Has anyone put offroad bright lights where the fogs go? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

samboyellowsub · #1 02-26-2011, 10:44 PM

I don't get any fog where I live, but there are lots of deer. I was thinking of putting some high power off road lights where the fog lights go for driving out in the country at night. Would i need to re-wire them to accept higher output lights? What would fit?

psaboic · #2 02-26-2011, 11:02 PM

I have the same problem with deer, but fog also. Here is what I did, I replaced the sucky old halogen lights but kept the fogs.

I got some Bosch H4 light housings from here busdepot.com, and put in some 80w low beam and 100w high beam H4 bulbs. They are FANTASTIC at night, but I still got to keep the fogs too. I put in some relays to handle the extra current draw, but all totaled it cost me about $100 out the door

Can't complain

Glenn

Diesel911 · #3 02-26-2011, 11:09 PM

As long as the Wire size is OK with the amperage of the new Lights you would not need to rewire much.

J.C. Whitney & Company used to sell little trumpet looking things that you attached to your bumper. They were supposed use the air flow created by your Car moving forward to whistle at a pitch the Deer could hear so the Deer could avoid your Car.
Has anyone you know ever used them?

Extra lights may or may not help. I saw a wrecked Police Car where it looked like the Deer jumped off of an area above the Road just as the Car was passing by (or tried to jump over the Car).
The Car struck the flying Deer at the level of the Windshield.
There was still bits of the Deer on the jagged Metal and Glass in what was left of the Windshield Frame.

samboyellowsub · #4 02-26-2011, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

As long as the Wire size is OK with the amperage of the new Lights you would not need to rewire much.

J.C. Whitney & Company used to sell little trumpet looking things that you attached to your bumper. They were supposed use the air flow created by your Car moving forward to whistle at a pitch the Deer could hear so the Deer could avoid your Car.
Has anyone you know ever used them?

Extra lights may or may not help. I saw a wrecked Police Car where it looked like the Deer jumped off of an area above the Road just as the Car was passing by (or tried to jump over the Car).
The Car struck the flying Deer at the level of the Windshield.
There was still bits of the Deer on the jagged Metal and Glass in what was left of the Windshield Frame.

yes my dad used those whistlers. I just want to see though. I don't have great night vision. I should check what my bulbs are. My right low beam is out anyway. May be time to upgrade.

samboyellowsub · #5 02-26-2011, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psaboic

I have the same problem with deer, but fog also. Here is what I did, I replaced the sucky old halogen lights but kept the fogs.

I got some Bosch H4 light housings from here busdepot.com, and put in some 80w low beam and 100w high beam H4 bulbs. They are FANTASTIC at night, but I still got to keep the fogs too. I put in some relays to handle the extra current draw, but all totaled it cost me about $100 out the door

Can't complain

Glenn

Are they different bulbs, or just one buld with that combination (80/100)?

psaboic · #6 02-26-2011, 11:27 PM

The bulbs are a combination low and high beam in a single bulb. The stock bulbs are 55W low beam and 60W high beam. The new bulbs are 80W low and 100W high

psaboic · #7 02-26-2011, 11:30 PM

Here is the link to the lights. You have to order the bulbs separately from the same website

http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=0301600118

andrewjtx · #8 02-27-2011, 08:13 AM

I'm saving up to get some Cibies from Daniel Stern. Not only is it about power, but how the light is cast. His explanation of the Cibies shows better light pattern.

andrewjtx · #9 02-27-2011, 08:14 AM

There was also a guy that did rally driving in a W123. He fitted some different bulbs in the inboard spots.

http://www.jaimekop.com/240D/lights/

Maki · #10 02-27-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

As long as the Wire size is OK with the amperage of the new Lights you would not need to rewire much.

J.C. Whitney & Company used to sell little trumpet looking things that you attached to your bumper. They were supposed use the air flow created by your Car moving forward to whistle at a pitch the Deer could hear so the Deer could avoid your Car.
Has anyone you know ever used them?

They've been debunked, a waste of money. But deer will run from your horn. If I see one at the roadside I try to give it a blast to send it in the other direction.

E-code lights are the easiest upgrade, for sure. I've had a set of Hellas and a set of Cibies and like the Cibies a lot more. The light beam is much more even. Of course, they're more expensive too.

showme · #11 02-27-2011, 11:15 AM

After driving 65-80 miles each way to work for 30 years, I just want to say how irritating it is to have some idiot with lights that look like they're on the bright setting either following me or coming at me from the opposite direction. Forget the deer and think about the other humans on the road who will have to be blinded by your bright lights. Just my 2 cents.

Daman858 · #12 02-27-2011, 11:17 AM

Yes, deer whistles have been extensively tested by both the Michigan and Delaware state police and found to be ineffective in reducing collisions with deer. I too replaced my headlights with the Hella H4s and used those Sylvania Silver Star bulbs and they make a big difference. My Hellas are marked DOT approved.

Maki · #13 02-27-2011, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by showme

After driving 65-80 miles each way to work for 30 years, I just want to say how irritating it is to have some idiot with lights that look like they're on the bright setting either following me or coming at me from the opposite direction. Forget the deer and think about the other humans on the road who will have to be blinded by your bright lights. Just my 2 cents.

I do a long commute too. The guys who get my goat are the ones in the big pickups and SUVs. Their headlights are mounted high enough that they shine right into my eyes. Then they've sometimes got a set of aux lights ...

I find standard wattage bulbs quite adequate in the Cibies. In fact, on the freeway the brighter bulbs can be a little dazzling when they reflect back off of exit signs and the like.

toecutter · #14 02-27-2011, 02:10 PM

hid is the way to go, in conjunction with euro lenses. dot lenses are garbage, you could put 90/130 watt bulbs and you won't notice a whit of difference (but keep them aside for inspections). hid give more lumens per watt, and the overall voltage drop in the system is ~0.1v. got me some kits from: www.ddmtuning.com for all my units, in spite of the cheapy price tag i've been using them for over a year and haven't had any problems.

i went with the "whitest" light possible, the blue end of the spectrum makes them about worthless bling because a lot of the energy is put out in ultra-violet, and the yellow end makes it hard for other drivers to see your lights in the dawn/dusk time of day.

the problem with blinding other drivers lies in the aim of the headlamps not necessarily the "brightness" (or the morons who just drive with the hi-beams on 24/7, "martha, what's this little blue light mean?", or skippy who puts a 6" lift on his f250 and wonders why his hi-beams point to the sky). if people are flashing you all the time when you got the lows on, or street sign reflection blinds you, check/adjust the aim it only takes about 20 minutes or so.

psaboic · #15 02-27-2011, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by showme

After driving 65-80 miles each way to work for 30 years, I just want to say how irritating it is to have some idiot with lights that look like they're on the bright setting either following me or coming at me from the opposite direction. Forget the deer and think about the other humans on the road who will have to be blinded by your bright lights. Just my 2 cents.

If they are AIMED CORRECTLY as mine are, they do not cause any issues. I have followed friends and also met them on-coming and asked them if my lights bother them. The answer I always get is "no, the only ones that bug my are jacked up trucks, or the kids/ricers with bright multi-colored lights"