Halogen headlights??
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 4,106
From: Angier, NC
The relay kit gives your bulbs a full 12 volts and just that will make them brighter.
I run the LMC kit that I bought years ago for a different project. I had no issues with the install.
Check what the volts are at the head light bulbs to call my bluff.
Old wiring, weak connections, etc. all adds to low volts.
Then if you want add the Silver Star bulbs and you should not need anything else as that is what I run on my 81 F100 and when you go to work between 12am and 3am and no street lights you need all the head light you can get.
I am now a fan of the LED bulbs for the reason some else posted and have you checked out the price of them.
They do make DOT bulbs that are even more money and I have seen posts they are a lot better than the cheaper ones.
The only thing I will say of the relay kits is the relays. They are not a normal size, smaller, and if you need to replace one they can be hard to find I heard.
I had one fail because it filled with water when I washed the engine bay and the way it was mounted not the relay its self.
My fix was to get 2 normal size relays and 2 sockets to fit. I removed the wires from each socket and swapped them so I could use the normal relays and been working ever since, 3 years now.
Dave ----
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,840
Likes: 2,348
No, "it's about reality Greg" (see ET movie).
Come on sixpack. Many of your otherwise negative comments in the past, downplaying anyone else that thinks they're having a problem and needs a solution, have a kernel of truth and some "old codger logic" and sensibility. But this one just smacks of something else.
There is in fact a problem, and many of us in fact have experienced it. More than one in fact...
You say "halogen" as if there was only one model. But there are far more reasons to add relays than just going from 45 watt to 55 watt bulbs. And yes, one of them is to, sometimes, get even brighter light out of your old stock 45w bulbs.
Sometimes people come up with solutions in search of a problem, but nobody would have come up with this very popular, idea with widespread acceptance in the first place, if it hadn't been an issue for at least some. Including all the OE's that use headlight relays. Which is all of them I bet.
I made my own relay harnesses before they were commercially available because I was trying to find out why, when I supposedly upgraded my stock headlights to H4's from Cibié they were no brighter than the old incandescent models. Actually worse!
And when, coincidentally enough, my headlight switch failed about a week after the next upgrade, which included more powerful high-beams.
Toyota has been using relays in their trucks at least, since the '70's, but I don't know when other brands, including Ford, adopted the full headlight relay solution. Some actually have four relays, to control both high and low beam, and left and right lights. This is probably to get rid of another issue, of having more parts to potentially fail. Is this maybe one of your arguments against the need for relays where there were none before?
When I looked under the hood of my '83 Toyota (with extremely bright headlights) and found the relays, my own better idea light bulb went full bright. So I simply mimicked the OE in this case, converted to relays, and had my solution. To both issues.
Are the stock wires sufficient? When new, maybe. When 50 years old, not likely. Sufficient for stock lamps? Sure, barely.
Before relay harnesses were available through the aftermarket, I set my Bronco and my F350 up with them Did it for the horn too, but that's another story!
I had a problem I was searching for a solution for. Found it, made it happen, love the results.
If you stick with the original 45w low beam incandescent lamps, and if your wiring and switch are fine, then you may not "need" them. But stock leaves very little headroom for degradation apparently, because they start out barely adequate, and degrade from there. Some of us just get tired of that old downward spiral.
And someone, luckily for the rest, decided to make a business out of it and make money. Ain't America great!
So by all means stick with the original old stuff. And if anyone completely re-wires their truck with a new harness, the old non-relay setup is probably perfectly fine with all new wiring. Often with up-rated wire gauge and fewer connections.
Every one of my oldest vehicles (Ford and Chevy) had extremely dim headlights when I bought them, but cleaning up the headlight connectors, and especially the firewall connectors, breathed new life into them. Adding relays, brought even more.
But if you want to change your headlights out to 55/60 halogens and want to use the high-beams reliably, or even more if you want to up-rate to some 55/100 watt H4's, you absolutely need the relays. Well, absolutely only if you expect to utilize the high beams. Ever..
So, while you're not completely wrong with regard to old school when it was brand new, and maybe your vehicles are all in perfect shape with good-as-new performance, the new school is still better for some of us.
Paul
Come on sixpack. Many of your otherwise negative comments in the past, downplaying anyone else that thinks they're having a problem and needs a solution, have a kernel of truth and some "old codger logic" and sensibility. But this one just smacks of something else.
There is in fact a problem, and many of us in fact have experienced it. More than one in fact...
You say "halogen" as if there was only one model. But there are far more reasons to add relays than just going from 45 watt to 55 watt bulbs. And yes, one of them is to, sometimes, get even brighter light out of your old stock 45w bulbs.
Sometimes people come up with solutions in search of a problem, but nobody would have come up with this very popular, idea with widespread acceptance in the first place, if it hadn't been an issue for at least some. Including all the OE's that use headlight relays. Which is all of them I bet.
