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Thread: Headlight replacements?

  1. #1
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Headlight replacements?

    Has there been any new development in headlight technology to replace the sealed beam units Shelby Lancer? I’ve done the hella conversion to go with H1 and H4 style bulbs, but the old LMs and PMs don’t like the 160w to 460w transition between high and low beams while driving.

    Has LED stuff gotten to the point where it is a nice clean line and reliable? I would like to do this once, and avoid the problems I know will come with over 600w of headlight power going out with the fog lights on.

  2. #2
    ...if you know what I mean... Turbo Mopar Contributor csxtra's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    I have been looking at the Holley Retrobright that came out recently, looks like a sealed beam/H4 but LED instead. The problem is they are pricy (it looks like the 4x6 are around $180 each).

    https://www.holley.com/brands/holley...bcbebe98993ce7
    Warren Hall
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    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    Interesting. That’s not too bad vs what I was doing with the hella units, bulbs, relays, wiring, adapters, etc. If that is plug and play, it would be about the same price and significantly less work.

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    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    I just looked at them, and they seem great, but I’m not seeing where they are able to melt snow. I might have missed it, but that could be a deal breaker for me. This will be a year round vehicle.

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    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor shmedley's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    What about relaying the headlights and using the H1 and H4 bulbs?
    Thanks Brad S. SDAC National Proud Member SDAC Chicago Proud Member 14 Ram 1500 86 Shelby Charger "Chicago Stock"

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    Boost, it's what's for dinner... Turbo Mopar Staff Aries_Turbo's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    ooooh the holley ones look like they arent that annoying cool white color temperature as well.... they have a warm white halogen color temp option, 3000k.

    I have cool white LED's lights in some vehicles, and I really dont like cool white. it renders colors like crap so its technically brighter, but really doesnt allow you to see any better. I want a LED headlight kit that allows me to purchase my own LED's and solder them myself and use whatever driver I want to use.

    if those holley ones are brighter, they look like a good option.


    Brian

    Quote Originally Posted by turbovanman
    This one is easy, I have myself to blame, I rush things, don't pay attention to gauges when I should, change to much stuff at once then expect miracles, the list is endless.

  7. #7
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    Quote Originally Posted by shmedley View Post
    What about relaying the headlights and using the H1 and H4 bulbs?
    That’s still on the table, but it is a real pain to run a dedicated line to a fuse block, install the relays, run all new wire, and then still pay for the e code housings. If I can find something like what Warren posted but that will melt some snow, that would be ideal.

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    Boost, it's what's for dinner... Turbo Mopar Staff Aries_Turbo's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    have you tried the autopal housings? they work well and are alot cheaper.

    Brian

    Quote Originally Posted by turbovanman
    This one is easy, I have myself to blame, I rush things, don't pay attention to gauges when I should, change to much stuff at once then expect miracles, the list is endless.

  9. #9
    Mitsu booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    I am going to suggest a couple of solutions from the Jeeping world here. Many of our Jeeps have the 7" sealed beam, and that lighting is pretty poor. There are two things most of us do to improve lighting:

    1. The light circuit in Jeeps and our cars have to go through the light switch, then to light. I would check your voltage at the bulb, and I am willing to bet it is less than 12 volts. Jeepers install two relays in engine bay so the full voltage/current of bulb does not go through headlight switch/body harness/wiring. Current will go directly from PDP, to relay to bulb. This usually results in .5 to 1 volt increase to bulb. This makes huge difference in performance of the bulb. I have done this on my Jeep, and made huge difference. I plan on doing same thing to my Rampage.

    2. Jeepers swear by JW Speaker, and only JW Speaker LEDs. I do not have these because of cost, but those that have them feel cost is justified. There are some knockoffs, but the beam pattern is not to the JW's.

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    Boost, it's what's for dinner... Turbo Mopar Staff Aries_Turbo's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    I still dont like the color temperature of even quality LED lighting... still too cool white. 5000k is somewhat neutral but I prefer 4000k or less with high CRI (color rendering index)

    the more natural the colors appear, the easier you can recognize stuff on the road.

    In my wrangler, I have stock headlights for now with stock wiring.... I just added old school halogen hella 1000 free forms on the front bash bar and have that relay triggered from the high beam circuit so when im on back roads, i can see everything.

