Headlight upgrades

[Sport/Truck]

I’m considering upgrading my headlights (all 4).
So what are my options here? M&H can convert these to halogen sockets.
(I automatically though thought of the newer style lamps with removable lamps. IE: H4 etc. but not sure if that’s what he meant and will have to call back.)
I’ll have them do the relay upgrade to get power from the battery.
But do I really need H4 style lights? What are my options far as lights available and what works good? Anyone have a source for headlamps?

s/t

[Brad]

If you do the relay conversion, you might find that you're content with just that. You really won't find any brighter output with H4 style lamps unless you go with a higher wattage bulb behind them and anything higher than 55/60 is illegal. That being said, for awhile I was running 80/100 in my H4 lamps, but had them in a lowered truck, pointed down a bit more than standard.

[Lippyp]

I'm going to be fitting a HID (High Intensity Discharge, you may call them Xenon over there) conversion to mine as they have come way down in price. I have a conversion kit to go in my daily driver Isuzu Trooper as it has really weak lights too. I know a lot of people running these kits over here and they give a huge amount of light. They get around the relay issue as the power is taken straight from the battery to the ballasts and the original wiring is used just to trigger them. Plus they only draw 35 watts yet give out around 3 times the light of a standard 55 watt halogen bulb.

[danman987123]

well....wattage does not neccesarly mean more light for example a standard sylvania h4 bulb can supply about 55w...now if you are running a HID kit...they run on 35w of power and produce amout 10x more light. i do h4 conversions every weekend for chevelle's trans am, c10's motorcycles...anything....hid kits have come down alot in price and they are the most bang for the buck compared to any light on the market...they used to be 300 for a kit...now you can get them alot cheaper....buy they sealed beam conversion its like 50bucks from brothers for 2lights....then the hid kit for about 100....and spend about 30min and your done....there will be no need for you to upgrade your high beam headlamps

[olskoolchevy]

Originally Posted by danman987123

well....wattage does not neccesarly mean more light for example a standard sylvania h4 bulb can supply about 55w...now if you are running a HID kit...they run on 35w of power and produce amout 10x more light. i do h4 conversions every weekend for chevelle's trans am, c10's motorcycles...anything....hid kits have come down alot in price and they are the most bang for the buck compared to any light on the market...they used to be 300 for a kit...now you can get them alot cheaper....buy they sealed beam conversion its like 50bucks from brothers for 2lights....then the hid kit for about 100....and spend about 30min and your done....there will be no need for you to upgrade your high beam headlamps

danman, where would you get the hid kit?

[Longhorn Man]

I would honestly start off with relay upgrade, cleaning the grounds on the core support both where the lights ground, and where the support is grounded to the battery, and double checking that they are aimed properly. These 3 things will do wonders... pluss, you'll need to do it when you put better lights in anyways.

[brendonak]

don't bother with the hid kits, your lenses aren't meant for that kind of light and it goes everywhere. essentially the hid kits are too bright for your housings. the absolute best lighting you can do for these trucks would be retrofitting a set of projectors into the headlight housings. you would have to start with the euro lights from lmc truck (something with a clear lense) and fab up a mount for the projector, that way you get the proper lens and focus for the brighter hid kits. i did this on my old 05 tundra and it was amazing the light compared to a drop in set of hid lights.

[danman987123]

HA.....LOL.. i have been putting in these kits forever without any trouble....anybody can put whatever kind of light they want on their truck but nobody wants to be retrofitting projector lenses in some old houseing and making all kinds of modifications. it really isnt that hard to order a kit from any hid place and order a sealed beam conversion kit from brothers, or anyother place and put them on. takes hardly any time maybe an hour for everything and then your done. nothing burns or melts or causes problems, its just like any other bulb, just doesnt use a little filament to make some yellow light.

[brendonak]

right, i never said anything burns or melts, but the light looks like crap and has tons of glare

projectors are the proper way to do it, ask anyone.

hids are a cheap option, but if you really want to do it properly and do the increased light justice, projectors

[Dingfodgy]

Originally Posted by Sport/Truck

I’m considering upgrading my headlights (all 4).
So what are my options here? M&H can convert these to halogen sockets.
(I automatically though thought of the newer style lamps with removable lamps. IE: H4 etc. but not sure if that’s what he meant and will have to call back.)
I’ll have them do the relay upgrade to get power from the battery.
But do I really need H4 style lights? What are my options far as lights available and what works good? Anyone have a source for headlamps?

s/t

These are what I'm using. I haven't finished modifying my core support to bolt these up yet. When I get it done I'll post some pics. These are running the supplied Halogen bulbs for now. At some point in the future I'll upgrade to HID's.

[danman987123]

hid kits range from 100 to 400....FOR 2 LIGHT BULBS.... COME ON I DONT THINK THAT TO CHEAP....ASK ANYONE

[brendonak]

too cheap? what are you even talking about? i'm just saying hid's work way better in projectors, rather than stock headlight assemblies

ding-nice work, are you retaining the angel eyes?

