ICEBOX Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Ok I would like to up date the head lights and better bulbs . i would like to know Opinions on what you have used and like or dislike. I am thinking of IPF housings as I have 1 already from an XJ i picked up . thanks every one ICEBOX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 what head lights are you talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICEBOX Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 ? Not sure what you are asking . I would like better brighter headlights. so I was thinking of getting the headlight the you can put an H4 buld in . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I have the sylvania silverstars in mine. They are a huge upgrade over stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyleag89 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I have the Hella H4 housings in the MJ and some Autopal H4s in my XJ. The Hellas were $55 each for the housing :eek: plus bulbs. The Autopals were $48 shipped with a $6 bulb upgrade to 90W off ebay. I can't even tell the difference between the two. So IMHO the autopals are A LOT cheaper and just as good if not better than the Hellas. But if you want to run H4 bulbs you need to upgrade your crappy 16awg stock wiring to at least some 12awg wire if you want to run some 55w-90w bulbs. The HiTemp light sockets, relay, wire, and other misc electrical items will run you about $20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody4359 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 about mid page are the pix of my new lights/one stock pic. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=31364&start=120 overall I'm pretty impressed, at first i they were ok, but then i went and re-adjusted the lights a little lower and that helped quite a bit. i did a bunch of looking around and found the hellas and ipf's had the most liked light pattern. i am really pleased with the high beams of the IPF/silverstars. down the road i will probly upgrade the harness and try out a higher wattage bulb. everyobdy that has cibies (80 a piece) seems to love them but didnt seem likemuch of a difference than the ipf for the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICEBOX Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 They look pretty brite cody ! thanks for the link . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody4359 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 after seeing all the picture comparisons online i was expecting more, but i guess the camera make the new lights look brighter. the pics were taken before i re-adjusted them, and as you can see on the fence the were aimed pretty high. they are better once properly adjusted. check out viewtopic.php?f=3&t=34450 to get a bit of a discount and free shipping on the lights if they are what you want Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepman Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 The first thing I tell anyone to upgrade on their Jeep is the Headlights... I run these H4 Conversion lights from Omix-ada These are sold as a pair with Lamps... I upgraded mine to High/Low HID's and am very happy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 The upgrade harness is mandatory. The headlight switches in these Jeeps melts down with stock lamps. The real bonus is the harness is super easy to install and even if used alone will make your stock headlights about 30% brighter while taking the high amp load off the headlamp switch. http://www.eautoworks.com/Putco-H4--900 ... D7540.aspx Cruiser’s Headlight Upgrade Harness Instructions Absolutely plug and play. Remove grille and headlamp bulbs. I fed my harnesses from the passenger side starting between the battery and the back of the headlamp housing, over to the driver side. Plug the driver side bulb into the new harness. Attach the new harness's ground wire under one of the small bolts on the radiator support after scraping the paint off under it. Attach the harness to the existing harness behind the grille working toward the passenger side. . Plug the new harness plug into passenger headlamp. Plug original headlamp plug into receptacle on new harness. Attach the ground for the passenger side just like you did the driver side under a radiator support bolt. Attach relays with provided bracket on the passenger side inner fender. Connect power wires to battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepman Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I do not agree that a harness upgrade is mandatory, I have installed hundreds of these H4's with Stock watage lamps and Upgraded 80/100 lamps with ZERO melted harness's However if your a worry wart then Spend the few extra bucks and upgrade the harness... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 The upgrade harness is mandatory. The headlight switches in these Jeeps melts down with stock lamps. The real bonus is the harness is super easy to install and even if used alone will make your stock headlights about 30% brighter while taking the high amp load off the headlamp switch. :agree: The harness is more mandatory than the new lamps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotMatt Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 The H4 bulb upgrade really is worth it. I ran Hella glass and Silverstar bulbs in my old XJ, and will be doing the same in my new MJ. Just make sure your headlights are aimed well, you'll get lots of angry drivers "flashing" you if you don't have them aimed properly. Losing your head light switch (and thus headlights) going 60 down the highway at night sucks. It's even worse if you're out in the woods in the middle of nowhere, you'll be spending the night if you're by yourself. Get the upgraded harness, it's really easy to install and like others said, even with stock lamps you'll see an improvement. Carry a spare headlamp switch or the proper tools to jerry-rig the lights on if need-be. