Headlight Upgrade 9007 02 Ford Ranger

[GSF1200S]

First post- glad I found this forum instead of the conjecture based responses Ive seen in other forums. I have a 2002 Ford Ranger with 9007 style bulbs. Im heading into winter, and my headlights pretty much suck. Every vehicle Ive ever owned has been known for having terrible headlights, and I want to fix that as best as possible. I live north of Austin (hill country) where tons of dark roads are occupied by tons of deer. Ive nearly wrecked my truck twice because of my headlights.

Originally, I was going to retrofit HIDs, but with the glare Ive been forced to see from others and the fact Ive hated every HID setup Ive been behind when raining, Ive decided to stay halogens. I have learned from these forums:

1) Avoid blue tinted bulbs. All they do is filter out yellower light to give a whiter appearance reducing light output in the process
2) HIR bulbs are great, but cant use them with a 9007 style housing
3) Priority 1 is to remove any haze from lenses or replace assemblies; ill be polishing the lenses and sealing them and redoing as needed.
4) Bulb output is exponentially increased as voltage is increased, but bulb life is even more exponentially reduced by voltage increase
5) Phillips ExtrmeVision are the best halogen bulbs available on the market for 9007
6) Voltage drop via small wiring and worn contacts in the OEM headlight wiring can produce voltage drop and reduce light output

So, I have some questions for you guys.

Do you think its excessive to use ExtremeVisions with a headlight wiring harness kit (it would be either done by me or one from rallylights.com)? I drive a fair bit at night, so im not sure on the longevity of this setup. What kind of life could I expect with this setup? My output at the battery is around 14.2v- I would imagine the bulb life with ExtremeVisions and a harness would be around ~150 hours (assuming 14.2v at the bulb)?

Would I be better served getting some long life halogen bulbs and pairing them with a headlight harness, or with keeping the stock harness and getting the ExtremeVision bulbs and no harness? I would guess the bulb life might be around ~600 hours?

Its one thing if youre in a high performance sports car and need the best performance you can safely get. Its another in a Ranger where I tool around at 55-65mph rarely ever bothering to break 70mph. Curious as to where I should draw a line (yeah I know its a personal choice), whether Ive got my facts right, etc.

 

[-Virgil-]

First post

Welcome to the board.

2002 Ford Ranger with 9007 style bulbs.

And you're in Texas. What condition are the headlamps in? If they are at all visibly clouded or yellowed, you need new ones. And they need to be genuine Ford parts, because all of the aftermarket ones are junk, despite the claims and promises they make ("OE quality", etc)

Originally, I was going to retrofit HIDs, but with the glare Ive been forced to see from others and the fact Ive hated every HID setup Ive been behind when raining, Ive decided to stay halogen

Good, halogen bulbs are the only kind that work safely, effectively, and legally in halogen headlamps.

Avoid blue tinted bulbs. All they do is filter out yellower light to give a whiter appearance reducing light output in the process. HIR bulbs are great, but cant use them with a 9007 style housing

Correct on both of those.

Priority 1 is to remove any haze from lenses or replace assemblies

If they're hazed, they're dead. Replace with new genuine Ford.

Bulb output is exponentially increased as voltage is increased, but bulb life is even more exponentially reduced by voltage increase

True.

Phillips ExtrmeVision are the best halogen bulbs available on the market for 9007

Philips Xtreme Vision or GE Night Hawk Xenon.

Voltage drop via small wiring and worn contacts in the OEM headlight wiring can produce voltage drop and reduce light output

Quite a lot, yes.

You left off one of the most important things: lamp aim! It must be correct, and the only way to make sure it's correct is for it to be checked and adjusted with an optical aiming machine as described here.

Do you think its excessive to use ExtremeVisions with a headlight wiring harness kit

No, that would give you the best possible seeing.

What kind of life could I expect with this setup?

Less than standard or long-life bulbs, but you'd be seeing better the whole time.

My output at the battery is around 14.2v- I would imagine the bulb life with ExtremeVisions and a harness would be around ~150 hours (assuming 14.2v at the bulb)?

Probably closer to 250 hours.

Would I be better served getting some long life halogen bulbs and pairing them with a headlight harness

No. Long Life bulbs do very bad things to your seeing range, no matter how they're wired.

or with keeping the stock harness and getting the ExtremeVision bulbs and no harness?

If it's one or the other, this would be the way to go.

Its one thing if youre in a high performance sports car and need the best performance you can safely get. Its another in a Ranger where I tool around at 55-65mph rarely ever bothering to break 70mph.

Weren't you just saying you've almost wrecked out twice because you couldn't see?

 

[Alaric Darconville]

First post- glad I found this forum instead of the conjecture based responses Ive seen in other forums.

We're glad you're here, too!

Do you think its excessive to use ExtremeVisions with a headlight wiring harness kit (it would be either done by me or one from rallylights.com)?

