New $100 HIDs

[SOAZ]

Just a quick report, but they work great!
They actually completely eclipse the light output of my normal highbeams to the point where all I can see is the white light everywhere. It looks like my highbeems aren't even on.
So far so good. The beam shook offroad, but until they are mounted on a tube or similar bumper I will attribute that to being mounted on my flimsy stock steel bumper. :safari-rig: :sombrero:

 

[madizell]

Good tech to know. Thanks.

Picked up the HID's tonight and mounted them on the rack. They're too big. My 6" diameter HELLA's look right. The 7" look goofy. I took them back. Oh well, wasn't meant to be.

How they look should be about 4th in importance behind how they work. A one inch increase in reflector diameter increases the reflector surface (roughly) by a factor of pi (3.1416 ~) times the square of the radius. Disregarding the fact that the reflector is not flat, that would result in an increased surface of not less than 36%. The extra inch of diameter might look goofy, but it will give you a very substantial increase in performance because with a light source of any given size, more usable light is put down range the larger the reflector. (There is likely a point of diminishing returns, but not in the size range of automotive lights).

 

[SOAZ]

eepwall:

 

[Beowulf]

I have a super stout Rokmen front bumper. Driving down a super washboard dirt road will produce minimal bounce. Small enough that I'm not sure if it is the bumper/light or just the jiggling of the whole jeep.

 

[LC/LR4Life]

The ones with the red ring look pretty good, but the HF lamp just looks cheap.... Could probably take off the plastic 'guard' and paint it or something to make it look 'less cheap'...... But for over $100 each, I don't think I want to gamble on HF.
:coffeedrink:

 

[crawler#976]

I installed two of the Checker HID's on Saturday in place of Hella 500's that had been upgraded to 100W H4 bulbs.

Took a short test drive, and I'm totally impressed at the output and width of the light. The Hella's are pencil beams, the HID's are "euro" beam, and as far as I can tell, still have the reach of the Hella's, but cover several hundred yards at a 1/3 a mile.

The lights are huge compared to the Hella's, and that necessitated mounting them a bit further forward than I like on the bumper. They overhang the TJM bumper by 3/4 of an inch - not too far, but it still puts them at risk.

Mark

 

[adventureduo]

How they look should be about 4th in importance behind how they work.

I meant how they look as in 'they_dont_fit_properly' in my rack. My upper light hoop needs to be re-fabbed for a larger diameter light. The hoop is made for a 6" light. These HID's are slightly larger so the top portion of the light beam will be in the rack tube. I guess i should have mentioned that. See pic below of the rack lights.

 

[targa88]

Wish I could get my hands on a set. Unfortunately, not available North of the Border.

 

[Northern Explorer]

Is there any reason why I couldn’t use my existing wiring harness for these lights. My lights are rated at 55 watts and these look to be 35 watts so I don't see why not. It's just that I practically have to stand on my head and do some funky yoga moves in order to feed a wire through the fire wall.

 

[Beowulf]

I used my stock jeep wiring. I cut and spliced into the existing pig tails so I could even remove them easily. Stock jeep aux lights are 55w. So far I have had no issues.

 

[JRhetts]

Beowulf

Did you mod the fog relay to get them on in high as well as low beam mode? If so, on your 2006 do you have a separate fog lamp relay? My 08 doesn't, so I am trying to figure out how to use the stock wiring and still have them on in high mode.

 

[tibaal89]

I've got the same ones SOAZ does, they are crazy!

 

[JRhetts]

tibaal89

I gather that they are really pretty good. I had a pair in my hands for my 08 Rubi, but not being able to use the stock fog wiring and also have them on on high beam slowed me down - not the lights.

On the 08 Rubi it seems that the Totally Integrated Control Module handles the fog light cut off on high beam, so I am trying to figure how to work around that .

 

[obert272]

Do yall think that Lightforce 240s are brighter than these or not?

 

[Beowulf]

Beowulf

Did you mod the fog relay to get them on in high as well as low beam mode? If so, on your 2006 do you have a separate fog lamp relay? My 08 doesn't, so I am trying to figure out how to use the stock wiring and still have them on in high mode.

Yes, I did the Hi beam Fog Relay mod the same day I received the jeep. I actually just swapped out the relay from my 2003 for which I had already performed the mod.

I have not yet read anything on doing the mod to a JK. However, I am sure someong on Project JK or Rubicon Owners Forum has figured it out.