Brighter Headlights for FJ60??? (1 Viewer)
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I've been using the hella H-4 for years with no upgrade to wiring harness..what would be the benefit?
how do I go about upgrading?
trimmertrail said:
Stock headlight wiring has current flowing through the light switch. The switch can't handle much amps, so you shouldn't run higher watt bulbs through the stock harness.
Also, stock harness is long, and in combination with the wire guage used you get a noticable voltage drop. That is, battery voltage is as much as 1 V higher than the voltage at the headlamp. Bulb output corresponds to input voltage.
Even with standard bulbs, a headlight harness w/relay will improve headlight output. If you decide to upgrade to higher watt bulbs, you'll be ready to do that also.
trimmertrail said:
The upgraded harnesses can be made or purchased. I got mine from sleeoffroad, but you might try rallylights.com or danielsternlighting.com. One of them probably has a schematic for how to make this yourself also.
Get the Hella lights and throw in some H4 Xenons. Costco.com carries Hella H4 bulbs:
Costco - Hella H4 60/55W High Performance Xenon Blue Bulbs
They are $36.99 a pair and ship and handling included. I think you have 90 days for return but you might want to call them and double check.
If you get the Xenons from any other brand, make sure that they are NOT made in China, Tawain, Mexico, or Korea. Those knockoffs won't last as long and they COAT their bulbs with a blue layer of what seems to eventually peel off- leaving you with a warm halogen-tone light. The ones from Germany and Japan are of much better quality- they don't peel and they'll last quite a long time. Spend the money and replace them less.
Good luck!!!
Costco - Hella H4 60/55W High Performance Xenon Blue Bulbs
They are $36.99 a pair and ship and handling included. I think you have 90 days for return but you might want to call them and double check.
If you get the Xenons from any other brand, make sure that they are NOT made in China, Tawain, Mexico, or Korea. Those knockoffs won't last as long and they COAT their bulbs with a blue layer of what seems to eventually peel off- leaving you with a warm halogen-tone light. The ones from Germany and Japan are of much better quality- they don't peel and they'll last quite a long time. Spend the money and replace them less.
Good luck!!!
There are quite a few 7" round projector headlighs for sale on eBay. Has anyone ever trried any of these? They are pretty cheap. That and a kit from VVME.COM LLC Your Best HID KIT Supplier and you could have a HID equiped FJ60.
I may have to investigate.
I may have to investigate.
Vince, they are not really Xeon(HID) except that they (might) contain the Xenon gas in the bulb. In my book they're still halogen just like other ones.
I've "upgraded"
my headlight bulbs to 80(low)/55(high) H4's with white(r) light (read: blue tint). I'm (fairly) convinced that just like the saying "There's no substitute for cubin inches." for engines when it comes to halogen bulbs and light output more wattage (assuming the same design/technology, etc...) usually yields more candlepower.
If these bulbs blow I'm planning on putting IPF's 100w(low)/170w(high) halogens with beefier harness, etc...
I have not seen those 7" projectors on e-bay, but the link you provided has the conversion kit which many hardcore lighting farts on Mud (Cary, Doug, etc...
) would tell you that it is not proper (possibly even illegal in your locale(sp)) since the housing was not designed for HID in mind, possibly blinding on-coming traffic. That price is pretty cheap though.
^ Yeah the housing is the big question. The HID kit itself is great. I use them on my VWs, which do have the proper proejector headlights and cutoff for the beam pattern.
The $55.95 price is great, although shipping to CO is $35, it's still a great deal. The original one I got for my Passat was $250 and that was a steal at the time.
Once you go HID, everything else is just a flashlight by comparison.
The $55.95 price is great, although shipping to CO is $35, it's still a great deal. The original one I got for my Passat was $250 and that was a steal at the time.
Once you go HID, everything else is just a flashlight by comparison.
Came across these & wondered if anyone has any experience with them or similar? 7" Round Bi-Xenon HID Headlight, 6024 headlamp conversion kit, 6024 sealed beam upgrade, 6024 hid, aca, xgl, 7" round headlight, 7" inch round head lamp, Motorcycle HID Upgrade
Never mind that they'd be $980.00 for a pair!
Never mind that they'd be $980.00 for a pair!
Those are cool, but the price is just not right. I pay $90 Shipped for bulbs and ballasts from VVME.COM LLC Your Best HID KIT Supplier, so they are basically asking for $890 for housings! No thanks.
Hopefully someone will take the idea and make them for a reasonable price. Lots of cars use those 7" housings.
Hopefully someone will take the idea and make them for a reasonable price. Lots of cars use those 7" housings.
ntsqd
technerd
There is a diminishing returns deal with the "more wattage = more candle power" thing. Just doesn't play out like you'd hope.
MISF was all about more watts in his headlight bulbs. Which lead him to buy some unkwn's off fleabay (his favorite supermarket) claiming 100/160 watts. He has the relay system to handle the wattage, no issue there. My puny 55/100 watt Hella H4's were as bright as his 100/160's and they last a lot longer. He has since only bought name brand bulbs. For rough service (off road) the higher wattage bulbs don't seem to last as long. I suspect that the greater vibration kills them faster. I've found the 55/100's to be the best compromise for me.
