Warning on HID conversion & Clear Side Marker & Taillights

[project 67 sub]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I also hate inproperly set up HID's. If you don't hate them, drive a semi at night and see how nice they are.

i will be doing that starting in about the middle of december.......
time to start making money again

[project 67 sub]

Originally Posted by Dunenutt

http://www.gmcpauls.com/headlights.htm

are those glass or plastic lenses???

[stich626]

one little issue with this, inforcement..
everyone with a 2006-08 pontiac g8gt has illegal tail lights. per this law.

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by stich626

one little issue with this, inforcement..
everyone with a 2006-08 pontiac g8gt has illegal tail lights. per this law.

Not necessarily. I'm guessing Pontiac went through all the DOT approvals before they started offering those taillights on the back of their G8's. I'll bet all factory lights and refelectors have "DOT numbernumbernumber" molded right in the plastic. I'm guessing all the ones from China that are made for these trucks do not have similar markings.

I've been telling you guys for years that all the light you need comes out of a set of $10-$15/each halogen sealed beam headlights from Wal*Mart and the headlight relay upgrade. Heck, just try the relays with what you got before you do anything else. Taking that factory 10.4 volts (stock wiring) and moving it up to 12-14 volts off the battery through a relay makes a world of difference. AND IT IS LEGAL.

I never did get/understand the clear taillight and side marker "style".

[Dunenutt]

Originally Posted by project 67 sub

are those glass or plastic lenses???

Mine are. I dont remember where I got mine, but they look the same. Contact the thread starter, it's his web site.

[CG]

I remember back in the late 70's, or was it the early 80's? (lol so much for remembering) when we started to sell the Hella Halogen light conversions at an auto parts store I worked at. There was a bit of an uproar on whether they were legal or not, because they were so much brighter than the sealed beams.

[1972RedNeck]

Originally Posted by jtj143

What is the best option for improved headlight performance?

Get a core support/grille for a GMC and then do the relay conversion. I also have some 4 1/2" driving lights on mine. When you flick the brights on, it turns night to day.

[eightbanger]

Originally Posted by mrein3

I've been telling you guys for years that all the light you need comes out of a set of $10-$15/each halogen sealed beam headlights from Wal*Mart and the headlight relay upgrade. Heck, just try the relays with what you got before you do anything else. Taking that factory 10.4 volts (stock wiring) and moving it up to 12-14 volts off the battery through a relay makes a world of difference. AND IT IS LEGAL.

Amen!

[1badgmc]

Originally Posted by stich626

one little issue with this, inforcement..
everyone with a 2006-08 pontiac g8gt has illegal tail lights. per this law.

How do you figure? They illuminate red. They have red reflectors to the sides and the rear red reflectors are mounted lower on the rear bumper. Amber signal lamps. They're 100% legal.

[stich626]

Originally Posted by 1badgmc

How do you figure? They illuminate red. They have red reflectors to the sides and the rear red reflectors are mounted lower on the rear bumper. Amber signal lamps. They're 100% legal.

how do I figure, well how about getting tickets and fighting it in court only to loose, the g8 gt has different tail lights than the standard g8..
read up.. it's an issue, and they are the factore tail light set up.. for the gt model..
thats HOW I FIGURE,
DON'T ASSUME that the low volume gt lights have dot aproval

[1badgmc]

Testy testy.

I'm quite aware that the GT has different tails than the standard G8.

What was the ticket for specifically?

[powerdriver 1958]

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...ays-judge.html

[BOZO]

[QUOTE=mrein3;4954519]I've been telling you guys for years that all the light you need comes out of a set of $10-$15/each halogen sealed beam headlights from Wal*Mart and the headlight relay upgrade. Heck, just try the relays with what you got before you do anything else. Taking that factory 10.4 volts (stock wiring) and moving it up to 12-14 volts off the battery through a relay makes a world of difference. AND IT IS LEGAL.QUOTE]

As far as I am concerned there is not a better and cheaper way to put plenty of light down the road at night than the sealed beam halogen bulb with the relay.

