80 series headlight upgrade
Submitted: Thursday, Jul 24, 2008 at 21:17
ThreadID:
60115
Views:
13204
Replies:
11
FollowUps:
11
This Thread has been Archived
Tippa
Since my 80 series' headlights are so woeful, i've done a good search here on headlight upgrades. Ultimately if money wasn't an issue i'd go for IPF upgraded reflectors, globes and looms, but i like what i'm hearing about the Plus50 globes- seems like alot of bang for buck.
Can anyone clear up the comparison between the performance of the supposed $20-30 phillips plus 50s and the $140 IPF fatboys? Is there any real difference for the massive price difference?
Lastly, since i have 4 headlights- 2 low beam and 2 highbeam, do i buy plus 50 single filament for the low beam and single or dual filament for the high beam? Is that like $280 for IPF globes?
Thanks!
Reply By: Peter 2 - Thursday, Jul 24, 2008 at 21:31
Thursday, Jul 24, 2008 at 21:31
Be very careful upgrading the globes in the standard headlights, they are plastic and will melt with any additional heat generated by higher wattage globes.
You would need 4 globes, two for low beam and two for high beam.
You will probably find that just fitting an upgraded wiring harness which supplies full voltage to the headlights will make a huge improvement even with standard globes.
The harness should be fitted when upgrading globes anyway, waste of money otherwise as you can only get so much power down the very small standard wiring.
Would be cheaper to fit HID's from ebay and they will provide way better light output than any halogen globe with less current draw and would work ok with the standard wiring.
Do search on seller "95soarer" , good fella to deal with.
AnswerID:
317026
Follow Up By: Flash - Thursday, Jul 24, 2008 at 22:35
Thursday, Jul 24, 2008 at 22:35
Copper friend down the street says he pulls over at least one car every night with illegal HID lights.
I thought of going down that track (ie HIDs) but did not want to attract "unwarranted" attention.
There are so many kits advertised on ebay and elsewhere, I wouldn't know what to trust anyway. Much safer to stick with better quality conventional bulbs IMHO.
I don't want to dazzle others.... They may drive into me!
Cheers
FollowupID:
583393
Follow Up By: Gazal Champion - Saturday, Jul 26, 2008 at 16:27
Saturday, Jul 26, 2008 at 16:27
Hi all,
The headlights in an 80 series are not plastic.
They are metal semi sealed beams, in the post 95 versions at least, and can be bought new from Repco for around $38 a pair.
They are Wagner Semi Sealed Beams and the part No is 4652XSS
for high or low beam use. Note that they are aftermarket units.
The beams come minus the globes so that you can put in whatever you like, so long as it is legal.
Hope this clarifies the issue.
Just replace my beams about an hour ago.
Regards
Gazal.
| At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.Lifetime Member My Profile Send Message |
FollowupID:
583644
Follow Up By: Tippa - Monday, Jul 28, 2008 at 18:11
Monday, Jul 28, 2008 at 18:11
Hi Gazal, yes the Repco i went to had TRIFA or TRIFOR semi sealed beams for about $50 each, and NARVA incl globes for $160/pair. After calling around i found i could get IPF semis for $60 each which got me pretty aroused. Although another
shop quoted the same and then corrected their price to $90 each since they quoted round reflectors not the rectangle.... Yet to clarify as i will remove and clean
mine first to see if i need new reflectors or not.
Then in go my Plus 80s and its all good! (except i paid $70pr at TJM when a gent here paid alot less from Bursons. I still have my receipt...
Thanks!
FollowupID:
584042
Reply By: Muzzgit [WA] - Thursday, Jul 24, 2008 at 23:56
Thursday, Jul 24, 2008 at 23:56
Tippa, I have been through a couple of different globes trying to get better light from the GU headlights and Cibie spotties, without going to HID.
First I put Philips +50% in my spotlights and quickly took them out and put the standard ones back in. I gave them to a mate who has an 80 series. He put them in his hi-beam and is happy with them. They were no good for my Cibie Oscar spotties but work
well for the 80 series.
