What should I do about lights?

[Hypergram]

So my knowledge of automotive lighting goes as far as "I turn switch = I see more." There's an area outside my college which no one drives at night and is about the only place with nice curvy roads within 100 miles... The only issue is, my lights really don't seem to reach that far (even with high beams) and it can severely cut down my reaction time (ie: an Armadillo running into the road which I barely missed.) I would like to fix that if possible. What do you recommend I do?

 

[averyislost]

https://www.fiestastforum.com/threads/led-headlight-finds-and-discussion-not-for-led-bashing.18114/

This thread should help you out.
Easy/Cheap Solution: Go with TechMax LED bulbs from Amazon
Moderately more difficult/More Expensive: Swap in Depo euro headlight housings

 

[averyislost]

And if you're really concerned about lighting up as much as possible, maybe swap the front crashbar for an aftermarket unit and add mounts for auxiliary lights

 

[Sam4]

Based on your parameters - I would suggest 100W H1 high beams (dirt cheap!), and upgraded H11 lows. I think I have Sylvania Silverstar. They are not going any further down the road, but flood the same zone with more light. You can spend a lot more, or put in LED replacements - but I'd research the negative points posted on this site concerning those solutions.

 

[danbfree]

https://www.fiestastforum.com/threads/led-headlight-finds-and-discussion-not-for-led-bashing.18114/

This thread should help you out.
Easy/Cheap Solution: Go with TechMax LED bulbs from Amazon
Moderately more difficult/More Expensive: Swap in Depo euro headlight housings

As someone who started that thread I heartily agree... also to add, generic H1 LED's for high beams work well, you just also need to add the $4 "Ford H1 bulb holders" off Amazon and literally pick out whatever cheapie H1's you can find on eBay/Amazon that like regular LED bulbs with a long stalk and LED chips on the side. You don't want those rounded ones, I have ones like THESE and they work well and are CHEAP.

 

[danbfree]

So my knowledge of automotive lighting goes as far as "I turn switch = I see more." There's an area outside my college which no one drives at night and is about the only place with nice curvy roads within 100 miles... The only issue is, my lights really don't seem to reach that far (even with high beams) and it can severely cut down my reaction time (ie: an Armadillo running into the road which I barely missed.) I would like to fix that if possible. What do you recommend I do?

So just to add, if it's mainly in rural areas where you need good high beams, just that $12 high beam setup may cut it for you, but adding $35 for the TechMax H11 low beams would be some serious all around headlight upgrades for $50 total... Now, I am a lighting nerd and wanted the low beam projectors and LED DRL strip so I dropped a little over $400 total on the Depo's, but well worth it for me and a good value compared to going with Ford OEM headlights at double that easily.

 

[danbfree]

Based on your parameters - I would suggest 100W H1 high beams (dirt cheap!), and upgraded H11 lows. I think I have Sylvania Silverstar. They are not going any further down the road, but flood the same zone with more light. You can spend a lot more, or put in LED replacements - but I'd research the negative points posted on this site concerning those solutions.

100w, as in actual 100w halogens, not LED's "rated" at that, should only be used very briefly or you will create too much heat for sure. Anything beyond 65w converted H9's is really too much heat.

 

[Sam4]

100w, as in actual 100w halogens, not LED's "rated" at that, should only be used very briefly or you will create too much heat for sure. Anything beyond 65w converted H9's is really too much heat.

I always read danbfree's responses, but just to be clear - I put the (Hella) H1/100's in my car 4 years ago when new.....

 

[danbfree]

I always read danbfree's responses, but just to be clear - I put the (Hella) H1/100's in my car 4 years ago when new.....

No, I'm glad to hear that has worked out for you, I should clarify that I'm speaking in generalities... May I ask how long at a time you have used the 100w high beams? I've just heard that the wiring itself and maybe even the housing plastics themselves can have issues at such power levels, so it's encouraging to hear that's an option... I guess it depends on what you are looking for exactly, I suppose at 100w you could use a blu-ish type halogen and get decent output, but I'd like more of a pure white 5000k with decent throw and output, and I just felt that was safer to do with a lower temp LED.

