Additional Lighting

[TXANGLER]

Since my X is primarily used on road or FM roads, I would like to add additional lighting up front. My first thought was the higher wattage replacement bulbs (not blued). Any suggestions? Brand experience? Bulb life? etc.

Second would be to add a Bull Nose with KC Daylighters (150W) attached. Has anyone seen a Bull Nose for the X?

[AJ'sDad]

I just ordered a heavy duty lighting harness and a pair of 55/100w clear bulbs from www.suvlights.com

The harness was $35 and the bulbs were $30. The best prices I had found on these prior to this was $50 and $80 respectively.

The new harness will protect me from melting sockets and burning wires in addition to providing higher voltage to the bulbs.

The guy I spoke with was really sold on the the new harness. I agreed, the stock wiring must be pretty flimsy after hearing all the horror stories on this board about people melting sockets.

[350sd]

AJ`s DAD

can you tell me anymore about the new lights and wire harness you put in.how do you like it and did you get that much more light out of this setup.anything you haave to offer would be great.I tryed to e-mail you but would not give your e-mail out so you can e-mail me if you would like.

Thanks A Bunch

[AJ'sDad]

If anyone ever needs to reach me, I always answer any "private message" I get from this website. I don't like posting my e-mail address for the world to have access to.

I don't have the new parts here yet, but I know how the harness is made. It consists of 2 new heavy-duty sockets, a relay, a postive power connection and grounds near the new sockets.

What I really like is that the relay is switched by using one of my original sockets and plugging it into a fitting on the harness. This way there is no cutting or splicing anywhere on the harness and the power for the lights is coming directly from the battery and not through the factory switch.

The bulbs are nothing fancy, just plain 55/100w halogens made in Korea.

I don't care what any manufacturer says, no light with a coating on the bulb can be brighter than a clear bulb of equal wattage.

[AJ'sDad]

I got an email this morning telling me that the 55/100w bulbs I ordered won't be in for at least a week.

He is going to send me the harness early though. That's a good thing. This way I can compare the bulbs with stock wiring and with the aftermarket wiring.

[POS]

Just offering my experience with lights.

I have the Hella Rallye 4000s with the Euro beam. I've owned other off-road lights (all driving lights) and I must say these are the best yet.

Large, yes, but extremely effective. Fog lights shine a beam too far outward and most driving lights shoot too "pencil" forward.

The 4000s have a beam that shoots far and wide and bright (100w beams). Everyone who gets in my truck on a dark night on a dark road ends up saying "Holy cow!" - which just confirms my own biased opinions about these lights. They're the best I've ever owned.

And if you buy the Hella wiring harness, install is simple. You just run/tie the wires, plug them into the lights, mount your switch (already wired), and hook them up to the battery. I didn't even need wire cutters. Simple.

I'm awfully impressed with Hella's quality.

[AJ'sDad]

The salesman at www.suvlights.com told me that he has, or will have, a kit to retrofit existing Hella lights to HID.

It's cheaper to buy the Halogen Hellas and re-fit them than it is to buy the HID hellas brand new. Plus, they don't look like the HIDs and are probably less likely to be stolen.

[bigdave]

Ok, Here is one for everyone who wants better lighting. A little work but....take a look this is different.

http://www.sportruck.com/events/ctj01/14.htm

[ceferino]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by AJ'sDad:
I don't care what any manufacturer says, no light with a coating on the bulb can be brighter than a clear bulb of equal wattage.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

WOW! A man who thinks things through! [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] All you have to do is think a little bit to realize how useless blue bulbs are. In fact, blue bulbs are worse than worthless. They light up the road less but make more glare. And they give cops a great, obvious, glaring reason to pull you over.

I am fighting the melted socket syndrome too. I've been running 80/100w white bulbs for over a year now. They do NOT compare to real E-code lights, but they are a little better than stock bulbs. I'm on my second set of sockets. Actually, melted sockets aren't so much the problem as is overheated connector pins. If I hold on flash-to-pass more than a few seconds, the ground pin overheats and oxidizes. Then one headlight goes dim and grounds back thru the relay for the Hellas. Those heavy-duty sockets sound like a great addition.

I also added cheap amber fogs and wired them as DRLs, always on with the igntion. That adds a little more light under the headlights.

And I mounted some Hellas driving lights on the SafariGard bumper, wired in parallel with my high beams, on relays of course. See photos below.

BTW, the best prices on regular white bulbs in high wattage is JC Whitney (jcwhitney.com). Strange but true! [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[AJ'sDad]

Reno,

Have you tried putting some di-electric (sp?) grease on the pin connections?

That should help your contacts and reduce your oxidation problem. I'm going to use some grease on my 55/100w bulbs if they ever come in. [img]images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]