Marks2000XJ

I am wanting to do a headlight upgrade but I do not want to go with the HID's that require a ballast. I just want to go to Halogens. Yeah, know HID's are brighter but the kits are more expensive and I don't want the hassle of having to buy new ballast every time one goes bad.

I found these lamps on amazon:

Do these require a ballast to run them or can I just get the new lamp harness:
The lamps say 12 volt so I am assuming they will just run off the existing headlight wiring without needing a ballast.

Will be getting these as well for the new lamps if this is just an easy swap over to halogens:

I think I can find this stuff on ebay for a little cheaper but I am open to suggestions from anyone that has done any kind of headlight upgrade.

cruiser54

Start with a harness upgrade.

Originally Posted by xjsnake https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/hea...151196/index2/ - post2069179https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/headlights-151196/index2/ - post2069179
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
http://www.brightheadlights.com/hid-upcoming.htm
or you can buy the projectors and retrofit them into existing housings if you are so inclined: https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f58/hea...9/#post1391556

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)


For installation of the harness and housings see this excellent write up: https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f59/my-h4-upgrade-114440/

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...

Marks2000XJ

Hey Cruiser,

Thanks for all the great information there. I appreciate it. So I am assuming I need to run the new halogen lamps through relays as the factory wiring runs straight through the headlamp switch then to the headlights so the contacts in the headlamp switch probably won't handle the amperage of the halogen lamps?

100 watts / 12 volts = 8.33 amps max if I went with at 100/90w lamp. Not sure what the stock headlight switch is rated for. Seems like it would be better to go through relays regardless.

cruiser54

Correct. The factory wiring is marginal at best. Most suited for triggering relays, not running headlamps.

I have 90/100s with the harness.

Marks2000XJ

Great thanks. Looking forward to this upgrade!

bryweb

I say this cautiously because so many have praised the AutoPal headlights, I installed them on my daughters and was very unhappy (she got the set with clear glass on the front as that is what she wanted - girls #$@#$) Long story short in a matter of a few weeks they got water in them, blew the bulbs, and washed away the plastic chrome reflector material behind the bulb. Maybe I did not have the rubber boot over them right or ???? but none the less I was not happy. Oh and I also was not impressed with the added amount of light, but that could be because she went with the clear ones. (we did upgrade the wiring harness and ordered the 90/100 watt bulb with them)

I just ordered the Rampage set via Amazon to see how those work for my XJ - we will see if they are any better.

And yes.... do yourself a favor and get the Putco wiring harness or something similar, it will not only save your light switch from burning out... but also make the lights brighter.

dirtyjerz

I can speak from experience I just installed putco harness and Rampage h4.... holy jesus worth every penny it was night and day difference if you do the search theres a ton of before and after pics of the rampage with putco harness...

bryweb

Dirtyjerz,

What bulbs did you go with, I am thinking Hella 90/100 watt is what I will eventually go with.

Thanks,
Bryan

cruiser54

Unfortunately, you got the wrong Autopals first time around.

leaftye

Because you are going to buy those Hella bulbs, I don't see the value in the Rampage kit. A few dollars more will get you either the ARB/IPF or Hella housings, both of which are better optically than the Rampage housings, and both are available on Amazon.

You can also get a Putco harness on Amazon. Some of the reviewers say the relays that come with the Putco harness don't last that long, so be prepared to replace them eventually. Fortunately they are very easy to replace.

The nice things about going this way is that you can have everything you need in a day.

If you can increase your budget by ~$50, you may want to consider IPF Fatboy bulbs. They actually use less watts, but they claim to be put out the equivalent of a bulb with nearly nearly twice as much watts. I don't have those IPF bulbs, but if I do, I'll take some good measurements to quantify the results. Unfortunately I don't think it's on Amazon, and if it is, probably not with fast Amazon Prime shipping like the bulbs/housings/harness.

bryweb

I purchased the Rampages on Amazon and already have the Putco harness (I am pulling from a jeep i am selling that I used the AutoPal headlights on and did not like).

Both Rampage and Hella's had the same 5 star reviews but the Rampage's were cheaper. If I don't like the Rampages I will put them on my daughters Jeep and buy Hella's.... but I am not too worried about that happening. Its mostly a trail jeep so I don't need the best.... just better.... once on the trail I have a fair share of offroad lights to utilize.

PS: My Jeep is sitting in the garage with the Transmission, Transfercase, and axles all out getting improvements.... so I was not in any hurries (-:

dirtyjerz

I just ran the ones that came with the kit. when those die ill eventually run leds

dirtyjerz

and to answer ur question about the rampage vs hella they both are quality products but you should decide if you like the clear vs non clear and sharp cutoff vs non sharp cut off. i like the rampage because clear looks better imo and I i like the more scattered lights vs the sharp cut off beam of the hellas

hbracing13

I had recently purchased a set of autopals and are not impressed with them one bit. I already run the harness before and was a difference but not not so much, still a improvement.
I have the ipf's on my other jeep and Hellas on the girls jeep. I like the sharp cut off pattern the Hellas and ipf's give, the autopals seemed to scatter the light more then my liking.
The autopals are the 200mm dot euro conversion. I remember the e code and the dot one but can't seem to find them anymore just the dot euro ones.

kstopp

I contacted the Autopal seller a couple weeks ago, he said the E-codes will be avail Jan 2015.

I ended up with Hella E-codes and couldn't be happier, they have a great beam pattern and sharp cut off. Good price and free shipping from Amazon.