Thread: Aftermarket headlights for Defender

Originally Posted by dmdigital

JWSpeaker 8700. Draw about 2A on high beam

Just be sitting down when you get told the price.

On a realistic side why not the Wipac ones? They aren't that expensive and they are the standard H4 headlights on a Defender.

I was not happy with the OEM Wipacs on my 2004 Defender TD5. I upgraded the wiring with a relay, and this improved the voltage at the lights, but my main beef was the extremely sharp cut-off on low beam. I have experienced this with Euro spec headlights on hire cars in the UK, as well.

It means, on low beam with the Defender, that you get a few metres of good light just in front of the car and then pitch blackness, which is scarey driving even at 50 - 60 Km/h. I fitted, as an experiment, some el cheapo 7" H4 inserts from Supercrap, which have a bit more leakage of the low beam light. This has never bothered other drivers, and is a bit more comfortable to drive with at night.

Cheers,

Lionel

Originally Posted by Lionel

I was not happy with the OEM Wipacs on my 2004 Defender TD5. I upgraded the wiring with a relay, and this improved the voltage at the lights, but my main beef was the extremely sharp cut-off on low beam. I have experienced this with Euro spec headlights on hire cars in the UK, as well.


Cheers,

Lionel

Sounds like they were adjusted too low.

Have you considered an HID upgrade? A previous owner put Hella HID's in my 110 and they are very bright. There are cheaper chinese options available on ebay but i do not know if they are very reliable.

Originally Posted by Lionel

I was not happy with the OEM Wipacs on my 2004 Defender TD5. I upgraded the wiring with a relay, and this improved the voltage at the lights, but my main beef was the extremely sharp cut-off on low beam. I have experienced this with Euro spec headlights on hire cars in the UK, as well.

It means, on low beam with the Defender, that you get a few metres of good light just in front of the car and then pitch blackness, which is scarey driving even at 50 - 60 Km/h. I fitted, as an experiment, some el cheapo 7" H4 inserts from Supercrap, which have a bit more leakage of the low beam light. This has never bothered other drivers, and is a bit more comfortable to drive with at night.

Cheers,

Lionel

Mine was the same Lionel. Dangerous I thought. Don't know how Dealer fixed it, but now have okay low beam. Puma is still under warranty and showing them a picture of how bad it was taken by passenger while driving at night got them to fix. They said something about the leveling system not working.
Kenley.

Please, PLEASE keep away from HID - H4 headlamps... in a nutshell, you may see more... but you're dazzling other drivers and distracting them... apart from annoying the heck out of them!

Even some OEM HID headlamps are pretty iffy as far as dazzle goes, our current ADR's are not strictly enforced... and for some odD reason follow the European idea of kicking up on the kerbside... Great for noticing pedestrians before you skittle them... but once again dazzle/annoy anyone on the left of you...

Conventional headlamps, with the patterned glass, seem to be easier on the oncoming driver's eyes, and can still give sufficient light to see where you're going (if you're interested in looking...) for the relatively brf time both of you are dipped.
Around the 'burbs there's generally plenty of streetlighting to fill in the gaps.

High beam or driving lights.... go for as bright/effective as you and your alternator can afford, but remember that you get what you pay for in quality of design and materials. - If you're lucky...

My rant for the evening !

Grumpy Old James in Gosnells.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

I am thinking about buying the Indian jobs with the clear lens and projector low beam from Ebay.
Has anyone tried them yet?
Reports on brightness vs patterned lens?
Theoretically projector low beam should be good. It was in my BMW.
Regards Philip A

If there the same as I purchased with a "lens" supported off the bulb in a metal two leg bracket I'm not certain you'll be happy.

I go them with an HID upgrade. My HID was the two bulb system standard halogen low and HID high. It’s impossible to align correctly. When you get the low correct when on high it shoots to the top of the trees.

I’m currently going to the single HID bulb with the shroud moving to give high low. This should ?? solve the problem I hope.

I’m currently running one HID (High/low) and on the other side a standard H4. The “projector” makes no performance difference to the standard H4 on high or low.

When I finally get round to fitting the new HID bulbs/system if it makes doesn’t improve the alignment and improve the light I’ll go looking for the Hella/Bosh lens.

Originally Posted by scott oz

If there the same as I purchased with a "lens" supported off the bulb in a metal two leg bracket I'm not certain you'll be happy. I go them with an HID upgrade. My HID was the two bulb system standard halogen low and HID high. It’s impossible to align correctly. When you get the low correct when on high it shoots to the top of the trees.

That may well be due to the fact that it's actually supposed to be HID low and halogen high. The halogen high is supposed to come on in addition to the HID when putting on high beam.
The position of the globe is paramount for the focal setting of the lens and if out of place or wrong orientation it will go anywhere but where it's needed.
That, and it serves you right for buying cheap (badly) copied junk.



I am not a moderator, I am a human being!!!

Originally Posted by LOVEMYRANGIE

That may well be due to the fact that it's actually supposed to be HID low and halogen high. That, and it serves you right for buying cheap (badly) copied junk.


I am not a moderator, I am a human being!!!

Junk how true.

It's all wired correctly and the bulb only goes in one way also the insructions say low is Halogen and it goes off when high is on.

Correct you get what you pay for. Crap