Inexpensive Driving Light Alternative to OEM Fogs

[pbanders]

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[This message has been edited by pbanders (edited 04-20-2001).]

[Wayne 962]

Sounds like a neat alternative to expensive originals - I'll have Don check it out on Monday...

-Wayne

[oredith]

keep us posted (both Brad and Wayne).. i've been wondering what i'm going to do with those holes left by the fog lights.. brake cooling ducts seem a bit extreme.. if there's a cheap alternative, i'm all for it..

Jeff

[HMeeder]

Everyone:

I just bought those precise lights (clear/clear) from as they say "another source." (Let's just say that their first name starts with an "A" and ends with an "A". I know, I know, but they were clearing them out at $34.50 for the pair and I couldn't pass them up. They had them on their home page advertised as "Autopal" driving lights. If it is any comfort, they screwed the order up twice before I got the correct lights!)

The lights throw out a good pencil beam but as we have been discussing, the position of the lights makes aiming them tricky. I got them to do what I want (light up the left and right edges so the 100w high beams light the center) My lights are Neolite 809s also but have metal backs. Works great. Lots of light everywhere.

The lights are about 3/4 inch less in diameter then the OEM fogs. When I mounted them I found that the brackets from the old fogs fit the new lights perfectly, but the lights sat too deep in the holes (looked a bit funny.) I fixed that by adding a pair of 1/2 inch thick nylon spacers (I found them at Home Depot) and 2 10x25mm bolts to replace the originals. The lights now look and work great. The only thing that I found odd was that the lights sets are completely black (well, except for the lense and reflector) but the screw that holds the outer ring on is bright silver steel. Fixed with some black touch up paint.

BTW Many thanks to Dave for the link to rewire the lights to stay lit whenever I want them to (see Farleyd's post from a few days ago.) The rewire is very simple and straight forward and took less than 15 minutes.

Also, Brad: According to your post from a few days ago, it looks like the driving lights would come on anytime you pulled on the turn signal stalk and the switch was in the off position. I believe that would mean that if you had the fogs switch off and the lights were on, whenever you hit the high beams--- instant mega lighting! Very cool.

Finally, they are decent (not great) lights at a very good price. I hope that Wayne can get them. I feel sure that Pelican would have gotten it right the first time (not the 3rd).

Motor on!

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Herb

[This message has been edited by HMeeder (edited 02-04-2001).]

[pbanders]

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[This message has been edited by pbanders (edited 04-20-2001).]

[pbanders]

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[This message has been edited by pbanders (edited 04-20-2001).]

[HMeeder]

Brad:

Actually I am going with 55w H3 driving lights, I believe the stock relay should be able to handle it, but if you know differently I'd certainly like to know. I'd hate to have a meltdown.

The 100watt lights I was referring to are H4 headlight units (not Hellas, but Neolite also makes a H4 headlight kit that throws a ton of light with the 100watt bulb sets. Beats the heck out of even the best sealed beams.) Look into them, They are about 40% of the cost of Hella Lights. I did find them to admit moisture until I put a light bead of RTV around the rubber back seal.

Good Luck!

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Herb

[pbanders]

please ignore

[This message has been edited by pbanders (edited 04-20-2001).]

[pbanders]

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[This message has been edited by pbanders (edited 04-20-2001).]

[HMeeder]

Brad:
Hate to say it, but you are dead on right! I kept the H4s because I was eventually going to get a set anyway. By keeping them they shipped the other lights for free and I got the driving lights at a sale price that wasn't the first price I bought them for.

I'll take a look at the PIAA H3s, though truthfully I'll probably wait a bit. I've got to put some money into my brakes next. Won't do me much good to fly down dark country roads lit up like daylight if I couldn't stop at the end of it.

Thanks for the tip!

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Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile