|
|
04-24-2011, 01:20 PM
|
#1
|
Rivet Master
2005 25' Safari
Salem
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,369
|
There ought to be a law!
Hi, as I was driving through a parking lot, I got a brain storm. Why do so many cars and trucks have such horrible looking head lights? You know, the plastic junk, that turns foggy and/or yellowish-brown in color. Doesn't matter whether it is a Cheap Chevy or a Mega-Dollar Mercedes, all brands seem to get it. Maybe we should go back to the days when head lights were made of real glass. Shouldn't this be considered a safety defect and warrantied for as long as this vehicle is legally licensed to drive on the public highways? NTSA? I know there are already too many laws on the books, but I think this is something being overlooked. "There ought to be a law!"
What do you think about this head light dilemma or are there other laws that there ought to be?
P.S. Please note: This is posted in the "Off Topic" thread.
__________________
Bob 2005 Safari 25-B
"Le Petit Chateau Argent" Small Silver Castle
2000 Navigator / 2014 F-150 Eco-Boost / Equal-i-zer / P-3
YAMAHA 2400 / AIR #12144
|
|
|
04-24-2011, 01:36 PM
|
#2
|
Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
1984 31' Airstream310
Ajo
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 7,649
|
I still have glass headights, but I sure miss glass tail & marker lights!
Shall we call our Congressmen?, they've obviously not got anything else to do.
|
|
|
04-24-2011, 01:40 PM
|
#3
|
moderator
Commercial Member
2016 27' International
Currently Looking...
Wilton
, California
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,711
|
Wait.. if you make them of glass again I cant charge to polish them out?!
|
|
|
04-24-2011, 02:03 PM
|
#4
|
Rivet Master
Port Orchard
, Washington
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 4,463
|
Seriously
I don't really notice that many bad looking ones around here. It must be all the brown grudge in the air, I notice as I approach the LA area, deteriorating them rapidly.
Ken
|
|
|
04-24-2011, 02:40 PM
|
#5
|
Rivet Master
, Minnesota
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,721
|
Haven't noticed it in Minnesota. Hope it's not something breathable.
|
|
|
04-24-2011, 03:02 PM
|
#6
|
Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Mantua
, Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,062
|
robersunrus, perhaps you do not need headlights.[an attempt at humor]. jim
|
|
|
04-24-2011, 08:00 PM
|
#7
|
Vintage Kin
Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 8,014
|
Should be required by Federal Law the manufacturer replace them the lifetime of the vehicle when they fade, cloud or deteriorate. It's unacceptable that there is no lower-cost alternative when a new set costs as much as a set of tires, and there is no salvage yard alternative. The light output is seriously diminished, and the aftermarket kits to "restore" them are a joke.
Time to put spurs under the OEM's to quit compromising safety through inferior material specification. And make state inspection laws to conform, including proper aiming, etc.
The USA once led the world in road and -- in some cases -- vehicle safety. Those days are in the past.
|
|
|
04-24-2011, 08:09 PM
|
#8
|
Rivet Master
Commercial Member
Vintage Kin Owner
Naples
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,508
|
They are not difficult to polish back to OEM clarity! It takes a random orbital buffer and several grades of super-fine 3M Trizact specialty polishing paper. After that, a rotary buff with Auto-Sol and they will be good as new!
I offer this service to a lot of my clients with the big, expensive motor homes. They tend to fade after 3-4 months in the FL heat and sun. Brings them right back to life!
__________________
lewster
Solar Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
Victron Solar Components and Inverters, Zamp Solar Panels, LiFeBlue and Battle Born Lithium Batteries, Lifeline AGM Batteries
|
|
|
04-24-2011, 08:31 PM
|
#9
|
Rivet Master
1966 24' Tradewind
Placerville
, California
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,328
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS
Hi, as I was driving through a parking lot, I got a brain storm. Why do so many cars and trucks have such horrible looking head lights? You know, the plastic junk, that turns foggy and/or yellowish-brown in color. Doesn't matter whether it is a Cheap Chevy or a Mega-Dollar Mercedes, all brands seem to get it. Maybe we should go back to the days when head lights were made of real glass. Shouldn't this be considered a safety defect and warrantied for as long as this vehicle is legally licensed to drive on the public highways? NTSA? I know there are already too many laws on the books, but I think this is something being overlooked. "There ought to be a law!"
What do you think about this head light dilemma or are there other laws that there ought to be?
P.S. Please note: This is posted in the "Off Topic" thread.
|
Bob.......you need a life.
Neil
__________________
Neil and Lynn Holman
FreshAir #12407
Avatar;
Kirk Creek, Big Sur, Ca. coast.
1966 Trade Wind
1971 Buick Centurion convertible
455 cid
1969 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight
455 cid
|
|
|
04-25-2011, 12:09 AM
|
#10
|
1972 Travelux Princess 25
Cobourg
, Ontario
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,059
|
Have noticed that the plastic lenses seem to be less prone to breakage than the glass. Would rather polish my headlights every few years than buy new at $200 a pop.
