Call-_me-Jordan

Why are they crap? I was reading and see alot of people replacing harnesses whats up with that?

Tom95YJ

It give your lights a full 12v of power vs like 9 or 10v from the factory not to mention thicker wire that can handle higher wattage bulbs.

The clear/diamond cut lenses look nice but provide no improvement in lighting. I tired them in my Yj then I went with autopal e codes and my light output and pattern improved.

Call-_me-Jordan

can you link me to an auto pal set? Do they have any black ones?

Tom95YJ

Search on eBay for autopal h4 200mm euro

And not they do not have any black ones black reflectors harm output by not reflecting light

If you want black lights look at trucklite led lights or jw speaker lights

cruiser54

Originally Posted by xjsnake
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/headlights-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...

browning4x4

can we please stop pushing the quack of danielstern lighting. im tired seeing it and the fan boys. you want some awesome output for headlights its easy.

grab some autopal ecodes or something along those lines. install
you can try different bulbs with a higher wattage but the output still wont be there

the company DDM tuning makes some HID kits, quality kits. ive got several that are 6-7 years old and no bulb replacement or ballast issues and no temp over 5000k. second they have a lifetime warranty.install

after installing the new housings and the HID's find a wall and get approx. 25-30 feet away and properly aim your new headlights.

someone is gonna say something about glare..... well im pretty sure every light source has glare.

HID's are no more unsafe then those higher wattage bulbs its all in how your head lights are aimed. when i get the free time after my deployment ill be happy to take time give a walk through on this install.

when it comes to legal if you run a silly temp/color DUH your asking for more then just law problems. 4500-6000 from ddm does not attract cops.

Mr. Pink

HID's are illegal in non projector housings for a reason.

Tom95YJ

You need to read up on how a hid light emits light vs a halogen bulb thus the reason HID's need to be used in a projector bowl to ensure proper light cutoff and no glare.

GreenClassic

Exactly! HIDs without projectors put out an insane amount of glare. This is because HIDs burn much brighter and need to be projected (hence the name projectors) to minimize the glare.

Mr. Pink

I feel like we are with some here though when we try and convey that message

browning4x4

so where is this law of HIDs having to be in a projector and what states does this apply too? and why hasnt there been a recall on vehicles that came stock with HIDs and no projector?

i suggest some you instead of doing all that so called reading check out some HIDs in the Ecode housings or just a quality housing. proper light cutoff easily falls into PROPER AIMING.

GreenClassic

When I had my HIDs they were paired with Hella E-Codes and then Autopal E-Codes. They were super bright with tons of glare. And yes, they were aimed correctly.

There are some states that the headlight conversion is illegal. I couldn't tell you which ones, but it should be easy enough to find out. And as far as I know, there are no cars that came with HIDs but not projectors from the factory.

Mr. Pink

Browning: It's a federal law, the NTHSA made them illegal. therefore its also illegal in all 50 states.


The video is British, but it's the same principal here.

browning4x4

okay so ive done more reading.... my thinking is still the same and still begs me to ask WHERE does it say its illegal?i know blue and purple tints are illegal (DUH) and dangerous but for the 4300k-5000k or 6000k where does it say?

that video was using a 8000k or higher temp? and was from 2002-2005? not to mention it answered one question you asked me. what model car was that; being it had stock hid's and no projector.....

for our jeeps the kit i ordered from ddmtuning (35w hi/lo kit) came with some casper shields maybe that and the ecodes are what makes difference. but for the some of the claims that people are posting im simply asking for your reference and proof. once that is clearly stated and proven youll get more support. mr sterns website and saying to get a higher wattage bulb isnt gonna cut it the higher wattage bulb is trying to compete with the HID's so wouldnt it be glaring as well being the housings arent designed for that?

92XJGuy

Hey guys, so I either messed a bulb up or blew a fuse. I disconnected my battery today to some some electrical work, then hooked it back up, and my jeep wouldn't start. So I turned my headlights on (even though they didn't come on at first), went to my battery and moved the cable I took off a bit and the lights came on and I started up However, only my drivers side light came on. My high beams work on both sides though. Due to time I was unable to properly diagnose this, so I'm wondering what it could be.

Edit: Went back out, pulled the bulb, turns out it blew. Talked to the guy who I bought from and he'll replace them.