Not at all, but did you first measure voltage drops according to this? If you're already at 14.1V, going to the extreme to get just .1V might not be worth it. Most likely, you're not, but it's always nice to be armed with information-- besides, you definitely want to know with certainty that you've actually improved the circuit.

Would I be better served getting some long life halogen bulbs and pairing them with a headlight harness, or with keeping the stock harness and getting the ExtremeVision bulbs and no harness? I would guess the bulb life might be around ~600 hours?

At the very very least, skip the "long life" bulbs. Right at the start, they're suboptimal (lower filament luminance, poorer focus) and then have the added drawback of far outliving their useful life (and they weren't all that useful to begin with) due to filament degradation. The XTreme Visions will seem to die far too soon-- but will have had much better lumen- and focus- maintenance throughout their life.

In all, it looks like you have most of it right except for #3: Since you're in Texas, and it's a 14yr old vehicle, it's almost a given that those headlamps need to be replaced. Polishing is a stopgap-- and remember that even if the lenses themselves look great, any hazing you can still see means a reduction in performance. There will also be reflector degradation, which is slightly harder to spot but is still a real concern. And definitely do not get any aftermarket headlamps. Only Genuine Ford parts (or Mazda, the '02 Ranger and '02 B3000 are the same vehicle, essentially) will do. Unfortunately, genuine parts are expensive-- but I'd rather pay for genuine lamps than get paid to install free aftermarket junk.

The close calls you describe sound like a case of overdriving your headlamps. While you're waiting for all your parts to come in, remember that your current headlamps are not going to give you the seeing distance you need compared to the vehicle when brand new, and definitely not as good as with brand new headlamps, the very best bulbs, proper voltage, and the proper aim. Slow down, and use high beams as much as possible (away from other traffic, obviously). (I often see people screaming down the highway at 70mph with just their low beams on-- that's way too fast for ANY low beam-- or worse, with their low beams and their fog lamps on.) You didn't mention having fog lamps, but remember to leave them off unless you're actually dog-paddling through pea-soup thick fog.

Other things you can do to help see better at night is to be sure the windshield is clean inside and out, and dim your instrument panel lights.

 

[GSF1200S]

Welcome to the board.

Thanks!

And you're in Texas. What condition are the headlamps in? If they are at all visibly clouded or yellowed, you need new ones. And they need to be genuine Ford parts, because all of the aftermarket ones are junk, despite the claims and promises they make ("OE quality", etc)

Yeah, Ive gathered the aftermarket ones are junk. I cannot see haze on the lenses even in direct sunlight with the lights off. If I turn the lights on however, I think I can see the beginning stages of it. In the past I have polished and sealed headlight lenses with success- im sure they werent as good as new but they seemed to project a proper beam, seemed to have no added glare, and seemed to have no haze. When do I draw the line and replace?

If they're hazed, they're dead. Replace with new genuine Ford.

$222 per assembly, so about $450 for a set. I simply do not have that to spend right now. If I did, I would. Im going to look on craigslist for later model OEM lights (like out of a 2011 or whatever) and see if I can get some within my budget. Is polishing at least favorable to what I have now, at least in the interim?

Philips Xtreme Vision

or GE Night Hawk Xenon.

Cool. I plan on the Xtreme Visions so Im good there.

You left off one of the most important things: lamp aim! It must be correct, and the only way to make sure it's correct is for it to be checked and adjusted with an optical aiming machine as described here.

I did. Ive never even heard of an aiming machine. Ill see if I can find one in the area. I have always adjusted my headlights using a tape measure, wall, and then confirmed no-glare by doing looks from various far off and close up angles (simulating a car driving past me). I HATE being blinded by headlights so I try to not be one of those guys. This was the primary reason I decided against HID seeing that my housings were designed for halogen lights.

No, that would give you the best possible seeing.

Probably closer to 250 hours.

That should be more than enough for 9-12 months for me. I expected it to be much worse with a headlamp harness installed.

No. Long Life bulbs do very bad things to your seeing range, no matter how they're wired.

Yeah, Ive read that the compromises made to make a long life bulb do horrible things to your seeing range. I THINK my truck has long life bulbs now which is probably why they dont project downroad for crap but do light up the road uniformly where they do project.

Weren't you just saying you've almost wrecked out twice because you couldn't see?

Totally got me there. I was trying to say that my lighting demands arent as high as someone carrying higher rates of speed, but then youre absolutely right- if ive almost wrecked twice than I shouldnt be compromising.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Ive never even heard of an aiming machine. Ill see if I can find one in the area. I have always adjusted my headlights using a tape measure, wall

The lights-on-wall method can be pretty good for aiming-- it does require a proper location to do it in such that the car is perfectly level and the wall is perfectly perpendicular to the level surface the car is on, and all your measurements are precise. It's a real, objective way of aiming.

, and then confirmed no-glare by doing looks from various far off and close up angles (simulating a car driving past me). I HATE being blinded by headlights so I try to not be one of those guys.