I miss the old round one size fits all, $5 seal beams.
__________________
Living in the trailer park of sense, looking out the window at a tornado of stupidity.
|
|
|
04-25-2011, 12:35 AM
|
#11
|
Rivet Master
2005 25' Safari
Salem
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,369
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ganaraska
Have noticed that the plastic lenses seem to be less prone to breakage than the glass. Would rather polish my headlights every few years than buy new at $200 a pop.
I miss the old round one size fits all, $5 seal beams.
|
Hi, the headlights on my Lincoln have been polished, but deterioration of the plastic prevents them from looking like new. New factory headlights for my Lincoln run about $500.00 each. Or take your chances on Chinese replacements that run anywhere from $200.00 down to $50.00 each. On the old cars the round convex glass sealed beams were pretty tough, but the flat faced square sealed beams were broken quite easily. Sealed beams, even Halogen, were quite in-expensive.
__________________
Bob 2005 Safari 25-B
"Le Petit Chateau Argent" Small Silver Castle
2000 Navigator / 2014 F-150 Eco-Boost / Equal-i-zer / P-3
YAMAHA 2400 / AIR #12144
|
|
|
04-25-2011, 06:30 AM
|
#12
|
Rivet Master
Commercial Member
Vintage Kin Owner
Naples
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,508
|
I have been using 40 mil adhesive coated plastic covers on my headlights for a lot of years. When properly applied, they stay crystal clear, protect the glass or plastic lens nicely and also seem to help mitigate the UV degradation and fogging.
__________________
lewster
Solar Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
Victron Solar Components and Inverters, Zamp Solar Panels, LiFeBlue and Battle Born Lithium Batteries, Lifeline AGM Batteries
|
|
|
04-25-2011, 08:36 AM
|
#13
|
Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
1984 31' Airstream310
Ajo
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 7,649
|
Here's what happened to both my fog lights after the Hella dealer sold me the "rock guards" and said I could run them with the lights on!
|
|
|
04-25-2011, 08:49 AM
|
#14
|
Wise Elder
2010 30' Classic
Vintage Kin Owner
South of the river
, Minnesota
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,169
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by markdoane
Haven't noticed it in Minnesota. Hope it's not something breathable.
|
It does happen here too but takes longer. The degradation in my 1997 Chevrolet pickup is quite noticeable, and it's a combination of the plastic turning yellow and an accumulated sort of "etching" effect that could conceivably be polished out. I suppose that despite the seals there's some contamination of the mirror surface inside, as well.
The problem is not so much that the lenses are plastic now but rather that they are nonstandard and therefore costly to replace. It wasn't that long ago that all cars had sealed beams and a lamp replacement inherently involved replacement of the reflector and lens.
I'm not sure what the real motives were for the move away from sealed beams. The new headlights can be more integrated, stylistically, into the vehicle design, and are maybe a little lighter weight. I don't believe that the light output or distribution is any better than sealed beams even when they're new.
|
|
|
04-25-2011, 11:05 AM
|
#15
|
Rivet Master
2010 27' FB Classic
N/A
, Texas
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,809
|
Where is Ralph Nader? This sounds like a cause he could sink his teeth into.
|
|
|
04-25-2011, 11:16 AM
|
#16
|
65th Anniversary CLIPPER
1996 36' Clipper Bus
Tub City
, British Columbia
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 3,309
|
Where are the a/s owner/lawyers from this site? Might be a good long term project to use all that spare time.
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluto
Where is Ralph Nader? This sounds like a cause he could sink his teeth into.
|
|
|
|
04-25-2011, 11:22 AM
|
#17
|
Rivet Master
2010 27' FB Classic
N/A
, Texas
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,809
|
Now your on to something!
|
|
|
04-25-2011, 12:28 PM
|
#18
|
Rivet Master
Vintage Kin Owner
Lin
, Ne
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,430
|
1974 saw the 5mph bumper, then a few yrs later they went to 2mph, now they are styrofoam covered with plastic. What a joke, its all about money, our money!!!
|
|
|
05-01-2011, 10:44 AM
|
#19
|
Rivet Master
1978 31' Sovereign
Oakley
, California
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,197
|
Here's your answer...
Add more! Heehee
|
|
|
05-01-2011, 11:48 AM
|
#20
|
65th Anniversary CLIPPER
1996 36' Clipper Bus
Tub City
, British Columbia
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 3,309
|
Led
This does not address the OP concern with clouded lens but is a great upgrade for those units that have the 4 lamp system. Less power demand also.
http://www.newflyer.com/index/cms-fi...0low%20res.pdf
They are also available on ebay if you do a search.
One thing that is seldom addressed is the angle/view that the driver has in the power unit. If you are in a bus or truck and are sitting above the traffic, you can see a lot better at night. Less glare from approaching traffic and storefront lighting/signs, and a lot easier to see objects on the road ahead.
From the photo below you can see the advantage in height that the MH driver has over the average auto. Even the Tracker behind is considerably higher than the average car on the road today.
Dave
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|