My thinking on headlight upgrades:
1) First do the relays. Done right and well it makes a large difference with stock headlights.
2) Next go for H4 conversion using the supplied 55/60 watt bulbs. Avoid the Hella "Vision +", you want the 'E' code lens/reflector. I've used lens/reflectors from Hella, Bosch, Cibie', and JCW. To be honest, the mid priced JCW's have the best light pattern of all that I've used. They were $19 each almost 20 years ago and they're still in my dune buggy.
3) Then if still not enough maybe play with higher wattage bulbs or HIDs (I'm not convinced they're the best for a headlight - certainly the greatest amount of light produced).
MISF was all about more watts in his headlight bulbs. Which lead him to buy some unkwn's off fleabay (his favorite supermarket) claiming 100/160 watts. He has the relay system to handle the wattage, no issue there. My puny 55/100 watt Hella H4's were as bright as his 100/160's and they last a lot longer. He has since only bought name brand bulbs. For rough service (off road) the higher wattage bulbs don't seem to last as long. I suspect that the greater vibration kills them faster. I've found the 55/100's to be the best compromise for me.
My thinking on headlight upgrades:
1) First do the relays. Done right and well it makes a large difference with stock headlights.
2) Next go for H4 conversion using the supplied 55/60 watt bulbs. Avoid the Hella "Vision +", you want the 'E' code lens/reflector. I've used lens/reflectors from Hella, Bosch, Cibie', and JCW. To be honest, the mid priced JCW's have the best light pattern of all that I've used. They were $19 each almost 20 years ago and they're still in my dune buggy.
3) Then if still not enough maybe play with higher wattage bulbs or HIDs (I'm not convinced they're the best for a headlight - certainly the greatest amount of light produced).
Daniel Stern still says you can't convert non-HIDs to HIDs, but KBcarstuff says they use Philips bulbs to replace all non-HID bulbs. I kinda respect Philips & think they know what they're doing.
Having said that, KB wants $90 some-odd for a Philips bulb, saying the quartz crystal glass blocks UV (which damages plastics) & the cheapo vvme folks want $5 for theirs. Vvme's kit price is now $40.99 for single-xenon & $78.99 for dual-xenon.
How 'bout Cibie housings from Dr. Stern & dual-xenons from vvme?
Having said that, KB wants $90 some-odd for a Philips bulb, saying the quartz crystal glass blocks UV (which damages plastics) & the cheapo vvme folks want $5 for theirs. Vvme's kit price is now $40.99 for single-xenon & $78.99 for dual-xenon.
How 'bout Cibie housings from Dr. Stern & dual-xenons from vvme?
ntsqd
technerd
The big reason that I think Stern says the conversion can't be done is because of the potential for the foci point of the light source to be placed differently. Light is light, any reflector will reflect it and any lens will distribute it, but if it doesn't start from the correct spot then all of the carefully shaped lens flutes are for not and the light distribution may not be very usable.
you want plug and play?
I did this upgrade in about an hour. get the ARB wire harness for the FJ60, then get 2 IPF 7" round headlights, and the H4 bulbs of your choice. I'm running the Osram 70/65, which are little brighter, but not 100/130 or anything like that. the beam pattern is excellent and literally plug and play harness. done and done.
I did this upgrade in about an hour. get the ARB wire harness for the FJ60, then get 2 IPF 7" round headlights, and the H4 bulbs of your choice. I'm running the Osram 70/65, which are little brighter, but not 100/130 or anything like that. the beam pattern is excellent and literally plug and play harness. done and done.
X2. Dan knows his stuff. I've talked to him about all sorts of lighting stuff (and Mopars. He's a Slant-6 guru) and the man knows what he's talking about. If he doesn't know something, he won't bull**** you, either. God guy to talk to and get lighting advice from. He'll steer you towards the best lighting solution for your application.
Lots of great info here on lights. I have a simpleton question. I have the infrastructure for adding driving lights (ARB bumper). Does it make sense to do the superior Cibie or Bosch headlamp upgrade? I still have the stock lights, which suck, but I question the wisdom of spending $300+ on 4 headlights with wirng as opposed to $50 for 4 sylvania sealed headlamps.
OTH, mot made a point on another thread that driving lights aren't the same as fog lights. Maybe do the superior driving light upgrade and get fog lights for the ARB? We do get both fog and snow on the coast here.
Opinions anyone?
OTH, mot made a point on another thread that driving lights aren't the same as fog lights. Maybe do the superior driving light upgrade and get fog lights for the ARB? We do get both fog and snow on the coast here.
Opinions anyone?
Have you seen this: https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-...s-fire-headlight-harness-upgrade-my-62-a.html
My vote is upgrade the headlights, then assess. No need to cut rad air flow if you have 4 stock locations for good white lights. (fogs on the otherhand...)
