Fog Lights

[07runner]

Any body install aftermarket foglights? If so did the foglights make much difference in heavy snowfall, and what brand and model did you do?

 

[RonMAIDEN]

You want fog light to work in the snow well then look into a set of yellow colored ones since it's the color that makes the difference.

 

[07runner]

You want fog light to work in the snow well then look into a set of yellow colored ones since it's the color that makes the difference.

This converstation once came up on a car show I saw on TV. After the scientific explanation of white vs the color yellow, it is a myth. This was also proved to be a myth on the TV show the 'Myth Busters'. So color has nothing to do with it

Im trying to find out if after market foglights are worth the money, if any body has had experience with piaa brand. And used them during a heavy snow storm if the lights were really helpfull to them, because they sure are expensive!

 

[Spider5]

:iagree:


Color has no benefit seeing, but there is some benefit in someone else seeing you with yellow light in snow conditions because yellow offsets better from the white snow.

 

[X6RUNNER]

:iagree:


Color has no benefit seeing, but there is some benefit in someone else seeing you with yellow light in snow conditions because yellow offsets better from the white snow.

:iagree: Make sense.

 

[07runner]

:iagree: Make sense.

Could any body please just tell me if they have used aftermarket foglights in heavy snow, and were they helpfull. I'm most interested in hearing from people that may have installed piaa fog lights.

 

[abin]

me have no piaa. me have hella instead.
they are good for people to see you in heavy snow.

 

[sharp4runr]

me have no piaa. me have hella instead.
they are good for people to see you in heavy snow.

same as above

I have the Hella 500s too as you can see from my avatar. I haven't had a chance to use them in snow though but they were pretty darn good in the dark. The driving light goes for a long way and gives a lot of visibility as well as making you very visible.

 

[07runner]

same as above

I have the Hella 500s too as you can see from my avatar. I haven't had a chance to use them in snow though but they were pretty darn good in the dark. The driving light goes for a long way and gives a lot of visibility as well as making you very visible.

When you get a chance to use your foglights in heavy snow, please let us know if you would recommend the Hellas.

 

[Koz]

The whole purpose of fog lights are to see better in the FOG. If they have a focused wide/flat/short beam, that is located as close to the ground as possible, they will be very effective. As far as snow, they reflect off the snow and will only have limited effectiveness.

Koz

 

[ksneubec]

I agree with Koz. Fogs will reflect right off the snow. I have Fog PIAA 580s and they do just that. They are great lights, but not really meant for snow.

 

[07runner]

Thanks for the info about the piaa lights. Fog lights were going to be my first mod on my future 4runner, guess I will just leave the factory fogs and spend money else where. I would love to purchase the Revo tires but at this time they don't make any thing to fit the 18in rim of the Limited.

 

[abin]

same as above

I have the Hella 500s too as you can see from my avatar. I haven't had a chance to use them in snow though but they were pretty darn good in the dark. The driving light goes for a long way and gives a lot of visibility as well as making you very visible.

mime is Hella 500 amber F-lights. As you can see in the attached picture, it is hang high. I understand it would be more effective when it is close to ground, so the stock F-lights are doing the job.
If I have chance to drive in heavy snow, I will let you know how it works.

 

[NCSCOTT]

The whole purpose of fog lights are to see better in the FOG. If they have a focused wide/flat/short beam, that is located as close to the ground as possible, they will be very effective. As far as snow, they reflect off the snow and will only have limited effectiveness.

Koz

:iagree:
Lived in Michigan for 15 years drove for 11 of those. Brights are useless in heavy snow. A good aftermarket set of Lowbeams and fogs, I.E. Silverstars, is a much cheaper investment. You can find them on ebay for less that $30 shipped. I purchased all 3 sets, Lows, Highs, & Fogs off Ebay.

 

[Jeff Kleb]

As mentioned above, it is usually more about 'being seen' than seeing better yourself. I lived in Europe when I was a kid, and I recall how many cars had yellow fog lamps -- and some countries had abundant supplies (France & Italy?) of vehicles with yellow low-beam headlights.

