HIR bulbs (1 Viewer)

[Trunk Monkey]

Got the HIR bulbs from the local John Deere parts and got them installed. Man are they bright. Really bright. Like maybe too bright. Have to see how many times I get pulled over the next little while to see if it's that bad.

Anyway, thanks for the updated parts no. post and Cary for the lighting FAQ.

 

[whodat]

are you suggesting the light isn't directional enough to be a low beam?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Haven't had them out on the road yet, just shining in the driveway. They're bright enough that looking into them would cause you to squint. The old 9006 bulbs were like looking into a normal flashlight.

 

[nyk438]

Pics?

 

[IdahoDoug]

Dat,

The filament is in the proper location for the 9000 series high or low beams, so the beam pattern does not change. Unless you had crap aftermarket bulbs in there, in which case you're gonna say "So that's what my beam pattern's supposed to look like!"

DougM

 

[RavenTai]

not sure about the LC but the LX has a nice pattern with a sharp cutoff at the top, both with HIRS and the Sylvania’s that were in there before. as long as this cutoff directed a few degree's below level it should not be a bother to other drivers but still light the road well,

after trial and error I got my headlight where I want them, even on low cars I can see the pattern on the back of the trunk but not up in the rear window, this spot I came to is way off from where the bubble levels and the other thing lead you to.

 

[Safado]

Cory, you have the Slee harness don't you? What did the bulbs costs you?

 

[IdahoDoug]

Raven,

Same experience I've had since new. After a bit of frustration back in 93, I just drove out to a warehouse one night and adjusted them to my liking, ignoring the levels. For 140,--- miles that's where they've been and I really like the pattern and aim.

DougM

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I've got the Slee harness. The JD dealer I got them at quoted me $33 ea. When I went to pick them up I asked if they could do any better and the parts guy dropped them down to $28 and some change.

Driving in to work I got to test them in the dark. I really like them. But when you pull up behind someone (first car was a little sedan) you'll notice that they are bathed in light. I was waiting for the driver to flip her rear view down from the glare, but she never did.

I noticed the DS looked a little funny and checked it when I got to work. I must have trimmed the tab a little much or not gotten the bulb seated as it was just kind of laying in the headlamp. Got it clicked in and it looks great. I have the feeling, like Raven and Doug, that I'll be adjusting them down a little, mostly so that if I ever pull up behind a cop i'm not giving him a tan.

 

[fzj80kidpen]

I have been happy with wherever is in mine.
I adjusted mine with the bubbles after removing the battery tray awhile back.
They are a little high on the drivers side.
Helps to stay back a little (car length or more) when stopping behind people in smaller cars.
You can see them squirming in the light bath like a fish out of water.

 

[ryanjl]

When properly adjusted, the light will cut off high on the trunk of most cars, with not much going into their rear window.

The only issue I've ever had when behind someone at a stoplight is the headlights shining into their side-view mirrors.

Lowered ricers, on the other hand....

As far as brightness goes, even with the HIR's and Slee harness, you are still putting out less lumens than the factory HID headlights seen on many newer vehicles. In other words, you are still not the brightest thing on the road.

Also, you will squint looking into almost any headlight at night, even weak ones.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

As far as brightness goes, even with the HIR's and Slee harness, you are still putting out less lumens than the factory HID headlights seen on many newer vehicles. In other words, you are still not the brightest thing on the road.

Also, you will squint looking into almost any headlight at night, even weak ones.

Good to know about the HIDs. I had one 9006 in and one HIR and I could look straight into the 9006 with no problem, not the HIR.

 

[cary]

As far as brightness goes, even with the HIR's and Slee harness, you are still putting out less lumens than the factory HID headlights seen on many newer vehicles. In other words, you are still not the brightest thing on the road.

Also, you will squint looking into almost any headlight at night, even weak ones.

One thing to keep in mind is that most cars that come with HID lamps have projector housings or free form reflectors which control light a bit better than our reflector and lens design. That said, the HIR's are no worse than the lights in the new ford trucks when they are behind you (I know driving my wife's BMW all the time now). Also, since the HIR's are white and not a tinted or other funky color so there is little chance of them drawing undo attention from the police.