Headlight replacements

[k20]

Hey all been driving my truck on and off for the past few nites and w/ school starting soon and not getting out of one class til 950pm, I have determined my headlights suck. I dont have the $$ for the H4 conversion, unless someone knows something I dont all I can find are pieces that you hack together that end up costing like 200 bucks, just for lowbeams, or just for hi beams. Im lookin at Sylvania sealed beam's. There are a few different kinds though, and I want to know if its worth paying the big bucks or if its just hype. The first one is Sylvania Xtravision halogen for $8.98 a piece, but only have low beams. Second are the Sylvania cool blue (probably hype) for 14.88 a piece, and they have high & low beam. And then the final are Sylvania Silverstar high perf halogen, for 19.88 a piece.

Are any of these any better than the base sylvanias (whats on the truck now) which are 5.88 a piece. All these prices are off advance auto parts website. Or if someone can help me with grasping the H4 conversion, and it comes out for around 100 bucks, I might go that route cause the silverstars would be 80 bucks wortha bulbs. Thanks guys.

 

[sickquad]

I think it has a lot to do with the age of the electrical connections and wires between your power source (battery) and your lights. Old wires develop a resistance to current, the same with old connections. Someone on this board mentioned rewiring your lights with new wires and connections and seeing a major improvment. This is all relative to the current condition inside those wires and connections.

Oh yeah, and I'm nekid.

-Chris

 

[GMCLegacy]

i put the extravisions in my 76 and they helped a lot. but as stated above, if you wires are in poor condition it isnt going to matter what type you through in there.

its worth the extra $ for the extravisions.

 

[88sub4x4]

Well, I faced the same problem as you did. I bought new plugs that connect to the sealed beams, and made a new harness out of 10 gauge wire for the ground, and 12 gauge wire for the high and low beam circuits. I hooked up a 30 amp relay for the low beams and a 40 amp relay for the high beams. I use the power that used to go to the headlamps to turn on the low beam relay, and added a swith inside to turn on the high beams, so you can run with both high and low beams on. I installed Sylvania Extravisions in all 4 positions, I have four headlamps, and made all four to have high and low beams. Total cost of everything was under 100 bucks, and I can see better then my friends infinity with HID lamps. He's jealous of my lights. I have also used silverstar lights in my ramcharger and they work good, but I don't think they are worth twice the price.

 

[andhar]

H4 Conversion kit sux ass, I installed one of the headlights and albeit nice and blue it still wasnt a comparison to my sealed beam which as sylvania's
Below is a pic of the comparison I did.

 

[Wingnutt]

Go with the Sylvania Xtravisions. Autozone carries both the high and low bulbs. Also don't forget about using a relay. By using a relay, you will get the full 14v the alt puts out going directly to the bulbs instead of the 9.8v or so that they are getting now after going thru all that old wiring and switch. The PO had alreeady installed the relay and when I put in the Xtravisions they were easly half and again as bright the standard lights. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[ntsqd]

JCW to the rescue. I buy their mid priced H4's. The yoter has 55/100's and the Sub has 80/100's.
The relay is key though, do that first. I think Painfull Wiring has kit if you don't want to piece it together. I just bought a pair of Bosch std 30 amp relays. I put male spade terminals into one stock headlight connector to drive the relays, and then taped up the assembly so they can't vibrate out. I mounted the relays right above the intake air hole in the core support and dropped main power to them right from the near battery.

 

[spearchucker]

Headlight relay modification

 

[btolenti]

[ QUOTE ]
JCW to the rescue. I buy their mid priced H4's. The yoter has 55/100's and the Sub has 80/100's.
The relay is key though, do that first. I think Painfull Wiring has kit if you don't want to piece it together. I just bought a pair of Bosch std 30 amp relays. I put male spade terminals into one stock headlight connector to drive the relays, and then taped up the assembly so they can't vibrate out. I mounted the relays right above the intake air hole in the core support and dropped main power to them right from the near battery.

[/ QUOTE ]

Painless.....Painless.....not Painfull.... /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif