Round-Eye Lighting Upgrade

[RyanAK]

Hey, gang. After two close calls with deer on I-80 through the Poconos last week, it’s apparent that the ‘78 Suburban could use a light upgrade. Forward and to the sides. Mom and Dad gifted me a pair of KC Daylighters for my birthday (I’m 41... and I still get awesome surprise gifts for my birthday from amazing parents), but they aren’t street legal. 200,000 candles. Each. Thought about trying to make them legal, but that seems like an exercise in frustration.

So to make things a little clearer at night, I’m looking at a few other options. I’ve already done relays, so we’re set there. I’d like to keep things as close to mid-70s in appearance as possible. And no blue light. Gives me a headache as a driver. Seriously. Anyway...

1. Auxiliary SAE/DOT/ECE driving lights. Hella 550s or similar mounted on the bumper. Four lights are better than two, right?

2. Upgrade the mystery sealed beams to SilverStars. Or another “premium” sealed beam. Will I see legit improvements?

3. Hella H4 conversation housings with something like 55/100w bulbs. Hella’s glass lenses looks pretty ‘authentic’.

4. A combination of 1 and either 2 or 3. Obviously better than any of the others alone.

5. Figure out a lens, reflector, bulb combo for the Daylighters that will be street legal. Or close to it. Ha.

Appreciate your opinions. And because every thread needs a photo...

[Dead Parrot]

I have found that halogen lights work pretty well if properly aimed. That truck is old enough it could have OEM plain incandescent. Halogens are a definite improvement over plain bulbs.

Please, make one of your tests to put someone else in your truck and both of you drive toward each other on a two lane road at 65 or so mph. If you find yourself cussing that idiot with the blinding headlights, you have more work to do on your new lighting solution. It doesn't improve safety much if you are turning that oncoming 5000lb vehicle into an unguided missile with a closing speed of ~130mph that will hopefully pass about 6 feet to your left.

[RyanAK]

Thanks, Parrot. I’ll have to check again, but I believe they are Halogen sealed beams. One is a Wagner, other I can’t find a name on. No telling how old they are. I’m not interested in LEDs or HIDs.

Please trust me when I say I won’t leave the driveway until I’m 100% sure the bulbs are aimed safely and correctly. The guys running Cummins Rams around home are on a lighting kick that ranges from obnoxious to friggin dangerous. Lots of big rigs on the interstate seem to be in a contest to see who can light up the world the brightest, other drivers be damned.

Now I gotta put on my shoes and go out in the rain because it’s bothering me that I don’t remember if I saw ‘halogen’ on my sealed beams. Be back directly...

[cadillac_al]

The halogen round headlights on my 76 GMC are brighter than any other vehicle in my driveway. If I was upgrading lights it would be on one of my newer vehicles.

[RyanAK]

Rainy night here on the Delaware River, but I had to go look. The sealed beams are a Wagner 2D and an AC Power Beam Guide. They seem to have the same output. Not sure on the Wagner, but I’d guess the Power Beam isn’t halogen. Neither is marked ‘halogen’. Both are aimed properly. Even with relays, they leave a lot to be desired. Especially on rainy nights.

Al, what part of Maine are you in? I’ve spent a bit of time there over the years. Deer, bear, moose... all make poor speed bumps. What fer halogens are you running? Relays? Are SilverStars considered top of the line for a sealed beam?

A pair of Sylvania SilverStars is ~$50 at Advance. Looks like Hella H4 housings and decent bulbs will be double that. Figure $100+ for good halogen auxiliary driving lights. Hella, KC, PIAA, etc. I’m willing to pay to see, but I’m with you both. I think a halogen solution - or combination of solutions - is right for me rather than LEDs or HIDs. Especially considering the cost.

[Palf70Step]

Best thing I can think of is to add relays into the light wiring harness. I used a kit I got thru LMC and it did more to increase the brightness of the lights than just changing to another style bulbs. I am back to running Sylvania sealed beams.

https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-91-che...dlight-harness

[RyanAK]

Thanks, Bill. Relays was one of the first upgrades I did. It helped a bit, but I need a bit more light to feel safe at night.

[maydaymike]

Check Rockauto for prices on sealed beams. I bought four 7" halogens that turned out to be NAPA branded Wagner for less than $4 each!

[cadillac_al]

I'm way up north in moose country. My halogens are General Electric; if there is any difference in brands I don't know. My 94 Buick and 96 Acura and 03 Cadillac and 02 Jeep don't have lights as bright as my old GMC.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Best thing I can think of is to add relays into the light wiring harness. I used a kit I got thru LMC and it did more to increase the brightness of the lights than just changing to another style bulbs. I am back to running Sylvania sealed beams.

https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-91-che...dlight-harness

This makes a big difference especially with upgraded bulbs like halogens.