Then I put IPF FatBoys in the headlights and was reasonably impressed with them. Now the low beam is heaps better, the hi beam is a little better. When one of them blew I couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money again so I had a talk to my local auto leccy who recommended the Philips +80% Xtreme. I took his advice and they are every bit as good as the FatBoys but at a fraction of the price.
One thing to remember with the FatBoys is they are not 60/55w. They are a higher wattage which can do funny things to your wiring and hi/lo switch. The ARB salesman will tell you they are standard wattage but they are not.
The final thing I did was upgrade my Cibie Oscars for IPF 900XS spotlights which use an H9 65w globe and I now have great lights for night driving. If I get bored with that I might try a set of Philips +80% in the spotties.
AnswerID:
317062
Follow Up By: Tippa - Sunday, Jul 27, 2008 at 20:09
Sunday, Jul 27, 2008 at 20:09
Phew you have made my day... been away and in my travels pulled into a TJM store and bought the Phillips Extreme Plus 80s after their additional recommendation of them.
I havent fitted them yet as yet to remove and have a look at my reflectors. They look brown/redish inside so either rust or bulldust.
That will decide whether i go with new IPF semi sealed beams with the new globes which they say will give a big improvement over factory. (then tried to sell the upgrade looms but for the money vs gain i won't be going that way for a while at least. The missus gave me permission to go ahead with full old man emu
suspension springs, shocks, steering damper and castor bushes so that will keep me happy for a while!)
FollowupID:
583906
Reply By: gav99x - Friday, Jul 25, 2008 at 10:21
Friday, Jul 25, 2008 at 10:21
Having a Jackaroo the headlights are woefull, especially on low beam. I grabbed the IPF Fatboy's on sale at one of the 4wd shows and haven't looked back. Low beam is an equivalent 190w (high beam 150w) so for my problem where low beam was terrible, they are an amazing improvement. No problem with wiring etc. or melting reflectors.
In saying that though, haven't tried anything else so you might get just as good improvement for less money with one of the other brands. For me however, the Fatboy's are absolutely brilliant on low beam.
AnswerID:
317119
Follow Up By: Tippa - Sunday, Jul 27, 2008 at 20:11
Sunday, Jul 27, 2008 at 20:11
Cheers Gav- you have added to the number of fellas who reckon these plas50/80 globes are a good way to go for the money. I definitely would have gone for the fatboys but the missus baulked at the price. Getting the Phillips Plus 80s for half their price was hard enough to get the nod but a good compromise for us both ha ha.
FollowupID:
583907
Reply By: Tippa - Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 07:38
Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 07:38
Well i finally fitted the Phillips Plus 80s into my 80 series.
Im not sure if most people do this, but i decided to... i replaced all 4 lighs with new H4 semi sealed beams, and fitted the Plus 80s into all 4. Yes, the inner headlight globes only use the high beam filament but its a mighty
bright filament!
Results are:
* Incredibly white light compared to the old yellowish glow,
* Much brighter low beams which reach noticeably further,
* Alot brighter high beams which light up a good distance and also light up the sides better too.
One thing i'm not sure about is if i have lost center distance on the high beams. I'm not sure if the old H1s (two inner ones) were more of a pencil beam and so fitting H4s may have lost that. I really cant tell because they are so much brighter, but possibly think i have lost some distance...
Testing
mine beside a stockie would be the best way i guess...
Either way, low beam is so much better its far from dangerous as it was before, high beam is alot brighter, and they are both a brilliant white light like my previous car's HIDs that i loved.
Great stuff.
Now i just need a good pencil beam spottie and i will burn roos before i hit them ha ha.
AnswerID:
318438
Follow Up By: Muzzgit [WA] - Friday, Sep 05, 2008 at 00:45
Friday, Sep 05, 2008 at 00:45
I know it's a long time since this post started, my puter has been in PC hospital for nearly 4 weeks, but mate
check out the IPF Extreme spotties.
They use an H9 globe which only draws 65w. In 4X4 australia magazine they were voted "best pencil beam" spotlight with halogen globe.
FollowupID:
590963