Defender owner changes a Jeep stop light globe!

[Diego Luego]

Please don't tell anyone, but my son-in law drives an older Jeep Cherokee (the shame of it all!).

We call it "The Boat" because it pitches, tosses and yaws in choppy conditions and the steering wheel acts more like a rudder - you don't drive around corners, you tack. This Jeep treats driver turns on the steering wheel more like suggestions rather than commands. (And before anyone replies saying the steering is worn, it has always been like that. The steering works but needs plenty of advance notice).

That's all beside the point. Yesterday they asked me to replace a stop light globe "Can you please do it - you know all about 4WDs?". Easy! ...well not quite. I opened the tail gate, but couldn't find any obvious way of removing the lens, no screws, no slots, no cunning little lugs. Eventually I realised that I had to undo FOUR 10mm bolts - well actually only three because fortunately the inaccessible bottom bolt was missing.

Then they asked me to change a headlight globe. That was even more unreasonably difficult. Why do you have to partially disassemble a car just to change a globe?

[5teve]

same on the disco 2

4 screws from the outside then about 7 or 8 screws to get the back off the lens so you can change the globe.... at least i know its unlikely that they lens will get water in it! :D

thanks

Steve

[Utemad]

Ever changed a bulb in the tail light of a Disco1?

Made even worse if it is a 6 or 7 seater.

[Diego Luego]

........or if the water gets in, at least it won't get out again :D

[leeds]

To change a stop/rear light on the disco involved removing 9 philips screws.

To do the same on the defender is two screws.

Suppose that is progress (or not)

I seem to remember that an 8 mm bolt has a shear strength of 1.6 tonnes, which would put shear strength of a 10 mm bolt at 2+ tonnes

You could safely suspend a J56p from 4 10 mm bolts but there again that is probably American progress

Regards


Brendan

[Patto110]

Just another reason why i love my 110.2 Screws:D

[Psimpson7]

I reckon by 10mm bolts he means 10mm head! so 6mm not 10mm shank!

Pete

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Just another reason why i love my 110.2 Screws:D
Why are there any screws?


This is a fast moving part and provides part of the safety equipment on the vehicle. Is there any wonder why there are vehicles running around with faulty lighting.

When will some car makers get this together?

BTW: In my opinion the Defender has some of the worst lighting on any current model. Far too small by current comparitive standards. In fact the Series 2a had better, larger lighting with the Wipac lenses, but alas still requiring screws to change a globe.

[RonMcGr]

Please don't tell anyone, but my son-in law drives an older Jeep Cherokee (the shame of it all!).

We call it "The Boat" because it pitches, tosses and yaws in choppy conditions and the steering wheel acts more like a rudder - you don't drive around corners, you tack. This Jeep treats driver turns on the steering wheel more like suggestions rather than commands. (And before anyone replies saying the steering is worn, it has always been like that. The steering works but needs plenty of advance notice).

That's all beside the point. Yesterday they asked me to replace a stop light globe "Can you please do it - you know all about 4WDs?". Easy! ...well not quite. I opened the tail gate, but couldn't find any obvious way of removing the lens, no screws, no slots, no cunning little lugs. Eventually I realised that I had to undo FOUR 10mm bolts - well actually only three because fortunately the inaccessible bottom bolt was missing.

Then they asked me to change a headlight globe. That was even more unreasonably difficult. Why do you have to partially disassemble a car just to change a globe?

Loved the story of the Jeep :D

A lot of vehicles are that difficult to change the tail light globes.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

...A lot of vehicles are that difficult to change the tail light globes.
Ron

Lots of models may have similar difficulties, but it shouldn't be so.

You may laugh, but years ago when I bought my first and only 2 wheel drive, a 1980 Chrysler Sigma (yes new - my brother worked for the dealer) the globes on that were a snap to change all accessed from inside the boot or bonnet, no screws.

With CAD of cars these days it shouldn't take any more than a minute to change any globe. They just have to add that parameter to the profile.

Diana

[Diego Luego]

Despite only needing two screws to change a light globe, I agree that the Defender rear lighting is frankly shoddy. My little bro. who drives a Disco 2 (usually following me) reackons he often missed my indicators and stop lights if we are driving into the sun.

[roverrescue]

hehehe, great explanation of jeep steering... borrowing a mates 2H troopy while hte fender has a holiday in the shed. Steers just like your sons jeep!!!!

toyota build quality fit and finish eh, cant beat it.
S

[RonMcGr]

Ron

Lots of models may have similar difficulties, but it shouldn't be so.

