Headlights - are you happy with yours?

Just a general question regarding the your headlights and whether they are bright enough for your satisfaction..

Not really concerned with make or model, but how yours perform, what changes / modification have you made to make them work more efficiently?

Basically, are you comfortable driving at night, if not, what have you done to rectify the problem?

hehe...

i have a problem which is about to get fixed good and proper...tomorrow...so ur question is timely.

MINE FALL OUT!!

yep, thats right...out..completely...good thing I have a bumper to catch them hey.

What apparently happened was....the little 'tag' rusted, and someone put in an incorrectly sized screw....so it was lose. the headlight wasnt secured properly, and so it fell out. A friend put it back in...but again, it fell out. THEN...a screw and nut were used next....but in process of putting it in, the top lip of the headlight was squished, and so the top flopped down....

So tomorrow, im going to a man who restores vintage and classics alike, and he's going to fix it for me. he's sorting out the top lip on the car, as well as the headlight, and welding the nut to the tag for me.

He's also replacing the bulb size, so my high beam feels like high beam. He noticed it when I took the car down, so figures he may as well pop one in while he's there.

So today, not happy with the lights...but tomorrow should be different 🙂

i wasn't happy.. so i pulled out those old sucker bulbs and threw in 90/100's mwahahaha... im happy now 😀

mine where great, till i sold em 😀 They lit up the area when i was working.

for $20 each :P And the lenses were next to perfect. 12 volt too by the way.

No. i'm not happy with mine!
My car blows headlight dimmer relays for no apparant reason, so they're stuck on high beam at the moment, and i think the adjustment is out too. *sigh*

Mine arent bad... ripper at high beam, adequate on low beam... could be the tiniest bit brighter on low...but i wont complain. 🙂

I've got sealed beam H4's in mine.

Happy.

My 6volt cars now have 'Project H4' 55/60 watt bulbs= now give the same headlight power as a standard 12volt bug

And my 12volt cars (VW) all have H4 90/100 watt bulbs= well a lot closer to a new car !!!

I also cleaned my headlights thoroughly inside and out as well as using the best possible reflective dish (excellent chrome)
:thumb

hmmm.. i cant remember what brightness mine were hehe

i spent a while twigging with mine and they now crap all over most of the mainstream cars on the road
i used 76 on semi sealed type fitted with 100/90W bulbs and running through relays as well as some extra wiring so low beam stays on with high beam but i put in a switch so i can disable that if the cops pull me over LOL
may seem pointless but makes a hell of a differnce
i tried those HID xenon bulbs in but was very unimpressed
the blue actaully filters out light not add 30% more like they claim

a quick note anyone who puts bigger than 60W bulbs in please use a relay u will fry ur headlight switch and eventully ur wiring if u dont

Joel

I just drive around with high beam on, and it's the same brightness (pretty close anyway) as new cars on the road. My normal beam is ok, but it's nicer to see more. :P

fitted sealed beam late kombi units behind clear splitter glass. Works well, almost like real headlights. Not sure the non-german chrome will last more than 2 weeks...

I have always replaced My 12 volt headlamps with H4 hella semi sealed beams with 55/60w bulbs.

I now use Narva H4 Plus 50 bulbs...
50% brighter on Low beam and 30% brighter on High beam.. but they only use the same power.. 55/60w..
no melted wires or headlamp bulb connectors....

You can get Plus 30 or Plus 50 at most auto one shops etc... Hella also make them... just advanced technology..

I don't like the 90/100w bulbs....
they produce extreme temperatures....
If You use them, You should also use extra relays and larger wires.... [I still don't like them]:o:o

installing H4 semi sealed beams does take some modifications, they do not just fit in....
I used the headlamp brackets from early fords..
and bolt them to the long standard screws in the VW chromed rims... In the US they are screwed to the two little brackets already in most late VW guards...

If Your headlamps are OK just replace the bulbs with Plus 50s....

Your reflectors need to be good, and the inside of the glass dust free....


Lee

[ Edited on 30-5-2006 by 68AutoBug ]

on my bus the headlights are pretty piss poor,will look into them🙂
on my 6 volt beetle ,well i might as well get out a candle in a glass or just have someone follow me as their lights shine better than what it does on the road😂😂 must convert to 12v at least

just get Dolphin torches and duct tape em to the guards! 😂

It'll be an improvement! 😁

the kombi is remarkably good, especially in fog, will have to look into what sort of globe they are as the type3 is a joke, i have actually tested with headlights off when a car is sitting behind me and the following car's lights DO shine further AND brighter then mine :o also have jo_tas's relsay/switch problem, if i accidently dont pull the lever up fully the lights lock themselves into low beam for an indefinite period of time before cooming good again

I have the popular VVWS 'early' upgrade with the Porsche glasses and Cibie reflectors. They work okay, with a few ragged edges and hot spots on both low and high beam. I think I have 55/90 or something bulbs, no relays, 38A genny, and although a ARB or Narva secondary harness is a good idea (as suggested) I haven't fried anything in the last 15 years...

[ Edited on 30-5-2006 by VWCOOL ]

Craig Torrens wrote:And my 12volt cars (VW) all have H4 90/100 watt bulbs= well a lot closer to a new car !!!

I also cleaned my headlights thoroughly inside and out as well as using the best possible reflective dish (excellent chrome)
:thumb

90/100w is for girls!:P

You might like to upgrade further by going to a 90/130w bulb then. These are brighter than my 100w super oscar driving lights.👍

Craig has a good point about clean reflectors too. The other thing you can do is rewire your lights so the switch in the car just switches a relay as opposed to the actual power supply for the lights. You then connect the headlights direct to the battery so there is less resistance in the circuit and more power getting to the bulb. The mod is an oldie but a goody. It's the same setup as driving lights use.

hehe, my aunts beetle has headlight problems. when you turn the headlights on the radio and wipers go off :P

sounds terminal, you better give the car to me.😉

yea thats exaclty what i did
ive tried 130/90w bulbs in another car of mine but they were no good round here coz of the roads are S#!thouse

the bigger the bulb the more sensitive the filliment the filiment is
they had both blown within a cuple of months

Joel

really? I've got them in a buggy with stiff as hell suspension and I've yet to blow one, and that's after driving along stockton beach (rough as) with them on at 80...I mean 40km/h. 😉

Ah, I see the problem, your signature, "drive it like you stole it".👍


[ Edited on 30-5-2006 by pete wood ]

But they probably both blew because you're using both filaments when you have your high beam on! I know it makes a difference but I wouldn't do it.
-Staggers.

i wasnt in that car
they were cheap bulbs too like $20 a pair
which probabaly didnt help but ive had the same brand in 100W still going after 5 years

Joel

Has anyone fitted HID lights to buggy lights ??? Just an idea.

I'm still using 6volt electrics with Halogen globes. Pretty piss weak in terms of illumination. At least when I die, I won't know (or see) what hit me😂
-Adam

In the EH I put 90/130's and they are orsome on the highway.

The bus makes do with 90/100's.

Yes they have relays and yes they have extra heavy duty wire, and yes I have big alternators.

The Beetle lights look like candles and they are H4, but the reflectors are poor.