Also, it is indeed easy to get really bad LED's with terrible glare, but truly effective ones with very little to no glare are indeed available now. Glare is obviously unimportant with high beams too, so that's why I lean towards H1 LED's in that regard, for effective, cheap and cool running... but for low beams it does take some research, you can't just choose whatever random set off Amazon that has high reviews by people who don't care that they are blinding people.

 

[Dpro]

Just fare warning Hikari’s do not seat properly in our headlight housings. They just do not clip in tight when you insert them and twist I am sending mine back to Amazon because of this.

 

[danbfree]

Just fare warning Hikari’s do not seat properly in our headlight housings. They just do not clip in tight when you insert them and twist I am sending mine back to Amazon because of this.

The H11 low beams? Weird, we have a lot of people SWEAR by them, are they actual like loose with wiggle amount of play? Not all of them will feel super tight in they twist in rotationally, but if that loose to they wiggle, then something is wrong, that's weird!

 

[Dpro]

The H11 low beams? Weird, we have a lot of people SWEAR by them, are they actual like loose with wiggle amount of play? Not all of them will feel super tight in they twist in rotationally, but if that loose to they wiggle, then something is wrong, that's weird!

Yup loose and wiggle. I tried multiple times to get them to lock down and it was impossible, I even had a friend try just to make sure and Its not like I have not put in headlight and taillight bulbs before The fit is horrible.

 

[Dpro]

Yup loose and wiggle. I tried multiple times to get them to lock down and it was impossible, I even had a friend try just to make sure and Its not like I have not put in headlight and taillight bulbs before The fit is horrible.

It was pretty much easier to get my Powerflex side mount insert to fit and close up.

 

[danbfree]

It was pretty much easier to get my Powerflex side mount insert to fit and close up.

Wow... well, the TechMax are a lot cheaper and work very, very nearly as well, I'd try those next.

 

[Sam4]

Not many places left to run high beams on for extended periods, but I repeat - normal driving, no issues.

 

[Hypergram]

Also, I read the review on the other thread and want to stick to his recommendations. Do they still hold up?
Low
High
And I like the Car Rover that he recommended (with the changing color) but they're unavailable. Can you guys think of any equivalent bulbs that work? Also, would headlight eyebrows affect the lighting situation at all? I don't wanna do this work only for it to be negated.

 

[Hypergram]

So just to add, if it's mainly in rural areas where you need good high beams, just that $12 high beam setup may cut it for you, but adding $35 for the TechMax H11 low beams would be some serious all around headlight upgrades for $50 total... Now, I am a lighting nerd and wanted the low beam projectors and LED DRL strip so I dropped a little over $400 total on the Depo's, but well worth it for me and a good value compared to going with Ford OEM headlights at double that easily.

Thank you very much to everyone who has helped me out here! I really appreciate it! I like the Depo headlights. Can you tell me if they're worth trying? If I got them, do I just buy the recommended bulbs and then it's plug and play? Or is there more involved?

If they look like this (from another thread) I'll pick them up in a heartbeat.

 

[Sam4]

Not many places left to run high beams on for extended periods, but I repeat - normal driving, no issues.

whoops - "using 100 watters", should have said

 

[danbfree]

Thank you very much to everyone who has helped me out here! I really appreciate it! I like the Depo headlights. Can you tell me if they're worth trying? If I got them, do I just buy the recommended bulbs and then it's plug and play? Or is there more involved?

If they look like this (from another thread) I'll pick them up in a heartbeat.
View attachment 22473

Yes, they have a very similar led strip for the DRL. You just move one wire and you can use parking lights setting to illuminate just them. Do a web search for "fiesta european headlights" (nevermind: found a pic, not my car but look the same on mine, I obviously have a magnetic car too), they are an exact replica of the Ford OEM ones so they are just silver internally and the LED DRL strip doesn't look like a single fluorescent light like your pic but the shape/location of the LED strip is the same. They do use an H7 bulb for the low beam and the Katana H7 LED is about $47 on Amazon and is fantastic output, the TechMax in H7 just isn't the same in a projector (vs. reflector).

 

[danbfree]

Thank you very much to everyone who has helped me out here! I really appreciate it! I like the Depo headlights. Can you tell me if they're worth trying? If I got them, do I just buy the recommended bulbs and then it's plug and play? Or is there more involved?

If they look like this (from another thread) I'll pick them up in a heartbeat.
View attachment 22473

Some pics of mine. First pic was after I added the corner blackouts: