Headlight upgrade which ones?

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Tim4x4

Tim4x4

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I am looking to upgrade the headlights on a 2001 TD5 defender.
Currently it has BritPart halogen lights but I find the main beam lacking. When on main beam the light is spread very wide with a poor intensity in the middle just where the road is. yes it lights up the hedges on both sides of the road but little light where I want it most.
They are adjusted correctly the dipped beam is just fine (spot on with the MOT test equipment).
I would like to replace them with genuine Land Rover parts, I can go to a main dealer and purchase a new set for my MY2001 but is there any advantage of latter specification lights or have they not upgraded the headlights??

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Having tried several brands over the past few years (I have been running halogen head-lights on my LR's for nearly 30-years) I have found that most of the conventional ones are pretty much the same (I am not talking Angel Eye or Crystal here). With a normal reflector and glass lense there is not much to choose between them so if it is depth you want then a quality set of spots on high-beam is the best solution.
Of course you need to make sure that your existing lights are working correctly and there is lots to read about this but essentially you need to make sure the wiring is delivering the full voltage and that the bulbs are good. Replacing the headlight harness is a very worthwhile job (there are even plug-in kits for this now) and I have found the best bulb is the Osram Nightbreaker, fully road-legal and totally reliable.
For full depth on high-beam I have a set of Hella Rallye 3003 (also fitted with Nightbreakers) and they are by far the best spot-lights I have had.

This year I replaced the headlights for Nolden LED units. They are good but £ for £ there is a lot you can do before going down that route.

 
Crystal lens wipac have been best for me so far, the clear lens seems to pass more light than the patterned lens, the beam shape is built into the reflector. I had two minis, one with crystal lenses and the other with older patterned type. There was no comparison. This is why I fitted them to the 90.

Angel eye lights just cuts down the size of the actual headlamp unit.
 
Litch said:
Having tried several brands over the past few years (I have been running halogen head-lights on my LR's for nearly 30-years) I have found that most of the conventional ones are pretty much the same (I am not talking Angel Eye or Crystal here). With a normal reflector and glass lense there is not much to choose between them so if it is depth you want then a quality set of spots on high-beam is the best solution.
Of course you need to make sure that your existing lights are working correctly and there is lots to read about this but essentially you need to make sure the wiring is delivering the full voltage and that the bulbs are good. Replacing the headlight harness is a very worthwhile job (there are even plug-in kits for this now) and I have found the best bulb is the Osram Nightbreaker, fully road-legal and totally reliable.
For full depth on high-beam I have a set of Hella Rallye 3003 (also fitted with Nightbreakers) and they are by far the best spot-lights I have had.

This year I replaced the headlights for Nolden LED units. They are good but £ for £ there is a lot you can do before going down that route.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the detailed information, like you say ensuring the bulbs are getting the maximum voltage is an advantage. I have already upgraded the wiring to ensure minimum voltage drop and have upgraded the bulbs to Xenonultima.
This may sound like a contradiction but the light intensity is very good it is the pattern the light is delivered which is poor.
 
In that case I recommend the normal Wipac ones, I have used them a few times over the years and I think they have the better beam pattern but to be perfectly honest I have never found there to be much in it.
Reflector corrosion is usually the problem, I had some Ring units that lasted for over 8-years but Wipac are normally good for 6-years or more.
 
Litch said:
In that case I recommend the normal Wipac ones, I have used them a few times over the years and I think they have the better beam pattern but to be perfectly honest I have never found there to be much in it.
Reflector corrosion is usually the problem, I had some Ring units that lasted for over 8-years but Wipac are normally good for 6-years or more.
Click to expand...

Thank you Litch.
What I have decided to do is change the headlight units from the Britpart ones to Std Land rover fitment, stay with the improved bulbs and fit a couple of good spot lights, I will look in the future to changing the headlights to LED. I am not sure they will be a great improvement in light output but will reduce the power required to run them which will reduce the burden on the electrics.
 
I recently put a set of Trucklites in my 110, I chose them as they look reasonably standard.

A great improvement, less draw and therefore will reduce issues with the relay (on average I blow 1 every 6 months) well that's my excuse for buying them!!!

On main beam they are great, so much so I don't bother using my spotlights. Dip is a compromise, double the brightness of standard but is very focused leaving a dim patch right in front of the car. The focus and tightness of the light pattern is very similar to the active Xenon's on my Audi, so I'm not blinding other road users but can see the sides of the road clearly even with car's coming towards me.

Value for money? For me yes, not cheap at all but a massive improvement, they make the car safer definitely.
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Quick update I have fitted new headlights Wipac Quadoptic and retained the uprated bulbs I had previously fitted. The main beam is now acceptable not brilliant but much improved over the Brtipart items.
 
Ive fitted the clear lens ones and apart from a weird dip pattern , nothing wrong just different, they are remarkable compared to my old 9 very old set with the same bulbs.
 
Here's another vote for the clear Wipac crystal lamps - I've had a set in my classic mini for 8 years and they're bloody brilliant. Stop ****ing around with quad optic lamps, these are loads better.
A mate of mine has them with HIDs in on his 110 and they still throw a good beam pattern.
 
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