Recommend me a HID headlight kit for my 80?

[MikesVX80]

I'd like to improve the dip beam headlight performance of my 80 (full beam is actually very good!), please can you lovely folk recommend a HID kit? There's plenty available, but I'm sure some are much lower quality than others, whilst others will be overpriced and no better than something half the price.

Ideally something someone has already fitted and rated would be good!

Thanks

 

[Towpack]

There's been a few threads on this recently. The general consensus is that fitting HID's into the OE dip/main outer headlamp housings gives rubbish results to to the very poor beam pattern. That'a certainly what I found when I tried. I have HID's in the inner main beam units and the beam on those is great and did actually respond to the adjusters when I fitted them. I ended up fitting LED's in the dip units.

 

[StarCruiser]

H4 LEDs from Woodypeck.

Worth a look at this thread.
http://www.landcruiserclub.net/forums/showthread.php?t=53922

 

[clivehorridge]

There's been a few threads on this recently. The general consensus is that fitting HID's into the OE dip/main outer headlamp housings gives rubbish results to to the very poor beam pattern. That'a certainly what I found when I tried. I have HID's in the inner main beam units and the beam on those is great and did actually respond to the adjusters when I fitted them. I ended up fitting LED's in the dip units.

OK, I know the link TP posted is mine, but it really wasn't about the best or worst HID brands, it was all about the beam pattern and direction. I didn't really care about the angel eye bit, that's just for show (even though now they're fitted, I do like them) but the beam pattern is just excellent.

If you want to keep the OEM units, go LED.



These are HID on dipped with the "Angel Eye" units and I'll challenge anyone to post a similar photo using HID in OEM units.

It would be good to see some photos of LEDs in OEM units.

 

[MikesVX80]

There's been a few threads on this recently. The general consensus is that fitting HID's into the OE dip/main outer headlamp housings gives rubbish results to to the very poor beam pattern. That'a certainly what I found when I tried. I have HID's in the inner main beam units and the beam on those is great and did actually respond to the adjusters when I fitted them. I ended up fitting LED's in the dip units.

OK, that's a shame! What LED's did you go for? Did they make a significant difference?

 

[StarCruiser]

Should have the truck back on the road tomorrow so will try and get some pics of the LEDs tomorrow night.

 

[clivehorridge]

Should have the truck back on the road tomorrow so will try and get some pics of the LEDs tomorrow night.

Definitely interested to to see those SC, just to compare.

It's a nightmare trying to take photos of headlamps, though, they all look crap!

 

[StarCruiser]

Hmm, thanks, forewarned is forearmed. Yours seems to have come out well, I might try and replicate thought finding pitch black and snow is going to be a tall order. [emoji4]

 

[StarCruiser]

Ok, here they are. Found somewhere dark but no snow I'm afraid.

Dipped


And full beam (only the outer LEDs as mine has fog lights on the inner pair of lenses).


Don't notice as much difference going from dipped to main as the improvement is more noticeable in the dipped beam, which is what I wanted.

Not sure they are as good as HIDs in the angel eye lenses but I reckon they're a serious improvement.

I got flashed once in about 15 miles but I am intending to get them adjusted when I get the chance.

 

[MikesVX80]

Are they the LED's Starcruiser? Where did you order them from, have you got a link?

Cheers!

 

[clivehorridge]

They look good, and photos never look as good as the beams are in reality! Result, I'd say!

I think ink the main difference between the OEM units and the Angel Eye is the sharpness of the top cut off line on the dipped beam. It doesn't matter much, but it was very noticeable on mine. Your beams look good, certainly no sign of the haphazard scatter I got from HIDs in the OEMs.

 

[StarCruiser]

Yes, these are recent LEDs bought from the site below. Steve is very helpful. The LED lamps themselves are a nice fit now. Very compact, nicely made and easy to fit through the existing rubber seal at the back of the headlamps. No control boxes just a plug on a pigtail. They separate so they are easy to fit, just be careful when reinserting the lamp body through the adaptor ring to feel for it seating correctly as it's easy to turn too far and overshoot. You'll see what I mean if you buy them. So far as an upgrade to the standard fit, I'm pleased with them, though not as good as quality HIDs in proper lenses designed for the job. White lines and road signs really stand out well. If I had one thought, and it is just a thought, I would perhaps prefer them to be just a little less white. They are IIRC 6500k with filament lamps being around the 3500k colour. 5500k would, in my view, be a nicer colour. But hey, I'm not complaining, just getting used to them I think, that's all.

Here's a copy of Chas' post (#137 on the thread linked to in post #3 of this thread).


"Phone number 01889562167



Mobile 07775 581044



Web site



http://woodypeck.ipage.com/?product=h4-cree-led-headlight-bulbs



eBay item



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331467242314?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

says Mitsi but the same as."

 

[StarCruiser]

Clive, totally agree, although the cut off is very noticeable. I think the main improvement is in the dipped beam. I can easily supplement the main beam with a pair of 60w Cree spots I have yet to fit when I decide where to put them[emoji6][emoji5]️[emoji5]️

 

[chapel gate]

You sound slightly disappointed mate. Been waiting for your opinion on these. Would you recommend them?

 

[StarCruiser]

I am not at all disappointed CG, I had the best Osram bulbs in the headlights I could find and these are vastly better at lighting things up. Being an electrician I'm used to the various types of lamp and colour rendering available now for LEDs, which is getting very good indeed. The thing is LED light is a 'different' light to anything else. I don't know how to describe it but it is different.

To someone running factory headlight units with incandescent bulbs in I would totally recommend these as an overall improvement. To someone running factory headlamp units with HIDs in giving poor beam scatter, I would recommend these to give a very good beam (I have yet to get them checked for alignment at my MOT garage). To someone running replacement headlights designed for HIDs I would say to stick with them as the beam, brightness and colour rendering are superb on purpose designed units with good quality HIDs.

To boil it down, if HIDs in the correct headlamp units are at 10/10 for everything, (edit- except warm up time 5/10) I would give the LEDs 10/10 for ease of fitting, 10/10 for beam cut off, (edit- 10/10 for warm up time) 8.5/10 for distance and 8/10 for colour rendering. I would also say I don't know of anything better without changing the headlamps.

Hope this helps.

 

[Towpack]

There's also the instant light that LED's give, quicker than halogen filament bulbs and leagues ahead of HID's where the warm up time can be a PITA sometimes. JMO

 

[clivehorridge]

There's also the instant light that LED's give, quicker than halogen filament bulbs and leagues ahead of HID's where the warm up time can be a PITA sometimes. JMO

With you there TP, it's strange that on dip with the projectors, I get a usable HID beam within 4 seconds, but the very same HIDs in the mains (without projectors) take almost 30 seconds to produce a beam.

Thats why i need need to relay a live from the main back to the dip as soon as I can, the mains on their own without dip as well are unusable.

 

[StarCruiser]

They are so instant lighting, that they go out and come back on between switch positions on the stalk!! Even if you're quick!!

 

[chapel gate]

thanks starcruiser. I too run the night breakers by osram. im familiar with leds through mountain bike lights(don't laugh, some of the bike lights are knocking out 4000 lumens these days..) not so long ago hids were the ultimate bike light. now completely replaced with leds.

 

[Chas]

some of the bike lights are knocking out 4000 lumens these days..) .

Aargh! OK for off road, but some cyclists lights are worse than some car headlights on road.