[Rooster]

I'm thinking about doing some various upgrades to get more light in front of me, because I live in a pretty rural area and worry about deer and things all the time. I have a decent idea of what I want to to, but I wanted to get other people's advice and experiences. I should also probably note that this is all with a pretty tight budget, so cheaper=better!

First of is the headlights. I don't want to do anything crazy here because I don't want to blind other drivers or anything. I was considering just upgrading the bulbs to something +30. Any experiences? And since I'm making a thread anyway and I'm not going to search, anyone want to tell me what the headlight bulbs are?

Next I would make new harnesses for both the headlights and the fogs. I've heard that this alone helps output a little bit because it avoids the voltage drop you get across the switch. Not sure I believe it fully, but I figure might as well. Has anyone made their own harness/relay setup? I'd be interested in knowing what gauge wire you used and how you routed things. It would even make a nice DIY for someone that's done it...

Onto the fogs. This is the main part I'd like opinions on. The cheapest upgrade I was looking at was a set of +90 bulbs in the stock housing. What I'd like to know is how that compares to normal Hella 500s or 500s with the same +90 bulbs. Also, what are the 500s made out of? I'd run a 110watt bulb in the factory housing, but I'm too afraid of melting it, so will the 500s take it? I know this isn't exactly legal, but I'm not that worried as long as I treat it like high beams. Are there any other good budget options?

Finally, auxiliaries. I really don't want another set of full size lights, just because I don't like the way they look, but I'd consider throwing on a set of small ones. PIAA makes some nice ones, but they are very expensive. I've seen cheap ones, but I don't know if they could throw light any better than my high beams even with better bulbs. The second part of this is where should I mount them. I don't want them to be obtrusive at all, so I was thinking about in the main bumper opening, but that's a little low. The only other clean looking thing, IMO, is to mount them in the grill, but I'm not sure how to do that nicely. I've seen night shots with someone who had done this, but I couldn't tell ow the grill was modified.

Sorry for the long post. Basically, I want more light, I don't care about the look of the light, but I do care about other drivers and cost.

Thanks!

 

[CaptainAwesome]

just to put my $.02 in... I think if your gonna upgrade headlights, go with HIDs. Those supposedly "brighter" bulbs (silverstars and the like) just cost 10X as much for a slightly whiter light. But thats just my opinion.

 

[Rooster]

I know silverstars are worthless, I'm talking about high efficiency bulb like Osram Night Breakers.

As for HIDs, I don't want the hassle of a projector retrofit, and I don't want the scatter for my main lights. Anyone swap them in the fog lights though? The kits are a little pricey for me, but if they actually have a good pattern in the fogs I might think about it.

 

[rage557]

I recomend this

best upgrade I ever did. 4 hella 1000's

 

[SleepySubie]

holy crap

 

[Special K]

I recomend this

best upgrade I ever did. 4 hella 1000's

nice.

get HIDs for your headlights, that is sufficient lighting already and you wouldnt need to upgrade ur fogs. (works for me anyways, since it's very foggy where i live.
the light is scattered though if you dont have projectors, but i dont think it's a big issue. i never got pulled over for it or got the finger.

 

[Korsch_RS]

Assuming you don't want a light bar, I would recommend:

Headlight Bulbs: http://www.rallylights.com/hella/H4.asp
the Osram Hyper 70/65W bulbs, # CP64205, I had them and loved them. only 5 extra watts, same color light, but 30% more lumen's. They worked perfectly for my stock wiring.

I had Hella 500 Amber Fogs, but I only found them useful in rain or snow. Out in the country I would recommend some Hella 500 Driving lights, preferably with 100w bulbs (assuming there's little traffic in the rural areas you drive in).

 

[Rooster]

Traffic is very very low, so 100watters shouldn't be a problem. I don't want anything as crazy like those 4 lights, but I've also seen on where someone mounted 500s on either side of the license plate, and it came out pretty good.

So nobody has experience with smaller driving lights?

And Korsch, I might be crazy, but I thought you were the one that had mounted lights in your grill. How'd you manage that?

 

[kay95]

If you want to more light get a relay kit or make one. You will get alot more light with you current bults if you get rid of the voltage drop the stock wiring has.


I wouldnt think HIDs would do well in foggy areas. The color of light is a shorter wave length of light that easily scatters compared to yellow.

 

[Rooster]

I wouldnt think HIDs would do well in foggy areas. The color of light is a shorter wave length of light that easily scatters compared to yellow.

I didn't know that, good info.

And when I was talking about a harness, I meant one with a relay setup. Has anyone made their own? I can figure it out if no one has, but I'm lazy. :jerkit:

And nobody has experience with small driving lights? That kind of surprises me.

 

[ZeroPunk]

I got the Osram ones and love them.

Osram stomps Silverstar!!!!

 

[SR 25 RS]

I recomend this

best upgrade I ever did. 4 hella 1000's

Any pics of this baby at night from the driver's view? It must be intense!

 

[kay95]

I didn't know that, good info.

And when I was talking about a harness, I meant one with a relay setup. Has anyone made their own? I can figure it out if no one has, but I'm lazy

This is exactly what I was talking about. You have to bypass the stock wiring and pull right off the battery with a relay. You can get male and female H4 connectors and make it a pull and play with the stock harness. Then you dont even have to cut the stock harness.

 

[bigrobwoot]

I got a Kaixen HID kit, and all I had to do was drill a hole in the plastic cover behind the headlight bulb in the housing. Very very bright, but I haven't gotten flashed or pulled over, so I think they are fine. I can barely tell when I have my brights on now, thats how bright they are. Pretty cheap too, as far as HID kits go. I think around $250, I dunno i bought mine from someone on nasioc.

 

[Rooster]

^ That's probably exactly what I'm going to do (the connect to original harness), should keep things pretty simple. Looks like the fogs are already on a relay, according to my manual, so I might still upgrade the wiring, but I don't know if it's worth it. I'm also looking at Optilux 1500's at the moment (not great but really cheap) and thinking about putting 100w in them.

 

[grethi]

I recomend this

best upgrade I ever did. 4 hella 1000's

Pay attention to local laws; in Washington State, we're not allowed to have more than 4 auxiliary lights (i.e- not factory headlights). Two mounted in the bumper and 4 above the bar; I've met several cops in several cities around here that have no problem writing you a ticket for that.

I've "patched together" a couple of wiring harnesses, but I'm unsure about their safety in a warm engine bay.