Louise Adamson

Louise Adamson

New Member
I need extra distance and area coverage from my original headlights, Trucklites are beyond my budget. Any suggestions on how to improve using the units I have? Suggestions that won't break the bank, but have maximum effect much appreciated. Cheers
 
Sounds like a good idea. Sorry to be dim, excuse the pun! But I can just replace old with new without any further work? Cheers
 
Last edited:
Louise Adamson said:
Sounds like a food idea. Sorry to be dim, excuse the pun! But I can just replace old with new without any further work? Cheers
Click to expand...

Yes they're a straight replacement for standard halogen bulbs.

Another thing that helps is replacing the headlight unit with clear crystal type. The beam pattern is formed by the shape of the reflector rather than the glass lens.

They're available complete with LR standard fitment bowl and without a parking light hole for around £40 the last time i looked.
 
blue beasty said:
Yes they're a straight replacement for standard halogen bulbs.

Another thing that helps is replacing the headlight unit with clear crystal type. The beam pattern is formed by the shape of the reflector rather than the glass lens.

They're available complete with LR standard fitment bowl and without a parking light hole for around £40 the last time i looked.
Click to expand...

+1 for the crystal lenses and uprated bulbs, it made a big difference to mine. Make sure your connections, especially earths are good too.
 
Have a Look at these 2X 7" 75w Round LED Headlights Yellow DRL LED Hi/lo Beam
I had a pair last year and they are brilliant! and only £81
eBay item number:
322216404103
Think it was vilguy that recommended them on the forum
 
There's nothing wrong with the original wiring if it's in good order, but with older vehicles a replacement part loom can definitely help. Modern bulbs are simply more efficient, and of course are an easy install.
 
zeaphod said:
There's nothing wrong with the original wiring if it's in good order, but with older vehicles a replacement part loom can definitely help. Modern bulbs are simply more efficient, and of course are an easy install.
Click to expand...

A bulb is a bulb, unless you go for the expensive ones, I literally fit dozens per week and between our shift its well into the hundreds.

Dont forget on the original set up all the power passes through the column switch, with the plug and play loom the switch just switches a relay like any modern vehicle.

I realise a new loom/kit isnt as sexy as bulbs, but my experience with fancy bulbs means I will never buy any again, I tried quite a few makes in different vehicles and all without fail ended up er failing.
 
One of the first things I have done with all of mine is to fit the Osram bulbs, cheap, quick, easy, no modifications needed. Perfick :)
 
In case anyone else needs encouraging to do this - I was in a similar position to the OP - pretty feeble headlights. So having checked out various recommendations I went for a Landreiziger loom, and crystal bowl headlights/Osram nightbreaker bulbs.
Went to fit the headlights today, but the retaining rim and all the screws were rusted and seized. I hadn't bothered to get new ones, so the old lamps have had to stay in until I can get new ones ordered.
But I went on to fit the loom. Simplicity itself. I connected the positive feed to the alternator; an earth on the wing, where the relays themselves were mounted; connected to one of the old headlamp H4 plugs; and then just connected to the headlamps.
Using the exact same bulbs and bowls, what a difference! I was amazed. Bright, white light were there used to be feeble and yellow. On dipped beam, I can now see much better particularly with oncoming traffic. I was hoping for a noticeable improvement, but the difference was much more than I expected.
About 4 or 5 years ago I fitted a pair of Hella driving lamps - 100w bulbs, wired to the main beam. This was before I'd learnt about the issue of a poor wiring loom to the headlights. On the test run tonight, the orginal lights were so bright the Hellas only made a marginal difference.
Seriously worthwhile improvement - and an easy thing to do.
 
nobber said:
How did you align your lamps?
Click to expand...

... I didn't... As I said, because I didn't have new bezels and fixings to hand, I decided to leave well alone and just use the new loom with the existing lamps and bulbs.

I'll get new bezels and screws sorted and then put in the new lamps/bulbs. When I do that I guess I'll use something like the "marks on the inside of the garage door" approach...?
 
Yep. that's more or less what I got. I suspect, if I'd done the loom first, I'd not have bothered too much with spots either.

That said, one of the reasons I got spots was for sideways lighting. I used to tow a boat a lot, fairly long distances in the NW Highlands. Big stretches of the NC500 before it became the NC500.... There were a lot of deer around. They come down off the hills anyway in winter, and seem to like the road salt... they'll come right down to the road edges in the dark. So I felt I needed a bit more light off to the sides to be able to see them better. I might still find that's something I'd want, we'll see.

Although they are 'spot' lights, rather than flood lights, I had them aligned to shine off to the sides and complement the main beam. Gives a pretty decent spread of light.

I must admit though that for my 200w, I am wondering about a pair of roof bar mounted LEDs. Again, in our neck of the woods, with poor road surfaces, and the lights being mounted below eye level, there are often black 'pools' ahead. I'm wondering if LEDs mounted above my eye level would shine down into these. If I did that, I'd take the hella spots off and sell them on.
 
donmacn said:
In case anyone else needs encouraging to do this - I was in a similar position to the OP - pretty feeble headlights. So having checked out various recommendations I went for a Landreiziger loom, and crystal bowl headlights/Osram nightbreaker bulbs.
Went to fit the headlights today, but the retaining rim and all the screws were rusted and seized. I hadn't bothered to get new ones, so the old lamps have had to stay in until I can get new ones ordered.
But I went on to fit the loom. Simplicity itself. I connected the positive feed to the alternator; an earth on the wing, where the relays themselves were mounted; connected to one of the old headlamp H4 plugs; and then just connected to the headlamps.
Using the exact same bulbs and bowls, what a difference! I was amazed. Bright, white light were there used to be feeble and yellow. On dipped beam, I can now see much better particularly with oncoming traffic. I was hoping for a noticeable improvement, but the difference was much more than I expected.
About 4 or 5 years ago I fitted a pair of Hella driving lamps - 100w bulbs, wired to the main beam. This was before I'd learnt about the issue of a poor wiring loom to the headlights. On the test run tonight, the orginal lights were so bright the Hellas only made a marginal difference.
Seriously worthwhile improvement - and an easy thing to do.
Click to expand...

Got a link to the loom you used?

@lynall - any ideas how the lights work with the NATO style central switch? I presume the current passes through that? Would an aftermarket loom fit the same??
 
Why don't you just fit a bloody great, f@ck off light bar and be done with, I'm sure your fellow road users will be highly de lighted.

Col
 
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