This part, however, is subjective. As hard as you may try, this method is not accurate. You can't decide the lamps are aimed correctly because noöne is flashing you, nor can you assume they're aimed incorrectly just because someone flashed you. Just do the wall method (properly!) and leave it at that until you can find a place with an actual headlamp aiming machine.

 

[GSF1200S]

We're glad you're here, too!

Not at all, but did you first measure voltage drops according to this? If you're already at 14.1V, going to the extreme to get just .1V might not be worth it. Most likely, you're not, but it's always nice to be armed with information-- besides, you definitely want to know with certainty that you've actually improved the circuit.

I have not, but I will before I pull the trigger and either buy the rallylights.com harness (seems to get positive mentions here) or build my own. I am virtually certain the drop is significant: 1) Ford is known to skimp on wire in lower tier vehicles (like the ranger), 2) the wire going to the headlights is at best 16 gauge, and likely 18 with insulation stripped away, and 3) the multifunction switch and wiring system in these trucks is known to add resistance, and go bad relatively often (so a harness would essentially be free if it saves the switch). I just didnt want to turn the truck into a 60 hour premium bulb killer. If I get 200+ hours, that should be more than enough for me.

At the very very least, skip the "long life" bulbs. Right at the start, they're suboptimal (lower filament luminance, poorer focus) and then have the added drawback of far outliving their useful life (and they weren't all that useful to begin with) due to filament degradation. The XTreme Visions will seem to die far too soon-- but will have had much better lumen- and focus- maintenance throughout their life.

Done- ill stay away. Just needed opinions from those in the know. I made due with silverstar ultras in my last vehicle (yes I know.. I didnt know any better then!), and I didnt complain every 7 months when they went bad. Better than dying.

In all, it looks like you have most of it right except for #3: Since you're in Texas, and it's a 14yr old vehicle, it's almost a given that those headlamps need to be replaced. Polishing is a stopgap-- and remember that even if the lenses themselves look great, any hazing you can still see means a reduction in performance. There will also be reflector degradation, which is slightly harder to spot but is still a real concern. And definitely do not get any aftermarket headlamps. Only Genuine Ford parts (or Mazda, the '02 Ranger and '02 B3000 are the same vehicle, essentially) will do. Unfortunately, genuine parts are expensive-- but I'd rather pay for genuine lamps than get paid to install free aftermarket junk.

I know I need to do this given the age. Its not a matter of being cheap, its literally that I CANT at the current moment. Post christmas and all that. I read posts in other forums where people cheap out and I say to myself "come on man.. just do it right." If I could drop 500 on headlamps and then 80-100 on a harness and then 40 on lights I would. I will begin saving for sure, but im hoping that polishing the lights can get me by for 6 months or so until I have the coin. Were going into the dead of winter where, while mild compared to the north, we have a lot of rain and with tons of idiot drivers!

The close calls you describe sound like a case of overdriving your headlamps. While you're waiting for all your parts to come in, remember that your current headlamps are not going to give you the seeing distance you need compared to the vehicle when brand new, and definitely not as good as with brand new headlamps, the very best bulbs, proper voltage, and the proper aim. Slow down, and use high beams as much as possible (away from other traffic, obviously). (I often see people screaming down the highway at 70mph with just their low beams on-- that's way too fast for ANY low beam-- or worse, with their low beams and their fog lamps on.) You didn't mention having fog lamps, but remember to leave them off unless you're actually dog-paddling through pea-soup thick fog.

No fog lamps, but we dont get fog here often. Id avoid driving in fog unless I had no choice simply due to the deer and crazy drivers doing 70+ with no regard for road conditions. Yeah, I must be overdriving the headlamps. In both cases where I had close calls I was driving at the speed limit to 5 under, but given my headlights crappy performance and the DEER here man.. its murder. One second Im doing 50 with a clear path and the next theres a deer coming towards the road out of nowhere. Im actually looking at different options for "right-pointed" driving lights; Id like to cook up something where I have a light I can turn on on dark roads that better projects light to the treeline on the right; im not sure if this is legal, and I wouldnt have a light pointed left. Responding to deer isnt as bad on the left as the road gives you more reaction time, but the right is what gets me. Anyways, ill look around here and thats a topic for another thread down the road. For now I need to focus on getting the main headlights up to optimum.

Other things you can do to help see better at night is to be sure the windshield is clean inside and out, and dim your instrument panel lights.

Ill confess, I run my instrument panel lights at high, and even worse my aftermarket head unit dimmer doesnt work (since the wire on the harness was hooked up wrong by the PO). I immediately realize this is bad as the extra light must cause my pupils to contract limiting light gathering from outside. Thanks for mentioning this! Im going to go out to my truck and rewire the dimmer wire so I dont have this issue, and of course turn the dimmer down when it gets dark. I know Im not the only person who has done this- every person Ive driven with now that I think about it has had their instrument lights smack at max!

I really appreciate all the great info and advice!

