Lightforce 140s for ON and OFF Road??

[duner]

I have Hella Rallye 4000s on my truck and they are great for offroad, but using them on road is just going to cause an accident (or a nice fine). So I have been thinking about adding a set of LF140s with a set of wide yellow filters for fog and snow. I live in Central BC, Canada and often get heavy snow and rain so I am not buying these lights for a what if situation. These lights are mainly for semi rural roads, but I would like to be able to use them on the highway aswell. So for my question...

Are these lights too bright to be used for (safely) highway use with HIGH beams? If I added the wide yellow filters would they be too bright for other drivers if I was using them with my LOW beams (in rain, fog or heavy snow)?

I appreciate any input as I don't want to buy these lights and find out they blind other drivers and are going to attract COPs and FINES (like HID conversions should ).

 

[Hilldweller]

I have Hella Rallye 4000s on my truck and they are great for offroad, but using them on road is just going to cause an accident (or a nice fine). So I have been thinking about adding a set of LF140s with a set of wide yellow filters for fog and snow. I live in Central BC, Canada and often get heavy snow and rain so I am not buying these lights for a what if situation. These lights are mainly for semi rural roads, but I would like to be able to use them on the highway aswell. So for my question...

Are these lights too bright to be used for (safely) highway use with HIGH beams? If I added the wide yellow filters would they be too bright for other drivers if I was using them with my LOW beams (in rain, fog or heavy snow)?

I appreciate any input as I don't want to buy these lights and find out they blind other drivers and are going to attract COPs and FINES (like HID conversions should ).

You can tint any lens to selective yellow and do as good a job as Lightforce; I wouldn't pay their premium price for their product.
My main problems with Lightforce are their ridiculous bulb choices (try to find a replacement on the road) and their refusal to conform to standards.
Their variety of dubious filters are also pretty shady (pun intended). Claims that the blue filter help in any condition are false and laughable.

I tinted the lenses on my HIDx lights to selective yellow and they work great.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=254261

I see you asked the same question on CPF; wait 'til they unload...

 

[AlexJet]

I have Hella 4000 Euro on my truck (3 of them) and they perfect off-road and awesome on-road. I use them sometimes and never mentioned they are bad. What do you mean by saying they are not good for on-road? This is one of the best lights on the planet and in my personal opinion/experience better then LightForce.

 

[Scott Brady]

I have the 140s on the A-pillar of the Overland JK. They are excellent little lights and being tough, can take a beating (think branches, etc.). I adjust them to full spot and get very little light reflection off the hood.

170s are on the bumper.

 

[duner]

I have Hella 4000 Euro on my truck (3 of them) and they perfect off-road and awesome on-road. I use them sometimes and never mentioned they are bad. What do you mean by saying they are not good for on-road? This is one of the best lights on the planet and in my personal opinion/experience better then LightForce.

I never said I did not like them, however I do believe using them on the road is eventually going to cause an accident because the amount of glare they have, even on semi-rural roads (say 1 car every 15min). I do not think there is a better light out there for throwing the amount of light they do and they have a great pattern (I have the Eurobeams as well), I have never wanted more light offroad than these provide.

The reason I am thinking about adding a set of lightforce is the fact that I can use them in the snow and fog, and have a decent set of driving lights as well.

 

[duner]

I have the 140s on the A-pillar of the Overland JK. They are excellent little lights and being tough, can take a beating (think branches, etc.). I adjust them to full spot and get very little light reflection off the hood.

170s are on the bumper.

Ah somebody who is not speculating about their performance ...

How much glare do they cause (compared to your high beams), when properly aimed at the road? Have you experimented with different filters (although I am sure you don't get too much snow in AZ)?
THANKS

 

[Hilldweller]

Ah somebody who is not speculating about their performance ...

....and somebody who had them as a sponsor....

 

[Scott Brady]

Lightforce is not a sponsor, and has never been a sponsor.

Effective 1/1/2010, Expeditions West cancelled all sponsorships.

 

[shawkins]

The 140's use a 65w bulb dont they? That should be fine for street use. Lightforce makes a variety of different wattage bulbs for their lights.

 

[apsilon]

I have a set on my Pajero with a set of wide filters but the only snow I've seen is in pictures.

They do add a bit of width (I have OEM HID low which remain on with the OEM halogen high) but not much. I use them on the highway regularly though obviously not if there's anything within half a mile of me as they come on with my highbeam (required by law) and my highbeam has a fair bit of reach. I'm only using them as I had them from a previous vehicle and have been waiting for the Genesis to be released but it seems that's never going to happen.

If you can get them cheap they might be worth a look depending on your stock lighting but don't expect miracles from them IMO.

As for bulb availability they're a standard Philips type bulb though I can't recall the models. If you goog lightforce philips bulb you should be able to find the info. Maybe Philips bulbs aren't common in the US?

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Why not try a pair of Hella FF1000's, and tint them the way Hilldweller did his. I'm using them with 100W bulbs, and never had a problem with glare. Though obviously, you have to turn them off when there is oncoming traffic. I wouldn't even think of using them when there is oncoming traffic. Hella 500FF's might work for that, and the beam pattern is a little flatter. Even still... driving lights are not intended to be used with oncoming traffic.

 

[HB 4X4]

As far as brightness they will destroy the lesser brands, however I cannot comment on how they would work on-road other than you are only allowed 4 forward facing lights of a certain wattage. Just check the specs and laws in your area, and make sure you don't have more than 4 lights (2 pairs) on while using them (fogs, low beams, etc).

 

[java]

any light aimed low enough will be ok, but they will have to be aimed VERY low. normal headlights have a upper cut off in them. most aftermarket lights dont.

 

[sargeek]

The Hellas you have is driving lights, and should be wired to work with your high beams. When your brights are on, then the Hella's should then come on. If you dim your brights, then the driving lights should then turn off. Especially if you are using them "On road" with traffic. On some of my vehicles I use a SPDT switch that in one on position the lights turn on and off with the brights, and in the other on position the lights with turn on regardless.

My guess is that the light force lights even with the filter on with behave like the Hella's with the cornering beam patter. The cornering beam is still not intended to be used with on coming traffic.

It seems from your positing that you are interested in a "Foul weather light", or lights to be used in bad weather in the snow and rain. Fog lights would be much better for this application. The fog lights should be operated with the low beams and turn off with the brights. Again, I like to use a SPDT switch so I can manually turn the lights on when off road.

Currently, I am planning on mounting a single Rally 4000 "cornering beam, and a single Rally 4000 "Euro-beam" on my bumper, with a pair of fog lights.

I am really interested in the Light Force lights. I have used Hella and Bosch lights, but they are big and heavy and difficult to keep aimed. I have even had the stabilizers mounted to the top of the lights to help keep them from moving. The LF lights seem to have that problem solved. They also seem pretty indestructible, and are used by the Alaska Highway Patrol, and on some emergency vehicles in Sweden and Denmark. What is really holding me back from switching over to LF lights is optics. I do not need long range pencil beam lights, which I think the LF lights excel at and have the filters that could be fun to play with. I also like the "city" light feature in some of the Hella lights, again a fun little feature.

So good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Scott Brady]

The Rally 4000 is a best of breed light, if you have the room for it.

Overland Journal just completed the most comprehensive lighting test ever conducted in the US, and it includes lights from PIAA, HELLA, Warn, IPF, Baja Designs, KC, Rigid and Lightforce. It comes out in the next issue (Gear).