Wide Beam or Narrow?

Submitted: Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:24
ThreadID: 8964 Views:2644 Replies:13 FollowUps:3
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I'm thinking of buying a pair of Hella 4000 driving lights. My dilemma is should I buy wide beam or narrow? I'm leaning toward the wide beam to spot the critters that lurk at the side of the road waiting to pounce on an un-suspecting 4b. Can anyone offer some opinions please?
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Reply By: Member - Bradley- Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:29

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:29
if only getting one pair of lights, go for one spot and one spread, works well with the spot on the drivers side and the spread covering the sides.Moo... everyone knows what a Jackaroo looks like :-)
AnswerID: 39410

Follow Up By: jackablue - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:35

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:35
Im with you Bradley. Narrows good for long distance, wide for closed in twisty bushy type. I have this setup.

Cheers

Jackablue
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FollowupID: 257138

Reply By: flappan - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:39

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:39
Of course you could get some Lightforces and change them to your hearts content. . . .

But if you dont . . . . one of each
AnswerID: 39412

Reply By: Groove - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:40

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:40
I've always been told one of each!
AnswerID: 39413

Reply By: Member - Ross - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:48

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 16:48
Ditto the above.
I've had a matched pair of 2000's for donkeys years. Great lights but heavy suckers .... be sure to use the ss top bracket.You're only as old as she feels

Rosco
AnswerID: 39414

Reply By: Member - Eskimo - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 17:07

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 17:07
I've got 4000 and i'm not disappointed but,
I now wish I had got both spreads and not one of each.
I say this as the wide beams give a long distance - so far that one would have easy stopping time but also have the sides brighter.

just my opinion Wow! am I cute
If yer ain't fishing, Yer ain't livin
Richard
AnswerID: 39416

Reply By: Voxson (Adelaide) - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 17:17

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 17:17
I use a pair of floods..... One points left in the bushes and one points right in the other bushes and a 240 lightforce which is ½ flood and ½ spot in the middle to keep an eye on what is sitting in the middle of the road....It is illegal to have odd sets of lights on the car.... They have to in pairs to be legal but you would be hard pressed to get done if you are not being stupid with them..._____________________________________________
Cant think of anything to put here just yet !
_____________________________________________
AnswerID: 39420

Reply By: mal - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 17:32

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 17:32
I also have the 4000 and very happy with them.
Solid construction, they have been on the prado for almost 3 years with no probs.
One of each does a great job
cheers
malcolm
AnswerID: 39423

Reply By: JohnH - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 17:43

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 17:43
I have only ever run spots. I set up the drivers side to cover the oassenger side and the passenger side to cover the drivers side. If you can afford it then get the third for down the track. I have lived in the NT for most of my life and find we only really look for the big objects so it works well. Might be a different story where you come from. Just an idea. I have used the hella 140's, they are cheap and offer good light source in the spot. Big is better and as far as I'm concerned you can never have too much light. Just be wary of the poor buggers coming the other way.

Cheers

JohnH
AnswerID: 39424

Follow Up By: johnsy - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 15:34

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 15:34
Must be a NT thing John run the same setup also have the advantage of the lightforces infinite setups .
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FollowupID: 257207

Follow Up By: JohnH - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 20:33

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 20:33
Johnsy, Has worked for me, have heard that the lightforce lights are top shelf. I wouldnot mind a set myself. I don't give a bleep about the roo's just the horses, cattle and donkeys send a shiver up my spine. The HID lights are even better again. $1500 a lights a bit steep considering the amount of travel I do at night. Where are you at?

Cheers JohnH.
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FollowupID: 257224

Reply By:- Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 20:07

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 20:07
I've got 4000s, one of each, the combination works well for me!
AnswerID: 39438

Reply By: Hilly - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 22:46

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 22:46
My preference has always been for 2 spots. I prefer to look for movement further away but I also cross the beams a little to show the sides further forward on the road.

It works for me.

Cheers,

Hilly
AnswerID: 39472

Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 22:48

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 22:48
I had one of each with my rally 2000's wish I would have had 2 pencils...

Your other option is 2 Pencils on top of the bar, shine the road, and 2 of something like Hella 181's on the lower section of the bar to shine the sides and directly on the road.

Thats what Im doing again now.. I had 4 lights before, BRILLIANT... but using lightforce 240's and 181's. You cant beat 4 lights.
AnswerID: 39474

Reply By: Willem - Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 23:14

Thursday, Dec 04, 2003 at 23:14
I don't really go fast enough to warrant spotties but this single illegal Hella Bulllight does the trick with a pencil light and a bit on the side for skippys and scrubbers and wooly nags and a half a mile vantage down the road. Works OK for me.
Cheers,
Willem

Always going somewhere
AnswerID: 39481

Reply By: Member - Ed. C.- Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 00:01

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 00:01
I too have a pair of Rallye 4000's (1 spot, 1 spread) and ain't in a hurry to swap 'em for anything else.. Mine are switched independantly of each other (thru the hi beam, of course), so I can have either or both on.. Most of the time I just use the spread beam, as I find that the pencil beam is, well, too "concentrated"..
I mean, you can only see as far as the next corner anyway, right?
Also, if there is any mist, or dust haze in the air, then it's just way too bright, & reflects off the haze...
You will find that these Rallye 4000 spread beams are pretty good distance-wise anyway (giving virtually full coverage), & if doing it again, I would go for 2 spreads... JMO..

Regards, Ed. C.
We do not stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing !!!
AnswerID: 39488

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