 

[GSF1200S]

The lights-on-wall method can be pretty good for aiming-- it does require a proper location to do it in such that the car is perfectly level and the wall is perfectly perpendicular to the level surface the car is on, and all your measurements are precise. It's a real, objective way of aiming.

I had where I last lived an abandoned shopping complex that was nearly perfect for this. It was very dark, the lot was level, and I had sufficient space to do the aim. I have to find a better place where I am though- ive aimed them, the lot was level, and I had space but there was too much ambient light.

This part, however, is subjective. As hard as you may try, this method is not accurate. You can't decide the lamps are aimed correctly because noöne is flashing you, nor can you assume they're aimed incorrectly just because someone flashed you. Just do the wall method (properly!) and leave it at that until you can find a place with an actual headlamp aiming machine.

Totally understand. Please note I do the aim via the wall method, and the whole trying to see if I have glare I only do after (though I see now its pretty pointless). You gotta realize I was mostly ignorant of what I know now. I just knew then that I HATED the glare (I get angry really) of poorly aimed or poorly implemented headlights and wanted to "make sure" I wasnt one of them. As you point out though, you cant know by looking. I never adjusted my lights based on this subjective "test"- more for righteous piece of mind

 

[Alaric Darconville]

I have not, but I will before I pull the trigger and either buy the rallylights.com harness (seems to get positive mentions here) or build my own. I am virtually certain the drop is significant: 1) Ford is known to skimp on wire in lower tier vehicles (like the ranger), 2) the wire going to the headlights is at best 16 gauge, and likely 18 with insulation stripped away, and 3) the multifunction switch and wiring system in these trucks is known to add resistance, and go bad relatively often (so a harness would essentially be free if it saves the switch). I just didnt want to turn the truck into a 60 hour premium bulb killer. If I get 200+ hours, that should be more than enough for me.

Knowing is half the battle! It also helps you ensure you made the relay harness right-- because you can repeat the test after the harness to make sure it's really working properly.
Now, if you get more voltage through the relays than alternator output voltage, you may have just solved the energy crisis!

the wire going to the headlights is at best 16 gauge, and likely 18 with insulation stripped away

The gauge should be the gauge of the wire, not wire+insulation. Granted, careless stripping of insulation can reduce the final gauge if you took strands off with the insulation.

Done- ill stay away. Just needed opinions from those in the know. I made due with silverstar ultras in my last vehicle (yes I know.. I didnt know any better then!), and I didnt complain every 7 months when they went bad. Better than dying.

The power of marketing! Still, a SilverStar Ultra right at the end of its life will slightly outperform an aging Long Life bulb, so at least you got some benefit. My "Fine, I'm at Wal-Mart and need a bulb" grab is usually the Sylvania XTraVision +30 since it's a decent, no gimmicks bulb-- but in your case, once you upgrade to the XTreme Vision, keep one of the original bulbs as a spare. Then order another set of XTreme Visions as soon as you can. Or order two pairs of XTreme Visions and then replace both bulbs in the pair when one goes out and reorder another pair at that time.

I know I need to do this given the age. Its not a matter of being cheap, its literally that I CANT at the current moment. Post christmas and all that. I read posts in other forums where people cheap out and I say to myself "come on man.. just do it right." If I could drop 500 on headlamps and then 80-100 on a harness and then 40 on lights I would. I will begin saving for sure, but im hoping that polishing the lights can get me by for 6 months or so until I have the coin. Were going into the dead of winter where, while mild compared to the north, we have a lot of rain and with tons of idiot drivers!

I understand completely. Don't think of it as "dude, spend a TON OF MONEY NOW" but "dude, save your money until you can afford the real deal". If your factory headlamps are really as good as you describe, then you're probably OK keeping them a while. I do have to ask-- are you actually sure they are factory headlamps? Maybe the previous owner bought aftermarket lamps shortly before selling it, which explains why they look mostly clear but you're not super happy with them. Or, you lucked out, and they'd replaced the headlamps with OEM lamps shortly before you bought it (and you just need better bulbs, voltage, and aim).

No fog lamps, but we dont get fog here often. Id avoid driving in fog unless I had no choice simply due to the deer and crazy drivers doing 70+ with no regard for road conditions.

Texas and Oklahoma clearly are neighboring states sharing many of the same mores and customs. I think in both states they think it's some kind of law requiring people with full-size trucks to drive too fast for conditions, and share a collective delusion that fog lamps = "now you can drive FAST in the fog".

Yeah, I must be overdriving the headlamps. In both cases where I had close calls I was driving at the speed limit to 5 under, but given my headlights crappy performance and the DEER here man.. its murder. One second Im doing 50 with a clear path and the next theres a deer coming towards the road out of nowhere.

They're good at that. Improving the bulbs and voltage will help you see them, since they camouflage so well with the dying vegetation at the road's edge, and even more so when your lights are almost 'brown' due to starvation.

