Headlight Upgrade

Hella German. Cibie' French.

 

I have found the sharp cutoff on some modern cars is a PIA on "rural" roads.

Going over humps and dips they are always either too high or too low, whereas the old fashioned sealbeams had a broader more forgiving way of spreading the light around usefully on a winding or bumpy road. The newer lights seem patterned strictly for the interstate.

So, "brighter" can be subjective. That said, at high speed I do like the extra reach of a 100/80 watt H4 in my Harley.

 

There is a type of lights called "city lights" that have an additional low-intensity light in the reflector. You turn on the city lights and turn off the headlights in the city, where the ambient light (street lights and such) is high enough that you don't need the intense light that is so useful on lonely country roads. Of course, this is a Euro code thing, and is probably illegal in the USA.

If you drive in the country a lot, the high intensity high beams might save your life by avoiding a collision with a deer or whatever. NB collision with deer kills more people than shark or bear attack ...

 

Poorly aimed lights are a huge problem.
When it's foggy out you get a real good look at just how far off some people's lights are! Maybe they want to see the squirrels in the trees or something...

 

Or find the ants.
All very good information posted here.
A friend used to time road races in CA and would have some long trips home in the dark. He hid some aircraft landing lights behind the grill of his Austin Healey. Certainly illegal but he could see a long way.

 

The most popular aircraft landing light bulb is a 5 3/4" 100w GE #4537. I have used them for many years on cars with the smaller diameter 4 headlight system. They are a very narrow pencil beam, and only are used on highbeam with no other vehicles in sight. They are great for long straight roads.
-Donny

 

I have a 2014 Ford pick up, lease, it came with those eye ball white head lights. I don't like them at all, too bright, people are always flashing their lights at me, they don't like it when I flash back. I don't drive much at night so it is not a big deal. I put aircraft lights in my 62 Corvettes inboard lights, back in the 60's. The lights would go off and on after the relay got hot, scary to lose your lights on country roads, it gets real dark.

 

I don't know what lights there were. I've known this guy about 40 years and I didn't know he used to preserve vintage aircraft.

 

I'm interested in this also. Having a JK if/when I upgrade my stock lights with the ones I have my eye on I'll get two sets of upgraded lights in one shot....that's a high rate of return

 

..I agree...100%

 

The biggest problem with headlights today is the people that place HID conversion bulbs in non-projector housings. HIDs weren't meant to be used that way. Those should be ticketed.

 

I'm looking at these, 7x7 H6024 DIAMOND CUT ROUND BLACK CRYSTAL HOUSING HEADLIGHT+H4 BULBS+BLUE BEAMS and these 7" Halogen H4 12V Headlight Headlamp Green LED Halo Angel Eyes Light Bulbs Pair

76-15 Jeep Wrangler 7" SMD Blue LED Halo 55/60 Halogen Light Bulb Headlight Pair


Get the wiring kit, and it cuts out a lot of extra work.

 

You might consider checking out the new LED head lamps.

And I agree, if your headlamps now are only good for lighting up 15 to 20 feet in front of your jeep, then something is not right in JEEPville. you should be able to see farther than that on the low beams alone.

 

Like Glenn I just did the halogens years ago. Don't Jeep at night.
Our streets not that dark around here.
I like them at night for highway drives.
High beams throw plenty out there.

 

You should try driving in the Phoenix/Tempe/Mesa metropolitan area. The street lights around here are so dim at night that you cannot see a white cat crossing your path.