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I do not agree that a harness upgrade is mandatory, I have installed hundreds of these H4's with Stock watage lamps and Upgraded 80/100 lamps with ZERO melted harness's However if your a worry wart then Spend the few extra bucks and upgrade the harness... Have you ever just added the harness to a stock Jeep and seen the improvement like myself and others have? It's a known fact that the stock headlamp switches and connectors fail on these rigs with stock lamps. Why tempt fate and have reduced headlamp output by not upgrading the harness? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harley Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I do not agree that a harness upgrade is mandatory, I have installed hundreds of these H4's with Stock watage lamps and Upgraded 80/100 lamps with ZERO melted harness's However if your a worry wart then Spend the few extra bucks and upgrade the harness... Have you ever just added the harness to a stock Jeep and seen the improvement like myself and others have? It's a known fact that the stock headlamp switches and connectors fail on these rigs with stock lamps. Why tempt fate and have reduced headlamp output by not upgrading the harness? Anybody have a known source to buy a harness? I've seen a few out there but am not crazy about buying through a place that is unknown or I've never heard of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I do not agree that a harness upgrade is mandatory, I have installed hundreds of these H4's with Stock watage lamps and Upgraded 80/100 lamps with ZERO melted harness's However if your a worry wart then Spend the few extra bucks and upgrade the harness... Have you ever just added the harness to a stock Jeep and seen the improvement like myself and others have? It's a known fact that the stock headlamp switches and connectors fail on these rigs with stock lamps. Why tempt fate and have reduced headlamp output by not upgrading the harness? Anybody have a known source to buy a harness? I've seen a few out there but am not crazy about buying through a place that is unknown or I've never heard of. http://www.eautoworks.com/Putco-H4--900 ... D7540.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harley Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Yep, I seen that link but nobody has said anything about it. I'm looking for input on ones that people have bought and installed. pricing, durability, what to stay away from, etc, etc...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepman Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I do not agree that a harness upgrade is mandatory, I have installed hundreds of these H4's with Stock watage lamps and Upgraded 80/100 lamps with ZERO melted harness's However if your a worry wart then Spend the few extra bucks and upgrade the harness... Have you ever just added the harness to a stock Jeep and seen the improvement like myself and others have? It's a known fact that the stock headlamp switches and connectors fail on these rigs with stock lamps. Why tempt fate and have reduced headlamp output by not upgrading the harness? Sorry never... I do not agree that it is a FACT... Yes stock harness's and connectors can fail maybe in some area`s more then others as different parts of the world have different faults... I do not believe that it will increase light output with just the harness the Voltage loss to the headlights thru the factory switch is not enough to weaken the lights... Factory wiring is rated 20 AMPS per Light output (both low Beams or Both High beams) 84-96 Stock Low Beam 55W is 4.5amps 9amps with both lights Stock High Beam 65W is 5.4amps 10.8 with both lights... The H4 conversion using STOCK WATTAGE lamps is not going to pull anymore power then a stock sealed beam lamp but it does give off a better light because of it`s design... I have yet to see any number from anyone debating that a relay harness is needed and showing proper proof... Like other wiring debates On CC I have never said it is a bad idea to use a relay harness because I believe if you think you need it then use it but I will say again that it is NOT mandatory... Every Jeep is different due to unforseen repairs and damages so I would suggest taking a voltage reading at the headlight harness to measure what your actually getting to know if in fact you have a large enough voltage loss at the connector to worry about it... As for where to get the Relay harness I can not say for sure, I get them from my HID Supplier in CHINA and have a few in stock but have yet to need to use one... Good luck with which ever you decide to do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I do not agree that a harness upgrade is mandatory, I have installed hundreds of these H4's with Stock watage lamps and Upgraded 80/100 lamps with ZERO melted harness's However if your a worry wart then Spend the few extra bucks and upgrade the harness... Have you ever just added the