KC HiLites Cyclone Rock Light Install

I finally got some time to do the install and I will try to highlight for you what went well, what I had to modify, and what might still need some work. I think I will also start an installation ratings system based on a few criteria that I can use going forward for future upgrades. The main criteria I will focus on will be:

1. Price
2. Completeness of Directions
3. Completeness of parts/materials
4. Ease of Installation
5. Final Product

I will use a simple 3 point scale where 1 is the lowest score and 3 is the best. I don't think it needs to be much more complicated than that.

So for my first scoring on the KC HiLites Cyclone 4 Piece Rock Light Kit:

1. Price - 1 ($226.99)
2. Completeness of Directions - 3
3. Completeness of parts/materials - 3
4. Ease of Installation - 3
5. Final Product - 3

Grand total of a 13 for this kit! Now let's get into the install... I want to point out that the install is for a Jeep with standard Rubi Rails from the factory or steps. My Rock Slide Engineering steps that I installed last week were a bit different from a mounting perspective so I needed to grind down part of the step mount that is not normally present on the factory steps. I did not count this as an issue for the light install.

Step 1: Install the Busbar - I like Busbars as they make for a nice clean install and allow for me to easily upgrade to additional lights in the future. It is a four inch bar that you mount relatively close to the battery and a common ground. I mounted mine close to the battery but up out of the way (see picture for details).

Step 2: Installation of the 4 Cyclone Rock Lights - In the directions it tells you to mount them to the hardware for the Rubi Rails but as you are aware, I have already replaced those and I mounted them in a slightly different spot using the brackets that KC provided with the lights.

Step 3: Driver Side Wiring Harness - This is a straightforward run from the Busbar, across the firewall and down to the frame rail on the driver side. I used zip ties to secure it along the way and connected the Cyclone lights to the wiring harness using the supplied bullet connectors. KC nicely added in extensions that you can use if you need a little extra length to get from the light mount over to the wiring harness. I had to on the driver side as I needed about 2 additional inches and it worked out fine.

Step 4: Passenger Side Wiring Harness - This is the same deal as the Driver side only running down the passenger side of the vehicle to your Cyclone Lights. Only really important item to remember here is to make sure you zip tie the harness up and out of the way from anything that might snag it off-road or and heat source that could melt it. I did not need to extend the wires on the passenger side as there was ample wire in the harness itself.

Step 5: Switch Harness Installation - This is where I deviated from the KC provided install instructions. Since I wanted to use one of the Auxiliary switches already installed in my JL, I took a look at the following detail from the owners manual and located the wires near the battery under the hood. I utilized the Dark Blue/Pink wire which has a 15 amp fuse for my power source  (this is the Aux 4 Switch). I extended and ran this wire to the Busbar where the instructions called for the Green Wire from the KC wiring Harness to go. Since this is already a fused switch, I did not need to do anything else.

That's about it! This was a really easy install for anyone who has ever wired a light before. I would say that this took me about 1.5 hours to install. The finished product looks great and I can't wait to see how it functions off-road. To be honest, these are more for looks so I am not too worried about it off-road but if they provide a good light then it's a bonus. The wiring harness was pre-configured to add in additional rear lights (connector located on the Passenger side Wiring Harness) so I might tackle that next if I find I need/want more light...

The Journey is what counts, Adventure Awaits!

New Year, New Delivery...

Before I traded in my JK for the JL, I pulled off all the extra items that I had installed over the years that the dealership did not care about. Some of these items I saved for the JL, but for anything that would not fit, I tried to sell. I sold off my tube doors and used the money to purchase new KC Cyclone Rock Lights. These are something that I had wanted for a while on my JK so figured I would get a jump on them with my JL build.

I still love seeing the Brown trucks roll up outside to drop off a delivery... I ordered these from Quadratec and took advantage of one of their after Christmas sales and saved about 15%.

I had a set of cheap rock lights on my JK but I really liked the look of the Cyclone lights so figured this was a great time for an upgrade. I will try to get them installed this weekend and will post an update once completed but here is what they look like out of the box. I purchased the 4 light set figuring I could add on if I need to later. I also chose the Amber lights and I think that will both complement the Jeep the best and provide a nice functional light off-road.

I plan to use one of the Auxiliary switches that came optional in the JL. From what I can see and read, they are pretty configurable so I think this will be a good use for one of them. Stay Tuned for the install...

The Journey is what counts, Adventure Awaits!

Quadratec's Jeeps & Java Events.

I previously mentioned Quadratec's Scratch & Dent sales and how I am a huge fan of them. Another event that they host on a monthly basis is their Jeeps & Java mornings. They are scheduled monthly through December and consist of a Sunday morning get together where they provide (for FREEEEE...) coffee and donuts. They typically collect donations for local and national charities as well a dog rescues. You get to show up and see other Jeeps, hang out with the Jeep community and help out a good cause while also having a chance to win very cool prizes that range from T-Shirts to Gift Certificates to Multi-purpose Shovels (a crowd favorite). Dogs are always welcome and many bring their masters along too.

I was not able to attend too many this past year but hit about three of them. They take place rain or shine and regardless of the temperature so some are more fun than others but that has nothing to do with Quadratec (Mother Nature likes to play games)!

This past Sunday we attended the last one of the year but I missed last months where they went to a local Christmas tree farm and had an obstacle course. We had rain all day but still a good time. They did not have their famous Quadratec Cans out but did increase the number of raffles and there were some nice ones! While I did not win anything, I did meet some very cool people and saw some friendly cute pups. One person I met was Jim, he had his Rubicon with him that he had Ursa Minor install one of their camper tops.

