Hella 4000 Question

[YOTAFAN]

I'm planning on investing in a pair of Hella 4000's for my ARB since it sounds like I can fit them with the use of a few washers. After doing some research, I still have a couple of questions. Do absolutely need to purchase the $40 - $50 wiring harness for these or is there another way to wire them in? Also, between the eurobeam and fog pattern, what would be a better choice? Thanks for your input.

 

[ginericLC]

I actually bought one of each. That way I had long distance beam and a more of a flood pattern. Do you want to see wide and low for going slow or far in a straight line? As long as you use a good quality switch and relays and the proper guage wire you will be OK. I usually make my own harnesses using relays. Then they are the proper length and they use the connectors I like. YOU NEED RELAYS!

 

[cruiser88]

yes buy the whole works they are wortless without them

 

[airlaird]

Well , I too have 4000's on the way. I believe i can use the existing my 80 PIAA Pro XT's wiring harness...or so they ( rallyelights.com) have told me. I bought the eurobeams and look forward to them.
airlaird

 

[SUMOTOY]

Well , I too have 4000's on the way. I believe i can use the existing my 80 PIAA Pro XT's wiring harness...or so they ( rallyelights.com) have told me. I bought the eurobeams and look forward to them.
airlaird

As an ex rallyist myself, I've strung more offroad lights on cars than on my trucks (but did put the rally 2000's on my 4R). That said, the principle is the same. Yes use relays, yes your PIAA light harness should work (assuming it has a relay). There are 5 main types of beam patterns for 'good' (incl the 4000) offroad lights. Fog, Driving (Eurobeam is a DOT term), Hi/lo driving, cornering, Pencil Beam. The difference betwen a eurobeam and a fog is that a eurobeam (driving) is considered an aux high beam (2000-2500ft). The best way IMO to aim those on an 80 would be to angle them slightly wider than the 80's high beam hot spots, to give good fill lighting off to the side.

IME/O with the 80, the high beams are pretty decent, so you might consider putting 100w bulbs in those eurobeams to really see a difference. I did this on my 4R (euro conversion 200mm squares 55/100 H4) 100w H1 in the R2000's I named these the Deerslayers.

HTH

Scott Justusson

 

[Bruneti]

Yotafan, check out slee's $30 harness for auxillary lights instead. If you get the additional $6 jumper harness, it uses relays, allows you to plug and play into factory connectors, and turns on in conjunction with your factory lights (choose hi or low beam jumper).

I have an additional question for those of you with aux lights. For on-road use, can the Hella 4000 Fogs be used with the low beams in ordinary nighttime highway driving in traffic? Assume they would be mounted on an ARB in the standard locations. Would they be too high and bright for other traffic?

My offroad is a very small fraction of my total driving. Nighttime offroad is next to none. I would however like to supplement my HIR low beam bulbs for better visibility at night on the road. The stock high beams with HIR bulbs should be fine for the small percentage that high beams can be used. I'd appreciate any feedback.

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

I do not have the fogs, so I can't comment on the pattern, but judging by the shear volume of light that my 4000 euro's(driving w/ city lights) put out, I can't imagine they'd be very comfortable for oncoming traffic unless they were pointed at the ground.

Ary

 

[SUMOTOY]

Yotafan, check out slee's $30 harness for auxillary lights instead. If you get the additional $6 jumper harness, it uses relays, allows you to plug and play into factory connectors, and turns on in conjunction with your factory lights (choose hi or low beam jumper).

I'm sure a *much* better alternative to PIAA stuff, theirs tends to be a bit light on the primary wires.

I have an additional question for those of you with aux lights. For on-road use, can the Hella 4000 Fogs be used with the low beams in ordinary nighttime highway driving in traffic? Assume they would be mounted on an ARB in the standard locations. Would they be too high and bright for other traffic?

More the laws than performance really.

Fogs have to be mounted a minimum of 12 inches from the road surface, and no forward facing lights can be higher than the lowest part of the windshield.

Fogs must also be relayed to low beams in many states (I know for a fact PA checks this, big fine for no proof).

