Round headlight conversion...calling DLyons and others...

[fishermike]

Hey guys, I'm just about to convert my '85 GW to a round headlight set-up. I've got one of the all-aluminum vertical slot grills, complete with the buckets and the hood crossbar.

I'm expecting a pretty straightforward project, but I thought I'd ask you guys who've actually done it if there's any hidden "gotcha's" to look out for. (Like hood latches not being accessible, or whatever.) I don't suppose that anyone's done a write-up that I haven't found?

Also, I'm thinking that I might go ahead and upgrade to the H-4 bright blue-white bulbs. I've seen the kits for about $40, just wondering if anybody's done it, how it went, if they like them, etc.

Thanks!

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-Mike
'85 GW
360/727/229/44/20/3.31
Flowmaster, K&N AF
'86 Samurai
no top, no doors...

[Matt W]

I've no experience w/ anything newer than '81, but I have found that on my '79 j20 and '81 cherokee cheif, that a face panel change is in order. The headlight mounting buckets are not going to fit in the '85 SQUARE holes in the sheet metal( referred to as "face panel" in the Jeep Tech Svc Manual)! The older buckets have the arms that go from the bucket body to the face panel in exactly the right place to MISS all existing screw holes in your current face panel! Cool hunh? If youre a fabrication man, you could possibly modify your existing buckets by frankensteining them together with the round ones. or, you could get a grill from an early '80s j truck or Cheif, my 81 cheif had a grill resembling the 70 -78 aluminum vertical slotted grill. The only drawbacks are you still have those "Non-Jeep" wuss square headlights, and the 81 and 82(?) grill has a plastic center w/aluminum frame...which means breakable. I have done 2 face panel swaps, both were a moderate PITB! the hood may need to be changed for latching purposes, maybe not...the face panels all have roughly the same bolt patterns but there are two bolts that are almost impossible to get to. one right above the steering gear box, one on the other side of the radiator in the corresponding area. The two that go from inside the turn-signal holes to the lower/front of the front fenders are different. Older models ('78 and older) use a welded nut on the face panel, newer ones('79 and newer) use a stamped steel clip on the fender. You may have to remount your horns and other usless trinkets to the face panel. If you find a doner vehicle check everything thouroughly before forkin any dough! chances are, if you ask the guy your getting it from any questions about compatability, he'll say" Sure it'll bolt right up, no problem!" BE SURE. Keep on Jeepin.

[Rande]

Ok, here goes. When I changed my 83 J-20 grille to a 78 Wag grille, I encountered the headlight bucket problem. The mounting ears will not reach out to the faceplate of the later model trucks. This will prevent you from mounting the headlights. You can weld in little extensions where they are needed on the faceplate and solve the problem that way. I did not have access to welder.
What I did was use metal plumber's strapping to create little extensions at the mounting screw ears. This plumber's strapping comes in small rolls and has a bunch of holes in it and it is used to strap down water pipes in residential installations. You can pick up this stuff just about anywhere hardware is sold. I simply cut off short sections about an inch or so long (ymmv). Using short bolts and nuts, I sandwiched the mounting ears and the just slightly too far away face plate and tightened them up. The bolts and nuts were mounted in the headlight bucket mounting ears and the strapping pieces gripped the faceplate. I didn't use any bolts in the faceplate itself, the strapping has been holding just fine for about 10 months now.
You guys get what I am talking about? I don't have a camera to take some pics but could get one this weekend if it is needed. This is a very easy, very simple way to cure the mounting ear problem with the round headlight conversion. Just two short pieces of strapping, one in front of the mounting ear and one in the back and you sandwich the edge of the face plate between the two pieces and then tighten them up. You can adjust the centering of the headlight buckets with this method. I guess you could make them longer than I did and go ahead and bolt them to the faceplate but I didn't and they hold just fine with no shaking of the headlights. You will also have a couple of mounting brackets for your late model grille that will need to be removed. I also had to move my tranny cooler to the back side of the faceplate. The grille I used also had some mounting screws along the bottom edge so I needed some 1 1/4 self cutting screws to secure it to the faceplate (I used stainless steel for corrosion resistance). My turn signals also changed position due to the Wag grille having them in board of and inline with the headlights. There was enough wire for me to simply move the wire and plugs to the proper position. I did, however, have some interference with the horns which were located right behind the left turn signal in the small "headlight" hole on that side. I just used an "armstrong" bender on the horn bracket and moved it just enough to clear the turn signal socket pigtail. I also have yet to mount the crossbar to the front of the hood but is seems like it will be simple enough. There has been no problem with the hood latches. Any questions? Feel free to ask.

[DLyons]

I did mine the hard way. I took the little mounting tabs off the buckets and moved them to a position where they could be screwed into the face panel. In hindsight I should of ran down to the salvage yard and got the face panel off an older one. Oh well, who ever said us jeep owners do things the easy way!! http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/biggrin.gif Good Luck with your installation. I need to get a digicam so I can post some of my handiwork.

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DaveLyons
84 Grand Wagoneer
74 Grill & Round Headlights
360-727-229-3.31s
2" Suspension Lift
2 1/2" Body Lift(HomeMade)
Krylon Burgundy
Product of "Redneck Engineering"
88 Chevy Beretta GT (Work car, gas mileage, high speed cornering)

[fishermike]

Thanks guys, that was exactly the type of stuff I wanted to know. I'd just like to have everything together before I start pulling things apart (I know, I'm dreaming!). If anybody else thinks of anything, feel free to chime in.

-Mike

[Bob N]

What I did for the Rhino Chaser grille was take the round buckets, lay them on top of the square buckets and mark where the tabs needs to be. I then took the tabs off another set of junk buckets and pop-riveted them on the round buckets with 3/16 rivets. I had to do a little bending on the tabs to get them to line up. Even with all this fiddling it's got to be a lot easier than replacing the face panel.

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Bob N
84 Grand Wagoneer - a Work in Progress

[Langdon]

When I went to round headlights, I just cut the two upper pieces of the face panel (where the offendeng lamp cutouts were) from a donor. This is easy, just follow the line, and the grill will cover it later. Then swapped these pieces in. There are enough bolts to hold the (now) 3 piece face panel in place. The pieces can be welded together, if desired.
Hope this helps,