2021+ Ford Bronco Morimoto 4Banger A-Pillar Install
The brand-new 2021 Ford Bronco is here and you can build your Bronco into an even more legendary off-road machine with the Morimoto 4Banger LED pod lights. They are an unbelievable combination of off-road performance and off-road lighting. The rugged, but classical styling of the Bronco meets the aggressive styling of the 4Banger pod light.
The Morimoto 4Banger is available with a number of vehicle-specific bracketry to fit your car or truck of choice. We are talking about A-Pillar brackets and vehicle-specific fog light brackets that have an OEM-quality fit. In this article, we will be going over the A-Pillar brackets for the Ford Bronco and showing you how to install them.
ABOUT THE 4BANGERS
Available in two different trim levels, the Morimoto 4Banger LED Pod lights bring a mixture of design, output, and versatility to the LED pod light market. With the entry-level 4Banger NCS model, you get a Nichia LED chip spec for its output source. For the premium HXB model, an Osram HX Boost LED chip packs its punch behind the TIR optics, which can be found on both models.
As we mentioned before, the fitment of these pod lights is really well done. There are a number of vehicle-specific mounts so that your 4Bangers do not look like they have just been tacked on your car. Modifications on your car need to look natural, and these mounts do just that.
Beam Patterns
The NCS and HXB models both come in three different beam patterns: combo (driving), wide (Fog/SAE), and spot. The most popular among the three will likely be the wide beam pattern. This can ideally be used in a fog light application and is legal for road use when aimed at -3°.
The combo or driving pattern is useful when it comes to off-roading and will likely be a favorite of that crowd. The same can be said about the spotlight beam pattern which is almost exclusively meant for an off-road application.
Color Options and Optics
Additionally, each of those beam patterns for both the NCS and HXB models can be purchased with a white or yellow beam pattern.
If you choose to go with the yellow NCS model, you will be using a Nichia true-yellow LED chip with a yellow-filtered lens. This is in contrast to the HXB model that uses a white Osram chip with a yellow-filtered lens. To compare the output between the HXB white and yellow options, you will lose roughly 30% of your brightness when you switch from the premium white HXB 4Banger to the premium yellow HXB.
This also produces a slightly different shade of yellow between the two lights that you can see below.
Speaking of the lenses, the TIR optics we mentioned before, stands for Total Internal Reflector. Essentially, rather than having the LED chip within the 4Banger Pod light, the lens optic creates the individual beam patterns.
BRONCO 4Banger INSTALL
Thankfully, the 4Banger is entirely plug-and-play, making the installation process straightforward.
Tools Needed for the Job
T30, T40+ Torx Bit
8mm, 10mm, 13mm Socket
17mm Wrench
Pry Tool
Phillips Screwdriver
Wire Stripper
Butt Connector
Crimp Tool
Wire Fish (Optional)
To begin, remove the two T30 Torx screws located on top of each side mirror.
A-Pillar Install
Wiring
Next, you can pop the hood so we can install the relay harness for the 4Banger. These LED pod lights come with a Morimoto relay harness that has two different plug-ins for the pod lights, a ground, a positive, and a Morimoto button switch.
Two things to note about this harness. You need to mount the relay harness with the wires facing downwards to avoid water intrusion. Second, you will not need the ‘Morimoto’ switch because the Bronco has Uplifter switches.
Since the Bronco, and other vehicles, have Uplifter switches, we created a replacement wire. You will be able to unplug the Morimoto switch and plug in the new wire to your vehicle. Additionally, if these are going anywhere beyond your front bumper or hood, we have extension wires to help you reach the pod lights.
Place the ‘Light One’ Deutsch connector by the driver’s side and ‘Light Two’ by the passenger side. You will need an extension wire to reach the passenger car. We will tidy up the wires later.
Before proceeding, disconnect the negative battery terminal. Grab the exposed wire (blue) to connect it to the Uptfitter switches.
Strip the auxiliary four wire and the bare wire from the Morimoto harness. Take a 20-gauge butt connector and crimp together the two wires.
Bracket Assembly
Grab the ‘U-bracket’ and place it on top of the A-Pillar bracket. Put the bolt from the kit through the base of the U-bracket. Place a washer and locking nut on the base of the bolt and tighten lightly.
Since this is an A-Pillar mount, we recommend using a combo or spotlight beam patterned 4Banger, but the choice is yours. The installation will be the same regardless.
Put your 4Banger in the U-Bracket and tighten it into place with the two T30 Torx screws.
Remove the two factory bolts off the mirror. You will need a T40+ Torx bit to remove them.
Plug in the Deutsch connector to the 4Banger. Then pry up the plastic cover to tuck the wire underneath this plastic piece. Then push the plastic piece back in place.
You can then screw the 4Banger bracket into place using the OEM screws.
Repeat for the passenger side of the car. We chose to zip tie our wires to the wiring along the rear wall of the Bronco’s engine bay.
Connect the positive terminal to the bolt under the fuse box cover and the negative battery terminal to a bare metal bolt in your engine bay.
Test the lights to make sure they work and aim them accordingly. Repeat for the other side of the car and clean up the wiring.
Conclusion
And there you have it! You are ready to hit the trails with your Bronco and 4Banger LED pod lights. If you are interested in the tri-fog light mounting kit, check out our blog post here on how to install it.
If you are more of a visual learner, be sure to check out our video on the Morimoto 4Banger LED Pods for the 2021+ Ford Bronco. While you are there, make sure to like and subscribe to our channel for the latest lighting upgrades for your vehicle.
Have any questions about one of the products we mentioned? Contact us today, and our customer service team would be happy to help.
