Sealed Beam Headlight Converisons?

[ctjeepman]

Has anyone tried replacing their old headlights with something newer and can give of better light? I was thinking of something like this
http://store.racinglab.com/raysquartyps.html
But am unsure if a stock electrical system could handle it. Any real-life experiences out there?

[Ristow]

i have the hella setup in mine.
they're nice.

[Spectre]

Yup. I'm running Sylvania Silverstars in mine, and my Jag has Autopal H4s. No problems either way.

[JeepinPete]

I will second the improvement Hellas make...

[Ristow]

i need to upgrade my wiring to the headlights next,i'm about 1.5 volts shy at the light socket.that's a lot!

[Grimjaw]

Try this write up at http://www.cfsjc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30

[David Allen Racing]

I'm running a H4 set up with 120w high/ 90w lows in my off road truck. I also added a painless wiring kit# 30815 headlight harness.
http://www.painlesswiring.com/

[CustomWag]

I'vd also got the Sylvania Silverstars and they are a vast improvement over the regular halogens, just plug & play, no wiring upgrades so it's cheap & simple.

[ctjeepman]

Try this write up at http://www.cfsjc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30

I would love to but I'm not a cfsjc member-any chance on reposting it here?

[Grimjaw]

I would love to but I'm not a cfsjc member-any chance on reposting it here?

I am asking for permission to repost the entire thread here.

[ctjeepman]

thank you sir:)

[Shaggin' Wagon]

SilverStars. No brainer.

[Grimjaw]

Reposted with permission from CFSJC.com ....

Green Giant02-20-2006 01:43 PM
Low-buck H4 Headlight Conversion Now W/Pics

I submitted this to Zack Heisey for the upcoming FSJ magazine, but given the controversy surrounding the new ownership and the change of focus I will share this here, as it may never see print and I worked too hard on it to let it die.
This ranks right up with the TFI conversion in my book. It is something I should have done along time ago.
I'll add pics soon.

Low–Buck H-4 Headlight Conversion or WOW, I should have done this a long time ago.

Parts List:
Materials (http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/GreenGiant/h4MaterialsS.jpg)
1 Pair Autopal HL102P43T Head Lamp (w/H-4 bulbs) $38.94 Autopal Lights (Ebay Store)
2 ea. Optronics A-715 30Amp Horn & Auxiliary Light Relay $3.97 Advance auto Parts
2ea. Motormite 85713 Primary Wire Green 12gauge 12ft. $ 1.98 Advance Auto Parts
2ea. Littelfuse FHAC2BP Heavy Duty Fuseholder w/Cover $4.99 Advance Auto Parts
2ea. 20amp ATO fuses
3ea #10 Pan Head Sheetmetal Screws
Assorted crimp type terminals
Heat shrink tubing

Total spent: $ 60.82

Time required: 2.5 hours

Tired of not being able to see the road when driving at night, or in rainy weather? Tired seeing shadows in front of you because the vehicle behind you has brighter lights than yours? Here is a low-cost way to upgrade your old sealed beam headlights. Pardon the pun, but the difference is like night & day.

Where do I find the conversion kit?

I started by searching for H-4 conversion lights that would fit the headlight buckets in my 1978 Cherokee Chief. I found plenty of expensive conversion kits, but being frugal (cheap, tight, whatever) I searched until I found a set I could afford on my almost non-existent FSJ budget.
I found what I was looking for on Ebay at a store called Autopal Lights. He has just about any type of vehicle light you would need at reasonable prices. I got the round 7” lights, but he has the rectangular ones for you late model aficionados as well. The Autopal light kit consists of a glass lens and housing with a rubber dust cover and an H-4 bulb. I ordered the 55/60W bulbs in order to be street legal, but different wattage combinations are available up to 120W. I would strongly recommend re-wiring with a heavier gauge wire for the higher wattages. Everything else I found either on the shelf at Advance Auto Parts or I had in my garage supplies.

Steps to see the light.

First disconnect the negative cable from your battery. Then remove the 3 screws securing the trim ring or door as they are referred to in the Technical Service Manual. (I also removed the entire grille, although the conversion can be done with the grille in place.) Next loosen the three screws that hold the retaining ring (not the aiming screws), and rotate and remove the retainer and unplug the old sealed beam. Sealed Beam (http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/GreenGiant/h4sealedbeamS.jpg)Remove the four screws that hold the bucket in place and set the bucket aside. Repeat for the other side.

At this point it is recommended that you inspect the entire headlight circuit and replace wiring and connectors as needed. (Mine were in excellent shape for their age because the original owner kept the Cherokee in a carport all of its life.)

