Christmas lights on Gladiator. Would you? How to?

[ecidiego]

Only in California can you have the roof off of your jeep in the middle of December. It's unseasonably warm here, but it keeps raining, so I'm still somewhat jealous. Nice lights! Would get me pulled over here in Pennsylvania, too, though.

Sidebar here.... I've had the front panels off a lot...this was the first time I took the rear off. Holy shit so easy. Amazing. My 5'2" wife was fine removal and reinstall.

Waiting on door hinge pins and my door cart to arrive and those doors are COMING OFF. I didn't buy a convertible truck unless I'm gonna do that!! Can't wait.

@NachoRuby this is East County San Diego. It's 115 in September......64 in December. Just 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Overnight lows right now 38.

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[NachoRuby]

Sidebar here.... I've had the front panels off a lot...this was the first time I took the rear off. Holy shit so easy. Amazing. My 5'2" wife was fine removal and reinstall.

Waiting on door hinge pins and my door cart to arrive and those doors are COMING OFF. I didn't buy a convertible truck unless I'm gonna do that!! Can't wait.

Not to detail the conversation too much further, but the door hinge pins are awesome. They make removal and installation super easy. And you don't have to worry about scratching the paint up when lining things up on the reinstall. I haven't been able to take the top or doors off in about 3 1/2 months. Even when our daily high temp is decent, it's too cold in the mornings now. I take the top off by myself when the weather cooperates. It's super easy. It won't be after I lift it, though

 

[ecidiego]

Not to detail the conversation too much further, but the door hinge pins are awesome. They make removal and installation super easy. And you don't have to worry about scratching the paint up when lining things up on the reinstall. I haven't been able to take the top or doors off in about 3 1/2 months. Even when our daily high temp is decent, it's too cold in the mornings now. I take the top off by myself when the weather cooperates. It's super easy. It won't be after I lift it, though

This forum has been so awesome. My doors have never come off yet. Next week my Delrin bushings arrive and properly matched pins arrive. Gonna do it right from the first removal.

 

[cuellar13]

Well played, @ecidiego , well played.....

 

[syreeves]

Not to detail the conversation too much further, but the door hinge pins are awesome. They make removal and installation super easy. And you don't have to worry about scratching the paint up when lining things up on the reinstall. I haven't been able to take the top or doors off in about 3 1/2 months. Even when our daily high temp is decent, it's too cold in the mornings now. I take the top off by myself when the weather cooperates. It's super easy. It won't be after I lift it, though

If you have an accident (side impact, overturned etc) and you have door pins am I correct that you are basically relying on your doorlocks since the pins do not prevent the doors from sliding upwards? IMHO those door pins are waiting for an insurance company to deny a claim... Now where is that grinch picture...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If you have an accident (side impact, overturned etc) and you have door pins am I correct that you are basically relying on your doorlocks since the pins do not prevent the doors from sliding upwards? IMHO those door pins are waiting for an insurance company to deny a claim... Now where is that grinch picture...

The door has to be open before they can come up. If the door is open for it to come up, the latch has already failed.

Just try to lift that door up when it's not open to the point it clears the windshield frame or A-pillar, etc.

The door hinge pins would still be inside the body-mounted half until lifted up.

For me - I'd still put things back for winter driving, but for summer, I'd be ok with the pins say May through August in Iowa

 

[dcmdon]

I did it with my AMX - I should have known better. It's not legal on the road.
As the highway patrolman explain it to me as he was writing a hefty ticket -
You cannot display red lights on the side of the front, or visible from the front.
You can't display white or yellow on the side of the rear or visible from the rear - and other such stuff.
That's because it negates the position marker lights (what people today simply call "marker lights) and red to the front is a definite no-no.
You can have them as long as they are not on while on the highway.

Wow. This is really terrible policing. Just atrocious.

Even if he genuinely thought it represented a safety issue. This is an opportunity to educate the public with a verbal or written warning.

 

[dcmdon]

If you have an accident (side impact, overturned etc) and you have door pins am I correct that you are basically relying on your doorlocks since the pins do not prevent the doors from sliding upwards? IMHO those door pins are waiting for an insurance company to deny a claim... Now where is that grinch picture...

Its not just the latch. Its the entire door jamb. The door won't lift unless it opens. Otherwise there is interference between the top of the door and the jamb.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Wow. This is really terrible policing. Just atrocious.

Even if he genuinely thought it represented a safety issue. This is an opportunity to educate the public with a verbal or written warning.

It's clearly written in the laws - and worse in the EU, Canada, etc. You can only have specific colored lights showing in a given direction.
It does represent a safety issue when you are going down the road and see red lights ahead of you - is that the front or the back, or the side of the back?
Blue is for emergency vehicles only, some states include purple as an emergency vehicle only color.

 

[XraytecH]

I don't have an AC outlet in the bed so I went with 3 strings of LEDs powered by 2 C batteries and a wreath. All from Target...

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/show-us-your-grill-wreaths.51261/

 

[JTRUBI]

If you have an accident (side impact, overturned etc) and you have door pins am I correct that you are basically relying on your doorlocks since the pins do not prevent the doors from sliding upwards? IMHO those door pins are waiting for an insurance company to deny a claim... Now where is that grinch picture...

They won’t deny a claim with the pins not in. You can have the doors off and they won’t deny the claim. I was in a rollover with the doors off and I was still fully covered.
If they don’t cover you in and accident in a vehicle that’s built to remove the doors then I’m sure you would be able to sue them.

 

[Mac Attack]

I did it with my AMX - I should have known better. It's not legal on the road.
As the highway patrolman explain it to me as he was writing a hefty ticket -
You cannot display red lights on the side of the front, or visible from the front.
You can't display white or yellow on the side of the rear or visible from the rear - and other such stuff.
That's because it negates the position marker lights (what people today simply call "marker lights) and red to the front is a definite no-no.
You can have them as long as they are not on while on the highway.

So glad to learn from others....mistakes?...good opportunities/ideas...that weren't so good?

 

[Mac Attack]

Here in Iowa that gets you pulled over. Can't display anything other than white or amber up front and red or amber in the rear, etc.
.........ask me how I know.......

Might be ok in some places, maybe some small towns but not Ankeny or Des Moines and don't be seen on the highways the IHP patrols.

At least the guy was nice about it.

Bummer because I thought it was cool and spent a lot of time re-wiring those strings of lights to work on 12 volts. (this was in about 1980)

Yep, in the old days I think officials were a little more forgiving of youthful indiscretions (not for you) but now-a-days...it's like what's the book say? Well, we have some police officials on this forum...What say Thee?

 

[Dickies Outdoor's]

We did a couple light parades and had a blast. This one had like 40 jeeps in it all decked out. The nets fit perfect on the hood. I didnt go all out like some

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