Peeper Protection: An Overview of Jeep Headlight Guards

Headlight guards are steel, composite, or aluminum grilles installed over your Jeep’s headlights. These guards add rugged styling to your Jeep and durability by blocking incoming rocks, tree branches, and other debris while on the highway or trail. 

In turn, Headlight Guards prevent scenarios like what’s outlined above, ensuring your Jeep’s most valuable nighttime feature, the headlights, remain intact and operational for your safety and the safety of other drivers on the road.

The History of Jeep Headlight Guards

Headlight guards, or headlight straps, have long been used by the military, first implemented on the Willys M38: a ¼-ton, purpose-built workhorse based on the popular civilian CJ-3A. This model was the immediate successor to the esteemed Willys MB, featuring a reinforced frame, beefy suspension, a stout 24-volt electrical system, and–yes–headlight guards. 

While the MB/GPW utilized headlights inset into the grille, subsequent generations implemented oversized convex glass lenses. While promoting outstanding visibility, the fragile glass lenses were highly susceptible to damage from impacts and abrasions. 

To counteract this design’s shortcomings, 1951-1952 M38 flat fenders and M606 3B military Jeeps came with steel headlight guards to protect the headlamps against cracks, chips, and breakage while zipping through Korean jungles. Military headlight guards were also often fitted to civilian Jeeps retrofitted for military use.

Modern Implementation

While the U.S. Army discontinued its use of Jeeps in the military in the late 1980s, opting for the bigger and badder Humvee platform, military-inspired headlight guards remained in the civilian market. As it turns out, jungles aren’t the only unforgiving terrain for glass headlights; even highway-driven Jeeps are susceptible to the wrath of flying debris and pebbles thrown by semi trucks and aggressive off-road tires.

Eventually, military-style single-strap guards transitioned into polished stainless steel mesh rock protectors–an aesthetic that carried over to the Wrangler YJ, TJ, and even early JK generations; however, guards were less necessary with the implementation of impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses.  

Currently, headlight guards are little more than stylistic upgrades. Since the Wrangler YJ, Jeeps have returned to countersunk headlights, shielding them from debris and minor impacts. However, if you’re a fan of the aesthetic and appreciate the mild improvement in durability, check out some of our Jeep light protectors!