Lights dim because the switch causes resistance, and a thus a voltage loss. With relays you get a full 12V to them. So if the engine is running is closer to 14V.

[Honest Bob]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Best thing I can think of is to add relays into the light wiring harness. I used a kit I got thru LMC and it did more to increase the brightness of the lights than just changing to another style bulbs. I am back to running Sylvania sealed beams.

https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-91-che...dlight-harness

I would start with this as well.

[RyanAK]

Originally Posted by RyanAK

Thanks, Bill. Relays was one of the first upgrades I did. It helped a bit, but I need a bit more light to feel safe at night.

Originally Posted by RyanAK

So to make things a little clearer at night, I’m looking at a few other options. I’ve already done relays, so we’re set there.

Already got relays.

[LeesTruk]

If you want to try something other than sealed beams, try a pair of Jeep Wrangler headlamps. They are bolt-ins and can use a variety of replacement bulbs available at any auto parts store. Wiring is straight-forward and it helps that you already have a relay system installed in your truck. I put them in my truck and lighting was notably improved

[nekkidhillbilly]

7 inch led replacements are going to be dot approved and really bright. also wont look out of place and use hardly any juice.

[nekkidhillbilly]

https://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27...a-568782832206

[nekkidhillbilly]

https://www.google.com/shopping/prod...Ccg4UBDzAgjSAw

those are led and look bone stock for example

[RyanAK]

Lee - your truck looks great. Wrangler headlamps are a definite consideration. Basically the same idea as the Hella lenses with H4 bulbs. Are yours halogen or LED? They look pretty good for a modern headlamp in an old truck.

Is there much difference in light quality between the SilverStars and a housing/H4 bulb solution?

Nekkid - those Deltas do look darn stock. The Truck-Lites not so much. I wonder if there would be room between the battery and the back of that Delta with the LED bulb... Any first hand experience with those?

[LeesTruk]

I run Phillips 9008vp bulbs

[RyanAK]

I think I'm going to go down the path of installing the Hella or other (Jeep, those Deltas, etc.) 7" H4 conversion lens/bucket. That will give me options for a variety of H4 halogen or LED lamps to try. Even something like 55/100w high watt halogens. I'd be $50+ into 'good' SilverStar sealed beams and might not see that big of an improvement... so it makes sense, to me at least, to go another step and do the H4 conversion.

I'd give LEDs a shot, but extremely bright, white/blue light triggers migraines for me. One of my offices went to 'daylight' LED lighting and its a real strain for me to work there. Goal is to find a lamp/lens combo that gives me good distance but especially lights up the edges. Maybe driving lights are still in order down the road...

My relay setup could be improved too. I cut the harness and right now it uses the stock Hi/Low wires to trigger the relays. Relays are powered with 12g directly from the post on the alternator. 14g grounds from the relays to radiator support. Then the stock harness wire from relays to the headlamp connectors and between the headlamp connectors. Stock harness ground wire from the headlamp connectors.

If I go to 12g from the relays to headlamp connector, 12g between driver side and passenger side headlamp connectors, and ground the headlamps with 12g, I should see an even better result. Everything is clean and well done, but I think the skinny stock wire that remains in the power circuit from the relays to lights is a limiting factor. I really should get the multimeter out and reconfirm that I have 14.2v at the headlight connections...

[Greasey Harley]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Best thing I can think of is to add relays into the light wiring harness. I used a kit I got thru LMC and it did more to increase the brightness of the lights than just changing to another style bulbs. I am back to running Sylvania sealed beams.

https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-91-che...dlight-harness

Thanks for the link.
I was just thinking about doing this upgrade when I came across this thread.
I just ordered this kit. I was gonna build a harness, but I've got 100 projects.
Spend the $$, and take an hour to install it when it gets here. right?
Maybe it will actually get done now. We'll see if the relays are enough, or not. Either way, it should be a good step in the right direction.

Originally Posted by RyanAK

Thanks, Bill. Relays was one of the first upgrades I did. It helped a bit, but I need a bit more light to feel safe at night.

Originally Posted by RyanAK

I think I'm going to go down the path of installing the Hella or other (Jeep, those Deltas, etc.) 7" H4 conversion lens/bucket. That will give me options for a variety of H4 halogen or LED lamps to try. Even something like 55/100w high watt halogens. I'd be $50+ into 'good' SilverStar sealed beams and might not see that big of an improvement... so it makes sense, to me at least, to go another step and do the H4 conversion.

