N8N

Hi,

I've already ordered my headlight upgrade and harness, but if that doesn't prove to be enough, I'm thinking of also adding one of these light sets



Main reason I'm not going for a generic 7" bucket with replaceable lens/reflector is space, I still have the stock front bumper, and don't like stuff sticking out in front of my bumper, esp. stuff that can smash grille/radiator.

Primary use would be simply seeing where the heck I'm going on rural, unlit roads w/ no traffic. I'd interlock them to my high beams so as not to be rude to other drivers.

thanks for any opinions, and please let me know if there's other lights I should be looking at.

tavish_g

I personally have the hellas, and I love them. They help out a lot when driving where there is no street/city lights. I have read threads however where people have used cheaper lights from harbor freight and had great results. Honestly I'm only running the hellas because I got 3 sets of them from walmart for $10 a set. Also you have options to change out the stock bulbs in the hellas to 100w units, but you will need to upgrade the wiring that comes with their install kit, if you do this, and you need to be careful about blinding other drivers. Just use your common sense and it should be fine.
Heres a thread about the $30 harbor freight lights, one thing they brought up is the lack of covers and possibly getting ticketed for not having covers on them:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f59/ha...lights-113171/

And here they are on harbor freight, looks like they are $34.99 per pair now:

http://www.harborfreight.com/off-roa...stem-3029.html

xjsnake

Holy crap that's a good price.

Jeepxj1234

I remember that day at Walmart. It was all over cf. I got there too late though...

MCObray

Check out my review on my recently installed IPF 968CSGs.
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/ip...review-118736/

Jarrett

You could prolly run those 55w hellas even if you are with traffic. The 130W kc's can only be ran offroad or like you said no traffic. Personally i have a set of 100W kc's and they help out a lot but sometimes when i'm closer within a city i wished i had a set of 55w fog lights. I say get KC's to put somewhere like the a-pillars then get a cheap set of 55w lights on the bumper.

tavish_g

No you can't run the hellas in traffic, you will get ticketed or arrested they are way to bright.

jmm0122

I doubt it. My buddy has a set of ff's on his Tacoma and they are not that bright enough to warrant a ticket. He always has them on when he is driving and has never gotten flashed. The hellas are only 55w which is the same output as a factory headlight, making them street legal. KC's and other brands with 100w bulbs on the other hand are not road legal and can possibly get you in trouble. The only time I use mine is when I'm in the country with no cars around, or the person in front of me pisses me off

jebmccall

ive got the hella 700ffs mounted on my hood, with 55watt ice blue bulbs fixing to be 130 watt bulbs.

im running the ipf housings eautowroks upgraded harness and hella 100watt h4 bulbs. my headlights are brighter than the hellas on my hood.

Jarrett

lol, many vehicles have factory fog lights at 55w... why would 55w fog lights off the shelf be illegal? And i'm talking about 2 lights on a bumper...not lighting up your 15 55w lights that you have mounted everywhere.

zkeifer

You are allowed only 2 accessory lights to be on with your headlights. If you have factory fogs they count as accessory lights technicly your not allowed any more then that and they have to have a indicator switch. If you have more their tehniclly not allowed to wired and have to be covered. This is what my buddy was told when he went to get his inspected and had to take all 6 of his hellas off to pass and this was at a shop that he is friends with the owner and the only employee

tavish_g

The OP was talking about DRIVING lights not fog lights, trust me I would never run the hella 500 driving lights in traffic, you would blind someone. And when I do run them on back roads I only use two of them, mounted to my bumper and I just leave the 4 on the roof off.

Jarrett

lol not trying to argue over the internet, but all i'm saying is they are called driving lights and not "offroad only, it's illegal to run these on the road" lights for a reason. I bet they are no brighter than HID headlights.