[RavenTBK]

Third Generation headlights... whats up? [still going]

Okay, I've asked a similar question once before and got no real results.. so I'm gonna switch things around a bit and see what falls from the tree.

The "aerodynamic" headlamps on my 89 are pure junk. The light dispersion pattern is horrible. They send so much light up in the air on the trees and crap and hardly none down on the road. Dont even think about high beams.. even less gets on the road. My headlamps have been properly aimed on several occasions by myself, and by two different shops that deal with state inspection agencies. The amount of light that actually gets on the road is practically nil.

The current measurments of the casings are 10.5wx8.25h. My question is, does anyone know of any "drop in" replacements for these crappy aerodynamic pastic things? I see altezza type and other replacements for the 92-96 forth generation aero headlamps.. but nothing for my particular year block.

What about this. The original H6024 lights on the 80-86 years are of a smaller size than whats currently in there. Anybody know if the mounting holes still exist behind the aeros that will allow me to mount the old school type bucket in there and put in some sealed beam halogens? I'd rather not pull apart the front ends on both my old 82 and the 89 for this swap only to find I cant do it.

I'm not wanting to rework the entire front clip, just get a better forward lighting solution that I can take care of in a few hours. I've already looked into it, and faglights are not a solution.

I really want to go the sealed beam swap.. my 1980 280ZX puts more light on the road and more out there on high with its 9 year old sealed beams and 20 year old technology.

Any thoughts?

 

[Tunedup]

Have you lights yellowed with age? If so that could be part of your problem. To get rid of the yellow all you have to do is get some rubbing compound like you use on paint and a towl and rub the piss out of them they will look like brand new when your done. If they havent yellowed I would look and see if there is some halogen lights available for your model.

 

[RavenTBK]

Have you lights yellowed with age? If so that could be part of your problem. To get rid of the yellow all you have to do is get some rubbing compound like you use on paint and a towl and rub the piss out of them they will look like brand new when your done. If they havent yellowed I would look and see if there is some halogen lights available for your model.

My casings are new. Left is three weeks ago NOS from Ford, and the right is junkyard refurbished to just about new about three months ago. The ones I pulled out were yellow nasty cracked stuff.

As for "halogens", I'm already running 90/130watt relayed tubes. 14.1v at the connectors. Its just the horrible dispersion pattern of the lenses I have an issue with.

 

[KENNY]

go to ebay and type in 87-91 bronco in the search space... the first things it will show are a variety of different headlight assemblies and bulbs...

 

[Chris85xlt]

trash the housing, then make a new housing to fit these

i found them here http://catalog.com/susq/hella/90mm.htm

 

[RavenTBK]

trash the housing, then make a new housing to fit these

{image}

i found them here http://catalog.com/susq/hella/90mm.htm

Hmm... that would be interesting. And they appear to be just the right size to fit into the old stock hole. The only thing I fjeer about it is the "rice factor".

 

[RavenTBK]

Actually, that web site also has the 200mm ECE conversion housings. Ideally, that is what I'd want to go to, but that all depends on if the old school sealed beam buckets and adjusters will mount up to my front clip without any major mods. Anybody able to chime in on this?

 

[Crazed]

This is what it looks like back there....

 

[BARTnRED]

I don't have that problem with my '89's lights. As a matter of fact, it puts out a better beam than my '94.
I was thinking about replacing the yellowing platic, but I'll give that rubbing compund trick a try first. Thanks!!!

 

[Jaxboro]

What about upgrading your wiring? I believe there are a couple write-ups on that if you do a search. That might help put more light on the road.

 

[Max]

I don't see why this problem can't be solved by installing a pair of KCs, Hellas, or PIAAs on the front of your truck. It won't take long at all...Hellas are sold off the shelf at Pep Boys and Advance Auto Parts. But if you choose to modify the stock lighting of your truck then suite yourself. :shrug

 

[SquattyD]

most states require that all non head, fog or high beam lights be covered at all times on the road. therefore, you cannot use your hellas or kc's or whathaveyou for normal driving.

you can only use them on the trail, so in order to get better lighting you have to upgrade your normal lights. in some states, the use of fog lights in situations that do not require it is also illegal.

http://www.brightheadlights-hid.com/select_your_vehicle.htm

pricey, but they prob work.