I made my own relay harnesses before they were commercially available because I was trying to find out why, when I supposedly upgraded my stock headlights to H4's from Cibié they were no brighter than the old incandescent models. Actually worse!
And when, coincidentally enough, my headlight switch failed about a week after the next upgrade, which included more powerful high-beams.
Toyota has been using relays in their trucks at least, since the '70's, but I don't know when other brands, including Ford, adopted the full headlight relay solution. Some actually have four relays, to control both high and low beam, and left and right lights. This is probably to get rid of another issue, of having more parts to potentially fail. Is this maybe one of your arguments against the need for relays where there were none before?
When I looked under the hood of my '83 Toyota (with extremely bright headlights) and found the relays, my own better idea light bulb went full bright. So I simply mimicked the OE in this case, converted to relays, and had my solution. To both issues.
Are the stock wires sufficient? When new, maybe. When 50 years old, not likely. Sufficient for stock lamps? Sure, barely.
Before relay harnesses were available through the aftermarket, I set my Bronco and my F350 up with them Did it for the horn too, but that's another story!
I had a problem I was searching for a solution for. Found it, made it happen, love the results.
If you stick with the original 45w low beam incandescent lamps, and if your wiring and switch are fine, then you may not "need" them. But stock leaves very little headroom for degradation apparently, because they start out barely adequate, and degrade from there. Some of us just get tired of that old downward spiral.
And someone, luckily for the rest, decided to make a business out of it and make money. Ain't America great!
So by all means stick with the original old stuff. And if anyone completely re-wires their truck with a new harness, the old non-relay setup is probably perfectly fine with all new wiring. Often with up-rated wire gauge and fewer connections.
Every one of my oldest vehicles (Ford and Chevy) had extremely dim headlights when I bought them, but cleaning up the headlight connectors, and especially the firewall connectors, breathed new life into them. Adding relays, brought even more.
But if you want to change your headlights out to 55/60 halogens and want to use the high-beams reliably, or even more if you want to up-rate to some 55/100 watt H4's, you absolutely need the relays. Well, absolutely only if you expect to utilize the high beams. Ever..
So, while you're not completely wrong with regard to old school when it was brand new, and maybe your vehicles are all in perfect shape with good-as-new performance, the new school is still better for some of us.
Paul
You're entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts. a new halogen bulb draws 5 amps on high beam, .3 amps more than the original bulb. times that by 2 and you get a 10 amp draw, 10 amps isn't much, and if your harness is in good condition, it'll handle as much current as it ever did.
I don't care if you replace your wires and switches with something off Bonneville dam. but the original question was do I need to upgrade my system to handle halogen bulbs? the answer is simply, no.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 963
From: Near Yosemite CA
Bought 3 of these for my trucks, still need a couple more, installed it on my 66 F100, literal night and day difference with regular stock headlights. I don't drive him much at night, but when I do, it is a huge improvement.
https://tomsoffroad.com/parts/66-77-...iring-harness/
https://tomsoffroad.com/parts/66-77-...iring-harness/
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 296
Likes: 84
From: Charleston, SC
Bought 3 of these for my trucks, still need a couple more, installed it on my 66 F100, literal night and day difference with regular stock headlights. I don't drive him much at night, but when I do, it is a huge improvement.
https://tomsoffroad.com/parts/66-77-...iring-harness/
https://tomsoffroad.com/parts/66-77-...iring-harness/
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 791
Likes: 62
From: Backwoods of western Pa
Bought 3 of these for my trucks, still need a couple more, installed it on my 66 F100, literal night and day difference with regular stock headlights. I don't drive him much at night, but when I do, it is a huge improvement.
https://tomsoffroad.com/parts/66-77-...iring-harness/
https://tomsoffroad.com/parts/66-77-...iring-harness/
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 78
From: NE Texas
When I got my truck the PO had not only ignored the lights but put winker shades on them which further reduced their output. I took them off and probably got 30-40% better light. I then fabbed up a relay harness with 10 gauge wire from the battery to a fuse block with 5 fuses, then ran two of them through two Bosch relays, thence on to the high beams on one relay and low beams on the other relay, so the factory wiring is only supplying the trigger signal to the relays and the direct (via fuses and relays) lines supplying the current to the lights. HUGE improvement in the incandescents! I replaced the lights themselves with a halogen kit from LMC (in their other incarnation as Victoria British) and the lights have been very good, albeit only maybe a 10-15% improvement over the relay-harnessed OEM bulbs. Very interested in those Toyota kits, as beside my '78 truck I have a '75 MGB , also with round 7" bulbs.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,211
Likes: 321
From: SW PA
Aren't you worried about the high cost of shipping from LMC?