My 4Runner has the factory fog lights, and they don't do a whole lot more than the low beams - save for some illumination thrown down on the road directly in front of me.

But at least they look cool. :awais:

 

[atomic punk]

Most factory fog lights do a good job of doing exactly that: filling the space between where your lowbeams hit the ground and the front of your vehicle. Looks cool, and it lets others see your vehicle, but don't expect them to be a practical way of helping YOU to see the road....

I mean, if you see something in that area of where the fog lights hit the ground - 5 feet from the front of your vehicle - you won't have time to stop and avoid hitting the object unless you are travelling 3mph!!!!! Useless fog lights.

That's why powerful aftermarket lights are what's needed - to PROJECT the light far away from the vehicle close to the ground. Amber PIAA 520's do exactly that, but they are pricey....

 

[Koz]

Fog light beams are focused to light the area directly in front of your vehicle, up to where your low beams start. They should be mounted as low as possible because fog usually hovers a foot or so above the ground. This is the area where fog lights are the most effective. If you could turn off the low beams and just use the fogs it would be even better, especially when snowing. All other lights that are mounted above center would be better used for auxiliary driving lights. Remember all auxiliary lights (fog, driving, long range, etc.) have different lens and are required to be mounted in different locations. Long distance lighting is best mounted high on the vehicle. The OEM fog lights work pretty good, so auxiliary driving lights would be better to give more usable lighting for every day driving especially on back roads. Good driving lights will give better lighting in both low and high beam ranges. Just make sure you know the beam pattern/cut off before finding out the lights are a problem to use with on coming traffic.

Koz

 

[atomic punk]

Good summary Koz...thanks.

"This is the area where fog lights are the most effective."

Now, what does "effective" mean?
Does it mean: You, the driver, being able to see in fog? No way. Won't happen with 55w factory fogs unless you are crawling at a snail's pace, because by the time you see an object within the fog lights' field of light (0-8 feet or so), it's too late to stop before hitting it. If factory fogs were designed to be effective in fog, then the manufacturer should allow the fog lights to come on without the LBs, which apparently BLIND the driver in dense fog due to the high reflections.

If it means other vehicles seeing your vehicle then I guess then the lights "may" be effective. Doubt it though. Not any more than low beams.

Most factory fogs are for show - they look good. I love'em, but they aren't practical.

 

[Koz]

Good summary Koz...thanks.

"This is the area where fog lights are the most effective."

Now, what does "effective" mean?
Does it mean: You, the driver, being able to see in fog? No way. Won't happen with 55w factory fogs unless you are crawling at a snail's pace, because by the time you see an object within the fog lights' field of light (0-8 feet or so), it's too late to stop before hitting it. If factory fogs were designed to be effective in fog, then the manufacturer should allow the fog lights to come on without the LBs, which apparently BLIND the driver in dense fog due to the high reflections.

If it means other vehicles seeing your vehicle then I guess then the lights "may" be effective. Doubt it though. Not any more than low beams.

Most factory fogs are for show - they look good. I love'em, but they aren't practical.

Effective to me means you can still drive/see to drive safely. It all depends on how dense the fog is. I've been in fog that I had to roll down my side window to see the center line and had the passenger look for the edge of the road to get off the road.

Koz

 

[toybox]

Most factory fogs are for show - they look good. I love'em, but they aren't practical. ....

That's why powerful aftermarket lights are what's needed - to PROJECT the light far away from the vehicle close to the ground. Amber PIAA 520's do exactly that, but they are pricey....

They are for fog only, how are they not practical. What is not practical is to use these in anything BUT fog and think they are going to enhance your driving lights.

Fogs are for fog and you can't power your way through fog by getting more powerful lights. Ever put your high beams on in the fog? makes matters worse.

And secondly driving in the fog your speed should be very limited and should be dictated by how far you can see, which isn't very far in heavy fog, no matter what kind of lights you have.