Low Beam Aux Lights

jpeaslee

jpeaslee

New member
If this is a question that's been answered, please feel free to put me in my place (I'm going to keep looking for answers in the mean time). I'm not really happy with the low beams (or high for that matter) in my truck. The factory fogs did help in some situations (though those are now gone) but I still feel like the headlights are lacking. I could do a projector retrofit, but it seems like aux lights would be easier and cheaper. From what I can tell, LED light bars aren't something I could run all the time due to the fact that they don't have any cutoff, same with most halogen/HID lamps. Are there some kind of fogs or light bar that will almost act as a true low beam, meaning I can run it all the time without blinding oncoming traffic and the 5-0? I'm planning on adding a 40" combo for the backroads and woods, but I also have some unused mounts on my AO plate bumper that could easily house some fogs or a 20/22" light bar.

Any thoughts?

Also, am I just crazy on the low light output from the factory beams? It doesn't look like I have any oxidization on the reflector housing, and I have some decent bulbs in there.
 
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One word: 55wHIDProjectorretrofits.

5,000 lumens per side, gorgeous cutoff, amazing color temperature. The light output will astonish you. I got mine from DDM for about $170. Takes a few hours to install, and couldn't be easier. If you want help, just shoot me a message. You can also check out TRS, they tend to be a little pricier, but they're also a great option. I recommend 4300k bulbs as you'll get the best color rendition and highest lumen count. I'm confident that you won't even want a LED bar when you're finish. The difference is that huge.

This is what I have
Also check out TRS!
 
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jpeaslee said:
Also, am I just crazy on the low light output from the factory beams?
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I don't think the stock lamps on our '99 are inadequate, have you looked for a voltage issue? Maybe check all your ground straps and connections, look for corrosion or rust that could be making your lights dim.

Rigid makes a set of DOT approved aux lights, but they're meant to be auxiliary high beams, not for normal driving around. As far as I know, no other LED or HID lights are designed (or approved by DOT) for pavement. If you absolutely have to upgrade from factory, I'd go with a set of projector retrofits - that's not strictly legal either, but there's something to be said for not blinding everybody on the road. :)
 
The stock lights are/were adequate for what they are. I'm not too happy with them, considering I drive vehicles at work with the latest in HID and LED lighting, but it is what it is until I do a proper projector retrofit.

Sylvania had a (and probably the only) DOT legal auxiliary HID low beam years ago but they are long discontinued.

If you're not looking into a headlight projector retrofit,a pair of Hella Micro DE projector fog lights do a decent job as auxiliary low beams; being a projector there is no stray light above the beam cutoff and has a wider throw than the stock lowbeams if I remember correctly - ran a pair to replace my damaged stock fogs,remove them to replace blown bulbs but never reinstalled. I have used a $20 ebay special yellow HID kit on factory projector fogs and those also had a wider beam (with good cutoff too) than the lowbeams. And if you're wondering how Micro DE's converted to HIDs look like - Ultimate {Hella MICRO DE} FOG Upgrade: Halogen to HID (56k big no no))
 
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Ed_C said:
I'm not too happy with them, considering I drive vehicles are work with the latest in HID and LED lighting...
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That's really where I'm coming from as well. Is the lighting better than my first car (91 GMC Suburban), yes... but it's not what I've come to expect or what I'm used to.

I probably start looking back into doing a retrofit. I had a bad experience when I did one on my Honda Element in college, but it was really because I used a super cheap kit, because I was a broke college kid.
 
jpeaslee said:
That's really where I'm coming from as well. Is the lighting better than my first car (91 GMC Suburban), yes... but it's not what I've come to expect or what I'm used to.

I probably start looking back into doing a retrofit. I had a bad experience when I did one on my Honda Element in college, but it was really because I used a super cheap kit, because I was a broke college kid.
Click to expand...
It's probably because you were driving a Honda Element...
 
absalom said:
It's probably because you were driving a Honda Element...
Click to expand...

Ouch! I have to admit that it wasn't exactly my first choice, but when the parents hand you keys to a new car with air conditioning and windows that work (as opposed to the ole suburban... black car, no ac, with window motors that are shot in south georgia summers....), you take them with a smile on your face :) It treated me well for 10 years, but I'm definitely happy to have moved on to the 4runner.

