Topic: Lighting opinions wanted

[hossman777]

Which option do you guys think would provide the most bang-for-the-buck?  I'm looking for a really bright long range driving light (not pencil beams, but not fog lights either) for trails, dirt roads, driving backroads late at night, etc.

Option 1:  (2) 8" 130 watt ProComp lights (the black ones for $40, not the Motorsports series lights)

OR

Option 2:  (2) cheap ebay 6" off road lights (like Harbor Freight...KC knock-offs) retrofitted with a cheap ebay HID conversion

The ProComps have a slightly fluted lens, so I'm assuming they would be closer to driving lights than spots.  The cheap Ebay ones are spots, but I have heard that HIDs scatter light.  Any opinions (especially those with experience with either of these two options) would be much appreciated.

[Hawk Thor]

The cheapo lights with HID kits installed can provide alot of light. But big reflectors give you the best use of the bulb, they spread the light more evenly.

I have Hella Luminator Chromium housings on the front of my truck, they are fitted with driving lights. They performed great with 130W halogens but now with the 3000K HIDs installed they are just amazing.

I also have old Hella foglamps with 100W halogens, they are good but I want to get small Hella or IPF projectors that have a sharp cutoff.

Have you upgraded the headlamps? If you get some E-code 200mm lamps then you can run some nice H4s and have good lighting. The stock lights simply suck.

You might want to check out Lightforce lamps, those are pretty much indestructible and have adjustable beams.

[88_Pathy]

I have some Kc lights (rectangle) and they worked great with 100 watt bulbs in them. I recently put some 5000k HIDs in them from retro-solutions and they are 2x brighter with a much whiter light. The reflectors in quality lamps makes them far better than the cheapy lamps.

[hossman777 [OP]]

Hmmm...so maybe I'll do the 8" procomps for now and later on retrofit those with HID conversions.

[hossman777 [OP]]

Oh, and yeah, I upgraded the bulbs in the headlights to Silverstars.  They are pretty good...can't really complain there.  Obviously the e-codes would work better, but I don't have too much trouble with street driving.

My whole quest for better of road lights comes from an amazing experience I had over the summer.  We were up at a camping spot about 45 minutes north of where I live.  All dirt roads.  My wife and baby were home sick, so I left in the middle of the night (2AM in August) to drive home to make sure they were alright.  I was wearing shorts, a sweatshirt and was running doorless for the summer.  There was a beautiful, bright full moon out and it was an amazing experience...cool of the night, Idaho foothill backcountry, and nothing seperating me from the outside since I didn't have any doors on.

The problem was, the cheap Ebay off road lights I had up front sucked.  They were plenty bright, but they wouldn't aim worth a crap and they shined out 100 yards in front of the truck and nothing at all on the sides of the road...I was trying to watch for deer and couldn't see anything until I was right up on it.

Long story, I know...but I had only had my 'yota for a few months at this point and it was the first time that I truly, truly fell in love with it.

[Hawk Thor]

Yeah thats the difference in big name and no name lights.

The Hella and Lightforce lights have very sturdy mounting brackets that allow for easy aiming and secure mounting, while the cheap lights rattle can come loose.

The expensive lights usually have good lenses that resist chipping, cracking and breaking, while the cheap lights can get scratched and cracked easily.

Expensive lights usually have deeper reflectors that are formed and cut to provide great cutoff, so there is not to much light scattered. The cheap lights usually scatter the light everywhere so they look a bit like tractorlights/worklights.

I started out with medium lights and white light and was fairly happy, but after having tried premium lights with yellow output I will never go back to cheap lights.

[Cheesemaker]

http://www.ultimateautoaccessories.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PL-880B

I had these on my old nissan, and they rocked.  Excellent visibility, and a really good wide pattern, that didn't illuminate the tree tops!  They reached out at least 25% more than the Silverstar lights I had.  I haven't put these on the truck yet, since I want a different bumper.  I'd love to get some nice HID's, but holy cow they want ALOT for some of them.  It's I either need some really good lighting or a front axle and a sas kit.

[88_Pathy]

These are what I run with HID 35w http://www.kchilites.com/store/35-Series-C9.aspx The pics don't really do justice, I have a vid from a dark night in the hills but I haven't uploaded it. They are ridiculously bright, like a welder in color.

[hossman777 [OP]]

Wow...those are really bright.  I like the wide beam pattern.  What kind of HID conversion did you use?

Right now, I'm leaning towards buying the Pro Comp 8" lights and later, saving up some money and retrofitting those with HIDs (if the HID conversions arent total crap).  But from that picture, it looks pretty good.

[88_Pathy]

retro solutions has the best kit for the price. I used the ballasts from them and e-bay bulbs. They are stupid bright, can't have them on with any oncoming traffic within view. 

[Plekto]

I'm a lifelong fan of Hella.  Bit more money, but god they are beautiful and blow the snot out of the cheap competition that you find at the local auto parts stores.

[79coyotefrg]

i have 2 sets of $15 a pair, rock lights (1 inch x 2 inch) and they fill the area with light, i can read a newspaper ten feet to the side of my truck