Im actually looking at different options for "right-pointed" driving lights; Id like to cook up something where I have a light I can turn on on dark roads that better projects light to the treeline on the right; im not sure if this is legal, and I wouldnt have a light pointed left. Responding to deer isnt as bad on the left as the road gives you more reaction time, but the right is what gets me. Anyways, ill look around here and thats a topic for another thread down the road. For now I need to focus on getting the main headlights up to optimum.

A good set of auxiliary high beams, aimed properly, can add a lot of width. Granted, these are high beams, and shouldn't be use with other traffic. Harder to find, but potentially good-- auxiliary low beams. I have a set on my '95 Previa and they help with the road edges (particularly the right edge), and can be used closer to other traffic (still an interstate/turnpike lamp, not an in-town lamp). More likely, though, auxiliary high beams would better suit your needs.

Ill confess, I run my instrument panel lights at high, and even worse my aftermarket head unit dimmer doesnt work (since the wire on the harness was hooked up wrong by the PO). I immediately realize this is bad as the extra light must cause my pupils to contract limiting light gathering from outside. Thanks for mentioning this! Im going to go out to my truck and rewire the dimmer wire so I dont have this issue, and of course turn the dimmer down when it gets dark. I know Im not the only person who has done this- every person Ive driven with now that I think about it has had their instrument lights smack at max!

Dimming your dash lights can be a very cheap lighting upgrade! I'm not sure why everyone cranks theirs up high, but I've seen that a lot. Sometimes, I turn mine all the way off and just occasionally bring them up a bit to look at the temperature gauge. Cruise control practically eliminates my need to see the speedometer.

More and more cars have brighter and brighter instrument panels, too. -Virgil- has called them "video game dashboards", and it's true-- they're bright and they're very busy, vying for your attention (like the Prius with the power routing display that is fun to look at but also an unnecessary distraction in all lighting conditions.

I really appreciate all the great info and advice!

You're welcome!

 

[jaycee88]

Dimming your dash lights can be a very cheap lighting upgrade! I'm not sure why everyone cranks theirs up high, but I've seen that a lot!

I think some drivers may not even realize that having bright dash lights hurts night vision. Also, I wonder if some cars simply aren't able to have their dash lights dimmed sufficiently low. My motorcycle's dash is an LCD panel (black alphanumerics on white background) and even with the backlighting set to minimal brightness, I find it's brighter than I'd like. I just might buy an LCD polarizer, open up the dash, and replace the existing polarizer but flipping it around so that it becomes white-on-black.

 

[GSF1200S]

Knowing is half the battle! It also helps you ensure you made the relay harness right-- because you can repeat the test after the harness to make sure it's really working properly.
Now, if you get more voltage through the relays than alternator output voltage, you may have just solved the energy crisis!


The gauge should be the gauge of the wire, not wire+insulation. Granted, careless stripping of insulation can reduce the final gauge if you took strands off with the insulation.

I went and checked using 16 gauge wire I have in my toolbox- its definitely 18 gauge going to the headlights :scowl: Im going to pull the headlights later and check for voltage drop, but given what Ive read about Rangers and the wire gauge, Im expecting at least .5vdc drop and possibly more.

The power of marketing! Still, a SilverStar Ultra right at the end of its life will slightly outperform an aging Long Life bulb, so at least you got some benefit. My "Fine, I'm at Wal-Mart and need a bulb" grab is usually the Sylvania XTraVision +30 since it's a decent, no gimmicks bulb-- but in your case, once you upgrade to the XTreme Vision, keep one of the original bulbs as a spare. Then order another set of XTreme Visions as soon as you can. Or order two pairs of XTreme Visions and then replace both bulbs in the pair when one goes out and reorder another pair at that time.

Almost got some XtraVisions myself before I heard about the Phillips bulbs. I figured with the lack of a blue coating they would be worlds better.

I understand completely. Don't think of it as "dude, spend a TON OF MONEY NOW" but "dude, save your money until you can afford the real deal". If your factory headlamps are really as good as you describe, then you're probably OK keeping them a while. I do have to ask-- are you actually sure they are factory headlamps? Maybe the previous owner bought aftermarket lamps shortly before selling it, which explains why they look mostly clear but you're not super happy with them. Or, you lucked out, and they'd replaced the headlamps with OEM lamps shortly before you bought it (and you just need better bulbs, voltage, and aim).

Ive looked more closely and im almost positive theyre OEM. They do have the faintest haze when in direct sunlight- its not even haze as much as the plastic doesnt look as clear as a new cars does- a hint of yellow. When you turn the headlights on in a dark room (my garage for instance), you can clearly see some haze on the lens. Im not even sure I should use sandpaper to clean them- im thinking some polishing compound would work while I save up for headlamps. Polishing compound is much finer than sandpaper, so if it gets off the haze, itd be much easier for the clear coat to "fill in" any roughness.

Texas and Oklahoma clearly are neighboring states sharing many of the same mores and customs. I think in both states they think it's some kind of law requiring people with full-size trucks to drive too fast for conditions, and share a collective delusion that fog lamps = "now you can drive FAST in the fog".

