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How-To: Fog light HID kit in 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (pic heavy)

71K views 91 replies 46 participants last post by  Johnnyww 
#1 · (Edited)
This How-To is a guide to installing the XenonDepot Extreme Digital HID kit in the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee OEM fog light housings. The kit can be purchased here: http://www.kbcarstuff.com/Xtreme-Digital-HID-Kits-s/21.htm

Time needed: 2 - 3 hours

Parts/Supplies needed:
- HID kit above or similar
- 3/16" Shrink tube
- Small, black zip-ties
- 3/4 inch split tube wire loom/conduit
- (2) 9006 male pig-tail sockets
- (2) #6 x 1/2" sheet metal screws
- (4) 1/4" Nylon Pop-rivets, Chrysler P/N 6500911
- 2" masking or painter's tape

Tools needed:
- 10mm socket and ratchet/nut driver
- 13mm socket and ratchet/nut driver
- flat-head screwdriver
- needle-nose pliers
- wire stripper pliers
- solder gun/iron
- knife/razor blade
- Pop-rivet tool/gun

The first 4 photos are of the HID kit and its contents. The Extreme Digital kit comes with a set of rubber coated gloves (for handling the bulbs), 2 HID bulbs with pig-tail and plugs included, 2 HID ballasts with igniters included, 2 relay harnesses, medium length zip ties, and 2 double-sided tape pads (for mounting the ballasts):










The ballasts:










The bulbs are of 5202 (aka H16) type:




These 3 tabs need to be shaved/filed/sanded off for the bulb to properly seat in the OEM fog light housings:


Now for the fun!

Any time I'm removing and/or installing bumper covers, I like to protect the edges of the fender as sometimes the edges of the bumper cover can scrape the fenders:


Bumper removal

The front bumper cover on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is secured on the sides to the fender liners, on the bottom via push-pins to the lower engine shield, and on top via tabs that catch under the grille.

Repeat for both sides:

Remove the 10mm nut which secures the upper-most corner of the bumper cover to the fender liner:


Remove the lower twist clip by rotating 90 degrees:


Cut off the 2 Pop-rivets using a knife or exposed razor blade. You need to wedge the blade between the bumper flare and the head of the rivet, then slice it off. It will take a little force to cut:




Remove the push-pin retainer closest to the 10mm nut you removed. Push-pin retainers consist of a plunger which slides out, allowing the shaft to collapse. Once the shaft collapses, the retainer can be removed. Use a flat-head screwdriver to pull up on the plunger:






At this point, the fender flare can be pulled loose from the bumper cover. Pulling outward on the flare will release the tabs holding the flare to the bumper. Don't pull too hard or too fast, as the flare is still connected to the top of the fender:






There are 4 push-pin retainers securing the bottom of the bumper to the lower engine shield. Remove all 4:




When all the retaining hardware has been removed FROM BOTH SIDES, you're ready to slide the bumper cover off.
 
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#41 ·
Thanks for the write up PB! I will be replacing my laredo grill with the overland grill in the next month or so. I will definitely be using your write up. My overland grill is sitting in my closet waiting to be replaced. Im just waiting for my wife and baby to go on vacation so I can take care of it.
 
#42 ·
The only issue I see with these is that there is no cut-off, if you look at the pics with and without the fogs you can see the fog light extends way up and over the cutoff of the headlights. I had a run in with a deer and am getting a new bumper this week, I'm looking at the universal projector kits to see if I can retro fit one to get better aiming and cut-off.

Any idea what connector the bulb uses in relation to the standards (h1-h4) as most universal can be had in the standard bulb configurations.
 
#43 ·
Just got my car back from the body shop, I installed the new fog projectors while they were painting the new bumper and grill. Fit the projectors into the existing fog mounting bracket and made a custom rubber surround to fit the hole of the previous fog (projector is only 2.5" compared to the 3" jeep foglight, the projector is rounded so it is somewhat recessed.) I am very happy with how they turned out. The install itself basically followed the first post.






 
#44 ·
dude thanks so much for this write up...someone pointed me here when I asked about this HID fog light upgrade in a thread i created...I cannot stand how the warm light of the fogs looks against the cool light of the headlights...Im ordering this kit and matching it up. Thanks so much brah!
 
#51 ·
just finished installing the hid fogs,way too bright for street use,i would say off road only,i passed a car and the driver put her arm over her eyes got flashed once,and i didnt tighten the battery post all the way and car went dead,i thought the installation was to blame but i figured it out,anyway good poduct,very bright.
 
#54 ·
I did my install 2 weeks ago and the instructions were great, thank you. However I would suggest against taking off the bumper completely since you have to break off the pop rivets and to put them back on you'll have to pay CJD about 5 bucks each for them. The install can be easily done just taking off the lower valence.

Also for those of you concerned about cutoff and glare, i put on an "eyelid" onto my fog housing using a vinyl sticker. You can get it made anywhere cut vinyl is made, luckily my buddies shop has one. But basically all you need them to do is a 3.5" circle and cut it down to 1" high. Stick the eyelid to the top of the housing and voila, you get a really nice cutoff and a ton of the glare is reduced. I have a nice hard line when i have my car pointed to a wall now and you can actually look at the front of the car without getting burn spots in your eyes afterwards.
 
#56 ·
Sure thing. Here's a pic of what the cutoff looks like as well as what the vinyl half circle looks like. Again the height of the half circle is 1" using white. I think I could have gotten a little better light cutoff if I used a darker vinyl, but that's what we had.
 

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#67 ·
Sorry to get back to everyone so late. To answer the question about the light housing becoming damaged...I have had no issues with the clear outer lens becoming damaged, and I run the fogs a lot. However, looking really closely, I do see that the chrome reflector (which is really plastic) does have some very slight heat damage around the HID bulb. Nothing major at all, but it does have a little.

I do love the idea of the "eyelid" that Frydryce came up with. Perhaps if you use a heat resistant vinyl in a light silver color that blends in with the lamp housing, you won't even know its there!
 
#64 ·
Thanks for the post! This is exactly what I am looking for.

I am new here and am also looking for a thread about installing HIDs in the low beams as well in my 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Lorado.

Is there anything special or modifications that need to be done? Do you need a relay for the fogs and low beams?

I have installed HIDs on my 05 Chevy Silverado as well, and it wasnt a difficult process. Thinking a newer vehicle might be a little more difficult.

Thanks for any input!!
 
#72 ·
Yes, the 5202 kit from RetroSolutions does not require any splicing and is true plug-n-play.

35W DIGITAL HID KITS - Retro-Solutions Store

As stated before, this is a GREAT "how-to" write up. I would have never attempted it myself but did it this weekend. Too minor suggestions using hind-sight. I used 1/4 inch black plastic rivets from the universal bins at True Value with a Phillips head screw insert (.24 cents each) They worked exactly like the OEM rivets which I did buy to have on hand but returned for a refund yesterday.

And I ordered "Capped" HID bulbs. The capping helps greatly with focusing the HID beam and not annoying on-coming drivers. I used them before on my Ram truck fogs and was happy with them.

"How-To's" like the OP's are a tremendous help. I just ordered a set of TYC headlamp units and am in the process of assembling the material to install projector BiXenon HID's in the next few weeks.

H1 Mini BiXenon projectors - Retro-Solutions Store
 
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