Jeep upgrades are like Pringles – once you pop, you just can’t stop. These days, one of the best places to go if you’re in search of Jeep upgrades is Extreme Terrain. Their catalog of parts stretches far and wide for Jeep Wranglers, covering bumpers, suspension, fenders, and much more. For Heather Lucido’s , we opted to focus on accessories that buff up nighttime visibility and protect the taillights, too.
Our search brought us to two products – Raxiom seven-inch LED headlights (PN J107735) and RedRock 4×4 wrap-around taillight guards (PN J100584). With these items, we’d give Heather’s Jeep better visibility and protection from the elements. Extreme Terrain Marketing Coordinator Mark Abramsky offered more insight into the parts, starting with the headlights.
Raxiom LED headlights, available through Extreme Terrain, offer better visibility and longevity compared to the stock halogen headlights.
“It’s well known that LEDs offer significant advantages compared to halogen headlights,” said Abramsky. “They offer brighter illumination, last longer, and generate white light that offers a more modern look.”
As for the taillight guards, these items would keep the taillights protected at all times. “These guards use 3/4-inch-diameter stainless steel with a textured powder coat finish,” explained Abramsky. “They wrap around the taillights, too, giving protection on virtually all sides.”
RedRock wraparound taillight guards are made from 3/4-inch-diameter steel and have a black powder coat for extra protection.
We went to Core Motorsports in San Dimas, California, to have the installation done. The technician there, Justin Bayes, typically worked on UTVs, but he had the tools and know-how to take care of the JK.
Installing the taillight guards was simple. All Justin did was remove the screws, set in the guards, and screw them in.
With the parts laid out, we started with the easy install first, that being the rear taillight guards. The taillight guards are a 1-2-3 kind of install, so straightforward that all they required was a Phillips head screwdriver. Using the screwdriver, Justin removed the screws holding in the taillight cover. These same screws and corresponding holes were used to mount the guard. Once tightened, the guards were installed, and we moved to the front of the Jeep for the headlights.
In the interest of time, Justin chose to leave the aftermarket bumper on the Jeep and work around it. He undid the clips holding the top cover to the grille, which let him get access to the connectors plugged into the stock headlight. After removing the bulb, he disconnected the connectors. He used a cleaner specially made for connectors to clear out any debris that had collected over the years.
After removing the stock headlights, Justin plugged in the new harnesses and soldered on additional wiring to reach the control harness. Afterwards, he set the new headlights in place and adjusted the beam patterns for optimal coverage.
The headlights came with their own harness, which plugged into the stock connector. The headlights then plugged into the harness. For these connections, Justin used dielectric grease to aid the connectors. He also found the wiring for the headlights woefully short, so he soldered on (and heat shrunk) lengths of wire to make them reach back into the engine bay.
After testing the lights, Justin found they worked perfectly. He placed the bulb back into the grille and screwed it in. Once it was in place, he adjusted the beams to ensure proper coverage. Just like that, the install was done.
The new headlights worked perfectly.
Now that she’s had some time to test out the new parts, Heather is overjoyed with how they work. “The LEDs work much better than the old halogen lights,” she said. “I can see a lot better, as well as being seen. And I’m glad to know my taillights are protected against the elements, too.”
The LED headlights and taillight guards are just two of the many, many parts available through Extreme Terrain. Check ’em out for yourself by visiting Extreme Terrain’s website, and don’t forget to follow Extreme Terrain on Facebook, too.
Photo: Jeff Anderson
