More Lights Installed

[slowcrawler]

So I picked up some more lights to mount on my brush guard and wanted to mount the smaller ones I had on my brush guard previously so I removed the grill, cut the louvers out from the grill and fabricated some mounts to mount the smaller lights where the factory had installed lights in some models. What was nice was the lights I picked up came from Wal-Mart were 55W, perfect fit, and I paid $20 bucks. Easy mod and now I have 2 sets of lights. Before and after shots.

 

[4x4kayak2112]

Can you show us the mounts, i was a walmart today looking at those lights for my grill!

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[slowcrawler]

Well I would but I would have to disassemble a part of it all. All I did was buy the round 3 inch lights they have that cost I believe about $19. Where the factory round hole is under the grill portion is where I installed them. Just take the bracket that comes with the lights rotate it down slide them in to the back of the hole pocket, mark the hole with a sharpie and drill the hole through. I have small 90 degree drills for fabrication but you can do the same if you get or have a extended drill bit (12 inch) to get the angle and install the light while on the bracket with a 1/4 inch bolt and you can put a nut on it from underneath that part is challengeing. Just add a little tension to the screws of the bracket on the lights since they go in together so it keeps the lights taunt but you can still rotate them up when you have the bolt in tight. Once you have the lights in the grill the grill will keep a lil more tension on them and keep them straight up as well. Sounds complicated but its not once you get your grill off and see what I'm talking about. Piece of cake and its 55w lights that are inexpensive. Hope this helps.

 

[4x4kayak2112]

OK, I see how you did it.

Hows those 5.5 inch ones doing for you? I have a pair and the light they produce *****. Have you changed the bulbs?

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[brokendad]

Slowcrawler,
I am in the Edmond area and would like to know if your liberty is a 05 and what brand of front mount hitch do you have. I have a brand new Curt, but my Sons talked me out of using it. They thought that it would hurt the front approach angles. have you had any problems with this?

 

[slowcrawler]

Lights

OK, I see how you did it.

Hows those 5.5 inch ones doing for you? I have a pair and the light they produce *****. Have you changed the bulbs?

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They get the job done when I use them. I just didnt want any 100watt lights for my use.

 

[slowcrawler]

Front receiver

Slowcrawler,
I am in the Edmond area and would like to know if your liberty is a 05 and what brand of front mount hitch do you have. I have a brand new Curt, but my Sons talked me out of using it. They thought that it would hurt the front approach angles. have you had any problems with this?

I custom built my front receiver because of the fact your talking about, approach angles. Manufactures make theirs bolt on and go so to say which I get but I wanted an all purpose front receiver so I built mine to mount next the uni-frame in the front and trimmed the lower portion off the front bumper because its only there for looks (in my opinion) and serves no real purpose. So mine is a 2inch receiver, with built in tow bar brackets for towing behind anything, built in tow hooks, and added a brush guard that can be removed easily. I used an old Ford Explorer rear hitch and cut it up to fit. It bolts through the uni-frame into some 1/4 inch nut plates I built then I gusseted it all so its way stronger than any aftermarket front receiver and it sits maybe 1/4 inch below the front uni-frame unlike the 5-6 inch after market ones.

 

[4x4kayak2112]

I built my front hitch too, 2x2x3/8 inch angle and 2x2x3/8 inch square tubing with 3/8 inch backer plates for the bolts. All of my metal was found on the side of the freeway over course of a few months. I have a bad habit of picking up "junk" from the side of the road.

I switched my stock bulbs for silver stars (thats whats in my headlights) and alot happier with them now. I dont run the "guards" on mine, and i have three instead of two.

Btw i love your jeep and your home made brush guard.

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[brokendad]

I custom built my front receiver because of the fact your talking about, approach angles. Manufactures make theirs bolt on and go so to say which I get but I wanted an all purpose front receiver so I built mine to mount next the uni-frame in the front and trimmed the lower portion off the front bumper because its only there for looks (in my opinion) and serves no real purpose. So mine is a 2inch receiver, with built in tow bar brackets for towing behind anything, built in tow hooks, and added a brush guard that can be removed easily. I used an old Ford Explorer rear hitch and cut it up to fit. It bolts through the uni-frame into some 1/4 inch nut plates I built then I gusseted it all so its way stronger than any aftermarket front receiver and it sits maybe 1/4 inch below the front uni-frame unlike the 5-6 inch after market ones.

I would like to get together so I could take some close up pictures of your receiver.
I am a retired Engineering tech and would like to have my sons make a hitch like this for my Liberty. I believe that the hitch that I have would make a great "donor" to build this. I bought it new for really cheap and have had no luck in selling it so I would not mind re-purposing it.

 

[slowcrawler]

I built my front hitch too, 2x2x3/8 inch angle and 2x2x3/8 inch square tubing with 3/8 inch backer plates for the bolts. All of my metal was found on the side of the freeway over course of a few months. I have a bad habit of picking up "junk" from the side of the road.

I switched my stock bulbs for silver stars (thats whats in my headlights) and alot happier with them now. I dont run the "guards" on mine, and i have three instead of two.

Btw i love your jeep and your home made brush guard.

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I did the same on my head lights and what a difference it made. Yeah free steel is awesome, nothing wrong with a lil junk collecting. Thanks for the feedback

 

[slowcrawler]

I would like to get together so I could take some close up pictures of your receiver.
I am a retired Engineering tech and would like to have my sons make a hitch like this for my Liberty. I believe that the hitch that I have would make a great "donor" to build this. I bought it new for really cheap and have had no luck in selling it so I would not mind re-purposing it.

I think I seen your front receiver on Craigslist before if thats where you were trying to sell it. It should make a great donor hitch for ya and work out if it mounts to the front part of the uni-frame as well. As far as getting together for pics and lil know how, no problem. Just shoot me a PM and I will give you my # so you can call me.

 

[brokendad]

That's mine, I will leave it there until I get ready to cut it up. My sons do my fabricating, but one is in Mexico training crews to use horizontal drilling equipment and the other is in N. Dakota doing the same. Anyway it's supposed to get cold so I am going trout fishing Friday.

 

[slowcrawler]

Cool..yeah just shoot me a PM when they get back and we can talk about meeting up and you can get an idea of how I made mine.

 

[brokendad]

Hey, I just looked at another thread and saw the rear bumper guard. You said in that thread that you were going to do rock sliders. Give me a PM and I will send you a set of rough plans that I have drawn. No measurements, can't get up and down well enough to take the measurements. It looks like you have your own shop or you are single and your garage isn't stuffed.