:shakehead I know.. people are insane in the fog. The worst part about it is you trying to drive within the range of your headlights can actually CAUSE an accident since they cant see you until theyre right on your bumper. Its even worse on a motorcycle- major pucker factor constantly scanning your mirrors and looking for ways to escape becoming a hood ornament.

They're good at that. Improving the bulbs and voltage will help you see them, since they camouflage so well with the dying vegetation at the road's edge, and even more so when your lights are almost 'brown' due to starvation.

:twothumbs First step for sure.

A good set of auxiliary high beams, aimed properly, can add a lot of width. Granted, these are high beams, and shouldn't be use with other traffic. Harder to find, but potentially good-- auxiliary low beams. I have a set on my '95 Previa and they help with the road edges (particularly the right edge), and can be used closer to other traffic (still an interstate/turnpike lamp, not an in-town lamp). More likely, though, auxiliary high beams would better suit your needs.

Sounds good- ill do some research. Do you think Id be better off getting new headlamps first, or continue polishing the headlamps, get the auxiliaries first, then get the headlamps? Im guessing its probably better to sort out main lighting 100% first and then start thinking about aux lights. Ill go with that approach unless I hear otherwise.

Dimming your dash lights can be a very cheap lighting upgrade! I'm not sure why everyone cranks theirs up high, but I've seen that a lot. Sometimes, I turn mine all the way off and just occasionally bring them up a bit to look at the temperature gauge. Cruise control practically eliminates my need to see the speedometer.

More and more cars have brighter and brighter instrument panels, too. -Virgil- has called them "video game dashboards", and it's true-- they're bright and they're very busy, vying for your attention (like the Prius with the power routing display that is fun to look at but also an unnecessary distraction in all lighting conditions.

You're welcome!

I think some drivers may not even realize that having bright dash lights hurts night vision. Also, I wonder if some cars simply aren't able to have their dash lights dimmed sufficiently low. My motorcycle's dash is an LCD panel (black alphanumerics on white background) and even with the backlighting set to minimal brightness, I find it's brighter than I'd like. I just might buy an LCD polarizer, open up the dash, and replace the existing polarizer but flipping it around so that it becomes white-on-black.

I have a 4 banger, stick shift, no cruise control, and I live in hill country. While I could do it by ear, I think ill aim to go down on brightness as much as possible while still being able to see the cluster. This is still an improvement since as you say jaycee88 it never even dawned on me that bright dash lights were hurting my night vision- it did immediately make sense when I read that above.

Speaking of lowering dash lighting, I got some good and bad news yesterday. The good news is, my dash is pretty simple and the dimmer works from full off to full bright and everything in between. The bad news is my head unit. I pulled the unit and found the headlight wire, wired it into the illumination wire for the head unit and tried it out. While my headunit is awesome in every way (Pioneer DEH-80PRS), the dimmer function sucks. It works, and it brings brightness down a little, but not as much as Id like. Oh well- better than nothing. Im experimenting now with changing colors of the keys and display (it has led backlighting and so colors can be changed in the menus).

When I get my voltage drop numbers and order my stuff, ill update this thread. I also plan to do before and after photos using a wall and a dark road once the adjustment is made. Thanks for all the information and advice- with that im headed down the path to quality lighting instead of the dizzying array of poor implementations out there on the market.

 

[GSF1200S]

Curiosity got the best of me and I decided to go down and measure my voltage drop. Procedure: backprobe light bulb connector engine on lights on. I did the procedure for both low and high beams. Almost unbelievable results:

Notes:
Voltage at battery with engine at 900rpm: 14.2-14.3 volts
Ford uses a constant ground setup where the main headlight switch and multifunction switch supplies positive

--Low beam--
Drivers side: 1.3 volts (.1v on ground, 1.2v on positive side)
Passengers side: 1.5 volts (.1v on ground, 1.4v on positive side)

--High beam--
Drivers side: 1.6 volts (.1 volt on ground, 1.5v on positive side)
Passengers side: 1.8 volts (!) (.1v on ground, 1.7v on positive side)

Is this even possible? I even double checked the continuity of my meter, double checked alternator output, and checked resistance of the little pins I used to backprobe the connector (which measured no resistance). Maybe I have a multifunction switch thats about shot? It wont matter much once the relay harness is installed since the switch will last forever with that little current flowing through it, but man...

I would have been happy if a wiring harness gained me .6vdc!

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Curiosity got the best of me and I decided to go down and measure my voltage drop. Procedure: backprobe light bulb connector engine on lights on. I did the procedure for both low and high beams. Almost unbelievable results:

Notes:
Voltage at battery with engine at 900rpm: 14.2-14.3 volts

--Low beam--
Drivers side: 1.3 volts (.1v on ground, 1.2v on positive side)
Passengers side: 1.5 volts (.1v on ground, 1.4v on positive side)

--High beam--
Drivers side: 1.6 volts (.1 volt on ground, 1.5v on positive side)
Passengers side: 1.8 volts (!) (.1v on ground, 1.7v on positive side)

Is this even possible?