Regarding mounting, it's a tough quesiton. As a rule, fogs are the lowest mounted light and have a very sharp horizontal cut that is basically level. So if you measure level from the light mounting point, that's where the beam will go. I suspect a few lowriders won't be pleased, the question is will the cops. They do have the discretion to issue a nuisance ticket. BTST.

Hella 4000 fogs are a bit of an overkill on an 80 especially that high up. I'd consder a lense change and put driving or pencil beams in there. Otherwise what you will probably end up with is turning the fogs down, which will wash out the first 20 feet of road with a hot spot, kinda negating the whole idea of a 'fog' to begin with.

Not sure the reasons for the fogs, if it's fog, then you want to get the lights lower down.

my .02

Scott Justusson

 

[Bruneti]

Fogs have to be mounted a minimum of 12 inches from the road surface, and no forward facing lights can be higher than the lowest part of the windshield.

Fogs must also be relayed to low beams in many states (I know for a fact PA checks this, big fine for no proof).

Regarding mounting, it's a tough quesiton. As a rule, fogs are the lowest mounted light and have a very sharp horizontal cut that is basically level. So if you measure level from the light mounting point, that's where the beam will go. I suspect a few lowriders won't be pleased, the question is will the cops. They do have the discretion to issue a nuisance ticket. BTST.

Hella 4000 fogs are a bit of an overkill on an 80 especially that high up. I'd consder a lense change and put driving or pencil beams in there. Otherwise what you will probably end up with is turning the fogs down, which will wash out the first 20 feet of road with a hot spot, kinda negating the whole idea of a 'fog' to begin with.

Not sure the reasons for the fogs, if it's fog, then you want to get the lights lower down.

my .02

Scott Justusson

As stated, I would mount the lights on the ARB standard aux. lights tabs. So legal min/max mounting height is not a problem.

If 4000 fogs were used, they would be relayed to the low beam circuit using Slee's harness with the switch in the dash to override and turn them off if I don't want them on.

I haven't purchased any lights yet, but my reasoning for asking about fogs was simple. The way I understand it, Eurobeams and Pencil beams must be relayed to the high beam circuit since they are too bright to use when in traffic and don't have the appropriate cutoff pattern. I am looking to supplement my low beam circuit for highway driving and fogs look to be the "legal" way to do it. The beam pattern of a fog may not be optimal, so I am open to suggestions or corrections to my understanding of this.

 

[SUMOTOY]

As stated, I would mount the lights on the ARB standard aux. lights tabs. So legal min/max mounting height is not a problem.

If 4000 fogs were used, they would be relayed to the low beam circuit using Slee's harness with the switch in the dash to override and turn them off if I don't want them on.

I haven't purchased any lights yet, but my reasoning for asking about fogs was simple. The way I understand it, Eurobeams and Pencil beams must be relayed to the high beam circuit since they are too bright to use when in traffic and don't have the appropriate cutoff pattern. I am looking to supplement my low beam circuit for highway driving and fogs look to be the "legal" way to do it. The beam pattern of a fog may not be optimal, so I am open to suggestions or corrections to my understanding of this.

This is a tough one. I personally think that the pattern of a fog that high up will prove to be blinding to traffic. Unfortunately for us all Cibie doesn't make the Z beam anymore, cuz that's what you are looking for (a narrow scope fog type pattern).

Hella does make the 550XL which is designed to be an auxilliary low beam. I've mounted several of these on US audis and Vw's with decent results (but they are not as pretty as the R4000's). My recommendation would be to get the PIAA or Cibie hi/low aux lights with a eurobeam pattern. They are H4 hi/lows, and you have the benefit of both lights in a single housing. Relay the low side to your low beams and the high side to your high beams.

That should get you what you are looking for if it's aux lows, and eurobeams tend to not upset the locals. Those 4000 fogs are really a rally light, and I have used those fogs for cornering lights with great success. But that high up, with that big a lense, you won't make many friends on the street.

HTH

Scott Justusson

 

[SR.GRINGO]

You should also consider purchasing lightforce 240's--they adjust like a maglite. You can fit two without modifications. You can also change the color filters--I have blue, yellow, and clear depending on conditions. The filters are for spot, fog, or a combo version. I have run the Hella's--had the 3000 version and I liked them but I like the lightforce better. Lightforce also has a great gurantee.