[C2U5H]

Originally Posted by TJftw

i really want those lights! but damn...135 bucks each...If anyone finds them cheaper anywhere please let us know!

Yeah that does stink ... my theory is they jacked the price up when they got that review in Jp Magazine and realized how popular they were.

[Bennettj13]

I have a knack for deal finding. What's the model number? Or a link to where I can find more info on whatever lights you are looking for. I'll see if I've got any magic to work here.

[Deacon]

These appear to be them. They were bought out, perhaps, and changed the brand name?

I'd love to find some inexpensive but effective HIDs for mounting on windshield hinge brackets to act as spot lights projecting way far down the road, more so than the IPF 968's I've got currently which work great as driving lights. Would these HIDs work for that? If so, I'd say $135 a piece may not be the end of the world.

[Bennettj13]

http://www.sidebysidesports.com/7hidoflica.html

Joo are welcome

[Deacon]

Nice. But I'm wondering (I guess from JeepinTJ99, but otherwise from anyone who's seen them in action) whether they'll work as a spot or if their pattern is spread more like a driving light?

I realize light is light, but I'd like to have something I can manually switch on that can cast out light way out in front of me farther than the headlights and 4 driving lights I've already got installed on the bumper. A beam pattern chart would be ideal, but I can't seem to find one, so it may be down to JeepinTJ99 to give us his impression.

[C2U5H]

Originally Posted by Firekite

Nice. But I'm wondering (I guess from JeepinTJ99, but otherwise from anyone who's seen them in action) whether they'll work as a spot or if their pattern is spread more like a driving light?

I realize light is light, but I'd like to have something I can manually switch on that can cast out light way out in front of me farther than the headlights and 4 driving lights I've already got installed on the bumper. A beam pattern chart would be ideal, but I can't seem to find one, so it may be down to JeepinTJ99 to give us his impression.

All I can say is that it's just a blanket of light. If you go back to post #38, I have night-time picture comparisons of just my HID headlight low beams and with the 7" HID off-road lights on. It's impressive. And that's when I had the lights aimed a smidge too low.

The best I can describe it is a long distance hot spot with a flood pattern spread horizontally ... bascially if it's in front of you, it'll be lit. It'll outshine your other lights guaranteed.

[Deacon]

Heh, cool. Yeah, I saw that other post, but those night time shots to me don't really communicate what it's really like in person, and it wasn't a direct, behind-the-steering-wheel shot on level ground, so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. Your description sounds pretty good to me

So you only run two wires to them (power and ground) like you would for any other light?

I love the red anodized ring around it, too. Should go nicely with the red Jeep, and if I catch anyone staring at it, I can just flip the switch to the ON position, at which point them staring at it will no longer be an issue

[C2U5H]

Originally Posted by Firekite

Heh, cool. Yeah, I saw that other post, but those night time shots to me don't really communicate what it's really like in person, and it wasn't a direct, behind-the-steering-wheel shot on level ground, so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. Your description sounds pretty good to me

So you only run two wires to them (power and ground) like you would for any other light?

I love the red anodized ring around it, too. Should go nicely with the red Jeep, and if I catch anyone staring at it, I can just flip the switch to the ON position, at which point them staring at it will no longer be an issue

Yeah it's hard to get a good night time shot of them b/c the light is so overwhelming. Night mode on my camera just completely overexposes it ... I'll try to get a good in-driver's seat shot and post them up sometime this weekend with the camera stationary so it's a direct side-by-side comparison with the same camera settings.

Yep, the ballast is mounted inside of the light's case so it's just a simple two wire hookup just like any other light. Some say you don't even need to run them through a relay since they only draw 35W when warmed up, but I did anyways.

I like the ring, too ... but I may remove them and paint them my factory color or my gunmetal grey trim color (like my bumper). I've decided that everything that I add from now on will be gunmetal grey, LOL.

[C2U5H]

Well on a whim I ordered some new seats. It was either that or order new seat covers, and I basically got these for the same price as the Iggee leather covers I was going to get.

They're made by RaceTrim, a Chinese company that makes cheap suspension seats ... apparently they aren't around anymore, and the vender "JeepSWAG" Pirate forum has them. Click here for JeepSWAG's webpage. I got two front, hi-back suspension seats that come with an adjustable lumbar support in a gray tweed-like fabric with a vinyl trim and back. They seem durable, and they're actually well-made. Comfy too from my test sit.

For just under $290 shipped for both seats, I couldn't pass it up. You need to buy adapter brackets ($25 shipped for both adapter brackets P/N's 62-2649 & 62-2650) for your TJ so they bolt right up ... I stupidly forgot to order them so I was just going to make some adapters out of 1/4" plate when I saw that they were only $25 from JeepSWAG with hardware, so I said eff it, and I ordered the adapters just now.

The seats got here in exactly a week, which is pretty darn good for a package this side coming all the way from the west coast to the east coast.

I'll do a little write-up when everything gets here, until then here's what the seats look like ... they were packaged well with bubble wrap all around with both in one box:

[C2U5H]

Finally got these bloody seats in. Brett at 4xFix.com was great even when something happened with my order (as I stated in the previous post, I misunderstood and didn't know I needed the extra brackets to get these in my TJ) he made sure I knew about it and was a great guy to deal with.

Here's a little write-up of the install (this is for my '99 Sport, so if something's different with yours, sorry):

1. Starting on the driver's side, slide/tilt seat all the way forward and look under the seat to disconnect the seatbelt sensor wire.

