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Best sealed beam conversions for the money?

I have used 2 of the "h4" conversions on your list both the cheap JC whitney ones, and the Hella models. I was unhappy with the beam patterns of both of them and have since installed some CIBIE's they are about the same price as the hella's but the beam pattern is much sharper and clear. The cibie's along with 12guage wire and relays are the best driveability upgrade i have done and would recommend them without any hesitations.

After a liittle searching, trial and error i have found the following places that seem to sell the best parts for the conversion in an offroad vehicle.

Cibie ecode lamps with lexan stone guards- Danial Stern lighting

Waterproof relays- route66supply

Bulb sockets part number HL28101- Rally Lights

For wiring i use Ancor marine grade wire exclusively, and it can be ordered online or any westmarine dealer.

The Danial Stern Link has more information on vehicle lighting than any other place i have seen on the net.
 
What difference does it make if these lights are for "right hand drive" functionally? (I understand that they are technically illegal because they haven't been DOT certified). I just mean is there a functional difference?
 
LMC truck has them right now. the lens are crystal clear, witch i like. same price as jc witney. euro lamps they call them. they dont look too rice as long as you dont run the blue bulbs
 
its the way the lenses are cut, right hand drive lights angle the light up on the passenger side so you can see road signs and things on the side of the road. the light in front of the car actually focuses across a sharp plan so it reduces glare to both you and oncoming traffic. I run 65/100 watt bulbs in mine and never get flashed for my low beems being to bright.
 
rugger03 said:
its the way the lenses are cut, right hand drive lights angle the light up on the passenger side so you can see road signs and things on the side of the road. the light in front of the car actually focuses across a sharp plan so it reduces glare to both you and oncoming traffic. I run 65/100 watt bulbs in mine and never get flashed for my low beems being to bright.
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So do American lights do the opposite (and angle up on the right side) or are ours just generic? (Besides sealed beams of course which are all the same.)

So Rugger03, you're running these CIBIE lights too?
 
American lights do not limit the direction and focus of the light pattern as much as the E code lamps. sort of hard to explain the pattern of the light out put, but if you pulled up to a wall on level ground and looked at the pattern of the lamps it would be a perfectly straight line across the front of the truck and at the right hand side it angles up at about a 45 degree angle.

Yes i currently have the Cibie "ecode" lamps and have personally tried the Hella Ecode lamps and the cheap H4 converstions. your only fooling yourself with the cheap converstions and the hellas are close in price to the cibies but a lower quality unit.

I have no connections to any of those places and dont get any sort of hook up, I just learned by trial and error. Driving on back country roads at night with deer jumping out make you think about the best lighting possible.

Read the danial stern web sight lots of good information there, or send him an email he is very straight forward and honest, and will answer any question you ask very quickly from my experience.
 
So here in the US I should install the one they say to use on the left side, on the right instead?

I'm really glad I talked to you guys on here, or I would never have found out about these. And I definately don't have the money to do the trial and error thing.
 
yeah i am wanting to do a high quality sealed beam replacement myself. but i'm geting confused w/ all this just tell me some part numbers so i can get them coming. i work third shift and i constantly see deer a little too late to do much ajusting to avoid them.
 
I have used the mid priced JCW conversion lights with good results. These are quite old though, no idea if the current stuff compares. I also have two sets of Hella E-code large rect. headlights and I'm not nearly as impressed with them.

A common H4 bulb is 55/100, which is a legal low beam. I use those in my truck and my DD is about to get a set (own them, not yet installed).
 
i have Generic type #3 with 100/55 bulbs right now and the only way im happy with the beam pattern is to point it so high everyone flashes their brights at me...
but it still totally kicks ass over the sealed beams... seems like it puts out more light on low than the sealed beams did on high.
 
FWIW, I installed a Bosch H4 conversion kit on my 84 about 5 years ago. I've said it before and I'll say it again- it was by far the best $100 I've ever spent on the truck.......
 
guido666 said:
What part of the beam pattern weren't you happy with?
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the pattern is all screwy for low beams... they flood a fair amount of light really close to the front end of the truck, then theres a bright spot out a good 30 feet or so (hard to judge while moving) but there is almost no "flood" effect past 30 feet...
the high beams are nice though... can see down the block no problem
truth be told i need to re-adjust them again, and im probably being picky about the pattern
for $50 its a nice upgrade... something to think about
 
It sounds like the only ones people are happy with are the CIBIE ones. And for the price, they really aren't any more expensive. The cheap ones are $20 a piece, and the CIBIEs are $60 a set. No big deal, so long as I'm getting the right thing first, instead of trial and error. Do the CIBIEs include the connectors for the back of the lights? (I can wire a relay setup myself no problem, I just need to make sure I have the proper lightbulb adapters/connectors.)
 
$$60 EACH.......................??? :(




guido666 said:
It sounds like the only ones people are happy with are the CIBIE ones. And for the price, they really aren't any more expensive. The cheap ones are $20 a piece, and the CIBIEs are $60 a set. No big deal, so long as I'm getting the right thing first, instead of trial and error. Do the CIBIEs include the connectors for the back of the lights? (I can wire a relay setup myself no problem, I just need to make sure I have the proper lightbulb adapters/connectors.)
Click to expand...
 
Executioner said:
$$60 EACH.......................??? :(
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Yes "7" Convex/Dome-face H4 high/low beam: $59/ea" you are correct, my bad. I still think it's a good idea, I'll just have to wait longer to save up the cash. :rolleyes: This brings up a good question I had but thought was stupid before, so would you recommend getting two of the same kind (either the "just flat across" beam patterns, or the "flat across and shine up at the signs" ones). Or would you go with one of each? Will they even let me order them like that?
 
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