Deuce Halogen Headlight Upgrade

[DeucesWild11]

That wattage street legal though? I just got pulled over for Excessive Smoke yesterday ha ha! But the cop just wanted to check out my truck.. no ticket..

 

[brianp454]

I'm not aware of any limit to wattage, yet new vehicles have been through increasing regulatory burden requiring a minimum brightness level at a distance. Not aware of a maximum. It my state (OR) there is a law about having add-on lights and keeping them covered when on freeways. It's been a while since I've done it, but you can dig through federal and state statues on http://www.findlaw.com/ and other sites.

I'm glad excessive smoke didn't turn out to be a real issue. I have a turbo truck and have just a bit of smoke, usually just off idle and when running hard on the freeway (up grades or trying to tach out). I've also noticed thta I get less smoke and the truck runs better if I take on fresh fuel.

That wattage street legal though? I just got pulled over for Excessive Smoke yesterday ha ha! But the cop just wanted to check out my truck.. no ticket..

 

[gungearz]

That wattage street legal though? I just got pulled over for Excessive Smoke yesterday ha ha! But the cop just wanted to check out my truck.. no ticket..

The package had the little D.O.T. stamp on the back and then they had packs of bulbs clearly marked "For off highway use only"... so, you're guess is as good as mine..

 

[DeucesWild11]

Yeah not sure on wattage, there seems to be allot of speculation on other sites as well. My Led driving lights are super bright and I'm not sure if they are street legal either (which is why I have them pointing down a bit). No one has flashed their hi-beams at me yet.. Maybe because they see my "candle light" headlights up higher..

 

[gungearz]

Alls I know is... they should ban and completely make illegal, colored headlights... I'm not talking about the blue tinted Sylvania's... I'm talking about red, yellow, purple and what ever other colors people are putting on their cars...

 

[rolling18]

In OR they are Illegal, Only white headlights up front, red/ reverse to the rear.
Enforcement however, is VERY seldom (portland) just used as "Probable Cause"

 

[Hell On Wheels]

Has anybody converted a MUTT?

 

[rustystud]

Most states will not allow lamps over 90watts. So the usual 80/100watt lamps are off-road only. The thing is since the manufactures have gone to "HID" and even brighter lights the police don't know if what your running is over legal limit or not. Pretty soon they will probably go to a "lumen" output instead of the old "watts" output. Even then you probably will not get pulled over unless your blinding the oncoming traffic.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Has anybody converted a MUTT?

Shouldn't matter as long as it has the 7" bulbs.

 

[Hell On Wheels]

They appear to be no longer available, I just searched and looked on his site it didn't come up.

 

[bspellerin]

They appear to be no longer available, I just searched and looked on his site it didn't come up.

I just ordered from Amazon this week, haven't received yet.

IPCW CWC-7006 7" Plain Round Conversion Headlight $14.39 ea.
HELLA HLA-H83140041 H4 24V 100/90W Halogen Bulb $7.22 ea.
Dorman 84790 Headlight Socket $8.91 ea.

If the 100/90's are too bright I'll just reduce the wattage as they're quite inexpensive.

 

[Hell On Wheels]

Thanks bspellerin, I was looking in ebay and didn't find all of them, I just used your information and ordered on amazon should get them on the 12th with prime.

 

[FloridaAKM]

I just duplicated your order for my Deuce as trying to drive with the original headlamps is poor @ best. When I first drove her home in an a mostly dark situation, the left light pointed out too far & too high & the right light pointed out in the woods to the right. It's a wonder I could see anything for that long trip. When I aimed the lights correctly, one vibrated so violently it blew out both filaments; replacing that was $25.00 & I had to solder wires onto the bulb so that the plugs would still work! I'll report back when I get the parts & have them installed!

I just ordered from Amazon this week, haven't received yet.

IPCW CWC-7006 7" Plain Round Conversion Headlight $14.39 ea.
HELLA HLA-H83140041 H4 24V 100/90W Halogen Bulb $7.22 ea.
Dorman 84790 Headlight Socket $8.91 ea.

If the 100/90's are too bright I'll just reduce the wattage as they're quite inexpensive.

 

[Hell On Wheels]

Just received and installed lights, really easy and nice.

 

[brianp454]

Did that order include the 3 prong to Packard connector?

 

[CGarbee]

Somewhere on this site is a thread from back when I did this swap with Hella H4's to everything in my yard...
(M38, M37, XM813, M816, M817, VW... you get the idea...if it has round headlights and I own it, it runs a set of e-code Hellas...).

I've been running them since 1997 or so...
I think that I've had three or four burners take a dump in that time...

The folks at Susquehanna Motorsports had a page discussing the USDOT's regulations on headlight design at one time that included color, pattern, aiming, wattages, etc... and some discussion of the difficulties in getting a more uniform standard between Europe and the USA.

Glad to see that folks are still doing this conversion, it's nice to see beyond the braking zone.

 

[Valence]

Did that order include the 3 prong to Packard connector?

Looking at the Dorman 84790 Headlight Socket, I would say the answer to this is "No". I'd wager he just added the Packard connectors on the end of the wires (which is really easy to do, but obviously you need to own the said connectors)

 

[donnerwetter58]

Looking at the Dorman 84790 Headlight Socket, I would say the answer to this is "No". I'd wager he just added the Packard connectors on the end of the wires (which is really easy to do, but obviously you need to own the said connectors)

I found an easy alternative to Packard connectors for this conversion. I had an assortment of insulated butt connectors. I stripped the insulation off of some blue ones. The connector was the same diameter as a Packard. Crimp the wire in one end and insert the other in the female connector in the headlamp bucket. I had some boots around that worked as well for weatherproofing.

 

[FloridaAKM]

My order came in from Amazon with the lights & the conversion buckets, but no Dorman connector yet, When the connectors comes in, then I will start the conversion. The posters before me let me know that this is a doable project with much better lighting than the original!

 

[Hell On Wheels]

It came with the small harness that plugs into the lights. It was a separate item. I just attached the MilSpec rubber water proof connectors. I tell you I have the LED headlights on the HMMWV which the light span is more direct, as with this modification the light pattern is more spread out as with standard lights but a much more brighter, that's for the modification infoopcorn: