2nd Gen. Dodge Ram - No Drivetrain Discussion for all Dodge Rams from 1994 through 2002. Please, no engine or drivetrain discussion.

Need something better

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 11, 2016 | 11:33 AM
  #1  
cougar's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,317
Likes: 485
From: alaska
Need something better

Did the sport light conversion and wiring mods a while back, but still they aren't good enough for Alaska winter driving. They don't put out much light and it's all pointed down and not down the road. Not much in the way of higher wattage bulbs without going straight to over kill on the low beam side. Was thinking of going the HID projector route, but all the projector head lights I found were for standard light bulbs. Wouldn't consider that any help. I'm still not impressed by LEDs either. They don't put out that much light, but still manage to blind on coming traffic. Don't really want to do the auxiliary thing because both high and low need drastic improvements.
Reply
Old Dec 11, 2016 | 03:46 PM
  #2  
johnh's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,053
Likes: 29
From: lyman, utah
Originally Posted by cougar
Did the sport light conversion and wiring mods a while back, but still they aren't good enough for Alaska winter driving. They don't put out much light and it's all pointed down and not down the road. Not much in the way of higher wattage bulbs without going straight to over kill on the low beam side. Was thinking of going the HID projector route, but all the projector head lights I found were for standard light bulbs. Wouldn't consider that any help. I'm still not impressed by LEDs either. They don't put out that much light, but still manage to blind on coming traffic. Don't really want to do the auxiliary thing because both high and low need drastic improvements.
dot limits head lights to 55 watts, so to get more light go off road lights, each one of my lights are 130 watts, i see good! they are on only on high beam

Name:  P1010193.jpg
Views: 122
Size:  46.8 KB
Reply
Old Dec 12, 2016 | 04:13 PM
  #3  
BILTIT's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,205
Likes: 9
From: Lloydminster SK/AB
Your best bet:

2nd Gen Dodge Ram HID Projector Retrofitted Headlamps
Reply
Old Dec 13, 2016 | 05:16 AM
  #4  
AlpineRAM's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,733
Likes: 264
From: Austria Europe
I've had very good results with new stock sports headlights, where I used a set of relays to power them correctly instead of with the abysmal stock wiring harness.
Using flosser 80/100W bulbs gives you very good low beams with a good cutoff, and insane 400W of high beams.. without burning up your light switch

It works like this- you put the coil of the relay between the wire for the filament you want to light and the common wire on the stock plug. (So one for low, one for high)
Then you get power directly from the battery to the relay, and from the output of the relay directly to the bulb. Add a ground wire for the bulb back to the battery.
On Peter's truck (97 QC LB 2500 CTD) we got only 11V on the bulb with the stock headlight (you need to measure with the bulb installed) with the engine running, and with the relays we got it to 14.3V - which according to wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halogen_lamp

says that the same bulb puts out 55% less light on the reduced voltage.
Another factor that can rob a lot of light is the yellowing of the plastic headlight lens.
Reply
Old Dec 13, 2016 | 10:35 AM
  #5  
cougar's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,317
Likes: 485
From: alaska
Originally Posted by johnh
dot limits head lights to 55 watts, so to get more light go off road lights, each one of my lights are 130 watts, i see good! they are on only on high beam

The low beams need a lot of improvement, so off road lights really isn't my answer.

Originally Posted by BILTIT
OUCH!

Originally Posted by AlpineRAM
I've had very good results with new stock sports headlights, where I used a set of relays to power them correctly instead of with the abysmal stock wiring harness.
Using flosser 80/100W bulbs gives you very good low beams with a good cutoff, and insane 400W of high beams.. without burning up your light switch

