John Cappa
Former Editor, Four Wheeler
High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights are typically 3-times brighter than halogen, last 10-times longer, use 35-percent less power and produce a blue-white light that is safer because it is closer to natural daylight. Plus the HID system will generate much less heat during operation. HID lighting also improves durability by 10 times since road vibrations can cause damage to halogen bulb filaments; there is nothing to break inside an HID bulb. Light is created by igniting xenon gas between two electrodes in a tiny sealed quartz capsule. The process is similar to the lightning phenomenon in the sky. The only drawback has been the cost these high-end off-road lights.
Up until recently pretty much every HID off-road light was in the $300-$700 range. So when we caught word of these $99 7-inch HIDs (PN 99000CSK) offered at Kragen.com we had to see if they would actually work and stand up to off-road use. Most aftermarket bumpers have tabs for simply bolting on a pair of off-road lights. However, running the wires for these lights on a JK is perhaps the most frustrating part of the installation. So if you're adding HIDs or any other off-road lights to your '07-'09 Wrangler we have a few wiring tips too.
How Do They Work?
The amount of light that our two 7-inch HID off-road lights produce is unbelievable. It's like turning the sun on at night and focusing it in front of your Jeep. Once you've driven at night with these lights, running just the factory headlights on high feels like driving by candlelight. We've had the Kragen HIDs on our Jeep for nearly a year now and have even put them through the local high-pressure carwash many times without issues. Overall the lights look like quality parts from far away. But when you get up close you notice there is a lot of plastic. Up and down adjustability is a little limited compared to the more expensive HID lights on the market. However, these cheapie HIDs have glass lenses, which is characteristic of high-end off-road lights. The Kragen HIDs come with a fused wiring harness and clear lens protectors which snap firmly into place. Our lens protectors have done their job but have yellowed a little over time. Fortunately it doesn't look too bad and has not affected the lighting performance. For the price, they are hard to beat. We'd certainly purchase the Kragen HIDs again.
