Want to replace round driving lights with bright off-road hi beams...

[IsuZOOM]

What have you found that fits? I see the PIAA 1200's discussed a lot, but they only have 20 degree radiation and they've been discontinued anyhow. What else fits and puts out lots of light? I want to add the fog light switch for em, and make them something that REALLY puts out lots of light for night driving off-road (so... they don't really need to be street legal because they'll never be used if there is any oncoming traffic). I want a stock look so I don't want to add any lights anywhere else right now.

[SCUDD]

The 1200's are still avail. at a lot of places. I've got the ion's (yellow) and feel they aren't bright enough. Maybe the clears would be a better choice if going for the stock look.
BTW I'm gonna try the new Hella FF's (and add 100W bulbs). They look like they will fit in the lower air vent holes.
Rodney

[Moncha]

Andy454 and I have the Hella Micro DE's installed I like them very much.. They look very nice and OE. I'm working on pics to post, damn work is in the way and I can't get Moncha washed.

[IsuZOOM]

Well now I'm anxious for pics They seem a bit too small as I measure the hole on the VX to be about 3.5" and the lense about 3", and the Micro DE's are asking for only a 2" hole. Found em for $130, which is totally doable, if they look good, I think I'll take the plunge A few questions, as always...

1) Do they put out lots and lots of light? I'm trying to use these in place of big KC lights or something.

2) Did you wire them to their own switch? Any advice / installation tips?

[Moncha]

You have to compare apples to apples. The "Big" KC lights are a totally different animal... The DE's do produce a great amount of light BUT, they are fog lights not driving lights. I chose them because I didn't like the ION yellow of the PIAA.
I like the very small size and they produce a very even glow with no hot spots and look OEM... I used the Hella wiring harness but stopped at using their switch. I wired them in a OEM push button switch that goes in my "Fuzzy Hole" replacement bezel.

I'm doing a write up for installation that will take me a day or so to get done so, be patient..

[IsuZOOM]

Okay, fair enough. Let me ask this - do the Hella's put out even as much light as say your high beams?

[Moncha]

Again, apples and oranges. The high beams project down the road so the light is mainly up and out in front.. Fog lights project down and to the sides to light up the road in front of you..

From the site you found your source....
"Fog/foul weather lamps

These lights are designed to produce a flat and more diffuse beam with less stray light than a regular driving light. They function to assist your headlamps in seeing the road in fog, rain, and snow. They should be mounted low whenever possible to allow the beam to cut "under and around" precipitation. Fog lamps can also be used as a cornering lamp to fill in dim areas left by factory headlamps. Fog lamps mainly come with a white light although yellow and/or Ion bulb lamps are available in most styles. White light is considered technically superior to the yellow type except in heavy snow but many drivers prefer yellow in all conditions.

Driving Lamps

Driving lamps are designed to give your vehicle more long range illumination and most commonly are used with the high beams. (Hella XL Auxiliary Low Beam kits are the only driving lamps than are legal with low beams in all 50 states) Driving lamps vary in brightness and range with different size lamps and bulb wattage's. Reflective range for driving lamps is measured in thousands of feet while fog lamps have a range generally of a few hundred feet. Hella headlamp conversion kits using the Vision Plus lamps, are a good way to improve light quality and distance without having to add auxiliary lamps - on cars or trucks with stock sealed beams."



The DE's fill in that dark area between the leading edge of the hood till the low beam hit the ground. With the VX that space was a little to uncomfortable for me so I wanted something to "Fill in". If your looking ofr something to light the road 2 miles away.. You're looking at the wrong stuff.. When I finish my photo shoot I'll go out to someplace nice an dark and shoot what the ligt looks like from the cabin with and with out... I'm still waiting for some "Super Whites" to come in so the light produced matches my head lights. So, that'll make a difference also.. I'll post those results too.

[andy454]

I really like my hella micro's. If you go to the hella web site there is a tunnel test that you can compare different lights.

[Moncha]

Hey Andy!
I love them too! Especially today, we had FOG!!

I could have sworn that I trew in that link but guess I missed it.
Anyway Hella Micro DE

BTW Andy, Did you trim your original hole? (Alright, minds out of the gutter!)
With what? I did and It looks good but I was curious to your solution.

[andy454]

I trimmed them out with a simple carpet knife. I wish I would have left the holes alone though. I think they would have fit just fine up against the old mounting surface. It looks good though and not I can adjust them from side to side if needed. How did you do yours?

[Moncha]

I'll be working on my write up and will show you.. Simple 5/16" rubber hosing..

[Joe_Black]

As an FYI, the Hella DE's are available in an HID driving light version as well. Very clean, bright light and a true driving light. I've been hedging on these as the "Brights" replacement if I do the HID conversion, but haven't found them for less than $700 a pair with ballasts and mounting hardware. But I would say they're the coolest thing you could replace the stock units with.

[Moncha]

Yep saw those but the price is pretty prohibitive. I want my supercharger!!

[IsuZOOM]

That sounds more like what I'm looking for, something REALLY bright to replace those dinky round lights with. But I won't spend $700, I think maybe $150 or so would be my limit. Have you guys seen anything else that would put out oodles of light and would fit in that spot?