[Sport/Truck]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not sure I want to convert to HID tho.
I'm wanting to keep a somewhat classic look, and want something that can a direct fit.
Anyone have a link to a source of lamps?
I have this Site I used for my Land Cruiser
s/t

[Stocker]

Daniel Stern's site (which you linked above) is the best I have ever found for lighting information.

Another good site is http://www.rallylights.com/. They also offer headlamp conversions and their prices are competitive.

For the money (and results), I would do the relay/wiring upgrade and upgrade to Hellas (item #H50061 at Rallylights). Personally, I prefer the Cibies that Stern offers, but Hellas are also excellent and significantly cheaper.

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Daniel Stern's site (which you linked above) is the best I have ever found for lighting information.

Another good site is http://www.rallylights.com/. They also offer headlamp conversions and their prices are competitive.

For the money (and results), I would do the relay/wiring upgrade and upgrade to Hellas (item #H50061 at Rallylights). Personally, I prefer the Cibies that Stern offers, but Hellas are also excellent and significantly cheaper.

Cool! Thanks for the link.
I ran Hellas in my 79 Pontiac Sport Coupe back in high school. I was running high wattage low beam and it was bright.
I'll look at them again, along with the Cibies you mentioned.
s/t

['68 C-20]

I took out the T4's and put in Round Halogen Sealed beams from Autozone. An astounding difference. About 6 or 8 bucks a bulb if I recall.

[67dragtruck]

I have the Hella's and they are great. I have also heard that the Cibies are also excellent. I have a cheapie set of conversion housings in another vehicle and they don't direct the light properly. It just goes everywhere. Get good housings if you are going to use drop in bulbs.

Tom

[WorkinLonghorn]

About 6 or 8 bucks a bulb if I recall.

Somebody finally talking my language.

[mrein3]

Personally I would never consider an aftermarket setup for lights on my truck. What do you do if your whizz-bang headlight goes to he!! while you're on the road? You're screwed. What do you do if a rock kicks up and breaks the light case or whatever you call it? You're screwed.

Do the headlight relay upgrade and go to Wal*Mart or ANY automotive supplier in the US of A and pick up a set of sealed beam halogens. If one goes out ANY place on the planet you're a Wal*Mart or O'Reilleys or NAPA stop away from being back on the road. And you have $100 - $400 extra in your pocket. When did $400 become a cheap upgrade? Call me Rip Van Winkle

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by WorkinLonghorn

Somebody finally talking my language.

I did the same for my chevy. Got 2 wagner Truview H6024TV replacement bulbs for $9 each. Great improvement and no relay or HD socket wiring.

GMC is H5001 and H5006 but I don't think they are the Truview just Halogen.

[Lippyp]

Originally Posted by mrein3

Personally I would never consider an aftermarket setup for lights on my truck. What do you do if your whizz-bang headlight goes to he!! while you're on the road? You're screwed. What do you do if a rock kicks up and breaks the light case or whatever you call it? You're screwed.

Do the headlight relay upgrade and go to Wal*Mart or ANY automotive supplier in the US of A and pick up a set of sealed beam halogens. If one goes out ANY place on the planet you're a Wal*Mart or O'Reilleys or NAPA stop away from being back on the road. And you have $100 - $400 extra in your pocket. When did $400 become a cheap upgrade? Call me Rip Van Winkle

A HID upgrade doesn't do any damage to the poriginal wiring so if it fails (which is unlikely) then you can just carry a couple of normal bulbs in your glovebox and simply replace the HID bulbs with them.

[danman987123]

ya thats what i was wondering but up there ^ they saying using hid's is the cheap way.....THATS FUNNY I NEVER NEW 100-400 WAS A CHEAP UPGRADE EITHER.....but ya just carry the 5 dollar normal bulb in your truck....he is right it most likely wont go out but if it does pop the old hid bulb out and pop in the new one....just plugs right in

[Highsteel]

One mans "cheap".......

[Lippyp]

There's HID kits for as low as $55 on ebay, OK they're chinese made but I know plenty of people running them with no problems at all.

[67dragtruck]

Originally Posted by mrein3

Personally I would never consider an aftermarket setup for lights on my truck. What do you do if your whizz-bang headlight goes to he!! while you're on the road? You're screwed. What do you do if a rock kicks up and breaks the light case or whatever you call it? You're screwed.

Do the headlight relay upgrade and go to Wal*Mart or ANY automotive supplier in the US of A and pick up a set of sealed beam halogens. If one goes out ANY place on the planet you're a Wal*Mart or O'Reilleys or NAPA stop away from being back on the road. And you have $100 - $400 extra in your pocket. When did $400 become a cheap upgrade? Call me Rip Van Winkle

My Hella housings did not require me to change the sockets so if the sky falls as you talk about, the $8 bulb from anywhere still goes right in and works. The only other mod there was the relay upgrade which you liked.

Tom