I'd give LEDs a shot, but extremely bright, white/blue light triggers migraines for me. One of my offices went to 'daylight' LED lighting and its a real strain for me to work there. Goal is to find a lamp/lens combo that gives me good distance but especially lights up the edges. Maybe driving lights are still in order down the road...

My relay setup could be improved too. I cut the harness and right now it uses the stock Hi/Low wires to trigger the relays. Relays are powered with 12g directly from the post on the alternator. 14g grounds from the relays to radiator support. Then the stock harness wire from relays to the headlamp connectors and between the headlamp connectors. Stock harness ground wire from the headlamp connectors.

If I go to 12g from the relays to headlamp connector, 12g between driver side and passenger side headlamp connectors, and ground the headlamps with 12g, I should see an even better result. Everything is clean and well done, but I think the skinny stock wire that remains in the power circuit from the relays to lights is a limiting factor. I really should get the multimeter out and reconfirm that I have 14.2v at the headlight connections...

Keep us posted on the lighting upgrade. I'm interested to hear how it turns out.
-Russ

[farmall]

The KCs use the same bulb size as the no longer made Per Lux 200T that every 18 wheeler ran back in the 70s-80s. The size is called PAR 36 for 36 1/8s wide or 4.5". I run the amber bulbs out of the NAPA/Wagner catalog #4415A. They come in different colors and wattage and beam patterns for anything from an ambulance to landscape lighting. 4456 is a motorcycle headlamp with high and low beam that could be wired in combo.
https://store.fmmotorparts.com/fmstorefront/

[RyanAK]

Russ, I’ll keep everyone posted on this upgrade. That’s what this site is about!

Farmall - You’re got my interest, however my Daylighters are a 6” light, Spot (long distance) lens running an H-3 100w bulb. It’s crossed my mind that swapping to Spread lenses with a 55w bulb may get me close to DOT compliant. At least close enough to not blind other drivers or get a ticket.

Here are the lenses.
https://www.kchilites.com/replacemen...g-kc-4205.html

And the 100w bulbs that I’d swap for 55w.
https://www.kchilites.com/replacemen...n-kc-2767.html

Thoughts? KC does make a DOT compliant LED Daylighter ($$$), but I’d like to stay halogen if possible.

R

[farmall]

I'm miles from home so I can't measure mine. The next size up is 5.75" or PAR 46 which is what a 70 Vette would have for headlights. You can get them in fog, or hi-low.

[ShortHaul]

I've been down this road before as well... All your possible solutions are well thought out and definite solid options. It seems your priorities are:

1. Keep stock appearance
2. Remain legal/safe
3. No blue LED light
4. Relatively affordable

I had a Toyota FJ60 a few years back, which has the same headlights as our Squarebodies. I ended up doing a Hella sealed beam conversion with upgraded wiring, relays etc, and was happy with the results. However, for the money spent, the improvement was marginal. Even with the BEST sealed beam setup you're still talking 60+ year old technology... higher power draw for less light. I hate to say it, but I'm in the LED camp. The light output, longevity of the bulb and reduced power consumption is just a no-brainer when you compare.

Now, keeping your priorities in mind, looking stock is a must. The Delta lights are a new one on me, but they look pretty close to stock, could be worth a look. My pick is these from Dapper Lighting, who are nearby in my area and have a good reputation.

https://www.dapperlighting.com/colle...k/products/oe7

The other issues are the light color, and the headache problem. Can't help ya there, if it gives you migraines, it aint worth the trouble...

Cost: the LED's are a bit more pricey, but the Hella conversions with all the wiring, bulbs and relays aren't exactly free either... and consider the fact that the LED's will probably outlast the steel the truck's built out of, it'll make up the cost difference in the end.

All in all, it's up to you, but I think Buy once, Cry once, go for the best you can get and stay legal.

Another good thread on lighting... from the FJ60 crowd.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/bes...t-2016.963214/

[RyanAK]

Yep. You got what I’m driving for, pal. And... aaaarrgggghhhh!!!! Timing!! I read your post right after the Big Brown Truck delivered the Hella conversions. Aaarrrggghhh!! Those Dappers look great! But the harsh white/blue is a real issue for me. If someone gets behind me with intense blue-white headlights for any length of time I gotta pull over and let them pass because a migraine will start. So maybe it’s for the best. But man, I like everything else about those lights. I may need to give them a shot anyway...

Thanks for chiming in. Sweet Pea is still an inspiration.