Paging Hilldweller and other light geeks...

AlaricD

Observer
Hilldweller what 6X7 headlight do you recommend? I have been looking at Hellas...not sure what to get.

Do you mean the 5.6"x7.9" (142mm x 200mm) for two-headlamp systems (the same lamp comprises the high and low beam functions), or 6.5" x 3.9" (142mm x 100mm) (four-headlamp system; the high/low functions are split between the pair of lamps on each side)?

The picture suggests the 142mm x 200mm size. The best sealed beam you can get is the H6054NH by GE; it has excellent focus and uses axial, not transverse, filaments for better optical efficiency. Cheap to get and replace. If you want LED, the Truck-Lite offerings are good, but you should look to the JW Speaker Model 8900 instead. Not saying at all that the Truck-Lite is bad, but the Speaker is just so much better.
 

98dango

Expedition Leader
OK so as I'm a college educated hick. I need light I personally feel the big led bars look dumb. I prefer and old school look similar to a KC light. So is there a good light I can add for faster driving off road and help finding camp at night. I live in Montana so snow is hear more than not. So would I need 2 sets like led for slower driving and Hid for the faster driving in open areas. I also need better lights on my service truck on call oilfield repair so at 2 am it's pretty dark and cow's are extremely expensive when you hit one.
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
OK so as I'm a college educated hick. I need light I personally feel the big led bars look dumb. I prefer and old school look similar to a KC light. So is there a good light I can add for faster driving off road and help finding camp at night. I live in Montana so snow is hear more than not. So would I need 2 sets like led for slower driving and Hid for the faster driving in open areas. I also need better lights on my service truck on call oilfield repair so at 2 am it's pretty dark and cow's are extremely expensive when you hit one.

I plan on adding the little Hella driving lights to the center inside of my front bumper. Have them angled way out to light tight nighttime corners up. Obviously when I have the road to myself only. My stock Ford XLT lights and fogs actually seem decent. (headlight bulbs in the fogs)
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Then I'm adding some type of rectangle or oval Hella lights to my BackRack to illuminate behind me. Again, angled waay out to light my back corners. I'll likely use driving beams, not fog, so I can reach out over the bed. (not worried about glare off the bed, this is for better rear lights when I use my mirrors for backing up, and/or use as work lights)
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I'd like to add a pair of Fyrlytes on a front bar over my bumper. But that's unlikely to happen soon. Too much $$$. My goals for camping are more light towards the corners of the vehicle. That's the weak spots of a normal truck IME. And, powerful offroad lighting, is fairly useless in Ohio snow.
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Anyone got better ideas before I pull the trigger on some of this?
 

Clutch

<---Pass
Do you mean the 5.6"x7.9" (142mm x 200mm) for two-headlamp systems (the same lamp comprises the high and low beam functions), or 6.5" x 3.9" (142mm x 100mm) (four-headlamp system; the high/low functions are split between the pair of lamps on each side)?

The picture suggests the 142mm x 200mm size. The best sealed beam you can get is the H6054NH by GE; it has excellent focus and uses axial, not transverse, filaments for better optical efficiency. Cheap to get and replace. If you want LED, the Truck-Lite offerings are good, but you should look to the JW Speaker Model 8900 instead. Not saying at all that the Truck-Lite is bad, but the Speaker is just so much better.

Whatever those headlights are in the Tacoma picture I attached. I don't know, since I do not have style on mine right now, guessing it is the two lamp 5.6"x7.9"? ..I am waffering back and forth on keeping what I have, which I don't like, the plastic yellows awfully quick here in AZ....one of the reasons I want to go the glass lamp.

Thanks for the advice.

The '99 Tacomas have these lights currently.

TTORA%20for%20sale.jpg

and want to put this grill/head lights on it.

17089d1227661461-96-tacoma-st-cab-supercharged-urd-upgrades-picture-218.jpg


OK so as I'm a college educated hick. I need light I personally feel the big led bars look dumb. I prefer and old school look similar to a KC light.

I don't care for them either, however I like the idea of hiding them in the grill or bumper. I am on this stock as possible look right now...or stealth if you want to call it.

227929d1376201364-grill-lights-round-hids-led-bar-20130317_164915.jpg
 
Last edited:

AlaricD

Observer
Whatever those headlights are in the Tacoma picture I attached.
Looked like a '96 or a '97-- then I looked again and saw '96 on the windshield. The sealed beam for either year is the H6054; the GE NightHawk H6054NH is the best sealed beam you can get to replace it. They're cheap enough to keep some spares in the garage or even one in the cabin (depends on how rough your drives are if you need that many spares). Another thing that sets the H6054NH apart from the regular H6054 is that it's a 65/55W lamp rather than 65/35 (major/minor, or high beam/low beam). So not only does it have a better filament orientation and more precision than other H6054s, it's a 55W low beam instead of 35W low beam.

Would be nice if the Truck-Lites or JW Speakers had glass lenses-- the LED will be working long after the plastic lens is toast. However, the performance of either, in new-to-very-good condition, will still outstrip the H6054NH.
 

Clutch

<---Pass
Looked like a '96 or a '97-- then I looked again and saw '96 on the windshield. The sealed beam for either year is the H6054; the GE NightHawk H6054NH is the best sealed beam you can get to replace it. They're cheap enough to keep some spares in the garage or even one in the cabin (depends on how rough your drives are if you need that many spares). Another thing that sets the H6054NH apart from the regular H6054 is that it's a 65/55W lamp rather than 65/35 (major/minor, or high beam/low beam). So not only does it have a better filament orientation and more precision than other H6054s, it's a 55W low beam instead of 35W low beam.

Would be nice if the Truck-Lites or JW Speakers had glass lenses-- the LED will be working long after the plastic lens is toast. However, the performance of either, in new-to-very-good condition, will still outstrip the H6054NH.


Awesome, thanks...exact info I was looking for!

I am generally by myself in the dirt...if I am in a group [which is rare]...I stay off the back a bit...so I don't get rock chips in the windshield/headlights.
 
I will say this in regards to Daniel Stern; I just purchased a set of Cibie housings and bulbs to replace the POS sealed beams in my 06 Wrangler and would gladly deal with him again. In correspondence with he is a bit long winded, I didn't need 4 pages of response to say "Yes, what you have planned will work."

If I hadn't already known what I was going with, would I have purchased from him? Probably, but I doubt I would have wound up with exactly what I have now.
 

craig333

Expedition Leader
This thread made me test mine on the way to work (haven't been anywhere I've needed them recently, sadly) and damn if they weren't out of adjustment. I laugh at people when I see lights pointed at the ground or up into the sky. Not me, I'm kinda fanatical at making sure mine work. Now I have to go play, I mean adjust them again. Right after I dust for prints :)
 

AlaricD

Observer
Awesome, thanks...exact info I was looking for!
You're welcome!

I am generally by myself in the dirt...if I am in a group [which is rare]...I stay off the back a bit...so I don't get rock chips in the windshield/headlights.

The windshield can be particularly bad-- the tiniest chip can get away into a long crack pretty quickly. At least with sealed beams, it's a pain but not a super-expensive pain, to replace.

Now, I need to find a grill assembly from that era of Tacoma.

Pull-A-Part or something might be good. I haven't even tried looking for such things lately.
 

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