged in 4-lo from the factory.