harness to a stock Jeep and seen the improvement like myself and others have? It's a known fact that the stock headlamp switches and connectors fail on these rigs with stock lamps. Why tempt fate and have reduced headlamp output by not upgrading the harness? Sorry never... I do not agree that it is a FACT... Yes stock harness's and connectors can fail maybe in some area`s more then others as different parts of the world have different faults... I do not believe that it will increase light output with just the harness the Voltage loss to the headlights thru the factory switch is not enough to weaken the lights... Factory wiring is rated 20 AMPS per Light output (both low Beams or Both High beams) 84-96 Stock Low Beam 55W is 4.5amps 9amps with both lights Stock High Beam 65W is 5.4amps 10.8 with both lights... The H4 conversion using STOCK WATTAGE lamps is not going to pull anymore power then a stock sealed beam lamp but it does give off a better light because of it`s design... I have yet to see any number from anyone debating that a relay harness is needed and showing proper proof... Like other wiring debates On CC I have never said it is a bad idea to use a relay harness because I believe if you think you need it then use it but I will say again that it is NOT mandatory... Every Jeep is different due to unforseen repairs and damages so I would suggest taking a voltage reading at the headlight harness to measure what your actually getting to know if in fact you have a large enough voltage loss at the connector to worry about it... As for where to get the Relay harness I can not say for sure, I get them from my HID Supplier in CHINA and have a few in stock but have yet to need to use one... Good luck with which ever you decide to do... It's obvious you have not done just a harness on a Jeep then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Yep, I seen that link but nobody has said anything about it. I'm looking for input on ones that people have bought and installed. pricing, durability, what to stay away from, etc, etc...... How about having installed 3 of them, 2 with stock lamps, and one with 90/100 Autopals. The eautoworks harness is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepman Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 It's obvious you have not done just a harness on a Jeep then. This Means Nothing... I have rebuild dozens of Jeeps and repaired 1000's of them Do an actual Voltage reading or get a light meter and record the lumen ouput numbers otherwise it is purely your guess rather then an actual improvement but once again I will sate that if someone thinks they need it do it... I am only giving the information so Every Jeep will differ due to previous proplems or what ever the years may have done to your wiring but the fact is if there is NO voltage loss then there will be NO improvement in a relay harness... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 It's obvious you have not done just a harness on a Jeep then. This Means Nothing... I have rebuild dozens of Jeeps and repaired 1000's of them Do an actual Voltage reading or get a light meter and record the lumen ouput numbers otherwise it is purely your guess rather then an actual improvement but once again I will sate that if someone thinks they need it do it... I am only giving the information so Every Jeep will differ due to previous proplems or what ever the years may have done to your wiring but the fact is if there is NO voltage loss then there will be NO improvement in a relay harness... Read some of the other forums about this. They will provide the voltage numbers. It is a fact regardless of whether you've experienced it or not. I have. I know it's true. Side by side comparisons. I personally don't care if your headlamp switch/plug melts down and you don't get all the benefit of upgraded lights. I'm just trying to help others out and saving them some aggravation. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? Why in the hell did they come out with these harnesses if there was no market for them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 I personally don't give a dayem either if someone's headlight switch, plug, connector, or a wire fire occurs if they are clueless regarding total vehicle load under certain conditions. Our old trucks are all twenty or so years old, been rode hard, and corrosion and age have taken their toll causing additional total electrical load due to voltage drops. They were originally designed to handle a 25%-50% temporary overload conditions. When you add devices like dual/upgraded fans, upgraded headlamps, fog/driving lamps, power accessories, etc. etc. etc., total vehicle load increases. When total vehicle load increases, you need to increase the alternator size, and also increase the wire size to handle the increased amperage to the added devices to handle total load + at least 25% over. This definitely includes H4 headlamps. As a rule of thumb, I run any device that has a amp draw potential of at least 10A through a relay. I also increase the load side of the relay with heavier AWG gauge wiring. Running H4's through the standard 16AWG wiring and switch/connectors may be fine for awhile. But at night, when it's snowing and cold, and the heater blower, headlamps, driving lights, and extra fans are running flat out, sooner or later something's going to smoke at the weakest access to ground. If you're lucky, it may be only a switch or connector or even your