What I thought was really cool about Jim is that he drove to California (Ursa Minor's home state) and had then do the install. He then headed to Utah and the Four Corners Monument to test it out! I love that he had the gumption to drive cross country for the install and then explored the region. We talked for quite while and I told him about a planned trip I want to do next year up to Maine and Acadia National Park. He told me about another site near there, Katahdyn Woods and Waters National Monument. Jim is presently in the market for a new camper and rig, and while he might be leaving the Jeep community in the near future (he is looking at a Tundra), he will remain a friend and part of the Overland community. No reason we can't all get along.

I know other companies host a similar event and I would suggest you find something local to you. Quadratec does a great job and I really enjoy attending these events when I can. I also really want to commend them on the charities they support, these included Toys for Tots, The Michael Strange Foundation, Shriners Hospitals for Children of Philadelphia, Camp Out For Hunger, and Providence Animal Center.

Thanks for hosting us and looking forward to stopping in next year!

"Budget" Installs... Switch Panel

So I am a fan of sticking with a name that has served me well over time. Brand loyalty is an important thing but it is something that gets built over time. You may have personal experience with a product or a good friend does, whatever the history, you know you can count on those manufacturers to build a high quality product and stand behind what they built should something go wrong.

This is why I like to shop KC HiLites, AEV, ARB, Bestop, and other such vendors that have delivered quality products over the years. Now, very typically, with a high quality "known" brand name you will be paying a premium for that product but you are "investing" in something that you plan to have for a very long time and that will stand up to the trials and tribulations it will definitely see on the trails.

Having shared this, I am by no means a Jeep parts "snob" and I do not specifically look to find the most expensive thing to put on my Jeep (they just find me). Seriously, I am all about bargains and that is why I love the open box sales that Quadratec hosts and I shop Amazon.com as much as possible. Even when I do buy something that is an expensive "name" brand, I try to find a sale or discount that can help out.

This brings me to my first "Product Review". I added quite a few lights and accessories to my JK over the years and had been wiring each one individually all along. Several folks suggested the S-Pod to me but as it was not a brand I knew too much about AND it carries an extremely high price premium, I was very hesitant to purchase one. Instead I found on Amazon.com the Apollointech Jeep Wrangler JK & JKU 2007-2018 Overhead 6-Switch Pod/Panel with Control and Source System Red Back Light.



I purchased this back in December of 2017 for $179.77 (it's now only $165.99) so have had a full years worth of "history" and experience with it. The main reason I finally decided to buy this was because I had heated seats wired in that were directly connected to the battery and every time I forgot to turn them off, I came out to a dead battery in the morning! As you can imagine, this got really old fast (not to mention the damage it did to my battery).

The install was very straight forward. You run a single bundle of wires through your firewall and up along your window trim to your rear-view mirror. Here you mount the switches. Next, you basically install an extra "fuse box" on the drivers side of your engine compartment and run this to your existing fuse box (small drilling required here) and then connect it to your battery. The directions were decent and covered exactly what you needed to do here and there are also several good videos on YouTube. Once you have completed this step, you can begin connecting your lights and accessories. You no longer have to run all the wires through the firewall and find locations for your switches. Instead, connect them to the new "fuse box" in the engine bay and you are done, this makes life so much easier. Once I get my JL, I will purchase a similar product (I would buy this specific one again but it does not say it is compatible with the JL yet).

Now I am sure the S-POD is also an awesome product as is the new Lynx from ARB but the price for these two systems is still quite high and with a year's worth of experience and zero issues with the Apollointech system, it is hard to pay more.

Happy "Smart" shopping! Jeep Ideas

Gift Ideas under $50.00 for the Jeep lover in your life...

Being that we just got through Black Friday and are quickly approaching the holiday shopping season, I wanted to offer some suggestions for those of you who might not know what to buy
someone of the Jeep persuasion.

Please keep in mind that the person on your shopping list may already have quite a bit of what I have listed here so I would say unless you have access to their Jeep or have a pretty good idea what they already have, a gift card to one of these fine establishments might be your best bet. I recommend the following companies that I have personally purchased items from over the years and received great customer service. There are many other great retailers out there, these are just the ones I typically check with and order from first:

• Globex Performance 
• Morris 4x4
• Northridge 4x4
• Quadratec
• Extreme Terrain
• Amazon.com

I also have personally purchased products from the following manufacturers direct:

• JCR
• ARB

Ok, so if you’re still reading that means that you want to give a gift or a stocking stuffer over a gift card so here’s my list of useful items under $50.00 - any of the above listed retailers will have these items as will your local shop if you have one in your area.

• Grab handles in the accent color of your choice 
• Small auto fire extinguisher
• LED flashlight in the accent color of your choice 
• First aid kit
• Tire inflation gauge 
• Oil filters for a JK
• Jeep Calendar 
• Jeep hats
• Jeep shirts

1st Item in my planned build - Steps for the vertically challenged!

On my current JK, I was lucky enough to pick up a set of DV8 Electric steps from a Quadratec Scratch & Dent Sale. These were used for pictures and were in great condition. I got them for half price and they made a huge difference when I added the lift kit as my wife and I are on the shorter side. My only complaint was that they could not really take a hit off-road. They were a functional step but not a functional piece of body armor.

For my Rubicon JL, I will need to add steps as it is already sitting about as high as my JK does. This time I am looking to purchase the Rock Slide Engineering JL 4dr Step Sliders. I like these as they provide 12 inches of full drop but also a built to act as functional sliders. There is an optional Skid Plate system if I ever plan to do some heavier rock crawling but I think as they sit from the factory (with the optional LED lights) is the right choice for me.

I think this will be my first addition once the JL shows up. Really hoping for some Black Friday sales to drop the price... Paid $500 for the DV8 steps at the Quadratec sale but the RSE have a price of $1800! Big difference!

Will update once I have them purchased and installed on my JL.