The conversion units come unassembled, so you must remove the plastic plug and install the bulb in the housing by loosening the two wire clips, discard the plug. Do not touch the glass part of the bulb with your bare fingers as the oil in your fingerprints may cause premature failure of the bulb. Grasp the bulb by its metal base, line up the tabs with the slots in the housing and secure with the clips. Push the wire harness through the back of the bucket and install the dust cover over the plug. This is tricky because the plug is t-shaped and the hole in the cover is round. You will have to stretch the rubber around the plug. Plug the bulb into the harness push the dust cover up snug to the housing and install into the bucket while lining up the tabs on the housing with the slots on the bucket. Make sure the bulb is upright in the bucket as they are “aimed” for a right hand drive vehicle. Place retaining ring onto the housing, line up the slots with the screws on the bucket and rotate into place. Tighten the retaining ring screws. Install the bucket into place. Repeat for the other side. Replace grille, trim rings, etc.New Lights (http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/GreenGiant/h4neweyesS.jpg)

Now on to the fun part: wiring.

Locate the wire loom running along the right fender that contains the headlight wiring. Loosen the loom retainers using a flat blade screwdriver and fish the wires out of the loom. Consult the proper wiring schematic of your vehicle for the color code of the two headlight wires. (Mine were gray and gray with a tracer.) Harness (http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/GreenGiant/h4harnessS.jpg)Or you could trace the wires back from the right headlight. Cut the two wires close to where they pass under the windshield washer reservoir and pull the wires back towards the firewall until you have about a foot of each wire showing. Splice (http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/GreenGiant/h4spliceS.jpg)
Mount your relays in a convenient spot. (I mounted mine on top of the fender between the reservoir and the ignition module to ensure that they were high and dry.) Drill 2 holes the proper size and spacing to mount the relays and an additional hole for a ground.

Splice enough 10 or 12ga wire to the wires coming from the headlights, marking the wire connected to the tracer wire with a piece of tape.Marked Wire (http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/GreenGiant/h4markedwireS.jpg)Crimp-on female blade connectors to the wires you just added and to the wires coming from the firewall connector. Make two short ground wires with female spade connectors on one end and a ring terminal on the other. Screw them to the fender for a ground. Mount the relays to the holes you drilled and connect all the wires to the proper terminals. The relays will come with a schematic. Relays (http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/GreenGiant/h4completedS.jpg)

Locate the “hot” side of your starter solenoid, or some other connection point that is “hot” constantly, such as the positive battery terminal. Run one or two 10ga wires from this location, around the firewall to the relays, leaving enough on each end for your connections. (I used two wires, but you could run one and split it at the relays.) Install female connectors and attach to the relays. Splice fuse holder(s) on the other end of the wire(s) coming from the relays. Use crimp on ring terminals on the other end of the fuse holders and attach to the power source you previously selected. Install 20amp fuses into the holders and reconnect your negative cable. Fuse holders (http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/GreenGiant/h4solenoidS.jpg)Test.

Can You See The Light? (http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/GreenGiant/h4icanseeS.jpg)

[Grimjaw]

now for the rest of the repost....

woodclad02-20-2006 03:53 PM
Lazy man's conversion for those with $$$

Green Giant,

Great article. Are H4s the same as those blue HID headlights which I cuss when I see them coming at me at night, or are they easier on the eyes of oncoming drivers? Just curious.

Found this on the IFSJA site, for those who have the bucks to take the easy way out: jayrodoh@yahoo.com (jayrodoh@yahoo.com) in Lakewood, OH has no-cut conversion harness kits costing $70 for systems up to 100 watts and $80 for those H4 systems which will run over 100 watts. I have not used one of these conversion kits myself.

Green Giant02-20-2006 04:16 PMJeff,
The name's Todd, sorry should have put that in my sig.

H-4 bulbs are just regular halogens. They are avialable in different wattages up to 120w and different colors, so yes you could get the "blue" if you wanted them.
Mine actually have an unusual pattern that is completely flat on top, so I was able to aim them easily. I had the chance to really see them "shine" (pardon the pun) this past weekend. I drove out to our farm to get the wiper motor off my parts rig, got invited to stay for a wing, beer, & bull session around the firepit that my Bro-in-law was hosting. Hhhmmm free wings & beer......
Anyway, the test of my new lights was driving back home on a cloudy moonless night on dark backroads. All I can say is the difference is indescribable. This will be one the first mods I do on my 69 when I start on it later this spring. I'll try to post up the pics tonight.

I will also try to get a pic of the light pattern. I didn't take a before pic, and I WILL not put the sealed beams back in to get one either. :eek:

Cutting into the harness where I did is easy and unless you go with the higher wattages, the stock wires will be fine.

woodclad02-20-2006 08:53 PMH4 conversion

Todd,

I'm looking forward to the pics of your conversion and your new lighting pattern. If it is flat enough, it might not be that bad on the guy coming towards you. Since the only high-intensity headlights that seem to bother my eyes (well, ok, eye; left one doesn't work) are the blue ones, it may have all to do with how I'm perceiving the light spectrum rather than the shape or intensity of the beam anyway.

I might be interested in this conversion for myself since, with my vision, I need a lot of light to see at night -- and I can't figure out why the stupid fog lights have quit working, so driving in the rain is a nightmare.

