M109a4 Light Mod on a M109a3!

[Darwin T]

Ok, about two or three years ago i came up with an idea. put the M35a3/M109a4 lights on my M109a3. since this is my Hurricane Evac Truck i may be in some bad weater and extra light never hurts in those situations. using one set for either headlights or running/spot lights and the the other set of lights as the other. so i started collecting parts. forward to yesterdays install. this is my M109a3 that when 100% LED in another post. so to stay with the program. i installed a set of LED Route Clearance Lights that i thought were LED Head Lights when i bought them and Amber LED Clearacne Lights for the sides. wired the Clearance Lights to the turn signal lights so people next to me can see that i plan to turn and i will be visable from all sides when the flashers are on. i still have some wiring to do (more wire in route). i am running the ground wire into the cab to a switch so i can turn the extra set of lights off when running down the highway. the LED head Lights use 40% of the energy of the regular headlights so with 2 sets thats still only 80% of the power. the olny issue i have (so far) is when i measured for the project i did not have a winch and raised bumper. the bumper now covers the bottom 2 inchs of the lights. once i get them wired up and see how they work i may have to raise the up to get them like i want. if the new light work well enought i may move the Headlights to the outside (which was the original plan until i saw the bumper in the way) and use the original light buckets as running/spot lights. we will see. opcorn:

 

[srodocker]

That looks really good. I thought of that awhile back but never can come across those a3 headlight buckets..

 

[usmarines72]

No comment

 

[Castle Bravo]

That is pretty slick.

 

[Welder Sam]

they should still cast one heck of a brighter path. im solid leds in one of my A2's and dunno what to do without them in the others!!

 

[wsucougarx]

Nice, that is some serious investment in LED's.

 

[Bad_Carp]

It is a serious upgrade in lighting power by keeping the originals as well. I never liked the look of the A4 lights so it isn't something I would do to mine, but you did a good job with it.

 

[AN/ARC186]

Nice!

 

[cattlerepairman]

There is no such thing as "too much light". What was your source for the 7" LED headlights and at what price? I am still looking for a source that allows me to purchase two and still have both my arms and legs.
Given how bright two of them are, four on high beam must be...awesome.

As far as the A3/A4 headlight buckets go, is there a reason that they are not centered on the fender when viewed from the front?

 

[Darwin T]

There is no such thing as "too much light". What was your source for the 7" LED headlights and at what price? I am still looking for a source that allows me to purchase two and still have both my arms and legs.
Given how bright two of them are, four on high beam must be...awesome.

As far as the A3/A4 headlight buckets go, is there a reason that they are not centered on the fender when viewed from the front?

the first two cost me an arm and a leg (i used someone elses). the other two i thought were headlights but they were route clearance lights (only 2 wires on the back no high beam). all came off ebay. i hope to have them lite up thursday night. church tonight. i am still waiting on wire to put the switch to shut off one set.

as for not centered, they mount to the outside of the fender (bolts throught the side see picture 4 and 5). that way you can still open the side folddown if you have the heater intake installed.

 

[spicergear]

A3 lights immediately bring this to mind; Sid the Sloth from Ice Age.

 

[srodocker]

HAHAHA At above post!!!!! i thought those were the headlights with the a3 buckets. I have a few for sale *end shameless plug* what did you pay for those clearance lights?

 

[Darwin T]

HAHAHA At above post!!!!! i thought those were the headlights with the a3 buckets. I have a few for sale *end shameless plug* what did you pay for those clearance lights?

to much for clearance lights.

 

[Darwin T]

A3 lights immediately bring this to mind; Sid the Sloth from Ice Age.

i resemble that remark. but i was thinking more like Jumba from Lilo & Stitch

 

[srodocker]

wonder how much they go for. i want to trade for some led headlights + cash

 

[Darwin T]

a member in the classifieds has 3 headlights for $800.00 right now. i am looking for some headlights but i have to many other projects and not enough money for all of them. the clearance lights will have to work for now.

 

[jwaller]

if you guys are jonesing for some LED headlights I've got a used set with buckets FS, pm me if interested.

 

[Darwin T]

well ran out of sunlight and the rain caught me. i got everything on the left side working and the wires run on the right side. once everything is working the i will start get it all bolted down. these pictures are of 3 lights on low beam. i could not get a good picture once it got dark because it would just show up as a big white spot. i had to stand on the side to get the last 2. the first 2 are while it was daytime and cloudy.

 

[spicergear]

Geeze that should be bright! I know with the 4 Hella lights on my Mog turned on at once I can feel heat standing in front of it...

 

[Darwin T]

ok, i got all the lights working, except the high beams on the old lights and the cutoff swith for the new lights. so i turned on the head lights on low the route clearance lights and the emergency flashers. it took me several pictures to get the flashers in the pictures. i still need to finish bolting down everything and tieing down the wires. then i can adjust the lights to get the light pattern i want. but for now it lights up very well. th last picture is my black ford ranger at about 30 feet.

i think i have the bad weather lighting covered.

some time in the future i am think about putting LED Headlight in place of the route clearance lights this will allow me to adjust the amount of light better, because the route clearance lights only have one setting, ALL ON.