four lights
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Harrisburg, OR
four lights
I have a 60 half ton. My ? is. When you have your headlights on and then hit the dimmer switch are all four lights supposed to work or just the brights. It seems that I've seen all four work on the older rigs. Is it robbing power away from the bright side by the dim also being on? Would it help to isolate from one to the other?
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Originally Posted by frigerator
I have a 60 half ton. My ? is. When you have your headlights on and then hit the dimmer switch are all four lights supposed to work or just the brights. It seems that I've seen all four work on the older rigs. Is it robbing power away from the bright side by the dim also being on? Would it help to isolate from one to the other?
You can get a universal headlight wiring crossover from LMC Truck for about $40.00. It has 2 relays for the headlights as well as parking/turn indicator wiring.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Durham NC
All the 4 light systems I ever had turned out the lows when the highs came on. Even our new vehicles with factory fogs turn out the fogs when you switch to high beams. They used to sell an aftermarket setup back in the day to convert them so all 4 came on. Really overkill IMHO, the lows will not add very much to the much brighter highs with stock bulbs.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: NM
The answer doesn't seem to be simple. I looked up a '58 Ford (car) wiring diagram on The Old Car Manual Project (http://www.tocmp.com/tOCMP/wiring/57...re5765-196.jpg) and it shows that the Low beam bulbs had two filaments, one of which is on when High beams are on. So in that case all 4 would be on when High is on. As I recall, there were Low beam bulbs that had two prongs and some had three; but my overall recollection is that all four were on. Low beams to light up close, High beams for further out.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Originally Posted by AXracer
All the 4 light systems I ever had turned out the lows when the highs came on. Even our new vehicles with factory fogs turn out the fogs when you switch to high beams. They used to sell an aftermarket setup back in the day to convert them so all 4 came on. Really overkill IMHO, the lows will not add very much to the much brighter highs with stock bulbs.
If the low beams shut off when the high beams turn on or vice versa there would be a blink in the lighting...that simply is not the case.
Elder User
Joined: May 2006
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From: Kansas City, Mo
Lights
You don't want to miss anything. You need both during bright selection. The high beams for deer and the low for rabbits,beaver, squirrels, etc. Road kill is the best meal of the week, it's free and mostly fresh. Have a great holiday, chuck
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
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Originally Posted by ALBUQ F-1
The answer doesn't seem to be simple. I looked up a '58 Ford (car) wiring diagram on The Old Car Manual Project (http://www.tocmp.com/tOCMP/wiring/5765wiring%20diagrams/Ford/MWire5765-196.jpg) and it shows that the Low beam bulbs had two filaments, one of which is on when High beams are on. So in that case all 4 would be on when High is on. As I recall, there were Low beam bulbs that had two prongs and some had three; but my overall recollection is that all four were on. Low beams to light up close, High beams for further out.
Besides that, doesn't anyone else remember "back in the day" seeing cars/trucks with 2 lights on on one side and only one on the other?
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: La Verne, California
On the '57-'60 FoMoCo trucks, ALL four (4) Headlights are ON after the Dimmer Switch is activated for the Highbeams & as A.F-1 stated, the Low Beam has two (2) filaments so that they stay on w/ the Highbeams engauged.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,882
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From: Durham NC
Hmmm. In the early teen years which approximately coincided with the 4 headlight era, we played a adolescent couples game we called "padiddle". If you saw a vehicle with a headlight out while with your honey, you called PADIDDLE! if the guy called it first he got to kiss the girl, if the girl called it first, she socked the guy. I remember being on the giving and receiving end of that game many times, but I cannot recall ever seeing a vehicle with 3 headlights or 2 on one side on. I know for a fact on my 67 Tempest the low beams went out with the high beams on. I had replaced the automotive sealed high beam bulbs with aircraft landing light sealed beam bulbs. 
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Edmonton, Alberta Canada
on my 60 ford, all 4 lights are on with the high beam.
the circuit for the two lights (hi and low beam on) are in series, that is the power goes thru the high beam, over to the low beam and then out thru ground, therefor the need for three prongs. so if the hi beam burns out the low beam light will not be on since the circuit is broken.
the low beam circuit goes thru the other prong and out thru ground.
rgds
Mike
the circuit for the two lights (hi and low beam on) are in series, that is the power goes thru the high beam, over to the low beam and then out thru ground, therefor the need for three prongs. so if the hi beam burns out the low beam light will not be on since the circuit is broken.
the low beam circuit goes thru the other prong and out thru ground.
rgds
Mike