    Brian

    Quote Originally Posted by turbovanman
    This one is easy, I have myself to blame, I rush things, don't pay attention to gauges when I should, change to much stuff at once then expect miracles, the list is endless.

  11. #11
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    Quote Originally Posted by motomick76 View Post
    I am going to suggest a couple of solutions from the Jeeping world here. Many of our Jeeps have the 7" sealed beam, and that lighting is pretty poor. There are two things most of us do to improve lighting:

    1. The light circuit in Jeeps and our cars have to go through the light switch, then to light. I would check your voltage at the bulb, and I am willing to bet it is less than 12 volts. Jeepers install two relays in engine bay so the full voltage/current of bulb does not go through headlight switch/body harness/wiring. Current will go directly from PDP, to relay to bulb. This usually results in .5 to 1 volt increase to bulb. This makes huge difference in performance of the bulb. I have done this on my Jeep, and made huge difference. I plan on doing same thing to my Rampage.

    2. Jeepers swear by JW Speaker, and only JW Speaker LEDs. I do not have these because of cost, but those that have them feel cost is justified. There are some knockoffs, but the beam pattern is not to the JW's.
    Thanks for the suggestions. I have relayed my lights before, but the wattage I use is a bit much for the stock system to control from what I see. I’ll look into the JW units. I have heard about them on another forum.

  12. #12
    turbo addict
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    What's with the wattage increase? I use the factory headlight wiring to activate the relay. Use the stock bulb wattage and throw tions of light. I don't understand where you're getting those huge wattage numbers from.

  13. #13
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    Quote Originally Posted by GLHNSLHT2 View Post
    What's with the wattage increase? I use the factory headlight wiring to activate the relay. Use the stock bulb wattage and throw tions of light. I don't understand where you're getting those huge wattage numbers from.
    Hella makes high wattage bulbs. I use Deer country' I want to throw out as much light as possible at night. The e code housings keep it where it belongs. I’m running the higher wattage low beams as otherwise the difference in output is too great, and the low beams are like driving with the lights off after running the high beams for half hour or more at a stretch.

  14. #14
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    Is the 160w and 460w counting all the bulbs wattage together? If they're relayed then how is the lm and pm seeing any of it?

  15. #15
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    Quote Originally Posted by GLHNSLHT2 View Post
    Is the 160w and 460w counting all the bulbs wattage together? If they're relayed then how is the lm and pm seeing any of it?
    With the stuff that just came in, there will be four 130w bulbs on with the high beams engaged for a total of 520w headed down the road. I think what is happening is that the demand on the alternator causes the CEL due to either a drop in voltage as the Voltage regulator tries to keep up, or perhaps my father is right and its a fly back voltage issue when the relays are switching which is effecting the computer. track records are any indication, I’m putting my money on his diagnosis. We should find out, as I ordered some Hella relays which have an internal diode.

  16. #16
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    I would actually recommend LED lights with headlight covers. GTS still make the clear, smoked, and amber headlight covers for the H bodies. Sure the LED lights won't melt snow. But the headlight covers should help prevent less of an area in the headlight bucket area for snow to accumulate.

    Additionally, Phillips has released an LED solution for 4651/4656 low and high beam lights. I've always been hesitant about buying no name/no blame LED lights, however, the Phillips lights carry an 8 year warranty and can be purchased from sites like Amazon and Rockauto that have a semi-easier return process.

  17. #17
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    building my turbo z years ago I replaced the 4 lamp set up with the one piece glass composite headlamps for an 88-89 chevy caprice

    they are an exact fit to any four lamp front end where there is no trim bar between the high & low beam bulbs

    but you`ll need the entire front nose panel to do it as you need to cut the head lamp buckets free of it to mount the lamps in your car
    once cut off there are the oem studs on the back that will mount the bucket to your car`s rad cradle ..perfectly
    but you need to cut everything behind your existing lights out ..as far back as the rad cradle
    they are H4 so you can stuff anything in the back you want..

