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Topic: Autopal Headlight Conversion

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GLXJ PRESIDENT
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Autopal Headlight Conversion

Anyone whos driven an XJ or MJ knows that the factory headlights just flat out suck. Many who know me know that Im very big on safety, and to be quite honest I think that the factory headlights are actually pretty unsafe, especially if your Jeep is lifted. I was getting very tired on not being able to see at night, and felt even more uncomfortable letting my wife drive her XJ at night knowing that it was hard to see.

 

So I decided to look into doing a headlight upgrade on her XJ. One of the biggest things I wanted to do was to do away with the older sealed beam style light and go to a projector light. Doing so have several benefits, the two biggest being that they throw the light better and also the fact that you only have to replace the bulb itself, not the entire assembly.

 

I looked a lot into the higher brand units like Hella, IPF, and Cibies; all of which I have experience with in other cars. However knowing that these were going into a Jeep that would see some trail use I just couldnt see myself spending the $100+ on a set. So I decided to go with the Autopal headlights for about half the cost.

 

Now these are not your eBay specials that are made with a plastic lenses that melts after a few hours of use. The Autopals have a glass lens with a reflector. The housing it made of very thick plastic and the bulb cover thing is made of metal. I was overall very impressed with their build.

 

In the photo below you can see the difference between the factory sealed beam headlight and the Autopal headlight housing. Notice the hole in the back that accepts an H4 bulb.

 

100_1765.jpg

Once you have the bulb in the housing, its held in place by a metal bracket that snaps into place. The kit also comes with a rubber housing cover that covers the bulb and the bracket to keep water/mud/whatever from coming into the housings.

 

100_1767.jpg

Here is a close up of that rubber cover with the bulb.

 

100_1766.jpg

Install is very simple. Just remove all the phillips screws holding the housing/grill on. Only tool needed is a phillips screw driver. Took me 20 mins to install both housings start to finish. The Autopals are a plug-n-play setup, so no modifications at all are required to install them.

 

Here is a photo of the old factory housing installed.

 

100_1768.jpg

And here is a photo of the new Autopal housing installed with the H4 bulb.

 

100_1769.jpg

Just looking at the difference in design you can that the Autopals will throw the light much better.

 

I did do a comparison shot, however our camera does NOT like the dark so the photos are not the best. This is just on normal brightness. Notice how much more defined the light pattern is with the Autopals.

 

100_1762.jpg

 

Overall I am very happy with the Autopals. There is defiantly a noticeable difference in light, and I feel like I can actually see again driving the wifes XJ. The beam pattern is very good, and has a very nice cutoff on the top to not blind oncoming traffic. High beams also throw the light almost twice as far as the factory units did. I feel like it is actually safe to drive at night again. Id recommend the Autopals to anyone, especially those who care about being safe during night driving.

 

On a side note the bulbs included in the kit are a 60w bulb. I would not run anything higher than that without upgrading your wiring harness in your Jeep prior. I feel that the 60w bulbs are plenty bright being that their is a more defined light pattern.

And for those interested in getting your own set of the Autopals you can purchase the kit from Motion Offroad here; http://motionoffroad.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=165

 

 



-- Edited by LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW at 18:41, 2008-09-13

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Thanks for this INFO and write up,
My stock lights sucked, So i got a pair form the store, They were better, But not much better.
Then i got a set of Dimond cut Head light i was told about off of e-bay, What a waste of $$$$
I will be checking these out.

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1999  XJ  SPORT,  4.5'' LIFT,  32'' X 11.50''  TIRE'S



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how much better do you think they will perform with an upgraded harness. my stockers are crappy. and if the roads wet, forget about it, i can see anything.

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Nice writeup. I'll be getting me a set here soon!

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1989 Jeep MJ. 5" Lift on 33 Swampers. Locked Front and Rear.

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GLXJ PRESIDENT
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bmyohn wrote:
how much better do you think they will perform with an upgraded harness. my stockers are crappy. and if the roads wet, forget about it, i can see anything.

I don't see how having an upgraded harness would hurt at all. I'm sure it would only help.

 



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I replaced my stock headlights with AutoPal's right after I bought the Jeep, about 2.5 years ago. I did upgrade to SilverStar bulbs though. Never had an issue with either.

Well worth the money, and MUCH better than the stock headlights!



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so it is easy to change out to other bulbs for these ?

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1999  XJ  SPORT,  4.5'' LIFT,  32'' X 11.50''  TIRE'S



" IF  IT  AINT  RUFF  IT  AINT  ME  !  "

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Chris99XJ wrote:

so it is easy to change out to other bulbs for these ?







The AutoPal headlights use H4 bulbs.  They go by a 9000 something number also.  9003-9004-9005, I can't recall which number right now.confused 

-- Edited by firehawk at 15:09, 2008-02-02

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YHa i orderd mine with the white bulbs, or i could have gotten blue ones, but i figured white would be brighter, just nice to know i can change them if one burns out, and they are H4

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1999  XJ  SPORT,  4.5'' LIFT,  32'' X 11.50''  TIRE'S



" IF  IT  AINT  RUFF  IT  AINT  ME  !  "

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Got home yesterday to find FED X backing out of my drive way.
Got my Motion Off Road Warn TC skid & my Autopal Headlight's
People People People, If you want a nice looking set of lights, That
work and shine bright, Then call up or goto Motion Off Road's web
site and order these lights.
Took me 15 minutes to install.
They are well sealed, Have a protective rubber gromet on the back.
Hell just look @ the pic's Adam posted of the ones he orderd for Rebbeca's XJ.
Anyway's, they are the best headlight's that i have had on my XJ.
Prop's to Adam for informing me and us to them.

Chris

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1999  XJ  SPORT,  4.5'' LIFT,  32'' X 11.50''  TIRE'S



" IF  IT  AINT  RUFF  IT  AINT  ME  !  "

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LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW wrote:

 

bmyohn wrote:
how much better do you think they will perform with an upgraded harness. my stockers are crappy. and if the roads wet, forget about it, i can see anything.

I don't see how having an upgraded harness would hurt at all. I'm sure it would only help.

 

 




I'll have to do a comparo in the springtime (likely after I do cooling system upgrades though)- stock, stock+larger wires, autopal.  For a well written how-to on the wire loom, see... http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoHeadlightLoom.htm

 



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1974 AMC Javelin "Jade Grenade"- 360v8, 4sp, green inside and out. Underfunded Project.
2009 Kawsaki Vulan 900 "Rocket III"- Summer DD

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Just wanted to show a pic of my light's in, No biggy

Chris

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1999  XJ  SPORT,  4.5'' LIFT,  32'' X 11.50''  TIRE'S



" IF  IT  AINT  RUFF  IT  AINT  ME  !  "

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Adam,
Did you leave the blue H4 bulb's in ? , Or did you put in the white H4 bulb's.
Mine came with the blue bulb's in it, I had to change them out to the white one's.
I hated that metal clip and screw. But i got it after a minute.

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1999  XJ  SPORT,  4.5'' LIFT,  32'' X 11.50''  TIRE'S



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I just left the bulbs that came free with the kit in them. No complaints thus far with them.

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Look's like the blue one's are in your's

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1999  XJ  SPORT,  4.5'' LIFT,  32'' X 11.50''  TIRE'S



" IF  IT  AINT  RUFF  IT  AINT  ME  !  "

 
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