Upgrading my headlights

[tjet]

[bluebus86]

[tjet]

[cmayna]

Dang! Too many choices. At this point without too much thinking (which is easy for me to do), I was planning to stay with rectangle lamps, but can't rule out going round. Here, I thought this would be a quick and easy project......until I asked you guys
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'90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.


Craig

[Merian]

well stocked junkyards make your choice easy

just kill the DOT housings, no matter what you do

[kamzcab86]

[Zeitgeist 13]

DOT required light complaints aren't just a Vanagon phenomenon. My T3-era Mercedes and Audi also have them, and they're just as lousy. The 9004 plugs are also notorious for burning up when folks attempt to up the wattage, even with relays. E-codes are a proven way to improve lighting on these DOT-saddled European vehicles, since they merely return them back to their natural state
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[greggearhead]

[IdahoDoug]

I think cost has to be considered here. The "convert away from original DOT squares" should throw out some project costs. Since those conversions require new bulbs, and Jay Brown's awesome headlight relay kits, and so did mine, my comparative costs are zero except the time to remove the headlamps (which needs to be done anyhow for the relay kit), and wash them for crystal clear bulb housings.

By contrast, the "convert" crowd has to start spending money where I stopped. So, the "convert" crowd should throw out some numbers for converting to rounds (grille, shipping of grille, purchase of H4 lamps, or other round lamps) or the price of securing square H4s. Those are the incremental costs that the OP needs to have on hand to make the decision.

I think we'd all agree the H4s put out better light on low beam, but the last square H4 light set I saw cost over $300 before shipping from Europe.

And while we're at it, I think my square high beams will win over a single round headlamp system on high beam, including an H4 euro single H4. The reason is the problem with the DOT lamps is the crap low beams due to faulty low beam filament replacement and the metal shield. On high beam its a completely different battle in my favor with 2 unshielded low beam filaments (on high beam), plus another set of high beams for 4 filaments and far more total reflector area. With Jay's harness, a stock US square beam Vanagon could be sporting 4 100w filaments to light up the night. With a single beam round system, you are limited to 2 100 watt filaments.

So, what are the two popular "convert" systems going for:

Single round - grille and H4 lights + shipping
SA system - grille, and 2 H4 lights, plus those smaller inner lights + shipping
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[newfisher]

$325 for E code squares, $50 in Jays lighting with grounds and conversion plugs for H4s, $ for H3 high beam bulbs and $90 for H4 dual high low with module 5000k white HIDs.

For those about to chime in and say that the reflectors are not designed for HID and the patterns wont work or oncomming traffic hates me. Piss off. Properly adjusted I have never offended anyone, verified by friends testing the lights both in front of me and on comming in different situations. The light pattern and distance is AMAZING. Here in the NW we have deer, elk, bear, cattle,racoon, opossum and Sasquatch. I can see them 30 yards before they step onto the pavement. The lighting system is cheaper than my deductable.

I also have a 20" 200w flood/spot and a 52" 300w spot LED lamps mounted too. Several 4" square flood led's side mounted and in back. I camp year round and in the winter months its dark at 4pm , I dont ever have a problem finding a level camp spot off road at night anymore

[Merian]

COST:

7" Cibies used to be $40 on Amazon but now are $60 - still cheap
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....

[IdahoDoug]

Merian

Plus a grille for rounds and shipping, right? This is starting with squares.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Steve M.]

[Zeitgeist 13]

I already mentioned earlier in this thread that the cost for my round buckets and grill was offset completely by selling those same parts from my original square setup. So then the rest was just:

$50 for Cibie knock-offs
$26 for 80/100w bulbs
$0 for relay kit (work trade)
$75 for Hella 500 driving lights (bought about ten years ago)
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[kamzcab86]

[Zeitgeist 13]

I bought the round kit for $100, and sold the square kit for $100; = $0 expended. I also prefer rounds aesthetically, so I consider the mod a visual "form" upgrade unrelated to their actual function.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Merian]

[shadetreetim]

Always fun to see the different ways we all address the same problem. Or even the fact not everyone sees a problem at all. Each of us has different needs and expectations.

I wired in relays many years ago and switched to the popular 80/100W bulbs. And to make sure the grounds were excellent, I added local ground wires.

But, adjusted properly and in good condition, those stock squares always left me wanting more, even with those standard upgrades. I ran a set of Hella 500 driving lights, relayed with the ignition, to help compensate.

Until I replaced the Hella 500's with an LED light bar. Can't exactly run one of those in traffic. I was so used used to the Hella's, I was squinting to see with just the squares.

Looking at all the usual options, I decided to go my own way. So I bought 4) 5.75" H4 Euro Bulbs and built a custom grill. Total cash outlay? About $250.00. Time spent customizing grill and building bulb brackets? About 10 hours. Light output on low beam? Damn good. High beams are Hella Good with 4 bulbs equaling a combined 340 watts blazing away.

Many a midnight drive across the desert has me glad I upgraded the lighting. And when I need something akin to daylight, I flip on the 300W LED lightbar. It's "Holy Crap" good!

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Tim Potts

Doing my best every time I drive it to dispel the myth these Vanagons have to be slow!


'89 Vanagon Bluestar/Country Homes 1.8T & .77 4th
'74 Jeep CJ5

[newfisher]

[bluebus86]