Four Wheeler – September 2019

54 SEPTEMBER 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

Four Wheeler 2019 Overland Adventure, we

needed lights for three scenarios: street-legal

lights for driving the highways to and from our

adventure destinations; close-range lighting

to cut through snow, rain, and dust; and long-

distance lights capable of throwing light to the

next bend in the road as well as the driver’s

periphery. KC HiLites has been shining light on

these issues since 1970, and the company was

ready and willing to help make sure we could

see every upcoming twist and turn in the trail

during Overland Adventure.

In its lifespan of 50,000 miles, our JK has

had both stock incandescent headlamps and

aftermarket LED headlamps. The Gravity LED

Pro 7-inch drop-in headlamps from KC HiLites

T

HE SUN HAS LONG SINCE GONE BELOW THE

horizon, and the quick shortcut you

thought would expedite arrival to camp

has quickly become a treacherous

procession through a rutted two-track. Rain

is falling, and your rig’s incandescent head-

lights are struggling to reveal even the closest

obstacles. While we can’t change whether you

think this is a recipe for a memorable night or

a disaster, we can say that advances in lighting

technology can at least make the situation a bit

(or a lot) brighter.

We have spent enough time traveling at night

to know the value of exceptional lighting—both

on rugged trails and on the road to the trail-

head. When preparing our ’17 Wrangler for the

were perfect replacements for our previous

lights, loaded with anti-flicker technology,

and had a high/low beam free of distracting

shadows and patterns. Also, the headlamps are

DOT compliant and safe for highway use. We

frequently adventure into inclement weather,

and seeing the trail through rain, snow, and

dust is imperative. For this scenario, KC rec-

ommended a pair of Gravity LED Pro6 lights,

mounted low on the Jeep’s bumper and fitted

with amber lenses. To throw light far down the

trail, and perhaps into the next postal code, was

the Gravity LED Pro6 Lightbar—and it was

designed to fit smoothly above the Wrangler’s

windshield. To simplify the wiring of our light-

ing, and any subsequent trail electronics, the

sPOD from Precision Designs was the answer.

The revolutionary switch panel consolidated

the relays and endless wiring looms, making

management of our lights easier than ever. Read

on for some highlights of how we upgraded the

lighting on our JK in preparation for the 2019

Overland Adventure.

Boosting the brights on a Wrangler

with KC HiLites

By Jered Korfhage [email protected] Photos: Jered Korfhage

Tech

ADVENTURE

LIGHTING