Best place to buy headlights?

Astrodokk · 11-10-2003, 11:07 PM

The high beams work well enough, but the low beams are very weak and when they're on, the high beams can be seen glowing very faintly. Probably a wiring screw up but i don't care. I need to replace the weak low beams. Where is the best place to find these odd rectangular shaped headlights?

**wahoonc** · 11-11-2003, 03:47 AM

Astrodokk,
I am willing to bet that new headlights are going to do the same thing. It sounds like there is a weak or missing ground on the low beam side or you have a frayed wire, worn switch, causing a bridge between the high beams and the low beams. I have had this problem on older trucks, and cars.

Aaron

85MH325 · 11-11-2003, 05:26 AM

It sounds like Aaron nailed it... you must have a short somewhere. After you take care of that, they should work fine. However, they can be purchased at any automotive parts store, or farm supply-type store. Wal-Mart and K-Mart probably still stock them too.

Roger

87MH · 11-11-2003, 06:18 AM

Documentation, or lack of it.

I have been unable to locate any wiring diagram showing wire color codes or routing maps.

Therefore, I have assumed the "Boat" philosophy.

"If it's electric, and it quits working, it's time to replace it."

Especially wiring.

I would probably pull the High/Low Beam foot selector switch on the floor, to the left of the steering column, as a start, and check voltages there.

Make sure you document wiring as it is replaced, 'cause you will probably revisit the same wiring harnesses as time progresses.

It's a bit like electric cancer, once a gremlin attacks a system, it often spreads to adjacent systems.

PeterH-79MH · 11-11-2003, 06:39 AM

Before you go on a wild goose chase:

I found that my headlights had lost most of their silver coating on the inside.
This could be the reason for the faint glow of the high beams
Who would have thought that something lasting a long time would be a negative.

Other good news is that the adjustment screw assemblies for the headlights can be found in the "Help" section of the major parts stores.
You will probably find at least one that is stripped.
Also, if you have the original headlights, you will find extra large prongs for the electric plug connection. The new ones may not have the long prongs and you may have to cut the plastic cover of the plug to make it work.

59toaster · 11-11-2003, 07:17 AM

I'm having the same complaint with my 4 headlight Burb. I know that I have the reflector problem that Peter also experianced.

Do some testing with a meter. Turn on head lights. Read Voltage at battery with head lights on. Check the voltage at the head light. This will give you the voltage drop after it runs through many feet of wire and many connections.

.5v drop is noticable. There is possibly 50 feet of wire between the battery and head lights and 20 or more connection. Each one can cause a little drop. Each foot of wire will have some drop as well.

You can make the lights brighter by pulling power directly from the battery with a 10gage wire. Use a Bosch 30 amp Relay and solder all your connections. The old wires will work as your trigger wire. One Relay for High beams and one for Low.
Wiring on the terminals for the relay would be as follows.

#30 to battery with 20 amp fuse and 10 gage wire.
#87 to head light
#85 to old head light wire as a trigger
#86 Ground for relay.

Also run a 10 Gage ground wire from the point where the head lights ground back to the battery.

I have done this on a couple vehicles. Does help especially if you upgrade the head lights. The factory wiring is barely enough for a regular light. I have installed H4's with 90/100 watt bulbs in a couple of my vehicles. Adding the Relay made a huge difference.

74Argosy24MH · 11-11-2003, 07:36 AM

I'm with wahoonc, check your grounds. No doubt the lights need replacing after all these years, but it really sounds like a grounding problem.

John

Astrodokk · 11-11-2003, 08:04 AM

Ok, Ill try checking first before replacing, as long as the outcome will make my lights shine as good as the headlights in Peter's avatar!

Lido&Linda · 11-11-2003, 03:56 PM

After fixing all necessary wiring/relay/switch, may be you should be looking for an "HID"replacement assembly?Unless you are one of those poeple againts it.They sell them at E-bay.

Astrodokk · 11-11-2003, 04:14 PM

Ok Zepellin, what is HID assembly?

BTW, I saw Jimmy Page in Oakland a few years ago with Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. He was a little out of it, so Beck seemed to be the best guitarist that night.

Lido&Linda · 11-11-2003, 10:54 PM

HID stands for High Intensity Discharge Lamps.This is the kind you see that seems to be Blue,the idea is to get close as posible to white spectrum and the brigth bluish Xenon HID is the high tech lites for new imports like Porsches and Mercedes Benz. Its been around in Europe for awhile just became DOT legal a few years ago.Some aftermarket sells replacement assemby to replace sealed beam into HID kit, but some people dont like the bright headlites comming head-on specialy high mounted like for us with AS motor home.Also some new headlites are coming like the one on new Nissans its made up of white LED clusters you guys probably seen it on new flashlites.
As for best guitarist how about Hendricks or Brian May?

Astrodokk · 11-12-2003, 08:00 AM

Checked the headlights and the two bottom high beams are Cigie and the left driver side low beam is the same brand. But the right one is a Wagner halogen. Even the beam shoots out way different from these two. I checked last night. So soon I will replace the both of the top low beams to at least get the beams aligned right. I had a hard time following the wiring coming from the rear of the headlight encasements.

Hendrix was great, and Brian May is good too, although too bad we don't hear from him anymore. Did you know that he is a dentist in England? I guess he liked to practice guitar better than dentistry. I also like David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, and currently I see Joe Satriani as often as I can. There are many more, but these are my favorites. I heard that Alan in this site is also a very famous rocker.