CheifRupp

My headlights are pretty bad and I was looking at getting some more powerful auxilary lights to hook on my bumper. Im looking for somthing that will light up the whole street and easily cut through snow/fog/rain what ever. so far ive been intereste in these:
http://www.quadratec.com/products/97006_03.htm
http://www.quadratec.com/products/97017_1503.htm
http://www.quadratec.com/products/97048_X1_PG.htm

Bugleboy

ill be watching this thread, im on the same boat as you lol those stock headlights just dont work well enough :P

CheifRupp

haha right? ill be sitting at the intersection when a car with decent headlights comes behind me and makes me a shadow, and my girlfriend goes " are your lights on? "

Bugleboy

lol yeah an my left headlight is a lazy eye my xj was in an accident once and the mecanics diddnt bother to line up the lights looks lopsided :P

Keaton

I had these in my last Jeep. They were awesome. I got the optional White 100/55w bulbs and they were so bright. Shipping is a lil high but theyre worth it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200mm-H6054-...ht_2766wt_1054

erk2581

how was the install? im thinking about picking these up...you suggest them? what does the ad mean when he says "upgrade to city lights for $2"? Why did you go 100-55 not 100-90? Thanks!

xjsnake

Upgraded headlights the legal (ish) way...

1) Get a new headlight harness.

You can make your own http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoHeadlightLoom.htm

Or you can buy one: http://www.eautoworks.com/Putco-H4--...s-PRD7540.aspx

The eautoworks harnesses used to be quite cheap until everyone on this forum started recommending them and the price was raised accordingly.

You can pick them up for $29.99 here http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/csd/full.aspx?Page=48 part number 36-3580. It says it fits a chevy blazer but it's the same as the eautoworks harness and I'm running the LMC harness in my XJ.

There are other more expensive options for pre-made harnesses but I'm not super familiar with those.

2) Upgrade to H4 housings

There are two types of regulations pertaining to headlight housings. There are DOT approved housings which are legal in the US and there are Ecode lights which are European housings and aren't legal in the US although many people use them as they are considered superior housings due to the light pattern.

DOT
Rampage http://www.quadratec.com/products/97009_501.htm
IPF http://www.quadratec.com/products/97017_1600.htm
Delta http://www.quadratec.com/products/97009_121.htm
Hella http://www.quadratec.com/products/97009_02.htm

Ecode
Autopals (look on ebay for Autopal 200mm H4 housing)
Hella http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=744
Cibie http://www.clearcorners.com/products/cibie/

Personally I won't buy housings that have plastic lenses, I much prefer glass but your mileage may vary.

3) Get good bulbs

Some of the above housings come with bulbs included with them. I tend not to recommend bulbs as the choices are extremely vast and everyone has their own preferences as to color and wattage.

4) Aim your headlights properly!

I can't say enough how much improperly aimed headlights annoy me on the road plus you are wasting all that time and effort to upgrade the lighting if you don't aim the light where it does the most good... http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=78017

5) On HID Lights

I do not recommend HID's for use in XJ's... People will show links to cheap HID kits and "Projectors" off of ebay and other sites which will give you a lot of light and will also throw a lot of light in all directions making you very visible to police and possibly blinding other drivers.


Read http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html for a well written description of the problems with HID kits.

When using HID's you need a true projector housing. I'm sure people will chime in and say they run HID's and ebay housings and have had no problems but I'm describing the legal (ish) way.

If you want to go down the road of HID's, take a look at what true projector housings cost http://www.kbcarstuff.com/6054-200mm...-p/xd-6054.htm and consider the cost vs benefit...

There are a myriad of options available to consumers with the limiting factor being cost. One can spend under $100 and have significantly upgraded their lighting or they can spend $1000 and upgrade their lighting more. It's all in how much money you want to spend.

For those wanting to do some of these upgrades but not necessarily all I would do them in the following order:
1) Headlight Harness (major improvement even with sealed beams)
2) Housings and Associated Bulbs
3) Hid and Projectors (Cost prohibitive to do correctly)

Disclaimer: Always check your local and state laws as some places have more stringent lighting laws than others... I am in no way associated with any of the above companies and none of what I say should be taken as the absolute truth or only way to do things. Flame on...

Keaton

Install was cake. Unplug old headlight from harness, plug the new conversion housings in. The city lights are a European thing i think, its a lil colored bulb inside the headlight housing that i think you can wire up to your turn signals/running lights. I didnt bother with it.

I had a stock harness at the time i order so i just went with the 100/55. I would get an upgraded harness either way though. It helps alot with brightness.