    Gm o-e lights are glass with a metal adjusting mount - bracket on the back

    aftermarket are plastic ,much lighter but prone to ageing and have a crappy twisty plastic adjusting - mount bracket

    you need the metal GM brackets to adjust the lights properly

    I had a set of clear GTS lamp covers on that daytona too ..but I pushed them in against the step in the headlight bucket where it changes from body colour to black .. so the lamp covers were inset ,not flush mounted

    and ..you want to remove said headlight covers..before it gets cold for the winter.. or they don`t flex enough to remove them
    which..you`ll need to do as they get incredibly horrible with road spray .. thus dimming the lights to uselessness..

    and of course the more you clean them,..the more you scratch them

    if you do this .. and use the ends of the chevy headlight wiring ,spliced into your car .. oddly you will need to add a little jumper wire between the high beam and low beam circuits under the steering column ..

    if you want the low beam lamps to stay on with the high beams as they should do ,now
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    Last edited by Dr. Johny Dodge; 04-22-2022 at 02:19 AM.

  18. #18
    turbo addict
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    Hope you're not replacing bulbs every two months with that much wattage. I remember running 100w bulbs in my Hella 550's 20 years ago and with the heat they produced they wouldn't last long. I put the 55w bulbs back in and the light output wasn't all that much less.

    Quote Originally Posted by cordes View Post
    With the stuff that just came in, there will be four 130w bulbs on with the high beams engaged for a total of 520w headed down the road. I think what is happening is that the demand on the alternator causes the CEL due to either a drop in voltage as the Voltage regulator tries to keep up, or perhaps my father is right and its a fly back voltage issue when the relays are switching which is effecting the computer. track records are any indication, I’m putting my money on his diagnosis. We should find out, as I ordered some Hella relays which have an internal diode.

  19. #19
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: Headlight replacements?

    Quote Originally Posted by bamman View Post
    I would actually recommend LED lights with headlight covers. GTS still make the clear, smoked, and amber headlight covers for the H bodies. Sure the LED lights won't melt snow. But the headlight covers should help prevent less of an area in the headlight bucket area for snow to accumulate.

    Additionally, Phillips has released an LED solution for 4651/4656 low and high beam lights. I've always been hesitant about buying no name/no blame LED lights, however, the Phillips lights carry an 8 year warranty and can be purchased from sites like Amazon and Rockauto that have a semi-easier return process.
    Thanks. I’ll look into those for the future.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Johny Dodge View Post
    building my turbo z years ago I replaced the 4 lamp set up with the one piece glass composite headlamps for an 88-89 chevy caprice

    they are an exact fit to any four lamp front end where there is no trim bar between the high & low beam bulbs

    but you`ll need the entire front nose panel to do it as you need to cut the head lamp buckets free of it to mount the lamps in your car
    once cut off there are the oem studs on the back that will mount the bucket to your car`s rad cradle ..perfectly
    but you need to cut everything behind your existing lights out ..as far back as the rad cradle
    they are H4 so you can stuff anything in the back you want..

    Gm o-e lights are glass with a metal adjusting mount - bracket on the back

    aftermarket are plastic ,much lighter but prone to ageing and have a crappy twisty plastic adjusting - mount bracket

    you need the metal GM brackets to adjust the lights properly

    I had a set of clear GTS lamp covers on that daytona too ..but I pushed them in against the step in the headlight bucket where it changes from body colour to black .. so the lamp covers were inset ,not flush mounted

    and ..you want to remove said headlight covers..before it gets cold for the winter.. or they don`t flex enough to remove them
    which..you`ll need to do as they get incredibly horrible with road spray .. thus dimming the lights to uselessness..

    and of course the more you clean them,..the more you scratch them

    if you do this .. and use the ends of the chevy headlight wiring ,spliced into your car .. oddly you will need to add a little jumper wire between the high beam and low beam circuits under the steering column ..

    if you want the low beam lamps to stay on with the high beams as they should do ,now
    That’s really cool. I like the look for sure.

    Quote Originally Posted by GLHNSLHT2 View Post
    Hope you're not replacing bulbs every two months with that much wattage. I remember running 100w bulbs in my Hella 550's 20 years ago and with the heat they produced they wouldn't last long. I put the 55w bulbs back in and the light output wasn't all that much less.
    So far, I’ve had really good luck with bulb life. I don’t think I’ve replac3d one yet, but the cars I’ve done this to have t seen a ton of night time driving either.

  20. #20

    Re: Headlight replacements?

    ? So the Hella's are a plug and play ? Or do you need different buckets to hold them also

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