Anthony Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I'm about to buy new headlights and want to fit the "best" ones I can without breaking any laws or blinding any other road usersAm I right in thinking HID and LED headlights can only be (legally) fitted if they have self levelling and washers fitted to them?If that's the case it seems Halogens are the best ones we can fit to our cars.Is there a limit regarding the wattage of bulbs that can be fitted?Most headlight kits come with 55/60 watt bulbs, but cam more powerful ones be fitted?I'm currently fitting and modifying a new wiring loom, so it will have suitable wring and relays installed, I just wondered what's advised regarding their powerFrom what I've read Osram Night Breaker bulbs seem to be the ones to go forCan anyone comment on the different headlights that are available?Cibie, Hella, Lucas, Wipac?Should I be looking for Glass or Poly lenses, and how much difference is there between the Clear lenses and the patterned ones?Do the clear ones give much better performance?Oh, and are these different lenses flat or curved?I'm trying to get the headlights looking as original as possible, but with the best performance that I canEDIT:I've been told these are the best lights to get, but don't know what it is about them that makes them so much better/expensive. Anybody got any opinions?http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/product/lucas-7--assembly/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nang Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I've just got 55/60w halogens and flat Hella light units in my Mk4. Relays and heavier cables. Simples and great lights. 1000% improvement on the originals.Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velocita Rosso Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 HS4 Halogen conversions/ Nightbreakers55/60 w are the legal on road maximumWe do use 100 watt in aux spots for off road/rally needs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 No idea why those lucas are so expensive, but the supplier tends to charge a premium anyway.I have thesehttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Halo.....3:g:A3wAAOxysstSXmOOalong with (now) philips x-treme which (according to a mag test) give a better light than the old osrams I did have, but I can't tell the difference. I also have relays which DO make a difference and would encourage you to do the same. The crystal/clear lens lights are a little flatter than the old lucas type sealed beams, and the clear lenses do look quite different. I have not been impressed with wipac or autopal "traditional" halogen units, not long lived at all. However, I think my current crystals are wipac, and seem fine.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob dunn Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I got (like Nang said) mine from Canley`s in 2008 ish still perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMPUS Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I'm using Cibie (Valeo) H4 headlight units with Osram Night Breaker bulbs in mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Fitted Osram Silverstar and new (cheap at Stoneleigh) headlight units to the Herald in 2008 and they're still in the car which gets used daily in all weathers. They were as bright as my 100w driving lamps and after people saw them they fitted the same. I've just changed the headlight units themselves, the bulbs are still the originals. I've had no luck with Osram Nightbreakers and nor have friends.The Acclaim has Halfords all weather ones which look blue with the lights off and yellow with the lights on. Nice and bright and absolutely brilliant on cutting down the glare from road signs and snow.As to HID's... all I'll say is that each Triumph I've had behind me has blinded me to the extent of being dangerous. I've always had to pull over and then more often than not get slowed by them as it turns out they were driving off my correctly aimed lights and not theirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyb Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Osram Night Breaker bulbs in the original lamps fitted with relays are good enough for me. I do also have two 100w spots fitted which come on with main beam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paudman Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Quoted from Dannyb Osram Night Breaker bulbs in the original lamps fitted with relays are good enough for me. I do also have two 100w spots fitted which come on with main beam. I use Osram Nightbreakers or Silverlights in my cars with no problems at all, but the best mod was to use the Wipac Clearform headlamps that have completely clear glass fronts and therefore don't diffuse or dim the output from the bulbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 I saw pictures of you Wipacs previously, and they look very niceAre the lenses glass or plastic?Are the backs metal or plastic?Are the lenses domed, semi-domed, or flat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uksnatcher Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 HID bulbs are good but just so anti social not really an option, never really thought about LED headlight bulbs, bit fiddly and expensive but....Standard halogens emit approx 1200 lumensDecent LED H4's shove out 3200 lumens 😎 without the HID glareInteresting read on LED H4's: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1455474I doubt they will fit ours tho with the large heatsink they need.Or....there are these with cooling using braiding:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-H.....6:g:ppIAAOSwstxVOQSaor....using an internal fan:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H4-6.....b:g:6oEAAOSwcBhWUoXdLED technology has come on hasn't it......! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegt6 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 I have just (about 2 week ago) fitted LED H4 'bulbs' to my 110 defender - Had original H4 patterned glass units fitted.Put new wipac crystal clear units in, then tried in order:Original H4 (halogen) - A little brighter than originalPhilips xtreme 130% H4 (Halogen) - Much brighter than originalLED - MUCH MUCH brighter....a lot more light spread directly in front. Has quite a sharp cut-off too, and thus far no problems from other drivers etc..They are Hi-Lo 'bulbs' but the Hi-beam doesn't add a great deal really, just a tad more distance - the dipped/driving is excellent and more than adequate.Spec:25w / 35w (Lo-Hi)Lumens is quoted as being 2000 per 'bulb'Built-in fan unitFully waterproofI will be fitting the same 'bulbs' to the GT6 before it comes out againMy two-penneth fwiw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paudman Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Quoted from Anthony I saw pictures of you Wipacs previously, and they look very niceAre the lenses glass or plastic?Are the backs metal or plastic?Are the lenses domed, semi-domed, or flat? From memory I think both lens and back are plastic, with the glass semi-domed. A vast improvement on (obviously) the original sealed-beam units but also the Wipac Quadoptics that I tried as well, with a wide range of bulbs too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyb Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 where did u source the Leds from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegt6 Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Got mine off eBay after a lot of searching etc.. (UK supplier - but made in China obviously) £50 - Which, if they do last, is pretty good against circa £17-18 for the Philips Xtreme Vision +130%Looked at some 'UK' made ones at circa £125 pair and the ones I got look almost identical.'Bulbs' have interchangeable 'filters' giving you different colour output (4300k / 6000k / 8000k)They state Canbus error free, but followed by a caveat saying some new vehicles my still require resistors to prevent warning lights and flickering.Reckon on 50,000 hrs use on average.HTH's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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