2. With seat still slide/tilted forward, remove one T-50 Torx bolt and one 13mm socket head bolt under the spring-loaded covers at the rear of the seat bracket sliders (below, in red).

3. Slide seat back and remove two 13mm socket head bolts (below, in red) and remove seat.

Here's a picture of the passenger seat removed to show you how the seat bracket bolts are arranged (the Torx bolt is always the rear-inside bolt):

4. To make things easier, remove seat belt receptacle by undoing one T-50 Torx bolt (see below, and three pictures down, in pink). On driver's side seat, be careful with the seat belt sensor wire that's attached to it. There may be one or two zip ties to clip on the sensor wire securing it to the bracket (three pictures down, in orange). Also, be careful of the thick, plastic washer under the Torx bolt.

Driver's side seat belt with seat belt sensor wire:

5. Flip seat over, complete the following:
a. Undo the large spring (below, in white).
b. Remove tilt cable by pulling it straight out of its bracket fork and off the seat (below, in green). You will also need to clip and remove the round plastic cable guide will some clippers and pliers (below, in purple).
c. Slide seat all the way forward, remove two 13mm nuts from the top-side of the brackets in the rear of the slide rails. The studs are pressed in (below, in yellow).
d. Slide seat all the way forward, remove two 13mm nuts in the same fashion as the rear two (below, in yellow).

Here's a close up of the tilt cable attachment point (the passenger side is a little bit different, but same principle):

6. With bracket up, remove two retaining clips on front two studs and pound the studs out with a BFH. The rear two studs do not have clips and should pound right out.

7. Find a good placement and drill a hole in the tilt bracket lever for the new extended lever arm. Attach arm using supplied short 13mm bolt/nut.

8. I don't have any more picture of the brackets on ... I got too frustrated at some of the Chinese piece of **** brackets that came with them. Basically, follow the labels on the brackets, one 13mm short bolt through the seat & bracket, and another long 13mm bolt through the seat, spacer, and bracket. Same with the rear ... attach everything loose first, then tighten. Pay need some persuading with a SFH.

Mostly everything is interchangable between the driver's and passenger side seats procedure-wise, so just use your head. Reinstall everything is opposite how you took them apart.

Better pics soon! Just the driver's seat in before the sun went down:


Tiled and slid completely forward:

Overall, the seat are more comfortable as the factory seat, and much more stable and you feel more planted because of the heavy bolstering. The adjustable lumbar support, although not a selling point, is okay. Fit between the door and console is perfect--I don't think you can fit wider seats without modification. I'm pleased other than the crappy brackets!! The riding position is dead-on. Not bad for ~$300!!

[Deacon]

Good stuff

How high is the back? Doesn't look as high as the later model TJ seats.

Do you notice any height difference, either higher or lower?

[C2U5H]

Originally Posted by Firekite

Good stuff

How high is the back? Doesn't look as high as the later model TJ seats.

Do you notice any height difference, either higher or lower?

The back is about the same height as the stock seats were. I can get the tape measure out after work and get more accurate numbers if you want them.

INITIAL DRIVING IMPRESSIONS:
Well I got to drive in them ... definitely more comfortable than the stockers ... it's like you can feel that you're more secure in the seat. They do sit about 1-1.5" higher than the stock seats: me being about 6'3", that put me wayyyy up there ... I'll just have to get used to it (gonna' have to lurch forward to see those stoplights when I have the top on). On the plus side, I have about 40% more leg room to stretch out in! Ingress and egress (getting in and getting out ) is a little hampered by the leg boltering, but that comes with any suspension seat. Overall, I'd say they're on-par with the Mastercraft seat because I've sat in those as well. If you can get past the shoddy bracket nightmare (the bracket were labeled wrong so the passenger seat was offset the wrong way when I installed the seat; misalignment; horrible instructions; etc. ) then they're a great deal.

[C2U5H]

Well I FINALLY got the OBA setup installed and working!! A lot of little bits and fittings that you don't think about, but it's finally in and works perfectly!

The 2.5 gallon Viair tank fits very nicely just behind the T-case in between the drive shaft and the driver-side frame rail. A rock will hit the frame or drive shaft before it'll hit the tank ... not that I'd want either, but better than my tank failing.

For right now, I have the simple on-off switch loose in the cab until I make up a switch panel to replace the stock 3-switch/cigar lighter and ash tray configuration. Sometime soon. I just didn't want to drill any more holes in the dash than I already have.

For all of those following this thread for the OBA, I'll have lots of pictures tomorrow for you!!! Check back then.

An update on the seats ... they're pretty nice. Some spot could use a little more padding, and when I put some seat warmers in them I'll get some soft foam and shape them a little better. I'm glad they retain the tilt/tumble feature on both seats as it's VERY useful, especially now that the seat backs are fixed. Overall, very good for the money.

[vtx531]

I didn't like your bumper...until you put the tube on it. It looks awesome now, great job.

[Deacon]

Originally Posted by JeepinTJ99

The 2.5 gallon Viair tank fits very nicely just behind the T-case in between the drive shaft and the driver-side frame rail. A rock will hit the frame or drive shaft before it'll hit the tank ... not that I'd wan either, but better than my tank failing.

Unless it's providing air to an ARB locker, it's not all that critical. Inconvenient, but not crippling, thankfully. And even if an ARB no longer has air, so what, you'll just be open. Worst case scenario you take a bypass and head back to camp