VERY possible. 18ga wire will be pretty sensitive to breaks in any strands. There are a lot of contact points in the circuit. Corrosion occurs.

You'll see a handsome improvement with a relay harness!

Going with nominal specs for a standard 9007/HB5 65/55 @12.8V, 1350/1000: (That's +/- 15% on those lumen ratings, btw.)

14.2V-1.5V=12.7V. You've just lost 26lm (with that .1V below 12.8V) on the passenger side. Maybe not a whole lot over design-- but if you could get the bulbs 13.5V (raise the voltage just over 5%) and you'd get another 200lm -- a 20% increase! Bulb life would still be quite acceptable.

If you could bring them 13.8V, you're still getting decentish life, but the 1V over design gets you to 1291lm. Definitely a more comfortable amount of light.

And the high beam on that passenger side right now gets 12.4V, so instead of the 1350lm you should be getting, it's 1213lm. Bring IT up to 13.8V: 1743lm. Now THOSE might be some real high beams!

Do the relays now, and don't even attempt to do anything with the headlamps themselves. When you go to "polish" them you are taking the last protection off and must replace it with something durable. The change to make them worse does exist, so maybe don't take that chance-- just save up for the OEM lamps you want.

 

[GSF1200S]

Wiring harness (using 12 gauge wire) and Philips Xtreme Visions in hand, I set out to finally get some decent light on the road. I pulled the headlamp assemblies and got the bulbs out- get this: the dates on the sylvania bulbs in the housings were both "April 26 2002." oo: Im assuming this means they were long life bulbs, and well beyond their intended lifespan :laughing:

I havent measured the voltage drop of the new relay harness, but im sure its very little. After getting the harness installed, I installed the headlamp assemblies and found a wall to do an aim with a tape measure. Need to find an aiming machine, but its a start.

First impressions:
1) Wow. I can actually see!
2) So this is what a beam pattern looks like (I literally didnt have one before- it was more like some light puking onto the road)
3) I really need new headlamp assemblies
4) This is the first vehicle Ive driven where the light appears white instead of yellow
5) So this is what its like to have visibility on the road edges
6) The highbeams are absolutely ridiculous. Signs light up from far away, I can see clear to the treeline on both sides of the highway, and the light pattern appears uniform (except on the ground as I mentioned above).

I can tell the limiting factor is my headlamp assemblies, and it became more evident with the new bulbs and harness. While visibility is great now, I can see "dark spots" in the beam pattern, and I can see "hazing" with the lights on. I decided that I needed to try and polish/seal the lenses to reduce any potential glare at least until I can get OEM assemblies. I read up on ways to do it without ruining the optics (as best as possible), and did the job. Its even better now, but still there is hazing on the INSIDE of the lens that I cant get to only visible with the lights on- they look new lights off. Ranger headlights are famous for this. Im at a standstill until I get the $450 for new headlamps.

I know from reading here that perception of "good" lighting is subjective and that we are terrible judges, but it seems like a different vehicle to me. I mean I have to be partially right, right? I have a projection of light on the ground (low beam) that looks like the overhead charts you see showing the ideal beam pattern. I drove past my truck with my girlfriend driving it (I was in her '10 Elantra, so lower) on a 2 lane and I didnt get any glare. I think my headlights are better than the ones in the Elantra, and thats with bad headlamp assemblies! The Ranger doesnt have the best design either (poor reflector design and crappy 9007 bulb).

Im thinking Im now a light addict and ill be looking for some auxiliary driving lamps after I get the new headlamp assemblies. Been thinking about either dual high beam hella 90mm, 1 low and 1 high beam, or 2 bi-halogen ones. I have a ton of reading to do- there are so many different options its alot to learn.

Thanks to Virgil and especially Alaric Darconville (with so many in-depth responses) for your help- definitely drastically changed my lighting!

 

[-Virgil-]

Yep, you've just had an object lesson in why Long Life bulbs are a bad bargain* -- they last long enough to lose a giant chunk of their original output, which itself was never very good.


*unless you're an automaker in North America where consumers feel entitled to demand that the new-vehicle warranty covers even consumable items like light bulbs

 

[Alaric Darconville]

"April 26 2002." oo: Im assuming this means they were long life bulbs, and well beyond their intended lifespan :laughing:

Way, way, way beyond their useful lifespan.

I havent measured the voltage drop of the new relay harness, but im sure its very little. After getting the harness installed, I installed the headlamp assemblies and found a wall to do an aim with a tape measure. Need to find an aiming machine, but its a start.

Definitely let us know the voltages-- I'm really interested in knowing just how much closer to charging system voltage it is.

I know from reading here that perception of "good" lighting is subjective and that we are terrible judges, but it seems like a different vehicle to me. I mean I have to be partially right, right?

