7" headlight with 60/100w bulbs.

candpliberty · **Posted:** Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:16 am

Thank you, brother. We got her loaded up and we're heading to So Cal for 5 days. I'll get crackin' on the lights when I get back!

cdubs · **Joined:** Wed May 23, 2012 10:23 pm **Posts:** 42

Ryn7 wrote:

I've run 80/100 watt Hella off road bulbs in our headlamps with a dedicated separate circuit with relay.
Two problems though.
1. Even with H/D 9007 plugin socket the sockets overheat and melt.
2. The bulbs get too hot for the plastic reflector and started to burn the reflector. Leaving a dime sized brown burnt spot on the reflector surface.

I ended up bending that chrome bulb shield that sits in front of the 9007 bulb out of the way and that really increased the headlamps light output with a stock wattage bulb. Re-aimed the headlamps and so far have not been flashed by on coming drivers.

The next modification that I am going to do is retro fit a set of seven inch round Truck-Lite LED headlamps into our Rig.
These: http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/st ... &langId=-1
Not inexpensive, but then again I doubt that I will ever need to replace them again.

Has anyone ever tried those truck lite led headlights? I was thinking about doing it on my tj some time back but lost sight of that because of funding issues

BugginKJ · **Joined:** Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 4576

cdubs wrote:

Ryn7 wrote:

I've run 80/100 watt Hella off road bulbs in our headlamps with a dedicated separate circuit with relay.
Two problems though.
1. Even with H/D 9007 plugin socket the sockets overheat and melt.
2. The bulbs get too hot for the plastic reflector and started to burn the reflector. Leaving a dime sized brown burnt spot on the reflector surface.

I ended up bending that chrome bulb shield that sits in front of the 9007 bulb out of the way and that really increased the headlamps light output with a stock wattage bulb. Re-aimed the headlamps and so far have not been flashed by on coming drivers.

The next modification that I am going to do is retro fit a set of seven inch round Truck-Lite LED headlamps into our Rig.
These: http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/st ... &langId=-1
Not inexpensive, but then again I doubt that I will ever need to replace them again.

Has anyone ever tried those truck lite led headlights? I was thinking about doing it on my tj some time back but lost sight of that because of funding issues

I personaly had a chance to work on a vehicle that had them installed on them when they were in the research stages, wicked bright and hard to believe they are legal with DOT approval for road use. If I had the coin I'd own them in a heart beat but saving up to mod one for my bike :twisted:

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:34 pm

Been reading up on LED headlights and from what I have found
Cibie Z beams
JW Speaker #8700
Valeo/Sylvania XE7 BiXenon LED
Truck Lites are on down the list not nearly as good

Ryn7 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:21 am

Give it another year or so and there will be more LED headlamps on the marketplace to choose from.

BugginKJ · **Joined:** Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 4576

I guess there are! I didn't know or think enough to research if other manufactures are out there but thanks Tom for the nudge in the right direction :wink:

candpliberty · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:19 pm

What happens if a couple of the led's die? Can they be repaired? or do you buy a whole new headlight?

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:22 pm

Depends on who makes then and if they are willing to sell individual replacement Light emitting diodes can't believe the engineer in me let me say bulb. :ROTFL:

BugginKJ · **Joined:** Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 4576

candpliberty wrote:

What happens if a couple of the led's die? Can they be repaired? or do you buy a whole new headlight?

Most led's are sealed units with circuit boards, the boards are what normaly goes bad or the point at which the diode is attached. The most common problem with a led light going out is the power lead going to it. LED's carry a warranty, some lifetime. I use Trucklite products and Grote in my line of work, all carry a lifetime warranty on the light itself. I do not know about the headlights yet as we are not using them as of yet but there is talk of them being fitted to our units.

candpliberty · **Posted:** Tue Jul 03, 2012 11:55 pm

Headlights are fitted. everything back out, final welding and paint.

chrome trim rings will hide all the mount screws.

Ryn7 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:19 am

Looks good!

candpliberty · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:10 pm

Watching paint dry. :shock:

candpliberty · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:09 pm

It's been f'in hot here. My feet are on fire!
even then I persevered and took the buckets on and off at least a dozen time to get them in the adjustment range of the bucket! wooohooo, done! I'll take it to my headlight adjustment department( the roof of a casino parking garage, security:what are you doing out here? You're WHAT?) 25 feet of flatness with a wall is what I need for a accurate adjustment. Outside support rod isn't attached yet until I'm sure it's within range probably tonight. I cut the back of the bucket off to make a couple plastic ashtrays or parts holder. Now I can change bulbs without taking the light out. Let's go get some wabbits!

First impression is I made the right choice for my needs. A couple of hundred bucks and my time netted me a bright white blanket of light that reaches out quite a ways on low beam with a sharp cutoff. The pattern maximizes distance by having a sharp cutoff. The highbeam acts like a highbeam. A nice cylinder of light reaching way down the road. The final test will be to pull up behind a Vette' or BMWm3 to see how much of the light ends up in their cockpit. I bet none! One hidden benefit was the 7 inch light is quite smaller in volume than the stock light so more room for air gets to my airbox. You can see the 3 leaf clover plus 1 hole is in the stock airbox.

candpliberty · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2012 2:11 am

All done.

low beam jeep on driveway with about a 7-8 degree pitch. Shining the headlights into my dark garage. The horizontal line is aimed a couple of degrees down from level.

High beams. look where the "hot" spot is in relation to low beam. Me likey. :BANANA:

no flash on camera in the garage pics. sorry, the garage d.o. lights were on. Doh! :furious:

mdoffroad · **Joined:** Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:01 pm **Posts:** 18

Back from the dead! I KNEW looking at the KJ front this mod should have been doable! Any chance you could rehost the pics or send them to me in email?

I can't justify crappy HID's in a stock housing when I could do this mod and its RIGHT then

candpliberty · **Posted:** Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:05 am

Update since mdoffroad brought it back. 65/80 don't last very long. I drove to Chicago and back. One of them burned out while in Chitown. NOBODY had them so I got some Sylvania 55/60's. They work pretty good also. Way cheaper and can get them anywhere.

Mdoffroad, BTW, if you're in Maryland anywhere near Rockville, Candlepower on Southlawn Lane has any bulb you could need!

profdlp · **Posted:** Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:00 am

Very professional looking job. Nice!

candpliberty · **Posted:** Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:19 am

Thanks, profdlp.

mdoffroad · **Joined:** Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:01 pm **Posts:** 18

I def like how they turned out!

7" headlight with 60/100w bulbs.

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