Best Headlight Upgrade

Considering trying to upgrade my factory headlight system with something better. Something "off the shelf" that's easy to swap out requiring little to no modification to the factory wiring harness. Problem is there seems to be a million different types. I see all kinds of labeling. HIDs, LEDs, IPF H4, H7, H10 etc.

I found this one that seems to be just a factory replacement of your old bulbs. Just a plug and play type of deal. What's the significance of the H numbers? This one's only an H2 so I'm guessing the higher the number the brighter the light.

Rugged Ridge 7" Round Crystal H2 Headlight Conversion

Has anyone else done a lighting upgrade? What would you recommend?

 

Peterson 701C 7" LED conversion headlights..
I have them in every CJ I own, my Land Rover, my scout etc..

if you PM me I can get you a price on them.. I don't rep the company, but I do carry their line and the product quality is fantastic.

 

If you drive your Jeep below freezing temps I'd go with a H4 halogen light, along with a relay setup. I've seen where LED's will build up with ice since they do not produce enough heat to keep them clear. That and you can switch over to H4s with relays for around $100 or less, whereas LEDs will usually run you $400+ for a pair of them, then you might still need to run relays to keep them from flickering. Also sometime when switching from incandescent sealed beams to modern lights you will have to upgrade your light sockets also.

 

Thanks rejeep, but those look too pricey for me. I could probably swing the $120 range since Father's Day is coming up but I don't think I could go as high as those run.

 

Yeah - we have covered this topic a lot.

If you want to keep the price down, the Autopal lights seem well-liked and they are inexpensive. The whole package will be well under $100. 7" H6024 H4 DOT EURO CONVERSION HEADLIGHTS KIT - this guy's eBay store has several choices in the Autopal lights.

Hellas are also popular, but more money - Amazon.com: HELLA 002395991 7" H4 Type Single High/Low Beam Headlamp: Automotive

If you can't afford LEDs, Google "H4 headlights" and you'll get lots of possibilities.

 

Tim, I haven't done the relay upgrade we were discussing earlier. If I went with these lights would I still need to do that relay thing? Heck at $28.00 that's cheaper than buying new bulbs and relays.

 

I would still do the relay. Headlights that draw more power will only server to further stress the current system.

I have a set of truck-lite (?) LED's that I got from a member here when he was liquidating a whole bunch of military takeoffs. They work great, and draw fewer amps so I could forgo the relay upgrade. I'm not sure I'd pay retail for them though, especially on a jeep I don't drive much.

 

The street-legal Halogen bulbs are 60W/55W so they should be about the same load as the original 60W incandescent bulbs. So yes, you can just plug in the Autopals if you want to.

I'd do the relay upgrade anyway. When the relays are in place, the switches no longer carry the high-amperage load of the lights. All the switches do is turn the relay on and off. The switches were meant to switch the incandescent lamps, and they will last a lot longer with the relays in place. This is in addition to the increased brightness with the relays due to bigger and shorter wires to the lights.

The relays are cheap at Parts Express -
"12 VDC Waterproof 5-Pin Bosch Style Relay SPDT 30/40A with Metal Bracket" from www.parts-express.com!
"12 VDC 5-Pin Relay Socket For Bosch Type Relay" from www.parts-express.com!

You can splice in where the wiring harness goes across the fender to the grille.

 

What Tim said. Do the relays and then go from there. Best 30 minute upgrade you can do.

 

Another vote for the relays and that's where I would start before buying any other headlights. I did relays only on a '68 Chevrolet and the difference between the light brightness is significant. The Jeep will likely be easier because of the way the headlight wiring is done. I'm planning to do the same to my Jeep.

 

I think the page on "Daniel Stern Lighting" is the usual - Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

 

I thought someone here did a write up on their relay project some time ago. I was looking for it a few months back and couldn't find it. I'm going to check out the link Tim posted but, I'd love to see this in a technical sticky for dummies on a jeep. It really sounds like the way to go.

 

I don't run it, but ARB makes a relayed harness for the H4 conversion. Part #M002. Spendy harness, but easy to install. I run the IPF H4 conversion in mine. XT42 55/60 bulbs with 920H housings. About $150 retail

 

Speedway motors here in Nebraska offers an fairly inexpensive headlight relay kit. Painless Wiring has one also but it's almost $200 dollars.

Headlight Relay Harness Kit

 

I did a write up using a bosch-style relay for powering an HEI a few years ago. Had a nice diagram for the relay. Let me see if I can find it again.

 

another relay basics page:
Resources - Automotive Relays

 

x2, I used a lot of this information to us relays on my Dodge truck.

 

As for me, since the '70's I've gone with Hella Vision + Headlighlights, they run these days for around $35-40 each, heavy duty housings and I coupled them with Flösser H-4's 140/100. This was all part of a headlight circuit upgrade as OE (not restricted to Jeep) use insufficient gauge wiring for headlights, curb lights, turn signals, alternator, etc. The relays for the headlights I ran into a Ford relay/fuse box that uses full sized Bosch relays. I have my e-fans relayed here too.



This PDB has positions for all of the fuses and relays that I'd ever need on my '78, and it was only $15 clams at the boneyard.