You're more than partially right-- remember, the new bulbs provide so much better beam focus. The relays give the bulbs the power they need to perform well.

drove past my truck with my girlfriend driving it (I was in her '10 Elantra, so lower) on a 2 lane and I didnt get any glare.

Not exactly scientific, y'know.

After getting new headlamps, give your wallet a break!

 

[GSF1200S]

Way, way, way beyond their useful lifespan.

I couldnt believe it. PO must not have driven at night much.

Definitely let us know the voltages-- I'm really interested in knowing just how much closer to charging system voltage it is.

I will- ill post a new reply either tomorrow or monday with the voltages. Since my lights are basically impossible to backprobe without pulling the assemblies, this needs to happen before I hit up an aiming machine.

You're more than partially right-- remember, the new bulbs provide so much better beam focus. The relays give the bulbs the power they need to perform well.

Right. Explains why I have good performance/pattern even with trashed housings. I cant wait to see what they do with new housings...

Not exactly scientific, y'know.

I know, but I wanted to at least get an idea if I was being a glare monster. Until next week when I can locate an aiming machine, the wall method and doing a drive by is about all I can do.

After getting new headlamps, give your wallet a break!

Yeah, youre prolly right. The highbeams should be more than enough- the way signs pop now im sure deer eyes will pop too.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

I couldnt believe it. PO must not have driven at night much.

The change is so gradual, it took a bulb swap to really notice it. That's a real danger of long life bulbs! Unfortunately, lumen and focus maintenance isn't a matter of regulation, so the purveyors of these bulbs will keep on purveying them-- there's nothing but consumer education stopping them.

 

[haha1234]

Would H4 headlights from a Mexican Ford dealer be obtainable? There's also the sites MercadoLibre in Mexico and Argentina, and MercadoLivre in Brazil.

 

[-Virgil-]

Would H4 headlights from a Mexican Ford dealer be obtainable?

That would be a large step downward/backward.

 

[GSF1200S]

The change is so gradual, it took a bulb swap to really notice it. That's a real danger of long life bulbs! Unfortunately, lumen and focus maintenance isn't a matter of regulation, so the purveyors of these bulbs will keep on purveying them-- there's nothing but consumer education stopping them.

Yeah. It is definitely dangerous- I couldnt see well at all. I was ok in town where theres tons of street lights, but I probably shouldnt have been on dark roads at all. I didnt know better but do now. I will tell anyone who has long life bulbs or terrible headlights what Ive found out about how terrible they are.

Would H4 headlights from a Mexican Ford dealer be obtainable? There's also the sites MercadoLibre in Mexico and Argentina, and MercadoLivre in Brazil.

Wow, I never even realized the lights were so close to the same. They wont fit on my truck.. without modification. Ill have to do research on aiming and decide whether I want to do this. It would require me to cut into the support structure and isnt reversible- someone pulls out in front of me and trashes my lights, Id have to order replacements from mexico. They DO use much better bulbs and I would get an increase in light output. Im almost inclined to live with what I have now (with new headlight assemblies), and if I really feel the need for more light, just get a couple lo/hi beam driving lights. But those lights might be a cheaper way to get more light- new OEM ford assemblies for the same price but with better bulbs.

As promised, I pulled my headlight assemblies and did testing for voltage drop. Unbelievable difference! For reference from my post above, before:

Notes:
Voltage at battery with engine at 900rpm: 14.2-14.3 volts
Ford uses a constant ground setup where the main headlight switch and multifunction switch supplies positive

--Low beam--
Drivers side: 1.3 volts (.1v on ground, 1.2v on positive side)
Passengers side: 1.5 volts (.1v on ground, 1.4v on positive side)

--High beam--
Drivers side: 1.6 volts (.1 volt on ground, 1.5v on positive side)
Passengers side: 1.8 volts (!) (.1v on ground, 1.7v on positive side)

After:
Voltage at battery with engine at 900rpm: 14.2-14.3 volts (same of course)

--Low beam--
Drivers side: 0.121vdc (.03v on ground, .091v on positive side)
Passengers side: 0.177vdc (.055v on ground, .122v on positive side)

--High beam--
Drivers side: 0.165vdc (.035v on ground, .13v on positive side)
Passengers side: 0.213vdc (.058v on ground, .155v on positive side)
(I realized quickly one decimal point wasnt going to cut it)

So even where I have the most drop- passenger high beam- I have about 14vdc at the bulbs. Hopefully when the RPM come up and I hit 14.5vdc at the battery (so prolly 14.4-14.2 at the bulbs), it wont murder my bulbs. But hey, even if it does, better than being blind! I think I should at least get 150 hours yeah? BTW, what formulas do you guys use to calculate life and output? Id be interested to file that away.

I guess that brings this thread to a conclusion for now. Im not sure on the necro bump etiquette here, but maybe when I get the headlamps ill post a conclusion. Thanks for all the help guys!