You may laugh, but years ago when I bought my first and only 2 wheel drive, a 1980 Chrysler Sigma (yes new - my brother worked for the dealer) the globes on that were a snap to change all accessed from inside the boot or bonnet, no screws.

With CAD of cars these days it shouldn't take any more than a minute to change any globe. They just have to add that parameter to the profile.

Diana

True Diana.
This one may even be easier than your Sigma :-)

[Outlaw]

Well i was going to say sounds like that jeep drives just like a rangy classic :D:D:D

[100I]

hehehe, great explanation of jeep steering... borrowing a mates 2H troopy while hte fender has a holiday in the shed. Steers just like your sons jeep!!!!

toyota build quality fit and finish eh, cant beat it.
S

Driven a current V8 troopy?...
They feel 30yrs old :o

[procrastination inc]

the disco 1 front head lights and indicators are a good example of tool free acess. I am very surprised that the rears aren't as good

[Lotz-A-Landies]

True Diana.
This one may even be easier than your Sigma :-)
True

Maybe car globes should be like the globes on light houses - then one fails the spare one is rotated into the focus point. :)

Diana

[procrastination inc]

If I ever have to change the rear bulbs in my disco, it is getting LEDs. Out last the car I reckon

[Lotz-A-Landies]

If I ever have to change the rear bulbs in my disco, it is getting LEDs. Out last the car I reckon
I would like to think that LEDs were an option, however I find that many LED replacement globes are not approved under ADR. Also the LED in my interior dome lights last about as long as the incandescent ones did before all the LED fail. :mad::mad::mad:

[adm333]

Rear stop lights on a P38 - No screws.

The light housing module unclips from the back and the globes are easily replaced.

However, on the PAX side, you do have to unclip the CD changer housing to get to it.

Wow - never thought anything on the P38 would be simpler.

[procrastination inc]

I would like to think that LEDs were an option, however I find that many LED replacement globes are not approved under ADR. Also the LED in my interior dome lights last about as long as the incandescent ones did before all the LED fail. :mad::mad::mad:


WOW, LED's are meant to have 100,000hr lives (or something like that)

Wasn't some thing else in the circuitry?

[leeds]

WOW, LED's are meant to have 100,000hr lives (or something like that)

Wasn't some thing else in the circuitry?

Don't get me going about LEDs.

I ordered over £150 of LEDs from a UK company called ULTRALEDS. It was a few months before I fitted any of them. Went on a 4 month trip and some of the individual LEDS failed in the LED clusters.

It then took me a few months to ring the so, so 'helpful' phone line at Ultraleds. Got told they only warrenty is for 3 months and I had bought them over a year ago. Also that most bulb/globe manufacturers dont give a warrenty at all.

Also the 100,000 hours running time is no longer mentioned in their advertising blurp.

Ultraled would not give me any indication of the expected service life of these LED clusters/bulbs/globes. In fact I was told that becausing I was asking questions about their LEDs I was blocking their sales line and the phone slammed down on me.

So a big thumbs down to Ultraleds.


I did some digging around and found that there are different qualities of the individual LED as supplied by the LED manufacturers. The LED cluster manufacturers tend to buy the cheapest LED going to install in their clusters/globes.

This is the main reason why the 100,000 hour life expectancy by the LED CLUSTER/GLOBE manufacturers has been quitely dropped.

In my experience the LED globes provided by Ultraleds started to fail in less then 500 hours of running time.

Please be careful where you buy your LED clusters/globes from

Regards


Brendan

[2 rocks]

Lol!!! Clearly the Chero drives nothing like a Wrangler - which I find turns in, hangs on and generally corners brilliantly for a 4WD.
I've driven so-called "sports cars" with worse steering!
And changing tail globes - 4 screws on a nice utilitarian cluster sticking out either side of the tail gate, easy peasy! :)
Mike

[Landy110]

Excuse my ignorance gents but I thought the hole idea of changing light bulbs on jeeps was redundant.. Aren't they throw away!!:D

[Diego Luego]

A slight correction:

Not just four SCREWS but 10mm BOLTS with heads cunningly arranged so you can't use a flat spanner but need a tube or a socket with an extension.

[loanrangie]

Well i was going to say sounds like that jeep drives just like a rangy classic :D:D:D

At least you can fix the rangie by just tightening up the suspension bolts.