I will say that there was an Element at Overland Expo East this year that did surprisingly well getting back out on Sunday. Even with the 3inch spacer lift he had, those elements have ZERO ground clearance, and a front wheel biased AWD system that was obviously not designed for offroading. I thought for sure he was going to have to get yanked out, but he made it. He was sideways half of the time, but he made it.
 
jpeaslee said:
Ouch! I have to admit that it wasn't exactly my first choice, but when the parents hand you keys to a new car with air conditioning and windows that work (as opposed to the ole suburban... black car, no ac, with window motors that are shot in south georgia summers....), you take them with a smile on your face :) It treated me well for 10 years, but I'm definitely happy to have moved on to the 4runner.

I will say that there was an Element at Overland Expo East this year that did surprisingly well getting back out on Sunday. Even with the 3inch spacer lift he had, those elements have ZERO ground clearance, and a front wheel biased AWD system that was obviously not designed for offroading. I thought for sure he was going to have to get yanked out, but he made it. He was sideways half of the time, but he made it.
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Totally kidding, you were very fortunate to have such generous parents.
 
absalom said:
Totally kidding, you were very fortunate to have such generous parents.
Click to expand...

Haha, no worries man. I knew you were kidding. Though there are always people that seem to take everything personally in the ole interwebz.

At least my Runner (and Element too) is a purebred, not some mixed up frankengerman-japanese thing...
 
jpeaslee said:
Haha, no worries man. I knew you were kidding. Though there are always people that seem to take everything personally in the ole interwebz.

At least my Runner (and Element too) is a purebred, not some mixed up frankengerman-japanese thing...
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I almost resembled that remark ...
 
I'll definitely vouch for DDM's kits. I've used at least a half dozen of their HID kits with no issues over the years.
 
jpeaslee said:
If this is a question that's been answered, please feel free to put me in my place (I'm going to keep looking for answers in the mean time). I'm not really happy with the low beams (or high for that matter) in my truck. The factory fogs did help in some situations (though those are now gone) but I still feel like the headlights are lacking. I could do a projector retrofit, but it seems like aux lights would be easier and cheaper. From what I can tell, LED light bars aren't something I could run all the time due to the fact that they don't have any cutoff, same with most halogen/HID lamps. Are there some kind of fogs or light bar that will almost act as a true low beam, meaning I can run it all the time without blinding oncoming traffic and the 5-0? I'm planning on adding a 40" combo for the backroads and woods, but I also have some unused mounts on my AO plate bumper that could easily house some fogs or a 20/22" light bar.

Any thoughts?

Also, am I just crazy on the low light output from the factory beams? It doesn't look like I have any oxidization on the reflector housing, and I have some decent bulbs in there.
Click to expand...

Obviously the conversion kits are the way to go for very bright lights, but I do have an alternative, especially if the price tag isn't appealing to you.

I'm running a higher than stock wattage bulb, I think it's a Phillips something like this: More Information for PHILIPS 9003VP (may not be exact one I have, mine's not a blue or cool white tint at all). Basically they trade higher wattage for reduced life, some will run 20-30% higher wattage than the stock bulbs, so they are considerable brighter. I'm fine with that since I don't drive at night a whole lot except for the winter, I'll often go 2-3 months in the summer without even using my headlights once. They are about $8 a bulb, you can research which ones such Phillips, Ge, etc. works best for you. Definitely improved my head lights better than stock, which I had just replaced with direct OEM replacements.

Next thing I'm gonna do now that winter is approaching again is check voltage from the head light wires before the combination switch and then voltage at the headlights themselves. If it drops significantly, I'll add a relay by wiring a new power wire from the battery to each headlight and then have the old wire activate the relay. Should also help and only cost about $20 for wires and relays.
 
Installed how?

OK, I'll admit it up front, the idea of brighter lights has a strong appeal as my older eyesight needs more light ahead of me on the road. My question is - how are these fitted into the stock headlights? Or am I just completly off base thinking this is how it works?
 
I didn't actually click the link but I assume they are the plug and play projectors. They essentially have a threaded shaft at the back that goes through the hole where the old halogen bulb was, and uses a locking ring and washer to hold it in place. You have to separate the glass off the front to get the projector in and align the projector, put the glass back on and run the wiring harness that should plug straight into the factory harness. Then just mount the ballasts and you're done. They're pretty simple really. Doesn't take much mechanical skill, unless you get into the FX-R retrofits and ones of that type. You can paint the housings while they're apart, paint the shrouds too, wire in angel eyes, there's all kinds of options depending on how much you want to spend and work on it. You can get pretty creative with it.
 
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