BOTH 2-wire fog lamp unit harnesses (with EVERYTHING unplugged including bulbs) indicate a short to ground -- when they are not connected to anything at either end!:mad: I'm trying to score some not-too-costly Marchals from an '87 or earlier GW since the ones on the '87 beater never give any trouble. Any leads?

Jeff D.

casey02-20-2006 11:23 PMThis is a great cheap how to article Todd. I cant wait to do it to my Chief...then smash them on a rock at Tellico! Perhaps you can hold a clinic at our first WOT?

Green Giant02-23-2006 01:07 PMI've added the pics now. It's been a week and a half now, and I am still amazed at the difference this makes.

Tanker04-05-2006 11:08 PMWoodclad if you get the parts I'll be more then happy to help put them in with you.Its not that hard if you like working with electricity like me.I just got off my EST so I LIKE ELECTRICITY:eek:

Ridgerunner04-06-2006 10:12 AMSo where are the pics?

casey04-06-2006 12:01 PMQuote:
Originally Posted by Ridgerunner
So where are the pics?


:confused:

click on the highlighted, underlined text. ;)

[Jayrodoh]

Thank you grimjaw for posting about my harness' above. IFSJA members get $10 off that price. There are a number of members running the harness and I have yet to hear a complaint about them.

[letank]

Hella H4 w relays (hi, low) and fresh wires from battery. And a spare light bulb in a plastic container for those surprises black out, it beat carrying a whole headlamp. You can replace the plastic socket too....

It really helped me w the upper angled beam to avoid that cow standing on the highway.....

[Grimjaw]

Thank you grimjaw for posting about my harness' above. IFSJA members get $10 off that price. There are a number of members running the harness and I have yet to hear a complaint about them.


Your harness is on my wish list for my J10, Darn that a long list, thats not getting any shorter.

[Spectre]

SilverStars plus Hella 550 driving lights on my GW:

http://www.dallasdrivers.org/albums/album136/IM002971.jpg

http://www.dallasdrivers.org/albums/album135/IM002901.jpg

[JeepStew]

thas an awesome example.

[jsinajeep]

I got mine on ebay. Did the heavy wiring and relays ,everthing. When I got the new light they looked good.Got checking and they had the 60/55w blubs that will give the 130/100w brightness with the diamond cut lens [if you can beleive that]. The instruction said you can use the your regular wiring[why not with 60/55w blub]. I have the 77 Chero so I got the one with the flat glass lens and they do look good. One of these days I will get the brighter blub for it.

[crispyboy]

I did a search on the Hella Vision Plus headlamps - they use a hb2 9003 bulb. Is this different than the h4 bulb?

[crispyboy]

Here's an interesting article on light bulbs.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/blue/good/good.html

[Spectre]

Here's an interesting article on light bulbs.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/blue/good/good.html

I have to disagree with Mr. Stern (and have before) on the topic. First of all, the SilverStars don't seem to be short-lived; I do a lot of night driving and I get at most a couple years out of bulbs anyway - these seem to be holding up just fine at a little over a year.

He is correct about the light appearing whiter; but what he does not discuss is the sealed-beam replacement units. He's talking specifically about using the bare bulbs in an OEM headlight unit like the kinds found on, say, a new non-HID Honda Accord or Toyota Camry or Dodge Ram. In that case, no, the SilverStars have no advantage whatsoever over a normal bulb other than cosmetic appearance. However, when a SilverStar bulb is combined with the Sylvania Performance reflector and lens (i.e., their H6054 replacement sealed beam, which is what is on my Jeep), it's an excellent upgrade, the best DOT-legal pattern I've seen. The reflector and lens is what makes the difference in this case.

That said, if you want excellent DOT-legal lighting performance that's identical to the SilverStars (right down to the lumen performance as measured by my photometer) save for the cosmetics of a whiter light, get yourself some Sylvania XtraVision H6054's. They're $5 cheaper apiece; they use a high-output 'unfiltered' halogen bulb in the same reflector and lens assembly. It produces "traditional" colored halogen light, that's the only difference. The pattern the Xtravision throws is identical.

If you're willing to put non-DOT legal gear on your truck and risk a ticket or failing inspection, then I'd go with some Hella or Autopal H4s. I do that on my Jaguar XJ sedans because since it's an unusual European car, *nobody* knows what it's supposed to have and you can get away with almost any modification on it. The Jeep is an American car with a common knowledge tech base, so there's less I can get away with - especially since I live a block from the local cop shop.

[Sbonley]

In my first Cherokee I put the Cibie' lights in with 55W low beam 100W high beam after several years of this everytime I hit the highs all of the lights, including dash, would go off. I blew the engine shortly after that so I never got it fixed. With the next Jeep I put the Hella's in with stock wattages. Both are a vast improvement over the stock lights but I prefer the Cibie' lights. Last weekend I put in the Painless H4 wiring harness and put the 55/100 bulbs back in. You could see the difference even with the stock wattage low beams over the stock wiring harness. Just a long way of saying Yes go with the H4 headlamps and a wiring harness with relays coming from the battery for full voltage to the lights.