[kelsfine69]

Originally Posted by stich626

how do I figure, well how about getting tickets and fighting it in court only to loose, the g8 gt has different tail lights than the standard g8..
read up.. it's an issue, and they are the factore tail light set up.. for the gt model..
thats HOW I FIGURE,
DON'T ASSUME that the low volume gt lights have dot aproval

If its a factory GM Tail light it will have passed DOT before production even started. It will have DOT and some numbers cast right into the plastic. I just looked at my vehicals and the only one that doesnt have numbers that I can see is my 2011 GMC Acadia. But I bet if I pull it out and look for the GM number it will be right there. If its a factory tailight from GM and its not DOT..."sombody gonna get a hurt real bad " over there. You would think that the courts would protect the consumer and go after the manufacturer??

[1badgmc]

Originally Posted by powerdriver 1958

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...ays-judge.html

That's pretty messed up. I don't consider them "clear" taillights since the taillights themselves illuminate a red lens behind the clear. The reflectors being separate from the taillights is no different than a TrailBlazer and countless other vehicles that have separate reflectors.

Seems more like a case of a clueless judge.

[kelsfine69]

Originally Posted by bigdogboxers

Not to change the subject but in my nice state I got a ticket for smoked headlight covers during the day.... The officer said she could not see my lights. What a joke. It was 2:pm on a nice July day. Don't even have to have headlights to operate a vehicle during the day.
Posted via Mobile Device

I got stopped for my painted ones covering my lights as well and the cop was going to write me a ticket but i brought up the fact that Corvettes and other vehicles have hide-a-way headlights and so whats the difference. He let me go Mine are just manual removal. Don't need to see them in the daytime what a joke!

[eightbanger]

Originally Posted by powerdriver 1958

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...ays-judge.html

That is shocking...seems that the problem here was the cop, he had issue with it and unfortunately the courts will back the police.
The wider issue though is that in a modern free society like the U.S an innocent motorist can still find themselves at the mercy of the law, here in the U.K & Europe it would simply not be legal for a cop and judge to find the motorist guilty in a case like this, but instead it would have to be taken up directly with the manufacturers as that is where the law was broken, and then a revue ordered of the way the whole DOT approval system works, after that there would most certainly be a recall.
The main thing being the motorist would & could not legally be held responsible.

And just incase...I'am not having a dig at the American way of life.

[hatred]

Originally Posted by hatred

This kit the same as the headlight relay upgrade?

Hello?? This thing on..?

[shawno72]

Originally Posted by hatred

This kit the same as the headlight relay upgrade?

Yes. This is the same kit as a headlight relay upgrade. Just comes all preassembled and the right length. Quick and easy.
Posted via Mobile Device

[shawno72]

Installed in about 15 minutes.
Posted via Mobile Device

[eightbanger]

Originally Posted by hatred

Hello?? This thing on..?

[Already Gone]

Originally Posted by domeier

"...The NHTSA is specifically concerned that HID conversion kits can produce excessive glare to oncoming motorists..."

"Can" produce excessive glare? How about, "do" produce excessive glare? Those things are murder for everyone except the massively inconsiderate driver who's sitting behind them.

I just back from 3 days on the road driving from California and I agree. Its pretty bad when you flash your high beams at a driver cause you think his/hers high beams are on only to have them flash their high beams at you and momentarily blind you.

[Classic69]

I did an HID conversion on my car and my truck, but I used "projectors". They are no different than BMW's or Audi's or most other high end vehicles. Its the people that do the HID swap into halogen oriented headlights without a projector to change the beam pattern, that cause glare to oncoming driver's.

[special-K]

Try driving with 6v headlights. That's how I started out and everything else has been an upgrade. In 40 years of driving I've always been able to see well enough to drive with whatever lights were in the vehicle. When they came out with halogens I started using those because the idea of improved lighting isn't a bad one. I'm happy with that.

[OJ1988]

In the G8 Link,

"But the story doesn’t stop there, with some folks alleging that Jakalope wasn’t sporting factory lights, but rather modified taillights on his car. Jakalope has since both stated that he did have the factory lights on the car when the ticket was issued (although he does have other “show” lights). He also claims that even the modified taillights, which can be seen on his Cardomain page, should be legal as well, as they continue to reflect the color red."

Seems kind of suspiscious to me. Who has show lights that they change out when they go to a car show?