Crap, I got sealed beams on my E350, anything I can do to make my lights much better..

ricardo

Observer
Dunno about other states, but unless the rules have changed, those would be legal in Cali as "driving lights". They have to be within the same min/max height as headlights and switched so they turn off when the headlights are switched from high beam to low beam.

Thank you for clarifying the Law, when we where using the blue rover in san francisco, they never stop us for anything and I was running 55 watt HID's in each of them..(motorcyclist paranoia I guess..)
Back in the 70's, before I knew much about electricity, but was a flying freak, I mounted a pair of 250w landing lights from an aircraft junkyard to the front of my Mini. Perfectly legal and insanely bright...for about a week until the mini's 20a generator melted into a solid lump...

A man after my own heart, I even more Mini than a Mini for you..
57286259_2698887186850800_788123513813729280_n.jpg


I will love to get a hold of a airplane light for my old rally bike, some of the "BAJA Designs" we use before are absolute "Cannons" like a 2' wide circle at a 100 feet..
Replaced them with KC Hilites. Had the occasional cop object to them being uncovered, but I had a Xerox of the page from the vehicle code in the glovebox, so once I showed them that, and that they were switched with the high beams, never got a ticket.
Old school KC's the ones with the Yellow cover...????
 
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dwh

Tail-End Charlie
Yea, Daylighters. IIRC they were 6" housings with 100w 5.5" GE landing light bulbs. Yellow vinyl covers with elastic around the edge to hold the covers on. But I never used the covers.


As to the scooter...

My first job at the age of 12 was shop rat in a machine shop owned by a patchholder in the world's most famous outlaw motorcycle club.

One day the boss brought in a Lambretta. It became a summer project for the shop. The guys stripped it and welded up a chopper frame. The engine/trans/rear tire unit was bolted into the frame. The front tire was bolted into a stretched fork, and the handlebars, with throttle, speedo, and the clutch with twist shifter, was also used.

That little mini-chopper was the first motorbike I ever rode. But only after all the "real bikers" had a turn. :)

The next summer project was a Honda 90 engine in a Honda 50 frame. I had a blast on that thing. It could almost climb trees
 

Bikersmurf

Expedition Leader
Interesting... could explain why I’ve not been hasseled. I’ve always had them to shut off when switched to low beams.
 

Numbchux

Member
True... however it’s cheap and easy to carry a spare H4... truck lite and other LEDs not so easy... and not as easy to find in the middle of nowhere.

So far my incandescent smaller bulbs have lasted longer than the LED ones. I’ve got incandescent bulbs I’ve been using for 20 years, and have LEDs that have died within 2 years.

H6054 sealed beam will swap right in place of those LEDs....

I have LEDs that are still running strong after 10 years, and have had incandescents that have failed in short order. Anecdotal, either way.

Use what you like. But quality LEDs ARE better.

Dohhh on the DOT, so if they have it on the lense, they will be LEGAL...??? (same with ECE...??)

That is a factor I'm willing to pay money for, i hate getting stop by the cops..

Technically. ONLY DOT is legal in the US. Although I've never heard of a cop that cares, especially as a primary offense.
 

ricardo

Observer
H6054 sealed beam will swap right in place of those LEDs....

I have LEDs that are still running strong after 10 years, and have had incandescents that have failed in short order. Anecdotal, either way.

I feel for the PIAA vanwagon, sure powerrful, but not that great if you need to change them every 200-300 miles )On a motorcycle)
Use what you like. But quality LEDs ARE better.

I don't care so much about Longevity, they usually last a good time, but the light pattern and spread is very important

Technically. ONLY DOT is legal in the US. Although I've never heard of a cop that cares, especially as a primary offense.

Sorry, yeah me bad, but apparently in Minnesota they do look for those like in california that they look for None OEM pipes (motorcycles again)
 

Byzantine51

New member
Yes i'm very tempted by those, my issue is that they look clearly different than a OEM headlight, but then again that black is very sexy

do you have this ones on your van..??
I have them in my '03 E350, easy swap, DoT approved, stupidly bright, they fit any standard 5x7 light housing.
 

TomsBeast

Member
512690512691512692

I converted from the Ford Econolone plastic composite style, to the sealed beam style (small parts and bulb surrounds required). Then traded out the sealed beams for LED's for Jeep, $90 from Amazon


By the way, I have (3) almost new Chinese composite units (2 lefts and one right) for the cost of shipping, or free if you pick up (Brentwood CA)
 

Numbchux

Member
I don't care so much about Longevity, they usually last a good time, but the light pattern and spread is very important



Sorry, yeah me bad, but apparently in Minnesota they do look for those like in california that they look for None OEM pipes (motorcycles again)

Yep, and a halogen cannot be any better than an LED with same quality optics (and the LEDs will do it with less power consumption).

I don't know who's telling you that anybody cares if your headlights are DOT approved here in MN, but ********** them.
 

ricardo

Observer
Yep, and a halogen cannot be any better than an LED with same quality optics (and the LEDs will do it with less power consumption).

I don't know who's telling you that anybody cares if your headlights are DOT approved here in MN, but ********** them.
Thank you for making things clear about the Leo's..

I also have a Outback H6, that little thing is very quick away from hard grounds, actually I explore Moab quite a bit on it, totally stock, I was the limiting factor not the wagon..
 

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