To answer the question, halogen is a common replacement headlight with factory harness and switch.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 963
From: Near Yosemite CA
FYI, the Toyota light kit that Nutter posted above is cheaper than that relay wiring kit, and comes with a Toyota OEM spec relay wire harness kit along with OEM spec H4 glass lenses and bulbs. I just ordered a set from the Toyota dealer, waiting for them to arrive. It's worth it just for the relay kit, even if you don't use the H4 conversions.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 26
Likes: 7
From: Gainesville, FL
https://www.lmctruck.com/lighting/he...dlight-harness
And these lights:
https://www.lmctruck.com/lighting/he...ngle-headlight
I also bought these bulbs with it:
https://www.lmctruck.com/lighting/bu...white-bulb-set
The headlight and the headlight bucket had to be modified to get the light to seat properly, so expect to do a little grinding and cutting. Now i can run modern bulbs and the difference is dramatic. I can see as well in my 77 as I can in my 2011 at night.
If I had it to do over again I probably would just use the bulbs that came with the light kit, not sure the "super white" bulbs made much difference but I do like them. It is such h#ll to change the headlights in the old truck, I just installed the 4000K bulbs while I had it apart, I have not ever seen the others to compare.
I would absolutely use the harness, I do not think my stock harness and switch would have been enough to give these lamps the power they need.
Thread Starter
|
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,172
Likes: 376
From: Near Los Angeles
I just installed this harness:
https://www.lmctruck.com/lighting/he...dlight-harness
And these lights:
https://www.lmctruck.com/lighting/he...ngle-headlight
I also bought these bulbs with it:
https://www.lmctruck.com/lighting/bu...white-bulb-set
The headlight and the headlight bucket had to be modified to get the light to seat properly, so expect to do a little grinding and cutting. Now i can run modern bulbs and the difference is dramatic. I can see as well in my 77 as I can in my 2011 at night.
If I had it to do over again I probably would just use the bulbs that came with the light kit, not sure the "super white" bulbs made much difference but I do like them. It is such h#ll to change the headlights in the old truck, I just installed the 4000K bulbs while I had it apart, I have not ever seen the others to compare.
I would absolutely use the harness, I do not think my stock harness and switch would have been enough to give these lamps the power they need.
https://www.lmctruck.com/lighting/he...dlight-harness
And these lights:
https://www.lmctruck.com/lighting/he...ngle-headlight
I also bought these bulbs with it:
https://www.lmctruck.com/lighting/bu...white-bulb-set
The headlight and the headlight bucket had to be modified to get the light to seat properly, so expect to do a little grinding and cutting. Now i can run modern bulbs and the difference is dramatic. I can see as well in my 77 as I can in my 2011 at night.
If I had it to do over again I probably would just use the bulbs that came with the light kit, not sure the "super white" bulbs made much difference but I do like them. It is such h#ll to change the headlights in the old truck, I just installed the 4000K bulbs while I had it apart, I have not ever seen the others to compare.
I would absolutely use the harness, I do not think my stock harness and switch would have been enough to give these lamps the power they need.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,746
Likes: 2,587
From: The Shenandoah Valley
You're entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts. a new halogen bulb draws 5 amps on high beam, .3 amps more than the original bulb. times that by 2 and you get a 10 amp draw, 10 amps isn't much, and if your harness is in good condition, it'll handle as much current as it ever did.
I don't care if you replace your wires and switches with something off Bonneville dam. but the original question was do I need to upgrade my system to handle halogen bulbs? the answer is simply, no.
I don't care if you replace your wires and switches with something off Bonneville dam. but the original question was do I need to upgrade my system to handle halogen bulbs? the answer is simply, no.
.... but bigger wire and relays with new contacts and no long runs of smaller wires to ignition switches in cab result in less resistance and less voltage drop at the lamps.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,661
Likes: 1,062
From: Montana
Thanks. I ordered the same combo yesterday and am looking forward to the improvement. Often, when I drove at night, I had trouble seeing the lines in places. I will, as Fuzzface mentioned, upgrade the relays and saddles. I wish I had waited to order so that I could have gotten a better idea--via the forum--of what was out there. You guys showed me that there is many choices out there. That's the power of the forum. Thanks. Now I find that I need to install a power block between alt and battery so that I can access power. Does anyone know of a nice one?
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 4,106
From: Angier, NC
Thanks. I ordered the same combo yesterday and am looking forward to the improvement. Often, when I drove at night, I had trouble seeing the lines in places. I will, as Fuzzface mentioned, upgrade the relays and saddles. I wish I had waited to order so that I could have gotten a better idea--via the forum--of what was out there. You guys showed me that there is many choices out there. That's the power of the forum. Thanks. Now I find that I need to install a power block between alt and battery so that I can access power. Does anyone know of a nice one?
I was going to ask if the light / bulbs were DOT and I seen they were
I just dont like the look of that type of light in a older car / truck and am happy with what I go so for me no need to change the lights I have.
Dave ----