E-code H4 headlight conversion with comparison pics Cheaper than Silverstars

[lancey3]

I have the AutoPals, I like them, nice lighting. BUT, every one high beams me at night because the new direction of light is right at their faces while they are on-coming traffic. I gotta fix that some how... other than that, they look great.

I have those as well. they look so much better. i still have to adjust them as well tho.

 

[1bolt]

you need to aim the housing like any other lights, more than likely your old ones were so weak that no one cared that they were pointing off into never never land There are two screws outside the aluminum bezel attached to the steel bucket for this purpose.

In VA no inspection stations ever test the headlight aiming like they're supposed to. You can tell too because one out of every 10 or 15 cars has a headlight pointing across traffic, or at the stars etc. One of my pet peaves is people who are cluelessly driving down the road with a headlight that's blinding opposing traffic. They probably wonder why they're always being flashed.

 

[lawsoncl]

Yeah, you need to point them down a bit more. I have the Autopals with 80/100 bulbs and never get flashed because I have them aimed down a hair more than usual. They really light up the road on high-beams though. Great for spotting all those suicidal deer at night.

I hate the shops that use those stick-on headlight aiming tools. They jsut adjust the orientation of the light with no concern for where the light is actually going. The proper way to adjust them is using the side of a building or garage to see where the spots are hitting. Of course if you have crappy smeared out headlight patterns it's harder.

 

[Rob Mayercik]

Just ordered a set of these less than 5 minutes ago. I've been running e-codes on my VW for a year now, and been thinking off and on about doing the conversion on the Jeep (the sealed-beams I have right now can be scary at night - must have put in the 35W low beam type by accident).

To the 1bolt (discoverer of this little nifty) - great find, thanks for passing it along.

Rob

 

[TunaSoda]

Anyone ever notice if you switch to hi-beams but hold the switch in, both hi & lows light at once, I'm wondering if there is a way to wire them to both stay on when using hi mode?

Waaaay brighter!

 

[1bolt]

Yeah, KC Highliters makes a wiring kit that does exactly that.

 

[RickyN29]

I think the major concern would be that you have adequate wiring to handle the excessive load. Also, the heat generated might cause premature failure of the bulbs.

With my bulbs, 90/100, I would be pulling a 32 amp load.

 

[TunaSoda]

This is an interesting unit: http://dodgeram.org/tech/mods/electric/Brite_Box.htm
(not for sealed beams)

 

[RickyN29]

This is an interesting unit: http://dodgeram.org/tech/mods/electric/Brite_Box.htm
(not for sealed beams)

Well it looks like that costs $90-110 from their site. This could very easily be made for about $10.

 

[TunaSoda]

Well it looks like that costs $90-110 from their site. This could very easily be made for about $10.

Not running out to buy it

But I did switch over from my stock "Wagner" sealed beams to some silverstars last weekend, what a difference!

I plan on re-doing the wiring and switching to an e-code/h4 setup in the spring

That and wiring up some KC's on the roof

 

[Slo-Sho]

Has anyone had any problems passing inspection with these non DOT approved headlamp housings?

 

[DanMan2k06]

Nope. As long as you don't have an aftermarket harness. If you just have the plug n play housings and h4 bulbs you should be fine. Now I dunno about all this 90/100 bulbs and such, but a normal silverstar in an Autopal housing passed

 

[markg]

sweet writeup thanks.are these also available somehow in the round configuration for the older jeeps? not xj

 

[DanMan2k06]

Ummm i dunno about euro code but theres tons of old hotrod 7" round lights that are far superior to stock.

 

[Daedalus454]

Has anyone tried the +80 bulbs like the Philips X-treme Power? The British mag Auto Express really seems to like them. And since they are the standard wattage they are DOT legal, according to Philips (unlike those of you with crazy hi-wattage bulbs ).

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/212937/make_light_of_winter.html

 

[Daedalus454]

Nope. As long as you don't have an aftermarket harness. If you just have the plug n play housings and h4 bulbs you should be fine. Now I dunno about all this 90/100 bulbs and such, but a normal silverstar in an Autopal housing passed

Why would they care about an aftermarket harness? :dunno:

 

[DanMan2k06]

Because that means that you have hacked into your stock wiring and changed a whole bunch of electrical stuff around. From my expiriences anything that looks like it didn't come stock attracts attention and has more potential to fail.

 

[GhostDakota]

Anyone ever notice if you switch to hi-beams but hold the switch in, both hi & lows light at once, I'm wondering if there is a way to wire them to both stay on when using hi mode?

Waaaay brighter!

This would expedite the burning process of the filiment, thus significantly reducing the bulb life. The heat would be extreme and most likely burn the filiment out within minutes (or less).

I think the major concern would be that you have adequate wiring to handle the excessive load. Also, the heat generated might cause premature failure of the bulbs.

With my bulbs, 90/100, I would be pulling a 32 amp load.

Just go to http://www.rallylights.com and purchase an upgraded wiring harness. You can contact them via phone if you need help as well. It's $79 shipped roughly and WELL WORTH every penny spent.

Has anyone had any problems passing inspection with these non DOT approved headlamp housings?

I currently run Hella E-code housings, an upgraded harness, and higher output Osram Hyper H4 bulbs (80/85 watt). I've been running E-codes and upgraded bulbs and harnesses for a few years on 4 Jeeps. Never had inspection issues.

Because that means that you have hacked into your stock wiring and changed a whole bunch of electrical stuff around. From my expiriences anything that looks like it didn't come stock attracts attention and has more potential to fail.

If you do it correctly, there is absolutely no "hacking" involved. You have one wire to the positive batt. terminal, one wire to the negative batt. terminal and one "signal" wire that plugs directly into the factory harness. This provides the relays and aftermarket harness with the signal on when to turn on/off the lights, etc. It's extremely safe and nothing is "hacked".

 

[Rob Mayercik]

Just ordered a set of these less than 5 minutes ago. I've been running e-codes on my VW for a year now, and been thinking off and on about doing the conversion on the Jeep (the sealed-beams I have right now can be scary at night - must have put in the 35W low beam type by accident).

To the 1bolt (discoverer of this little nifty) - great find, thanks for passing it along.

Rob

Had mine installed for a week or so, much better than the DOT sealed-beams I had. These things on hi-beam + a pair of Hella 550 driving lights really beats back the night on a dark road

I'm due for inspection next December, but don't expect trouble - they didn't even bat an eye at the e-codes on my Jetta, and that's with the OEM VW lexan stone shields (VW of Australia, that is) in front. Other than not knowning the difference between driving lights and fog lights, they're pretty good.

Rob

 

[RichP]

Had mine installed for a week or so, much better than the DOT sealed-beams I had. These things on hi-beam + a pair of Hella 550 driving lights really beats back the night on a dark road

I'm due for inspection next December, but don't expect trouble - they didn't even bat an eye at the e-codes on my Jetta, and that's with the OEM VW lexan stone shields (VW of Australia, that is) in front. Other than not knowning the difference between driving lights and fog lights, they're pretty good.

Rob

Pray tell, where and when can you ever use high beams in NJ....OK, maybe the pine barrens. My dodge van had 7" cibies and 4 CIBIE super oscars, I blew the meters out at the inspection station in morristown when I forgot to put the covers on and left the switches in the on position when they asked for high beams FAILED.... I was glad the station manager was my first sergeant or I might have had to pay for the meters on that roll out thing they use.
The CIBIE's are in the TJ now and world of difference, as well as the Hella 500 fogs on the bumper, still trying to figure out where to mount my old super oscars.