New F/R lights from Daniel Stern- observations.

[IdahoDoug]

Scott,

I'm unclear on which ones you weren't hot on, but it appears only the brake/turn bulb? So did you check out the JCW bulbs side to side on the brake lights, or are you only comparing the tail light filament of the brake/tail combo bulb? I liked the brake filament on this bulb, but agree with you the tail light filament is no brighter even than stock bulbs. Others I liked.

DougM

 

[scottm]

I like the Narva 35w halogen taillights. They came in Narva boxes with instructions and warnings about handling halogen bulbs. They fit either turn or backup light sockets, and are significantly brighter than the original 27w bulbs there. They aren't as bright as the halogen tail/stop and turn bulbs I bought from JCW a year or two ago, but the JCW bulbs are higher wattage.

I'm not impressed with the other two style taillight bulbs, the invoice calls them "krypton". They came in plain white boxes, bases stamped "Stanley" and 27w or 27/8w. The same wattage as original. They're slightly brighter, as I'd expect new bulbs to be brighter than bulbs with seven years of use. High-pressure gas bulbs normally have thicker glass and are pointed at the top, these are thin and domed like normal vacuum bulbs.

My priority in this deal was brighter taillights, my originals aren't very bright. It's human nature to judge distance by brightness, and I want humans to stay off my bumper, especially in low-vis conditions where they tend to come in closer. Rear fogs are nice, but something else to mount, maintain, and remember to turn on.

 

[IdahoDoug]

I'll email Stern about the "krypton" invoice vs appearance and get back to the group. I'm completely with you on wanting the taillights brighter and was also disappointed. Of course I have rear fogs on both vehicles (used them every morning last week and this) but as you note you must turn them on.

DougM

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

Doug:

Can you pls post his email - he billed me Sept 20...still waiting 3 weeks later...

 

[IdahoDoug]

Sure will. I sent an email to him within the hour of #22 above. You'll like the HIRs up there in the winter.


DougM

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

Doug:

Should be ok - I found Daniel's email and he got back to me yesterday (and when I got home there was a delivery notice, so I'm now assuming they are in....three weeks later!)

Cheers, Hugh

 

[NorCalDoug]

I think the group buy went a little too well?

I got my bulbs a few weeks ago (haven't made time to install them yet -- maybe this weekend).
I got 3 of the 4 low beams I ordered, then got a package a week or two later with the last bulb. I agree with Scott though -- sucks to be charged full rate for shipping on that last bulb! I would've preferred waiting for the entire order to be filled and shipped at once rather than what happened.

That said -- I'm still glad I got the bulbs and look forward to seeing the difference. I'll post pics of side-by-side differences once I get the first set installed.

 

[mtycruiser]

I installed my low beams about week and a half ago and I was truly amazed at the difference in light output.
Today, I'm surprised at how fast you get used to a good thing and while I drive at night I do not perceive an improvement, it's as if they've been like that all the time!!

 

[cary]

It is amazing how you get used to the lights. My wife had to take my Pathfinder (with the horrible 9004 bulbs, 700 lumens low beam, no upgrade possible) home and told me when I got home she thought the lights weren't working they were so dim. The only reason I can see in that truck is the Cibie Osram Euro lamps that come on with the high beams.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Stock lights like that are miserable. Makes you wonder how most of the motoring US public ever manages to drive very far at night considering the eyestrain and mental fatigue the lights 99% of them drive behind create. A few times a year, I literally drive all night long for unexpected business trips and can honestly say I'm bummed when the sun comes up. Driving at night with near zero traffic and excellent lights is far more relaxing than daytime driving and sharing the roadway with numbnuts drivers.

Here's Daniel Stern's reply:

On Mon, 4 Oct 2004, Doug Miller wrote:

> It's been a couple weeks, but I'm getting back to you on the brake/tail
> bulb I got for my '93 Toyota LandCruiser on the HIR group buy I
> organized. As I mentioned, I'm not entirely happy with the tail lamp
> bulb being no brighter than an 11 year old stock bulb as it was one of
> my top priorities. A few in the group have also privately and one
> publicly expressed this view. Do you have a source for a bulb that will
> provide brighter tail lamps?

There are such bulbs. Their use is NOT advised! Making the taillamps too
bright makes them look too much like brake lights and tampers with the
bright/dim intensity ratio, and the bulbs you ask about have a very
serious safety problem: The rise time of the bright (brake light) filament
is much longer (slower) than a standard bulb, and *MUCH* longer/slower
than the bulbs I sent. When the brake lamps come on slower, safety is not
improved. For what it's worth, these bulbs I'm advising you don't use are
halogen 1157s.

> Also, it has been pointed out that the invoice calls this bulb out as
> "krypton" but it came in a plain white box and doesn't have a tip on it
> like a typical pressure gas bulb. Simply appears to be an ordinary
> vacuum bulb with thicker glass. Any thoughts or comments on the
> "krypton"?

Your assumption is not correct. Some high-pressure (e.g. halogen) bulbs
have a pointy tip, and others don't -- this is a function of manufacturing
technique. Most low-pressure bulbs (Krypton, Xenon, Argon, etc.) don't
have a pointy tip, while some do -- this, too, is a function of
manufacturing technique. Virtually no vacuum bulbs are still made for
automobiles over approximately 5 watts.

 

[e9999]

anybody knows if the later 80s have better lighting than the earlier ones?
E

 

[landtank]

My 96 sucked. But remember E you bought a used truck so maybe you didn't have the stock bulbs in there. Or maybe others who bought used trucks didn't either.

 

[e9999]

good point, didnt' think about that...
I remember seeing one bulb with Sylvania on it. I'll check
E

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

I also did mine this weekend (ALL bulbs, new headlamp assbly...with a Slee harness). I can tell that my low beams are brighter and whiter than stock. The high beam seem to be as good as the (cheap) Hella 100W I had in (although one had melted due to incorrect placement in the lens).

I also (finally) installed the side markers a few weeks ago - I love them and plan to put them 'out of phase' vs. the other blinkers to add to the effect. Still playing with the rear fog...

Cheers, Hugh

 

[e9999]

OK, drove it around at nighttime after switching to the new HIRs.
Conclusions: lows are not better (maybe a tad brighter but wider beam) than before. Highs may be slightly brighter but not by much.

What do the OEM bulbs show as far as markings?

Bummer!
Eric

 

[cary]

Eric, you must have the different truck. The HIR's have the same focal point as the stock bulbs, so the pattern should not change. I know with the cheap Korean 80 watt bulbs, the patter changed significantly from bulb to bulb due to very poor tolerances. Keep in mind if you were running 80watt low beams that the HIR's are not very much brighter, but have better focus and a much better life expectancy. For Comparison:

Stock 9006 bulb = 1000 lumens
80 watt 9006 bulb= 1600-1700 lumens
9012 HIR= 1875 lumens.

Cary

 

[e9999]

Eric, you must have the different truck. The HIR's have the same focal point as the stock bulbs, so the pattern should not change. I know with the cheap Korean 80 watt bulbs, the patter changed significantly from bulb to bulb due to very poor tolerances. Keep in mind if you were running 80watt low beams that the HIR's are not very much brighter, but have better focus and a much better life expectancy. For Comparison:

Stock 9006 bulb = 1000 lumens
80 watt 9006 bulb= 1600-1700 lumens
9012 HIR= 1875 lumens.

Cary

I'll have to dig them out, but I vaguely remember reading on the old bulbs that they are 55W and 61W or something like that. At least one was Sylvania. The were cylindrical in shape with a pointy end.

E