Best Headlight Upgrade?

58575 Views 30 Replies 19 Participants Last post by jokerchief462, Nov 24, 2015

kla95

Discussion Starter · Oct 25, 2012

Looking at doing some upgrades to my headlight situation. Any suggestions on a different bulb to replace factory lights? Also was hoping to get some suggestions on cheaper light bars. What are your suggestions- a couple extra lights on bumper? light bar above windshield? replacement bulbs? Preferrably lights that you will use on Highway and trail, not only trail..

1 - 20 of 31 Posts

GatorsUF

· #2 · Oct 25, 2012

Have you rewired it? I would strongly suggest doing that first because it makes a HUGE difference.

Brighten Your Lights – Installing Headlight Relays | jeepfan.com

Before this upgrade I was getting 10v to my headlights and they were yellowish dim, afterwards it looks like a 2012 vehicle. I still have the standard headlights installed.

If you are going to upgrade to different headlights i'd atleast check the voltage first, if you are only getting 10v to the connector it won't matter what kind of bulbs you put in.

kla95

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 25, 2012

GatorsUF said:
Have you rewired it? I would strongly suggest doing that first because it makes a HUGE difference.

Brighten Your Lights – Installing Headlight Relays | jeepfan.com

If you are going to upgrade to different headlights i'd atleast check the voltage first, if you are only getting 10v to the connector it won't matter what kind of bulbs you put in.

Nice information here! That is something I will definitely check in to. That would help my Highway driving situation, BUT it sure doesn't provide that awesome look of a Jeep all lit up on a trail ride..

Xpress

· #4 · Oct 25, 2012

Definitely upgrade to relays. I did and my Sylvania headlights are brighter than a lot of other cars out there right now..

Though I will say that you need to wire your lights with the #30 HOT lead running to the battery, not to the alternator.

Chris Larabell

· #5 · Oct 25, 2012 (Edited)

I switched my stock headlights for the clear lenses without any texture basically. OMG what a diff. it makes.

Has to be in the top list of improvements for under $50

I cannot tell you enough how much a dif. it made. I went from barely being able to see to my brights being comaprible to daylighters. No BS, it is a very worth while upgrade in my opinion. Especially because I live in the woods. Just yesterday I had 2 nice bucks cross the road about 1/4 mile up. No way in hell I would have seen them with my stock lights.

As well, the connections on the back of the stock lights suck really bad. They'll make your lights cut in and out and also one will dim once in awhile. Sand those leads really clean inside the connectors and on the back of the lights. If they fit lose, crimp the brass a little bit for a good tight connection.

They are clear like these in the pic, without all the raised lines across 'em

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TRM627

· #6 · Oct 25, 2012

when you say #30 hot lead what do you mean in idiot terms haha and where can i get the relays from?

Xpress

· #7 · Oct 25, 2012

A clear lens light with a precision designed reflector tends to disperse light a lot better than a fluted lens (or basically a lens that has a lot of cuts in it to spread the light). Pretty much all newer cars use a shaped reflector rather than a fluted lens.

Xpress

· #8 · Oct 25, 2012

TRM627 said:
when you say #30 hot lead what do you mean in idiot terms haha and where can i get the relays from?

Relays have 4 pins on them:

30
85
86
87/87a

The #30 pin is what runs to the battery. This lead is typically always hot, so therefore the HOT lead.

The #85 pin is a ground

The #86 pin goes to your switch for the switched power.

The #87 pin goes to the lights.

Typically you will also see a #87a pin on the relay, and it does different things depending on the type of relay you buy. The most commonly available relay will use #87a as a constant hot lead as well, since it runs directly from the #30 pin.

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CPLSeraphim

· #9 · Oct 25, 2012

There is a wiring harness on some thread, listed below. Basically, it plugs into one headlight socket to get you high beam low beam, has its own relays, has wires going straight to the battery and so on. I put them on my cherokee, then on my YJ. Anything that uses the H6054 bulbs, I would suggest these.

Also, just upgrading to the silverstar ultras, my stock bulb with the wiring harness are still nasty dull yellow, This harness and the silverstars, bright, white, and amazing.

HEadlight Harness Worth it? - Jeep Cherokee Forum

TRM627

· #10 · Oct 26, 2012

how do you connect the relay to the switch on the dash for head lights, and where is the wire for high beam?
idk if these are stupid questions but i fill lost maybe a diagram or some pictures would help

Xpress

· #11 · Oct 26, 2012

Shoot me a PM, I'll go over everything with you. It's very easy, there is nothing complicated about the whole upgrade

kjg26

· #12 · Oct 26, 2012

What nonfluted lenses are Yall running for under 50?

kjg26

· #13 · Oct 26, 2012

http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=330326008552. Is this what you're talking about?

GatorsUF

· #14 · Oct 26, 2012

TRM627 said:
how do you connect the relay to the switch on the dash for head lights, and where is the wire for high beam?
idk if these are stupid questions but i fill lost maybe a diagram or some pictures would help

Very easy, the wires (green and white) coming from your headlights, just cut those right over your driver side front tire and that is your #86 lead for both relays.

Basically all you are doing is making your headlight switch turn on the relay instead of the headlights. If you have a multimeter atleast check the voltage to the headlights before doing this. If for some reason you are getting 12v then it might not be worth it, but I doubt you are.

Yellow 90

· #15 · Oct 26, 2012

Looks like great info for Kla95 I needed it also ,thanks Also I have a pair of 100 Watt KCs on my front bumper. They work great but its too much for the highway.

Brettsonfire

· #16 · Oct 26, 2012

I think the best headlight upgrade is the xenon delta headlamps. They are extremely bright, they weren't cheap though, about $160

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Automotive tire Bumper

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CHL

· #17 · Oct 26, 2012

Ok, I can wire a house switch, but that's about it. But I've been researching relays & there's a million of them.
What type of relays should I be looking for?

Chris Larabell

· #18 · Oct 26, 2012 (Edited)

^ those on ebay arn't them... they have the deflectors. You don't want deflectors, just clear lenses.

more like these; http://www.jcwhitney.com/seal-beam-...it/p2003804.jcwx?skuId=275168&filterid=d57147

They have just the lenses, I replaced both halogen bulbs when I installed these just so they'd be new.

Not sure if its the 6.5"x4" or the 8"x6"? Measure yours before ordering if this is the way you want to go... I think they are the 8x6... The 6.5x4's are $35 where the 8"x6" are $54

GatorsUF

· #19 · Nov 5, 2012

CHL said:
Ok, I can wire a house switch, but that's about it. But I've been researching relays & there's a million of them.
What type of relays should I be looking for?

If you go to your autoparts store and ask for a 12v 30 or 40 amp relay they should know what you are talking about. If you have a YJ, open the hood and look up by your battery, there are two black little squares plugged in there. One is the fuel pump relay and the other is the idle actuator I believe. Anyways that is what they look like. Very common, typically hanging on the shelf near the fuses and wire connections at the auto parts store.

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Tyler92yj

· #20 · Nov 6, 2012

silver stars

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