Headlights- HELP! converting Hdj 81 to fj 80 (1 Viewer)
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- #22
I saw that advertisement but balked due to the fact that I could not find anything in BC that allowed for E Code Acceptance. There remains a puddle of muddy water on all the literature.
There is no doubt that the correct thing to do is put a light in with the proper pattern. I am a bit disappointed that the lights got through in the first place and now the FJ80 lights I ordered (189 US per side plus tax and shipping) will not have the factory fogs which I like....mostly because it keeps all the buttons on my dash useful and I can't do any major mods until I buy the wife another vehicle (she no likey the man truck)
Thanks for the info. I will be interested to see/read what you have found with those lights and if they are direct plug and play with your factory fog set up.
I saw that advertisement but balked due to the fact that I could not find anything in BC that allowed for E Code Acceptance. There remains a puddle of muddy water on all the literature.
There is no doubt that the correct thing to do is put a light in with the proper pattern. I am a bit disappointed that the lights got through in the first place and now the FJ80 lights I ordered (189 US per side plus tax and shipping) will not have the factory fogs which I like....mostly because it keeps all the buttons on my dash useful and I can't do any major mods until I buy the wife another vehicle (she no likey the man truck)
Thanks for the info. I will be interested to see/read what you have found with those lights and if they are direct plug and play with your factory fog set up.
Having had vehicles with SAE/DOT pattern lights that were changed out for E-Code lights I had no interest at all in changing over to the SAE/DOT pattern lights out of a FJ not even taking into consideration loosing the fogs.
If E-Code headlights are acceptable at the Federal level, IE CMVSS 108.1 BC would have a difficult time both with paramountcy and claiming that the E-Code lights are not safe or approved.
I believe the ATEB linked to in Motts post above would be these guys:
ATEB
7088 Merrit Ave.
Burnaby, BC
778 898 2478
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Maybe you already knew but the "Euro"-spec headlights I was speaking of were for the LHD drive vehicles (steering wheel on the left side/driving on the right side of the road, like in the US/Canada).
BTW, $400CDN is VERY reasonable for those lights.
Mot
Excuse me, but not eveyone has the kind of income for which $400 is 'very reasonable'. Then again, some people probably think $2,000 a month for as mortgage is reasonable as well. Well excuse me if I don't gross more than $CDN30,000 a year, I'm simply a poor but proud self-employed Quebecer.
Then again, considering what car parts go for in general in our country, you are right, if those are as good as OEM and last as long as OEMs , $400 is indeed not that bad for the pair.
Sorry for the rant, but I just paid more money today so my kids could go skiing at that trendy ski hill that what I spend on myself in several months.
Ah, the glory of teenage years and spring break. And they wonder why I have to work so hard...
Hey man, I'm not saying that I make a butt-load of money here, nor saying that they are cheap compared to regular 8" round headlights, etc....
I simply based my opinion after comparing how much the JDM and N. American-spec OEM headlights cost for the 80. And AFAIK the said e-code headlights are (so I was told) Toyota OEM.
You must be a good dad for spending $$$ for your kids, instead of yourself.
PEACE!
Mot
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- #27
Aaaaah Cr** now i am going to have to get a set of E-Codes because I was afraid the DOT's weren't going to give me a great pattern (the good hockey stick spray) but I was more afraid of THE MAN so I wanted to be sure and have DOT on the lens. I am going to end up with 9 sets of lights I can already feel it...i will be doing/posting MOT like light demos on my neighbors house
Hey man, I'm not saying that I make a butt-load of money here, nor saying that they are cheap compared to regular 8" round headlights, etc....
I simply based my opinion after comparing how much the JDM and N. American-spec OEM headlights cost for the 80. And AFAIK the said e-code headlights are (so I was told) Toyota OEM.
You must be a good dad for spending $$$ for your kids, instead of yourself.
PEACE!
Mot
Mot, I aprecaite your generous input as always. Yesterday was a bit... Frustrating to say the least. I always take in my son's friend over the weekend and take care of him, my son never goes to this friend's place (claims it's too boring), I feel like I'm the daycare sometimes and although I love this boy to bits as my own (I realuy do), the boy's mother had the gall to complain about my 'military' methods with the boys (OK, I tend to be like a drill sargent... Otherwise things don't get done!), so I was, let's say, a little bit impatient...
But for those that don't know me, I'm always for the simple and cheap method of fixing things. Those are the ones that cost the least and last the longest, and are often not even thought about.
I am a well known "Cheap Bastid" which has come into conflict with me working 70+ hours a week as well (also self employed).
The $400 shipped for the Euro headlights seemed like a decent price from some quick research here and from calling a few local dealers and shops. If I had done another 5 hours of research and calling around to find them for $350 I would still not have been ahead in MY situation.
Given the style of headlight assembly I honestly think that changing out to suitable E-Code assembly's is the simple and cheap method as the opaque blocking tape does not help with lighting up the ditch side of the road and its attendant hazards (Wildlife, Road Signs etc.).
I can´t compare our weather with yours, no snow here, and only on some parts of the country you can find dense fog, but the inner H1 lamps that came with the E spec have the best position for a high beam long distance pattern and on mine they give some serious ooomp when driving at high speed.
If I were you, I would rather have the E spec lamps ( I replaced on mine the stock bulbs with H4 55/100W and H1 100W) and add a set of well designed fog projector lamps like the PIAA 959.
I would wire them to the stock fog lamps plugs and the H1 inner lamps to the high beam H4 through a relay.
AFIK fog lamps must be as outer and lower as possible (so the refraction when they hit the fog doesn´t go right back to your eyes), which is not the case with your stock headlamps. I don´t understand why Toyota did that with this 80 headlamps.
Here when it rains , it downpours and is quite dificult to drive, low beam pattern are too far away on a lifted cruiser, so I relay a lot on a couple of rectangular PIAA 1500 fog lamps I installed just under the bracket that holds the radiator between the two frame rails, covering what´s missing from the stock low beam. I have this lamps allways on at night, and they doesn´t annoy oncoming trafic.
In the rare ocasions I had to drive through heavy fog I even turned off the low beam and was way better with only this 1500 fog lamps. The proyector lamps 959 are a lot better with a precise cutoff against my 1500, but doesn´t fit were I installed the rectangular smaller fog lamps.
If I were you, I would rather have the E spec lamps ( I replaced on mine the stock bulbs with H4 55/100W and H1 100W) and add a set of well designed fog projector lamps like the PIAA 959.
I would wire them to the stock fog lamps plugs and the H1 inner lamps to the high beam H4 through a relay.
AFIK fog lamps must be as outer and lower as possible (so the refraction when they hit the fog doesn´t go right back to your eyes), which is not the case with your stock headlamps. I don´t understand why Toyota did that with this 80 headlamps.
Here when it rains , it downpours and is quite dificult to drive, low beam pattern are too far away on a lifted cruiser, so I relay a lot on a couple of rectangular PIAA 1500 fog lamps I installed just under the bracket that holds the radiator between the two frame rails, covering what´s missing from the stock low beam. I have this lamps allways on at night, and they doesn´t annoy oncoming trafic.
In the rare ocasions I had to drive through heavy fog I even turned off the low beam and was way better with only this 1500 fog lamps. The proyector lamps 959 are a lot better with a precise cutoff against my 1500, but doesn´t fit were I installed the rectangular smaller fog lamps.
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- Thread starter
- #33
Robmir,Sounds like I am headed in the direction you have outlined....On Vancouver Island it is a lot of rain a lot of the time in winter, not too much snow.I also have to get the Daytime Running Light issued squared away so I haven't quite figured it all out yet.Thanks for the info.
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- #34
So my lights arrived and sure enough one of them is messed up internally. Aside from the fact they don't come with any bulbs etc I was hoping they would at least be ready for insertion. It would appear the internal reflector housing (within the whole housing) has popped off a post . It looks like it should just insert into the hole but there isn't a way to do it that I can see. So I wait again.MOT, just as an aside, I noticed your JDM had a yellow reflector where as mine is a chrome reflector with yellow bulb (H1 side) have you seen that before.
BH,
Not sure which lights you got (OEM Euro with H4 outer H1 inner bulbs?), but sorry to hear about your trouble.
The JDM models came with H4 outer (high/low) and the H3(of some sort: fog pattern) "clear" bulbs with yellow shade that is retained inside the reflector.
Your inner light is a high beam.
From what I can tell, the JDM outer high/low bulb is free of any obstruction (you can see the bulb when it's installed) where as the Euro OEM with H4 and H1 (high) have a shade covering it, making it hidden from naked eyes when installed. Don't know why that is.
And I "believe" that some of the OZ-spec models (I could be wrong though) came with the inner, yellow fogs, as well. So I don't think it is required that the fogs be the outer-most lights.
Good luck!
Mot
Not sure which lights you got (OEM Euro with H4 outer H1 inner bulbs?), but sorry to hear about your trouble.
The JDM models came with H4 outer (high/low) and the H3(of some sort: fog pattern) "clear" bulbs with yellow shade that is retained inside the reflector.
Your inner light is a high beam.
From what I can tell, the JDM outer high/low bulb is free of any obstruction (you can see the bulb when it's installed) where as the Euro OEM with H4 and H1 (high) have a shade covering it, making it hidden from naked eyes when installed. Don't know why that is.
And I "believe" that some of the OZ-spec models (I could be wrong though) came with the inner, yellow fogs, as well. So I don't think it is required that the fogs be the outer-most lights.
Good luck!
Mot
can someone sum all of this up for me... i have a 91 HDJ81 and it passed the inspection with the factory lights (nothing changed) .. .. .. I tried to read this entire thread, but my ADHD doesn't allow me to foccus that well when I am jumping through all of the links etc.... lol. the question is......
what do I need to do to be fully legal?
thanks,
what do I need to do to be fully legal?
thanks,
thanks MOT
where do I order these from?
where do I order these from?
Darren,
You're welcome.
I believe a place called ATEB and Maximum Overdrive both offer them.
The latter site states that the lights can be had with optional fog, but AFAIK that's not possible.
But around $400 a pair CDN or US IS a great price on them.
Good luck!
Mot
You're welcome.
I believe a place called ATEB and Maximum Overdrive both offer them.
The latter site states that the lights can be had with optional fog, but AFAIK that's not possible.
But around $400 a pair CDN or US IS a great price on them.
Good luck!
Mot
Thanks again MOT,
So these lights are simply remove JDM and install E-codes .. ..
no modifications!!
what's AFAIK??
So these lights are simply remove JDM and install E-codes .. ..
no modifications!!
what's AFAIK??