It works like this- you put the coil of the relay between the wire for the filament you want to light and the common wire on the stock plug. (So one for low, one for high)
Then you get power directly from the battery to the relay, and from the output of the relay directly to the bulb. Add a ground wire for the bulb back to the battery.
On Peter's truck (97 QC LB 2500 CTD) we got only 11V on the bulb with the stock headlight (you need to measure with the bulb installed) with the engine running, and with the relays we got it to 14.3V - which according to wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halogen_lamp

says that the same bulb puts out 55% less light on the reduced voltage.
Another factor that can rob a lot of light is the yellowing of the plastic headlight lens.
I did the relay mod the same time I did the sport light conversion. Neither helped sufficiently. Do you have any problem with traffic flashing you with those higher watt bulbs?
Reply
Old Dec 13, 2016 | 10:57 AM
  #6  
AlpineRAM's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,733
Likes: 264
From: Austria Europe
Originally Posted by cougar


I did the relay mod the same time I did the sport light conversion. Neither helped sufficiently. Do you have any problem with traffic flashing you with those higher watt bulbs?
On the low beams no more problems with oncoming traffic than with the stock lights.
(The US beam pattern is very different to the Euro pattern)

Another mod you could consider is making an diy mount for modules like
http://www.hella.com/MicroSite/soe/s...erformance.pdf

and putting a clear lexan plate in front of them, so you retain the stock silhuette on the outsidde

Installation instructions for the led version:
http://www.myhellalights.com/files/6...structions.pdf
Reply
Old Dec 13, 2016 | 01:20 PM
  #7  
Dieselbuilder's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 748
Likes: 7
From: Nanoose Bay B.C. Canada
I am running the same sport lights with Led both high and low. They are a three sided led they are wired so low beam is on one and high run both. i made the option and wired the second low beam if i want to use it later. I have DRL in my truck the only problem i have is that they use a low wattage on the DRL on the high beam side as the led do not take a lot of voltage to run my high beams are on all the time so i just turn my lights on when i get into my truck and they work very well
Reply
Old Dec 13, 2016 | 06:33 PM
  #8  
cougar's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,317
Likes: 485
From: alaska
Originally Posted by AlpineRAM
On the low beams no more problems with oncoming traffic than with the stock lights.
(The US beam pattern is very different to the Euro pattern)

Another mod you could consider is making an diy mount for modules like
http://www.hella.com/MicroSite/soe/s...erformance.pdf

and putting a clear lexan plate in front of them, so you retain the stock silhuette on the outsidde

Installation instructions for the led version:
http://www.myhellalights.com/files/6...structions.pdf
I'll have to have my wife read that to me, she speaks German.

Originally Posted by Dieselbuilder
I am running the same sport lights with Led both high and low. They are a three sided led they are wired so low beam is on one and high run both. i made the option and wired the second low beam if i want to use it later. I have DRL in my truck the only problem i have is that they use a low wattage on the DRL on the high beam side as the led do not take a lot of voltage to run my high beams are on all the time so i just turn my lights on when i get into my truck and they work very well
I have mine wired 4L or 4H. Need to pressure one of these sales jokers around here into letting me "test" some LED's.
Reply
Old Dec 14, 2016 | 09:54 AM
  #9  
Busboy's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,901
Likes: 37
From: On the Farm, Manitoba
Originally Posted by Dieselbuilder
I am running the same sport lights with Led both high and low. They are a three sided led they are wired so low beam is on one and high run both. i made the option and wired the second low beam if i want to use it later. I have DRL in my truck the only problem i have is that they use a low wattage on the DRL on the high beam side as the led do not take a lot of voltage to run my high beams are on all the time so i just turn my lights on when i get into my truck and they work very well
Did you just forget about the DRL module altogether? The drl wire the high beams in series to lower the voltage, perhaps using the key to turn on the low beam relay would be a better option with the LED's and give a brighter DRL.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Smkn600CTD
3rd Gen High Performance and Accessories (5.9L Only)
3
Jan 14, 2014 10:24 AM
ramdez
3rd Gen High Performance and Accessories (5.9L Only)
11
Dec 28, 2009 03:55 PM
Graphite600
3rd Gen Engine and Drivetrain -> 2003-2007
13
Jan 28, 2005 10:08 AM
DanTana
3rd Gen High Performance and Accessories (5.9L Only)
2
Sep 13, 2004 09:27 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:07 PM.