I know a lot of you have done this recently and have posted pics so I thought I would see what you recommend. I am looking at adding some lights and a light bar. I really like the look of the rally innovation light bar. What lights would you guys recommend? I just want to do 2. I am currently just using my driving lights and not my stock fogs. I have x5 8000k HID's installed. I would like them to be street legal if possible.
The US DOT has to decree them legal, and with the exception of some vehicle specific kits from top name manufacturers, they haven't certified any HID retrofit kits. How many lights do you have now? Are the driving lights in the stock fog locations, or in addition to? Anything is legal as long as they're turned off and covered... When the police see them
Ok, that's not "driving lights" that's just your headlights What's your goal for the lighting? ScandiaWRX has been quite happy with her RallyInnovations bar. I think it's overpriced for what you get, but then, I'm cheap. It does do a nice job of not only mounting the lights but also protecting the front lip.
For the "ice races" a good set of fogs like the Hella 500 is going to be your best friend. Low beam pattern, wide visibility. A significant set up from your stock fog lamps, use 55W bulbs and the stock wiring harness. For shenanigans, a good set of quality driving lights like Hella 1000FF on a light bar with 100W bulbs will be sweet. If you're really serious about it, one pair in driving and one pair in pencil beam and step up to 130W bulbs. Not that I condone any such shenanigans. None of these lights will be legal for use on the open road, but nothing useful will be. An interesting option would be to mount a couple of the $120 HID lights that Checker sells. They're new enough that nobody's really given a thorough review of them, but they should be hellishly bright, if not very well focused. And only draw 35W each, which will make your alternator happy. But two of them will still cost as much as 4 FF1000s and you won't have the same flexibility in aiming them.
For street legal you want to read MN statute 169.56 and 169.60 IF you rig up your lights to be tied to the highs (so you get the dash light), MN is quite permissive.
I have piaa 520 smr fog's in the stock fog location. Looks clean and works well... doesn't get the offroad rally look as much though. I plan on converting them to HID soon as well imo none of the "cheap" fogs really work that well if your going to drive fast.
Fog lights aren't about driving fast. They're about low speed visibility in poor weather. Driving lights are for driving at speed.
i'm not an idiot if you drive more than 35 in fog, snow or rain then you'd agree that having fogs capable of decent output is more than necessary.
Vector is right about the Rally Innovations light bar being pricey, but I was lucky enough to get it as a present for Christmas last year. I have PIAA 520smr's with 100W bulbs with in the lightbar and a pair of Hella ff1000s on top, I don't think the ff1000s would fit with in the light bar as they are a bit bigger than the 520s. I have the 520s tied in with the high beam switch to help stay out of trouble. My low beams are also upgraded with plus 50 bulbs from Daniel Stern lighting but careful aiming is a *must* or you will upset a lot of on coming traffic. I honestly breath a sigh of relief when I am able to turn on the high beams (they are also upgraded through Daniel Stern light http://www.danielsternlighting.com/ ) and the 520s for night driving. The Hella's with 130W bulbas are strictly for off road use. Amy
where would be the best place to buy the hella 500's or the PIAA520smr's? Amy, so you use your PIAA's when your high beams are on? The reason I asked is I am thinking of going back to stock headlights due to the amount of flashes I get from people not liking the HID's. But I remember that the high beams were not that great and I love the visibility I get from the HID's. To sum it up. HID's will go back to stock, and I would add extra driving lights that would be on with my high beams. how many driving lights can you legally have on at once?
I think I am gonna order some of those lights from Daniel Stern. After reading his comments he seems to know his stuff.
he is the lighting guru, i have purchased all of my bulbs thru him, very helpful and knows what he is talking about for sure!
Not exactly You get 2 "high beam" driving lights 2 low beam driving lights (which must conform to certain regs) 2 fog lights (I believe this would include any OEM fogs) /MSA 169.56 Granted, I sort of doubt the popo can tell them apart. You also get as many as you want if you cover them on the road or as it would seem have a lifted pickup
4 at one particular time is what I have been led to believe. This I believe is why when I put my brights on my fogs turn off.
If you want a Hella 500 fog that's on with your brights, get them from rallylights.com If you want a Hella 500 driving light on with your high beams, get the Hella 500FF from Wal-Mart. If you go back to stock lights, there are bulbs that will give you a legal 55W low beam and a 100W high beam. They aren't "DOT legal" because DOT won't allow the extra wattage on the high beam, but they're also not going to get you hassled when you're driving around with the low beams on. You want those, contact me and I can hook you up.
Alright I just received my email back from Daniel and yes he is very kind and explains a lot. I think I am gonna go with the night breakers he suggested but my biggest hang up is yellow fogs or +70/+90 fogs? Oh and +70/+90's for my high beams, I don't use them much.
I've got the new hella 500ff driving lights and they are about three times as bright as the high beams and throw light over 3/4 of a mile, no joke. They are great and I've got them mounted in the stock spot in my bugeye. They only have 55w bulbs and I might go up to 85w if they won't melt the stock harness.
Amber are know to be better in low visibility conditions such as fog, just don't know if I want that look is all. You know the jdm bright white low beams and bright yellow fogs.
Amber lights have a longer wavelength of light (by definition, that's what color is) and there are two factors. One is that the longer wavelengths affect your night vision less, but that's a weak argument because even your stock headlights are throwing out enough white light to make the difference the fogs make negligible. More importantly though, is that the longer wavelength doesn't scatter as much and reflect back off of stuff like fog/rain and snow, and that will hurt your vision. But in all reality, pick the one you like the look of more, that'll probably make more difference anyhow.
Per MN law (USDOT would over-ride this if there was another rule) You can have all 6 of those plus your OEM headlights on. The hi-beam fog thing is per various state laws. CA for example, requires fogs turn on only with lows.
Bill, they best way to get some extra light on the road is ditch those 8k hid's and go with a 4300-5k kit. Your kit is too blue and you are not using a good wave length of light. I have 4300 kits in everything I own, and the light is incredible, even in the rain. Russ
