headlight/spotties advice

[sambb]

After a bit of advice on improving the headlight arrangenent on my car. I was recently at the summer rallysprints at eastern ck and it was apparent that I really need to do something about my cars lighting.
I've been told that the easiest thing I could do for the headlight globes (assuming we have H4's) is the Phillips HID conversion kits. is there anyone out there that has done this who could chime in with the details of the conversion and the difference it makes?
Ideally I'd go for spot light or strip lighting across the front but having had the front of the car off I can't remember how/where I would mount a secure bar for the lights. Can anyone help on that front?

thanks for any help
sam

[Stuwey]

...from some time ago now... Polo low beam is great, hi beam is crap.

Ran these for a while for overnight roadtripping.
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Cibie Oscars, then later went to IPF in the photos below, these had a much greater spread. I always wanted to put two pairs on - two up, two down like an RS2000 but never got around to it.

These were from Targa Adelaide. Top 5 finish!
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[sambb]

At least on my standard halogens I've found the same - low beam good, high beam way to direct with no spread. Those aren't projector headlights are they or are you still on halogens?
Can you remember what part you mounted the nudge bar into?

Looks like a cold slippery night in that last pic! That would have been awesome fun and a great result.

[Stuwey]

Normal OEM headlights, adding Cibie globes helped but not by much. The problem is the spread of light, not how bright they are.

I used the normal alloy light-bar-mount thing that you see all the time. Repco or Autobarn stuff. I powdercoated it black to make it go away a bit.

I cut a big hole in the bumper behind the numberplate, and then super glued in some threaded backing plates in place. They hold long enough to get the bolts done up from the front.

The lights still wobble up and down, so i made some top tethers for them that went back to the screws at the top of grille.



Worked a treat.

Top Tip: Don't be fooled by HID.

[sambb]

yeah the more I read I'm realising that HID is just not going to work with standard headlights. The cost versus reward for going HID with projectors doesn't seem to justify it either. So I think i'll go spotties and get the best halogens globes I can get for the standard beam. From what I can tell Philips diamond or crystal vision will be the go but I'm not sure on how much of an improvement over stock globes they will be.

For events I'm thinking i'll run with the grill removed. It looks as though i'll be able to bolt whatever spotties I get downward directly into the resin bar and also use two of the existing threaded torx screws that are there for additional mounting support. I like your idea of using little struts back to the top grill screws. Still haven't decided if i'll use a pair of rectangular spotties that'll nestle into the void left when the grill is removed or if i'll use those lighting strips across the whole width. Also wondering if fiddling with fog light globes/angles may help - worth it?

So what kind of wattage are your spotties - not too much of a draw on the standard alternator?

[Ozsko]

A set of Cibies with 125 watt H1's in them and the thickest wire you can manage to get onto the relay terminals. The thicker the wire the less voltage loss to the lights and the whiter the light. Don't skimp on cheap lights, until you have seen Cibies or something similar work you do not realise how good they are. There hasn't been a rectangular light made that was any good compared to Oscars.

[Stuwey]

Cibie's were 100W, IPFs were 65W. The performance is in the reflector and lens design, not the wattage of the globes. HIDs are also very blue compared to your high beam - the colour difference can be distracting as your eyes see across the paths of the individual beams.

Side note: I work for ARB, I play with A LOT of driving lights.

[Ozsko]

Cibie's were 100W, IPFs were 65W. The performance is in the reflector and lens design, not the wattage of the globes. HIDs are also very blue compared to your high beam - the colour difference can be distracting as your eyes see across the paths of the individual beams.

Side note: I work for ARB, I play with A LOT of driving lights.

I have been using Cibie Oscars since the 1970's on rally and road cars and the brighter the bulb the better the light providing the wiring is up to it. We started out with 55's. then 100's and when 125's came along daylight arrived. Wiring is the second single most important part, the other as you have pointed out is to stop them shaking. I have always run one driving light and one spot light on the road and two driving lights in the forest. At one time we were using three, one down the centre and the outer two crossed over for light into the corners before the car had turned in.

[sambb]

So how do you guys rate the LED narrow rectangular driving lights versus something like the halogen spotties you recommended in terms of a good colour and spread?

[sambb]

Stuwey which particular series IPF's did you run? The ones listed in the ARB catalogue are 100W and up, or did you change down to 65W globes in a series that normally comes at higher wattage?
https://www.arb.com.au/products/vehi...-lights-range/ any of these

[Ozsko]

I have never used LED's on a car so don't know but photos show limited penetration down the road compared to a set of IPf, Cibie or Hella. 4000k is a good colour and around the temp of a halogen with good voltage to the globe. Go any higher and you start to lose definition and the light output might but the apparent light starts to disappear and you see less. I am buying a new Tiguan with LED headlights and if they are no good I will bolt a set of Super Oscars with Xenons onto the front. The only issue I find with bright lights is the reflection from signs can get to be a problem.

[sambb]

so what do you reckon then, a pencil beam + spread beam combo or a pair of spread beams.

here's the course filmed at night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqD_hXE0ViY

[Stuwey]

Stuwey which particular series IPF's did you run? The ones listed in the ARB catalogue are 100W and up, or did you change down to 65W globes in a series that normally comes at higher wattage?
https://www.arb.com.au/products/vehi...-lights-range/ any of these

Early ones were 65W, then they got updated to 100W a couple of years ago. 2012 I think from memory. The extra wattage didn't make much difference!

Your alternator will be fine for those loads.

LED is a completely different ballgame. The good stuff is really good, but the cheap stuff is just a waste of natural resources

After watching the video, dual spread would be my pick.

[sambb]

If I was to go LED light bar (and probably only will if I can't find cibies or IPF for a decent price in time) then I was looking at these:

iron man do these curved light bars that give a better spread (there's also a 722mm one- 19.5" Curved LED Bar - Ironman 4x4

big red do these single and double row combination beam ones where the central LEDs reflectors give penetration and the side ones give the spread - http://www.bigredled.com.au/LED_light-bars.html

are these along the lines of what you'd think fit into the "good stuff" when it comes to LED driving lights or are they likely to still be the turd variety?

[Ozsko]

Take what I am going to say her with a big grain of salt, from what I have seen in photos and for that specific purpose on that circuit I would think a good LED bar would be better than two conventional lights, what a good one is I have no idea though. If the lights were going to stay on the car and be used on main roads then I would suffer the shadows and dark spots and general uneven light conventional lights give at very close range because the money would be wasted on an LED light bar. This the what worries me about LED headlights, I don't think they are going to have the penetration my Xenons have in the Skoda.