A few weeks back I came across the WK2 video many of you have seen recently of the new fog lamp kit which mimics the tail lights, put out by Taillight Solutions. I contacted Ken at Taillight Solutions and was able to get my hands on one of the first kits available. It arrived in the mail Monday but I wasn't able to get around to installing it until today. It came packaged very well, I think better then it had to, but better to be safe then sorry as the housing can be fragile if thrown around in a box, especially during the postal holiday rush!
The instructions are a PDF, printable if necessary. Here's a link for the instructions from Taillight Solutions... CLICK HERE... They are detailed with pictures. I think they are over the top, then again I am mechanically inclined so even though "simple" for me, it may be more difficult for someone else. I think even if you haven't the slightest clue, this MOD is still able to be accomplished by you.
Here is the kit before the install- Very simple- 4 pieces. 2 housing and 2 harnesses.
I thank Ken at Taillight Solutions for the great craftsmanship. I feel the quality of work is high and it should last me the life of the Jeep. The connections are done properly, and all split loom/ shrink wrap tubing is professional looking. If I was given this kit by someone without knowing anything, I'd say it was done by Mopar. That's how good it seems.
There is a total of 6 steps to get this kit installed in the instructions but I'll break it down a little further and with just a quick jist of what needs to happen. *** I have used a few pictures from the install manual to fill in for pictures that I did not take.. **
1) Remove tail lamp
*Courtesy of Taillight Solutions Install Manual*
2) Remove Bumper Reflector
*Courtesy of Taillight Solutions Install Manual*
3) Run new pigtail harness down the taillight cavity, keeping two plugs up top and one down by the bumper
Heres a pictures of the harness coming out of the bumper reflector
4) Connect the female plug to the OEM male plug of the tail lamp wiring
*Courtesy of Taillight Solutions Install Manual*
Heres a picture of the new harness connected, the OEM plug tucked into the cavity and just the two necessary connections in the tail lamp area exposed.. (Reverse is the small grey and main tail is the larger connector)
5) Connect the plug coming from the mopar fog housing/socket to the new harness you just ran to the bumper
*Courtesy of Taillight Solutions Install Manual*
6) Push the new mopar housing back into the bumper by doing the reverse of how you took it out, insert the tab closest to the center of the vehicle first, then push in the outer edge closest to the corner of the bumper
Here is the new mopar housing containing the light installed in the bumper
7) Reconnect the Reverse and new Main tail connector from the pigtail harness to the tail lamp
8) Secure the tail lamp with the two push pins, making sure the new harness wire isn't in the way of the tail lamp housing.
As simple as that. Total install time ~20 minutes. 15 for the first side and 5 for the second.. :lol: It goes much quicker once you do it once.
Here's a picture of them installed and hooked up. The driver side has an LED bulb, the passenger side has a halogen. I will get some night pictures and possibly a video to show people if there is a difference and which looks better. Based on the daylight scenario, halogen matches the stock halogen main tail lamp better. Else your going to run resistors on the main tail lamp to change it to LED, I would recommend a halogen kit.
Below picture showcases the new MOPAR housings installed and operational. Please be aware they are tinted in that picture, so they are not as RED as the the stock color. Without tint they match the rest of the lamps, however ALL of my lamps are tinted which is why it all looks the same in this picture below. Refer to step 6 to see the housing NOT tinted
Some TIPS: Push the all of the harness into the tail lamp cavity where the OEM wiring comes from, leave only the two plugs which will connect to the tail lamp visible. This makes it so there is no wiring conflicting with the installation of the main tail lamp.
Behind the mopar fog lamp housing it is a tight fit between the socket/housing/wiring and the frame of the Jeep. Don't be afraid, it fits, snug, not overly tight.. There is black split loom and high grade shrink wrap covering the wires, I forsee no issues. You do need to room the housing to change a bulb, but this is very simple, just like removing the stock bumper reflector you push out the tab and it goes.
To sum of my experience with the kit I ask myself a few questions
1) Was the kit reasonably priced?
2) Were instructions included?
3) Was craftsmanship and quality high?
4) Was installation relatively simple?
5) Would I purchase the kit again?
6) Would I recommend the kit to others?
