Winterizing Jeep

[gthanson]

Hi All

I picked up a Rubicon JT in Gator Green a month ago (loving it) and I've set about the process of preparing it for winter. I live in Northern Ontario, and I work 12hr shifts, which in the winter means a 45min drive in the morning at 0500, when it's dark, and another 45min drive in the evening at 1800, when it's also dark, all on the highway, which a lot of the miners tend to treat like the Indy 500.

I used to drive a JK Sahara, so I've got some idea what to expect. So far for winter I've picked up:

• Heated Wiper Blades (https://www.everblades.com/)
• A set of 35" Studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 Tires, including a 5th spare, mounted on steel rims
• Husky floormats, -40C wiper fluid (it's all they sell up here anyway), heated seats, etc.
• Spray on undercoating of some sort to prevent rust

Where I'm stuck now is on headlights. I opted for the LED package when I got it, and the Mopar LEDs work great, but from past experience with the JK in these conditions I know I can expect a a lot of snow build up in the recessed headlights, and on the taillights in the rear. It's not snow that builds up exactly; During winter months they dump a lot of salt and grit on the roads, which melts at subzero temps into a sort of salty dirty soup on the road. Other vehicles driving through throw it up as a sort of sludgy mist, which builds up the headlights and tail lights and freezes solid. If it's bad enough it'll completely cover them. You can see the lights are still on, but they don't cast light and other vehicles won't see them until it's too close to matter. And since they're all LED now, they can't melt the snow.

I've been looking into heated lights, and short of switching back to halogens (which I remember from the JK are pretty horrible) or HIDs my options are:

• Quadratec Heated 7" Headlights + Mounting Bracket for $699 (which look like rebranded 1st Gen JW Speakers?)
• JW Speaker 8700 Evolution 2 + Mounting Bracket for $795+$274
• JW Speaker 8700 Evolution 3 + Mounting Bracket for $1100+$274
• Rigid Industries Truck-Lite 7" heated headlights (no brackets listed for these?) for $600

That's the underwhelming list for JT headlights; The 2nd and 3rd gen JW headlights aren't listed as being compatible with the JT either. Not sure if it's a fitment issue or a wiring harness issue. If it's a wiring harness issue I can likely fab my own, but if they just don't fit then I'm out of luck. Right now I'm leaning towards the J3s, if only cause they look like they can do some cool stuff, and if the lack of compatibilty is simply a lack of a wiring harness, I can probably overcome that.

I wasn't able to locate any heated tail lights for JTs, or any other vehicle.

Does anyone here have any experience with the J3s? Or any of the lights I've got listed there?

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[Jeffco99]

I don’t have any experience with the lights you’ve listed but I another option for you to consider.

KCHilites makes a 100 watt halogen light (6“ Daylighter) that you could add to your current lights.

The halogen lights put out heat which will keep it free from ice/snow.

Perhaps these lights could become your primary winter lights and save you from replacing your LED headlights.

Good luck.

Jeff

 

[kickingaz]

Here in Arizona winterizing the Jeep means finally getting to take the tops off because it's no longer 120 degrees outside!

 

[gthanson]

I don’t have any experience with the lights you’ve listed but I another option for you to consider.

KCHilites makes a 100 watt halogen light (6“ Daylighter) that you could add to your current lights.

The halogen lights put out heat which will keep it free from ice/snow.

Perhaps these lights could become your primary winter lights and save you from replacing your LED headlights.

Good luck.

Jeff

Yeah, was getting to that point. I'm leaning towards a set of these and some hi-spec bulbs in the 7" - 9" brackets:
https://www.rallylights.com/hella-7-round-e-code-hi-lo-conversion-headlamp-kit.html

I had a set with my old JK and they were almost in the same league as LEDS. I'll probably end up wiring up some additional amber LEDs for snowstorms. If they're up high and rounded off they don't collect snow too bad.

 

[gthanson]

Here in Arizona winterizing the Jeep means finally getting to take the tops off because it's no longer 120 degrees outside!

I don't think I've ever seen it get over 77° where I live. Top stays on pretty much year round.

 

[AustinL911]

I don't think I've ever seen it get over 77° where I live.

Tell me about your womenz and I shall move there.

 

[gthanson]

The womenz are fine, but it's a small town so I wish there were more of them. It's a small mining town in northern Ontario.

Finally got everything done and wired up. The tires have already been through some real nasty ice and performed better than I hoped.

The lights are a big help driving around the highway in early mornings, and the heated wiper blades have already gotten some use. No regrets so far.

 

[TJDave]

I drove the JT out to work yesterday. 40 minute drive in heavy freezing fog. I've been reading about the icing and snow packing on the factory led lights. So, I threw on a pair of el cheapo amber led cubes to try out. I heard the small cubes give out enough heat to keep them from icing. I have another set of halogen driving lights in my cart in case these didn't work.
So far, so good. Headlights were halfway iced over, and the factory fogs were completely covered. The cubes stayed free from ice.

 

[gthanson]

I never did find a satisfactory way to address the headlights and snow. The only time it's really a problem is when it's the kind of heavy, wet snow that packs in. Otherwise it's fine.

 

[Woga]

I never did find a satisfactory way to address the headlights and snow. The only time it's really a problem is when it's the kind of heavy, wet snow that packs in. Otherwise it's fine.

I agree with your comments regarding wet snow etc for me it’s really only a problem at the beginning and end of the cold season. I do keep looking for a heating solution. I believe Hella in Europe sell an aftermarket heated headlight washer kit but that all sounds a bit complicated!
I am intrigued with your heated wipers though - would appreciate if you could share any recommendations etc - where you got them, install etc.. thanks!

 

[gthanson]

I got a set of these: https://www.everblades.com/

I've used em before, on my old JK. Basically where the wipers sit on the windshield is below where the heat from the defrost vents hits the glass, so they stay frozen. Under the right conditions snow builds up on them and sticks, eventually turning em into little ice sticks scratching around on the windshield. Easy enough to deal with if you can pull over, but that's not something you want to do on a highway in very poor visibility. The heated blades solve this problem.

I didn't use the wiring harness they came with, I clipped it off and made my own with some aftermarket connectors and wiring loom, and I've got them hooked up to one of the 15A aux switches inside. They work great so far. Drill a pair of holes in the plastic piece where they're mounted on the hood and ran teh wires through there; I'll plug the holes with a plastic plug in the summer.

 

[Woga]

I got a set of these: https://www.everblades.com/

I've used em before, on my old JK. Basically where the wipers sit on the windshield is below where the heat from the defrost vents hits the glass, so they stay frozen. Under the right conditions snow builds up on them and sticks, eventually turning em into little ice sticks scratching around on the windshield. Easy enough to deal with if you can pull over, but that's not something you want to do on a highway in very poor visibility. The heated blades solve this problem.

I didn't use the wiring harness they came with, I clipped it off and made my own with some aftermarket connectors and wiring loom, and I've got them hooked up to one of the 15A aux switches inside. They work great so far. Drill a pair of holes in the plastic piece where they're mounted on the hood and ran teh wires through there; I'll plug the holes with a plastic plug in the summer.

Thanks!

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