alternator causing a temp failure until you replace it. If you're unlucky, it will be a short due to an insulation burn through somewhere on your rotten harness, igniting some gas/oil leak and flames will result. Maybe the associated circuit fuse or fusible link will blow first, maybe not. Anyone who gives advice that when adding any electrical component that has more amp draw the original electrical component it replaced and not taking steps to handle the additional system load is giving bad advice, and is clueless. :dunce: Oh, to the dunce (you know who you are), have you ever wondered why the cost cutting AMC electrical engineers used relays for the factory H2/H3/H4 fog lamps, but not for the OEM sealed beam headlamps? It's called conforming to the minimal electrical code standards in effect back in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harley Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 I personally don't give a dayem either if someone's headlight switch, plug, connector, or a wire fire occurs if they are clueless regarding total vehicle load under certain conditions. Our old trucks are all twenty or so years old, been rode hard, and corrosion and age have taken their toll causing additional total electrical load due to voltage drops. They were originally designed to handle a 25%-50% temporary overload conditions. When you add devices like dual/upgraded fans, upgraded headlamps, fog/driving lamps, power accessories, etc. etc. etc., total vehicle load increases. When total vehicle load increases, you need to increase the alternator size, and also increase the wire size to handle the increased amperage to the added devices to handle total load + at least 25% over. This definitely includes H4 headlamps. As a rule of thumb, I run any device that has a amp draw potential of at least 10A through a relay. I also increase the load side of the relay with heavier AWG gauge wiring. Running H4's through the standard 16AWG wiring and switch/connectors may be fine for awhile. But at night, when it's snowing and cold, and the heater blower, headlamps, driving lights, and extra fans are running flat out, sooner or later something's going to smoke at the weakest access to ground. If you're lucky, it may be only a switch or connector or even your alternator causing a temp failure until you replace it. If you're unlucky, it will be a short due to an insulation burn through somewhere on your rotten harness, igniting some gas/oil leak and flames will result. Maybe the associated circuit fuse or fusible link will blow first, maybe not. Anyone who gives advice that when adding any electrical component that has more amp draw the original electrical component it replaced and not taking steps to handle the additional system load is giving bad advice, and is clueless. :dunce: Oh, to the dunce (you know who you are), have you ever wondered why the cost cutting AMC electrical engineers used relays for the factory H2/H3/H4 fog lamps, but not for the OEM sealed beam headlamps? It's called conforming to minimal the electrical code standards in effect back in the day. :agree: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 I personally don't give a dayem either if someone's headlight switch, plug, connector, or a wire fire occurs if they are clueless regarding total vehicle load under certain conditions. Our old trucks are all twenty or so years old, been rode hard, and corrosion and age have taken their toll causing additional total electrical load due to voltage drops. They were originally designed to handle a 25%-50% temporary overload conditions. When you add devices like dual/upgraded fans, upgraded headlamps, fog/driving lamps, power accessories, etc. etc. etc., total vehicle load increases. When total vehicle load increases, you need to increase the alternator size, and also increase the wire size to handle the increased amperage to the added devices to handle total load + at least 25% over. This definitely includes H4 headlamps. As a rule of thumb, I run any device that has a amp draw potential of at least 10A through a relay. I also increase the load side of the relay with heavier AWG gauge wiring. Running H4's through the standard 16AWG wiring and switch/connectors may be fine for awhile. But at night, when it's snowing and cold, and the heater blower, headlamps, driving lights, and extra fans are running flat out, sooner or later something's going to smoke at the weakest access to ground. If you're lucky, it may be only a switch or connector or even your alternator causing a temp failure until you replace it. If you're unlucky, it will be a short due to an insulation burn through somewhere on your rotten harness, igniting some gas/oil leak and flames will result. Maybe the associated circuit fuse or fusible link will blow first, maybe not. Anyone who gives advice that when adding any electrical component that has more amp draw the original electrical component it replaced and not taking steps to handle the additional system load is giving bad advice, and is clueless. :dunce: Oh, to the dunce (you know who you are), have you ever wondered why the cost cutting AMC electrical engineers used relays for the factory H2/H3/H4 fog lamps, but not for the OEM sealed beam headlamps? It's called conforming to minimal the electrical code standards in effect back in the day. Well said and I absolutely agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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