Headlight Upgrade/Issue

[bluedragon436]

Well I finally had the spare money to go out and replace my housings, bulbs and wiring harness for my headlights.. I installed the upgraded harness from LMC Truck first and ran that one night with the stock sealed beams while I was waiting for the Hella housings to come in.. That night driving was great as I could see nicely while driving down the road, even with just the harness as the only upgrade.. One thing I did notice while driving down the back road was, when I turned the brights on, they stay on once I go to cut them off.. So I will end up running brights, and low beams as well as fogs all at the same time once I cut the brights off. I installed the upgraded bulbs and housings the next day once the housings came in, hoping (even though I knew it wasn't) that the issues was caused because of the stock sealed beams.. No difference other than being able to see way better now.... I tried switching the two relays that come with the harness to the other spot, because I wasn't sure if each relay goes to each light plug in, or if one is for low beams and one for high beams..

Does anyone have any other ideas of what it could possibly be that is causing the issue?? The only thing I can think of right now is going up to Autozone to see if I can find some better relays that will fit the sockets on the harness.. Today I am going to at least hook the upgraded lights to the stock harness just long enough to see if it will turn the high beams off when I go back to low beams, or if they still stay on.. If they still stay on then, I will know it isn't in the harness that is the issue..

[Mudderoy]

Well I finally had the spare money to go out and replace my housings, bulbs and wiring harness for my headlights.. I installed the upgraded harness from LMC Truck first and ran that one night with the stock sealed beams while I was waiting for the Hella housings to come in.. That night driving was great as I could see nicely while driving down the road, even with just the harness as the only upgrade.. One thing I did notice while driving down the back road was, when I turned the brights on, they stay on once I go to cut them off.. So I will end up running brights, and low beams as well as fogs all at the same time once I cut the brights off. I installed the upgraded bulbs and housings the next day once the housings came in, hoping (even though I knew it wasn't) that the issues was caused because of the stock sealed beams.. No difference other than being able to see way better now.... I tried switching the two relays that come with the harness to the other spot, because I wasn't sure if each relay goes to each light plug in, or if one is for low beams and one for high beams..

Does anyone have any other ideas of what it could possibly be that is causing the issue?? The only thing I can think of right now is going up to Autozone to see if I can find some better relays that will fit the sockets on the harness.. Today I am going to at least hook the upgraded lights to the stock harness just long enough to see if it will turn the high beams off when I go back to low beams, or if they still stay on.. If they still stay on then, I will know it isn't in the harness that is the issue..

How did you install the harness? I mean it's pretty straight forward. The grounds go to the body, the positive goes to the battery + and the pass side plug that would normally be connected to the headlight goes to the harness, and then the two plugs (each with a ground) goes to the two headlights.

Where did you attach those ground wires?

[4.3LXJ]

James, I am not familiar with this harness since it is on my list of things to do, not things I have done. So, you have two relays? I am thinking that one of them, the high beam is getting power to energize the coil from somewhere. What did you use for a source to energize it. It does not sound like it is the right wire to me. Hot all the time.

[Mudderoy]

James, I am not familiar with this harness since it is on my list of things to do, not things I have done. So, you have two relays? I am thinking that one of them, the high beam is getting power to energize the coil from somewhere. What did you use for a source to energize it. It does not sound like it is the right wire to me. Hot all the time.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qn0T3clmsJc/Tou9wIVAxgI/AAAAAAAABXE/axNNnmOKNVc/s800/2011-10-04%25252019.49.14.jpg

You see the two CLEAN relays? Both of the positives run to the battery positive terminal.

I put one of my grounds here...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-opF_xaQddh4/Tou9SwzspAI/AAAAAAAABW8/QlZ82sBXzic/s800/2011-10-04%25252019.49.45.jpg

And the other in a similar place on the pass side. Each plug for each light has a ground.

I would swap the relays and see if it stays sticky on low beams.

[4.3LXJ]

James, take a look at this pic

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu215/warriorsuspension/IMG_0487.jpg

The vertical spade on the bottom is the main power in. The horizontal spade just above it is hot until you turn the relay on. Then the power is switched to the top spade. The two spades on the side operate the coil, or switching mechanism. One needs to be grounded, the other should go to one of headlight wires. What I am wondering is that if you have either one of those two hooked to a wire that is hot when the key is on.

[Mudderoy]

James, take a look at this pic

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu215/warriorsuspension/IMG_0487.jpg

The vertical spade on the bottom is the main power in. The horizontal spade just above it is hot until you turn the relay on. Then the power is switched to the top spade. The two spades on the side operate the coil, or switching mechanism. One needs to be grounded, the other should go to one of headlight wires. What I am wondering is that if you have either one of those two hooked to a wire that is hot when the key is on.

The LMC harness (if he's using the same one I have) doesn't have any connections to the ignition, at least not directly. Positive, grounds and the control is handled by connecting the LMC harness into the passenger's headlight plug. So when you turn on the lights power is applied to the two plugs (one now not connected) and this signals the LMC harness relay(s) to power on and provide power to the two headlights.