 

[Max]

most states require that all non head, fog or high beam lights be covered at all times on the road. therefore, you cannot use your hellas or kc's or whathaveyou for normal driving.

you can only use them on the trail, so in order to get better lighting you have to upgrade your normal lights. in some states, the use of fog lights in situations that do not require it is also illegal.

http://www.brightheadlights-hid.com/select_your_vehicle.htm

pricey, but they prob work.

Back in PA they had a similar rule, only that all the lights on the front of the truck had to be wired into either low beams or high beams....which basically means the only lights fit to be on the front of your truck are snow plow lights. As far as them having to be covered up during on road travel, I've heard of that...but the only person that I knew that ever got pulled over by that was my friend in his pickup that had a light bar mounted on his roll bars in the back of his pickup. Even that situation was rare because it was just a picky police officer that felt like pulling somebody over. Run 'em with the covers on during the day and then take the covers off at night.

If you want to change them that bad then get some snow plow lights. In fact there is a company that makes a set of snow plow lights that looks like the '87 - '91 aero style Headlight/parking light setup. You can replace it or just add the snow plow lights so you have double turn signals and high/low beams.

 

[Brieldo]

Anybody smell an HID conversion write-up coming along?


*mwahaha*

 

[RavenTBK]

Crapload of responses from me being out for the weekend

said by Brieldo:

Anybody smell an HID conversion write-up coming along?


*mwahaha*

Just maybe you do... heh. Depends on what all else I can find.

said by Max:

If you want to change them that bad then get some snow plow lights. In fact there is a company that makes a set of snow plow lights that looks like the '87 - '91 aero style Headlight/parking light setup. You can replace it or just add the snow plow lights so you have double turn signals and high/low beams.

But I live in sunny Florida. I'd look like a yank with those bug antennae on the front of my beautiful horsesh!t.

said by Jaxboro:

What about upgrading your wiring? I believe there are a couple write-ups on that if you do a search. That might help put more light on the road.

Already did. Note my post in response to Tunedup. Already got the nifty 4 relay system in place, using 10g wire. I've got 14.1v at the connectors. All possibilities have been dealt with. Its just lens alternatives I'm looking to find.

said by Crazed:

This is what it looks like back there....

Interesting... does anybody have a similar pic of an 82-ish (2nd gen) FSB? The one with the sealed beams?

 

[Chris85xlt]

my 85 bronco has the H4 headlight conversion and harness upgrade

 

[gators0204]

Back in PA they had a similar rule, only that all the lights on the front of the truck had to be wired into either low beams or high beams....which basically means the only lights fit to be on the front of your truck are snow plow lights. As far as them having to be covered up during on road travel, I've heard of that...but the only person that I knew that ever got pulled over by that was my friend in his pickup that had a light bar mounted on his roll bars in the back of his pickup. Even that situation was rare because it was just a picky police officer that felt like pulling somebody over. Run 'em with the covers on during the day and then take the covers off at night.
.

Didnt know they have that here. I have had the setup i have on the one in my avatar for over two years and never had a problem:shrug Though I do drive alot in philly, they have better things to worry about than something so small.

 

[Brieldo]

Point well taken but those lights arent along the magnitude of KC, Hella, etc. My Rallye 4000's will blind a person...use them in town, get a fine...

 

[reptillikus]

Didnt know they have that here. I have had the setup i have on the one in my avatar for over two years and never had a problem:shrug Though I do drive alot in philly, they have better things to worry about than something so small.

As far as i understood it, it is the same as nj- that all lights above the headlights must be covered while on the road. If theyre below it, youre safe.

 

[Max]

Didnt know they have that here. I have had the setup i have on the one in my avatar for over two years and never had a problem:shrug Though I do drive alot in philly, they have better things to worry about than something so small.

Well, Dave I found this out when I tried to get my truck inspected one last time in PA. I have had my 150W Daylighters on the front of my truck since 2000 and the KC 5x7s since 2001. The guy that tried to inspect my truck gave me a whole raft of shit for my 4 KCs on the front of my truck and the brush guard. Said the lights had to be wired in either as low beams or high beams...which I really don't want my Daylighters wired in as high beams or else I'll never be able to use my high beams. Then he gave me more shit about my brush guard...said it was blocking the parking and turn signal lights and the "brush guards" had to be taken off to pass.
All the stuff he told me was illegal though had never caused me to get pulled over in the time it was on the truck. Then he gave me this speech about he keeps up with rule changes and tries to stay by the law and what he does. How the Land Rovers with Brush guards, Jeep Libertys with stock Light Bars, and H2s with stock light bars(with no covers) pass PA inspection I don't know.