My answer is YES to all those questions. Without a doubt will I recommend others looking to do this MOD to not hesitate. Its unique, yet not outrageous, affordable for the amount of labor put into the kit, aside from the MOPAR parts being used to construct it. I also am probably the only WK2 on Long Island with my bumper reflectors working! haha
The instructions are a PDF, printable if necessary. Here's a link for the instructions from Taillight Solutions... CLICK HERE... They are detailed with pictures. I think they are over the top, then again I am mechanically inclined so even though "simple" for me, it may be more difficult for someone else. I think even if you haven't the slightest clue, this MOD is still able to be accomplished by you.
Here is the kit before the install- Very simple- 4 pieces. 2 housing and 2 harnesses.
I thank Ken at Taillight Solutions for the great craftsmanship. I feel the quality of work is high and it should last me the life of the Jeep. The connections are done properly, and all split loom/ shrink wrap tubing is professional looking. If I was given this kit by someone without knowing anything, I'd say it was done by Mopar. That's how good it seems.
There is a total of 6 steps to get this kit installed in the instructions but I'll break it down a little further and with just a quick jist of what needs to happen. *** I have used a few pictures from the install manual to fill in for pictures that I did not take.. **
1) Remove tail lamp
*Courtesy of Taillight Solutions Install Manual*
2) Remove Bumper Reflector
*Courtesy of Taillight Solutions Install Manual*
3) Run new pigtail harness down the taillight cavity, keeping two plugs up top and one down by the bumper
Heres a pictures of the harness coming out of the bumper reflector
4) Connect the female plug to the OEM male plug of the tail lamp wiring
*Courtesy of Taillight Solutions Install Manual*
Heres a picture of the new harness connected, the OEM plug tucked into the cavity and just the two necessary connections in the tail lamp area exposed.. (Reverse is the small grey and main tail is the larger connector)
5) Connect the plug coming from the mopar fog housing/socket to the new harness you just ran to the bumper
*Courtesy of Taillight Solutions Install Manual*
6) Push the new mopar housing back into the bumper by doing the reverse of how you took it out, insert the tab closest to the center of the vehicle first, then push in the outer edge closest to the corner of the bumper
Here is the new mopar housing containing the light installed in the bumper
7) Reconnect the Reverse and new Main tail connector from the pigtail harness to the tail lamp
8) Secure the tail lamp with the two push pins, making sure the new harness wire isn't in the way of the tail lamp housing.
As simple as that. Total install time ~20 minutes. 15 for the first side and 5 for the second.. :lol: It goes much quicker once you do it once.
Here's a picture of them installed and hooked up. The driver side has an LED bulb, the passenger side has a halogen. I will get some night pictures and possibly a video to show people if there is a difference and which looks better. Based on the daylight scenario, halogen matches the stock halogen main tail lamp better. Else your going to run resistors on the main tail lamp to change it to LED, I would recommend a halogen kit.
Below picture showcases the new MOPAR housings installed and operational. Please be aware they are tinted in that picture, so they are not as RED as the the stock color. Without tint they match the rest of the lamps, however ALL of my lamps are tinted which is why it all looks the same in this picture below. Refer to step 6 to see the housing NOT tinted
Some TIPS: Push the all of the harness into the tail lamp cavity where the OEM wiring comes from, leave only the two plugs which will connect to the tail lamp visible. This makes it so there is no wiring conflicting with the installation of the main tail lamp.
Behind the mopar fog lamp housing it is a tight fit between the socket/housing/wiring and the frame of the Jeep. Don't be afraid, it fits, snug, not overly tight.. There is black split loom and high grade shrink wrap covering the wires, I forsee no issues. You do need to room the housing to change a bulb, but this is very simple, just like removing the stock bumper reflector you push out the tab and it goes.
To sum of my experience with the kit I ask myself a few questions
1) Was the kit reasonably priced?
2) Were instructions included?
3) Was craftsmanship and quality high?
4) Was installation relatively simple?
5) Would I purchase the kit again?
6) Would I recommend the kit to others?
My answer is YES to all those questions. Without a doubt will I recommend others looking to do this MOD to not hesitate. Its unique, yet not outrageous, affordable for the amount of labor put into the kit, aside from the MOPAR parts being used to construct it. I also am probably the only WK2 on Long Island with my bumper reflectors working! haha