Hella 700ff's flush mounted

[Dezert4Runner]

I've been meaning to do this for some time since I've had these lights sitting around for a while. I thought it would be a better option than leaving them on the outside of the grille on the floating light mounts I had fabbed up a couple months ago right after buying my runner.

Here's the floating light mounts that I had going that I was too worried to leave my lights mounted to for security reasons. You can see them sticking out inbetween the grille & the bumper.

After seeing BLCKTPGSR's build thread where he did something similar with some PIAA's, I was determined to do that with my Hella's.



Here is BLCKTPGSR's PIAA's

I shortened the ends of the floating light mounts that were coming out the front, and took a jigsaw to the grille to cut out the shape of the lights. It took me 3x as long as I thought it would. I'm going to wire them up by the end of the week (working full time sucks when your mod list is longer than you're available time). I've had a factory fog light switch sitting in one of the available blanks in the dash, so I just need to find some time to wire them up.

Top view

I sprayed the covers with Plasti Dip so they would look a little more low profile, but I suppose I could always peel it off if I don't like it. I didn't realize how much of the grille material I needed to remove, and if I were to do it over again I would probably go with the smaller Hella 500's or similar for ease and overall fitment reasons, but I'm happy with the end results!

:cheers:

 

[GX4SEVEND]

Awesome job man. I really want to do something like this when I buy some lights

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Very nice work. I assume you aimed them right before putting them in that position?

Pretty easy to take off the covers?

I would be very interested in your floating light mounts. What do they attach to?

 

[IanB]

Very cool! Any pics with the covers off?

 

[Sherwood4Runner]

That looks great! I might add those to my stock hella fog lights sometime in the distant future...

 

[Hepar]

Very cool! Any pics with the covers off?

X2. Looks sweet with the covers. Nice and clean, but definitely want to see what they look like with them off.

 

[Tucson4runner]

i have a couple sets of hella 500's that ive been meaning to install. i really like the way this looks. not sure if i have the technique to pull this one off though. plus out here in az i dont know how this would change my radiators ability to cool. can you take some pics with the hood open. im interested to see how close they are to the ac line back there.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

Thanks for the compliments everyone!

Very nice work. I assume you aimed them right before putting them in that position?

Pretty easy to take off the covers?

They are not wired so I haven't been able to aim them, but there is more room then it appears to adjust them. The lights allow you to adjust the aim left to right, up & down while mounted. I have them pretty upright at the moment. The covers aren't very fun to get off, but thankfully they are really flexible so it's enough to work with.

Very cool! Any pics with the covers off?

X2. Looks sweet with the covers. Nice and clean, but definitely want to see what they look like with them off.

Just snapped a few pics for you guys

I would be very interested in your floating light mounts. What do they attach to?

i have a couple sets of hella 500's that ive been meaning to install. i really like the way this looks. not sure if i have the technique to pull this one off though. plus out here in az i dont know how this would change my radiators ability to cool. can you take some pics with the hood open. im interested to see how close they are to the ac line back there.

I used some flat bar steel with a 90 degree bracket that had some holes in it already when I initially made the floating light mounts. I used the same bolt holes that the horns are held on by on the top of the mount. The bottom of it is bolted to the crossmember in front of the radiator.

Here's a pic of the clearance in between the light and the AC line. I bent it a tad by hand initially thinking I'd need the space, but I only moved it about 1/2 an inch

 

[blcktpgsr]

Wow, it appears like you did a better job than I did cutting the upper part of the chrome trim half round, very clean install indeed.

Looks great!:trophy:

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Check your PM's Dezert4Runner.

 

[Hepar]

I honestly don't know if I like them better with the covers on or off. I guess you can mix it up depending on your mood. Show 'em off or stealth mode.

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

that is ****ing badass!! i love it!

 

[Dezert4Runner]

Wow, it appears like you did a better job than I did cutting the upper part of the chrome trim half round, very clean install indeed.

Looks great!:trophy:

that is ****ing badass!! i love it!

Thanks! :banana:

I honestly don't know if I like them better with the covers on or off. I guess you can mix it up depending on your mood. Show 'em off or stealth mode.

I'd rather not d*ck with the covers for convenience sake when I get them wired here shortly, so I was thinking about the clear stone shields. I knew Hella made them for the 500's, but they don't make them specifically for the 700's. I just did some research on Hella's website and found out today that the Black Magic 1000's are the EXACT same size and they offer a clear cover for them, so I think I'll get a set of those clear covers and ditch the ones that are on there now. That way I don't have to get out and remove them every time I want to use them. :thumb3:

 

[Tucson4runner]

That's dumb. If they are the exact same size you'd think someone at hella would put that it also fits the 700's. Regardless its good you noticed it. Did you happen to take anymore pics of the mod in progress?

 

[fightman80]

nice work man!

 

[tony2no]

I guess this is the 4Runner version of this, HELLAFLUSH fad?

 

[South-O 4RnR]

Looks sick. I saw you on the road the other day. Do you have them wired yet? I'm wondering how they look at night.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

I guess this is the 4Runner version of this, HELLAFLUSH fad?

Apparently I'm out of the loop on the "Hellaflush fad". Maybe you're thinking of lights behind a Satoshi grille? I haven't seen anyone running them like this around this part of SoCal...

Looks sick. I saw you on the road the other day. Do you have them wired yet? I'm wondering how they look at night.

Oh yeah, where at?

I tried to start the wiring today on my lunch break, but I started with the OEM fog switch and the connectors on the back of it are much wider than the ones supplied with the little green Hella fog switch, so I'll have to run to get some.

I'm also still trying to figure out the best place to mount the relay. I want it close to the battery so the 12v fuse going from the battery to the relay is a short distance. It'll get done, just painfully slow I guess.

 

[South-O 4RnR]

Either on Lauralynn st or Vista.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

finally wired up my lights at the end of last week & tested them out in the desert on Friday night.



Wired

low beams only

low + high beams

low + high + Hella's

I was parked on the side of the road and the lights were kinda pointed at the bushes in the distance, so sort of hard to see how well they worked (iphone pics too). I would compare these to having an extra set of high beams that have a slightly wider pattern, but nothing near a flood/ fog light pattern. Inbetween a flood and pencil, so I guess a "driving" or "euro" beam?


Overall I'm happy with the lights, but maybe in the future add a set of flood lights in the lower valence or something to get more light around the front outer area of the truck (for reference, the first set of reflectors in the bottom pic is where I'd want the extra light).