Front end and Lights on a DD.

rich1833

rich1833

Observer
I need some help on front end of my jeep. This is my Daily Drver / Weekend Warrior. I'm looking for some lights that can be used both on and off road. Something that will not blind other drivers 4 blocks away but, allows me as the driver to see the roads better. I like the look of 6''-9'' round lights more then the square ones. The front end on my vehicle has changed looks a few times but I still have the stock fog lights that don't work so well. I believe the stock lights are 6" in size. Anybody have any suggestions.


Stock...




1st round.. Cut the ends of the stock bumper.




2nd round..Changed out fenders.








3rd round..Moving stock lights around.

I moved then in to see what it would look like.


I made some cheap brackets just to test out the locaction.
 
E

ExplorerTom

Explorer
Hella 500 (black magic or regular) are good driving lights. 55w so they aren't super bright but get powered via a relay so they appea brighter than your 55w headlights.
 
K

kojackJKU

Autism Family Travellers!
I would install a set of hella super 7 housings with recommended bulbs and a wiring harness from rallylights. ( not breaking the bank then. If you want the best light, get a set of truck lites.) Install a set of hella 500 driving beam lights in place of your stock fogs and wire them up to fire on your high beams. No matter what light you choose, anything bright to see farther down the road will annoy on coming drivers. So, having them trigger with your high beams will be a good idea so when traffic is coming you can turn them on without hitting extra switches etc. I then would install a set of 55w HID into the 500s to have serious light down the road. I have this setup with trucklites in my headlights and it works awesome. The upgrade to the super 7 housings with good bulbs and harness will give you much better light than the stock sealed units and the hid converted 500s will give you the long range light when needed. HID in the 500 driving beam housing works great, no hot spots, no black spots just even light a long way out. We measured about 1000m of light from mine.

I would say this would be the best most cost effective setup to get a massive upgrade in light in front of your rig.
 
C

comptiger5000

Adventurer
Basically anything that's not a fog light pattern should only be used with high beams. Driving or spot patterns will blind other drivers just like you having your high beams on, so in my book, it's worth getting good ones and triggering the relay from the high beam circuit.

If you need better low beams, it's time to look at upgrading the stock headlights with either better housings or a projector retrofit.

On my ZJ, I run the better euro-spec headlights with 55/100 bulbs (55w low, 100w high), 2x 130w pencil beams and 2x 100w driving beams (both sets of these come on with the high beams). And there's a set of 85w yellow fogs (can run with low beams or just parking lights) for when the weather gets bad. On low beam, it doesn't look super bright like some newer vehicles (doesn't throw as much of a light splash right in front of you) but it lets you see very well and doesn't blind other cars. On high beam, well, it's like turning on the sun. The beam spread is nice and wide and it'll light up the side of a hill half a mile away. This does require being extra-careful about killing the high beams for other traffic, as it will cause them severe pain and trouble seeing very quickly.
 
tarditi

tarditi

Explorer
I had great luck with my Hella 500s, but found that the covers just didn't hold up. When uncovered, they were subject to lens damage from rocks. I didn't care for their wiring packages, so replaced most of it with heavier gauge and better switches.

Do you want LED, HID, or typical halogen lights? Is power consumption an issue?
 
rich1833

rich1833

Observer
tarditi said:
I had great luck with my Hella 500s, but found that the covers just didn't hold up.
Do you want LED, HID, or typical halogen lights? Is power consumption an issue?
Click to expand...

The stock fog lights on my jeep are Hella lights. Im not sure what model. http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...yellow-Jeep-LJ-build-up?p=1794151#post1794151


As far as LED, HID or Halogen goes I really don't have a preference. All seems to have pros and cons. I have been hearing about Daniel Stern and all the good stuff he is saying about Cibie lights. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008DQV88Q...UTF8&colid=CP88KI3MNBDE&coliid=I1ZRFNAIGMS4QU The trucklights look great but cost is little over $250 more. Are they worth it? http://www.amazon.com/Wrangler-Head...id=1449243652&sr=8-2&keywords=trucklight+jeep
 
K

kojackJKU

Autism Family Travellers!
rich1833 said:
The stock fog lights on my jeep are Hella lights. Im not sure what model. http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...yellow-Jeep-LJ-build-up?p=1794151#post1794151


As far as LED, HID or Halogen goes I really don't have a preference. All seems to have pros and cons. I have been hearing about Daniel Stern and all the good stuff he is saying about Cibie lights. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008DQV88Q...UTF8&colid=CP88KI3MNBDE&coliid=I1ZRFNAIGMS4QU The trucklights look great but cost is little over $250 more. Are they worth it? http://www.amazon.com/Wrangler-Head...id=1449243652&sr=8-2&keywords=trucklight+jeep
Click to expand...
\

Oh god, stay off the stern cult website. They are worse than scientoligists at coming after the almighty doubters.....There is more bull**** thrown around there than a cattle farm. Truck lites are totally worth it. Again, HID in the hella 500 housings are AWESOME. I have run them since 2008 and they still out perform multiple light bars my friends have. all for hundreds less. He is saying great stuff about CIBIEs because he sells them. Simple. They are good, but there are better out there.
 
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