[4.3LXJ]

The LMC harness (if he's using the same one I have) doesn't have any connections to the ignition, at least not directly. Positive, grounds and the control is handled by connecting the LMC harness into the passenger's headlight plug. So when you turn on the lights power is applied to the two plugs (one now not connected) and this signals the LMC harness relay(s) to power on and provide power to the two headlights.

I surmised that Tony. However one of those relays is getting power to switch on when the key is turned. So what I am really trying to do is chase a wrong connection over the net.

[bluedragon436]

Sorry for the delay in reply... my internet connection has been going stupid the last couple of days...

I do have the same harness from LMC Truck that you have Tony, and I used the same points on my front grille support as you did for grounds, (even took them off and used a wire brush some on the bolts and connection spots after I saw I had this issue hoping it would help). I have tried swapping the two relays thinking this might help, and no difference in operation.

As far as there being a wire that is to the hot wire on the key, the only connections the harness makes is with the factory headlight hookup on the passenger side, two connections to the battery (one for each relay) and then the two ground points. This is what is kind of killing me as to why I have this issue.. I haven't found anyone else complaining in the Jeep world or otherwise about having a similar issue with this harness.. that is the part that is killing me here.. I mean at least my low beams work amazingly... and I don't really have a need for the highbeams... It's just nice to have if I need them... which I do have use of, I just have to completely turn the headlights/parking lights off and back on to get it back to lowbeam when I am down with the highbeams..

[XJ Wheeler]

It just doesn't seem like you should be having a problem, i mean, its just so easy. I don't think you could have messed something up being that it is fairly fool proof. Maybe the harness you bought was screwed up in manufacturing? Unless you fried something when installing it (a guess). How about contacting LMC to see if this has been a previous problem with these harnesses? Maybe they'll swap yours out for another.

Just spit balling.

[4.3LXJ]

Something doesn't sound right James. At this point I need it here (just a short drive) in my shop where I can take a volt meter to it and chase down where the power is coming from to excite this relay.

[Carves]

Something doesn't sound right James. At this point I need it here (just a short drive) in my shop where I can take a volt meter to it and chase down where the power is coming from to excite this relay.


This sounds like the go .... :thumbsup:

Trouble with "plug & play" stuff is ... that its presumed ... that its "always" right. ;)

Could be a wire connected to a wrong pin ...

Might be worth checking the relays ... if 5pin ones are being used ... what are they supposed to be ... both Normally Closed outputs or a Normally Open and a Normally Closed output ??

Read somewhere that vehicles with daytime running lights had similiar issues and needed the module disconnected or something.

[4.3LXJ]

This is where you get your spectacles on James. There is supposed to be a diagram on them for you to figure out this very thing. It will have some numbers indicating the pins, which have corresponding numbers. The number of the pin at the bottom should be 10. From it goes a line with a kink in it. This is electrospeak for switch. It will show if one of the terminals is normally closed, should be the one in the middle. The coil is the little springy symbol. Ignore those. When switched, the little kink goes to the other side which is the one you want to go to your lights

[bluedragon436]

If I head to your shop Steve.. it will be for more than just help with the lighting issue!! LOL..

I am going to contact LMC this week to see if they have heard of this issue, or to see if I can get them to ship me out another harness and let me ship this one back to them.. I am loving being able to see the road at night though... but would like to take care of whatever the issue is with the bright lights hanging up, so that I can have it all working correctly and as it should be setup from the factory!! I will try and check out the relays tomorrow, see if I can't find something similar to it at Autozone to try and just replace them both, in case they were a bad batch or something stupid like that!!

[bluedragon436]

If I head to your shop Steve.. it will be for more than just help with the lighting issue!! LOL..

I am going to contact LMC this week to see if they have heard of this issue, or to see if I can get them to ship me out another harness and let me ship this one back to them.. I am loving being able to see the road at night though... but would like to take care of whatever the issue is with the bright lights hanging up, so that I can have it all working correctly and as it should be setup from the factory!! I will try and check out the relays tomorrow, see if I can't find something similar to it at Autozone to try and just replace them both, in case they were a bad batch or something stupid like that!!

[4.3LXJ]

Bring your parts and tools

[bluedragon436]

Tools stay in the back of the Jeep... So I'm good there... as far as the parts I need help with... That will be getting some help with a custom long arm setup.. Hell I'll take your used setup, and help you with a newer better designed one!! I know you have to want to make some upgrades/changes to it!! LOL..

[4.3LXJ]

James, I know money is tight. I have some long arms you can have. Not the beefiest, but they work. Rubber bushings in both ends. You will just need top links and brackets

[cpttuna]

I have done the same set up 5 times with no problem. May I ask ,Was there a problem before the harness was installed? Also doublecheck and make sure the ground wires were both grounded by themselves. Finallydouble check the connection on the passenger side and make sure the 2 correct connectors were joined.

[Mudderoy]

I have done the same set up 5 times with no problem. May I ask ,Was there a problem before the harness was installed? Also doublecheck and make sure the ground wires were both grounded by themselves. Finallydouble check the connection on the passenger side and make sure the 2 correct connectors were joined.

Yeah I've done two, I'm confused by this problem.