HID Lights

[JamesW]

I did a retro fit on my truck too, made a nice difference on the drivability at night, got 4300K HIDs in it. The 7" round headlights on mine were a bit of a pain, I ended up buying a total crap set of chinese round headlights, making a jig, cutting them around the edge straight, got a flowerpot, stuck the bottom half of the light into the flowerpot with tec7 and stuck the lens back on, it earned me a bit more depth

The ones you need are the H1 bi-xenon, they come with a h4 adapter plate. You take the front lens off the headlight, put the projector in from the front, and put the adapter plate on the back, and tighten it down. The adapter plate has little tabs on it in the same pattern as a h4 bulb, so it locates the projector in the correct orientation

 

[nwoods]

In case you are wondering lighting is what I do for a living

I have often wondered. I kinda thought maybe you were a mechanic

 

[Eric M]

Could you elaborate on why you're against 'higher wattage' bulbs?

Bulbs are standardized devices including a power envelope which the reflector and lens assemblies are designed around. There is also the maximum allowable light output specifications which the whole assembly is also designed around.

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

Bulbs are standardized devices including a power envelope which the reflector and lens assemblies are designed around. There is also the maximum allowable light output specifications which the whole assembly is also designed around.

I comprehend what you're saying, but you do not clarify if that's the engineering intention, possibly for DOT safety regulations or if it's the real world results. I've had experience showing higher foot candles produced via higher wattage lamps, additional glare is present, but sacrifices are made when working with a single point light source. Will it present more light pollution to oncoming drivers? Definitely, but that's what you get when going with a low-budget upgrade like beefed up wattage and a jumper harness. The projector set and HID's are the most considerate and most effective lighting solution we've discussed so far, but they're on the other end of the budget spectrum. Even the addition of 7" halogens is more intrusive to oncoming traffic.

 

[Eric M]

I comprehend what you're saying, but you do not clarify if that's the engineering intention, possibly for DOT safety regulations or if it's the real world results. I've had experience showing higher foot candles produced via higher wattage lamps, additional glare is present, but sacrifices are made when working with a single point light source. Will it present more light pollution to oncoming drivers? Definitely, but that's what you get when going with a low-budget upgrade like beefed up wattage and a jumper harness. The projector set and HID's are the most considerate and most effective lighting solution we've discussed so far, but they're on the other end of the budget spectrum. Even the addition of 7" halogens is more intrusive to oncoming traffic.

It's how lights are engineered due to the laws of physics. You need to be able to create something that will minimize glare and withstand the heat output. Excess glare is never acceptable, and it is illegal to make this modification. The projectors and HIDs aren't better, either, as the lighting assemblies must be engineered as an assembly with a specific source of light in mind.

 

[BEG]

There are plenty of retrofits out there, some done very cleanly, but the bottom line is they aren't legal and could be a liability should you be in an accident. I'd experiment with a bulb upgrade first. If it's not enough, add some driving lights. If you really want the best of the best HID setup that's 100% legal, I'd do the 7" round headlight conversion (I think Toasty has done it on a few rigs) and get the Hella Bi-Xenon 90mm projector setup from Susquehanna Motorsports. It's not cheap but it's the best thing out there since it's a completely engineered unit and it's DOT approved.

 

[billygoats]

There are plenty of retrofits out there, some done very cleanly, but the bottom line is they aren't legal and could be a liability should you be in an accident. I'd experiment with a bulb upgrade first. If it's not enough, add some driving lights. If you really want the best of the best HID setup that's 100% legal, I'd do the 7" round headlight conversion (I think Toasty has done it on a few rigs) and get the Hella Bi-Xenon 90mm projector setup from Susquehanna Motorsports. It's not cheap but it's the best thing out there since it's a completely engineered unit and it's DOT approved.

Here is a drivers view of my "illegal" retrofit. Obviously due to the sharp cutoff, there is zero oncoming glare. Light output is only where it is aimed....directly onto the road, not into oncoming drivers eyes.

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

he's just advising within the limits of the law and liability, it's appreciated i think, but most people don't care about breaking lighting laws, everyone breaks a law or two when driving or modifying their vehicles. It's up the the owner ultimately and most advice given here is simply about function, unrelated to the law.

 

[BEG]

Here is a drivers view of my "illegal" retrofit. Obviously due to the sharp cutoff, there is zero oncoming glare. Light output is only where it is aimed....directly onto the road, not into oncoming drivers eyes.

Looks good! I hope you didn't think my comment was a dig at you or anyone else that's done the retrofit. For all intents and purposes, if done right, it's safe. And, unless you install some obnoxiously high color temperature that makes your lights look purple, it's unlikely you're going to get pulled over. My fear is being involved in some litigation resulting from an accident where, regardless of how demonstrably safe my retrofit might be, the non-DOT approved mod gets me in hot water. The odds are slim, but it's the kind of thing that keeps some of us up at night