H4 HID kit...do they fit County Defender

[rijidij]

There are plenty of HID headlight kits out there. Has anyone fitted a sliding high/low beam H4 kit to a County or Defender ? The reason I ask is, the back of the HID globe mechanism appears to stick out a bit further than a standard H4 globe with the plug on it. I'd like to know if they fit without modification to the headlight housing.

Cheers, Murray

HID
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/373.jpg

Standard
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/374.jpg

[Scouse]

I have those in my RR which has the same headlights as the Defender. I would think that the Defender has the same buckets (that the lights fit into). 99% of British cars with the 7" lights seem to.

[DeeJay]

Murray,
It might be worth looking into Roadworthyness of these.
I'm not sure what Jaycar mean by this --

Note: Although this unit is designed to retrofit to cars the Roads and Traffic Authorities do not currently permit after-market HID conversion kits to be installed DIY. We do not, therefore, endorse the use of this kit for car use even though this kit does not require one cut to factory wiring.

Regards

[B92 8NW]

Murray,
It might be worth looking into Roadworthyness of these.
I'm not sure what Jaycar mean by this --

Note: Although this unit is designed to retrofit to cars the Roads and Traffic Authorities do not currently permit after-market HID conversion kits to be installed DIY. We do not, therefore, endorse the use of this kit for car use even though this kit does not require one cut to factory wiring.

Regards

In Victoria you need high pressure headlamp washers and self levelling headlamps or self levelling suspension if you intend on using a HID system for low/dipped beam. For main beam or auxiliary lighting there is no restriction.

[rijidij]

Murray,
It might be worth looking into Roadworthyness of these.
I'm not sure what Jaycar mean by this --

Note: Although this unit is designed to retrofit to cars the Roads and Traffic Authorities do not currently permit after-market HID conversion kits to be installed DIY. We do not, therefore, endorse the use of this kit for car use even though this kit does not require one cut to factory wiring.

Regards


In Victoria you need high pressure headlamp washers and self levelling headlamps or self levelling suspension if you intend on using a HID system for low/dipped beam. For main beam or auxiliary lighting there is no restriction.

I've read comments on various car forums about the use of HID high/low globes. The general feeling is that you would be pretty unlikely to get done for them, as long as you adjust the lights correctly when you set them up. Also, these days there are so many new cars with very bright white headlights, that they would not be as obvious as they would a few years ago.
One guy even talked to oncoming truckies to ask them if his headlights were too bright or annoying, with no negative responses.

I would only be fitting them to my County, which is not my daily driver, and mainly gets used for longer drives/trips. When the County sees some night driving, it's usually out where you really appreciate good lights.
I've always been curious to see what the HID's are like, and the kits are pretty cheap now, so I might give them a go. Also, the way they hook up, it wouldn't be difficult to swap everything back to standard anyway.

Murray

[B92 8NW]

I've read comments on various car forums about the use of HID high/low globes. The general feeling is that you would be pretty unlikely to get done for them, as long as you adjust the lights correctly when you set them up. Also, these days there are so many new cars with very bright white headlights, that they would not be as obvious as they would a few years ago.
One guy even talked to oncoming truckies to ask them if his headlights were too bright or annoying, with no negative responses.

I would only be fitting them to my County, which is not my daily driver, and mainly gets used for longer drives/trips. When the County sees some night driving, it's usually out where you really appreciate good lights.
I've always been curious to see what the HID's are like, and the kits are pretty cheap now, so I might give them a go. Also, the way they hook up, it wouldn't be difficult to swap everything back to standard anyway.

Murray

They're brilliant. Just don't get 6000k ones or higher. OEM Philips (BMW, AUDI, MB etc) are 4300k.

[KarlB]

HID are a very "good" headlight conversion but they are illegal in Australia except in those circumstances outlined by B92 8NW. Seems to me the issue is: do you want to take the risk? If you are involved in an accident where the other party claims they were dazzled by your lights, you are really in the poo! You have knowingly committed an offence and most importantly you have almost certainly voided your insurance. Seriously injure some one and you could end up in the clink, or seriously damage an expensive car or other property and you could loose your house. Repairs to your Land Rover are your responsibility. I thought about it and decided against it. I am going to upgrade my halogen H4 globes in the next week, to ones with significantly greater light output but still legal. They wont last as long as regular bulbs but should greatly increase the light output (50-90% increase depending on what you get, eg Osram Silverstar and Philips X-treme Power).

HID driving lights, properly installed, are legal.

Cheers
KarlB

[JDNSW]

The point not covered above is that the discharge arc in an HID lamp is necessarily curved, replacing a straight filament. In a lens/reflector combination designed round an HID lamp this is no problem, but in a conversion it means the light is slightly out of focus. This is not a significant problem on high beam, but is with low beam - either you risk dazzling the other driver or you have it set too low.

The requirement for self levelling and washer/wipers is hard to get around as well.

I would be inclined to

1. Ensure the existing lights are as good as possible, mainly by using a relay, new bulbs and make sure the lights and wiring are good and the lenses clean.

2. For open road driving, fit decent driving lights.

John

[rangieman]

The answer to your original question Murray is yes they do fit the 110 , I know because i have them fitted to mine ,
To get around the legalitys fit the head light washers from a classic rangie , im sure the requirerments state ever self adjusting OR headlight washers;)

[BigJon]

,
To get around the legalitys fit the head light washers from a classic rangie , im sure the requirerments state ever self adjusting OR headlight washers;)

Nope, it is both.

[JDNSW]

In town this morning I had a Landcruiser come the other way with very dazzling HID low beams - not sure why they were on in town. Gave hime the benefit of High beam plus driving lights, but he is probably wondering why I flashed him!

John

[mark2]

I have 55w HID inserts in some cheap spotlights and they are fantastic (once they warm up). The only issue is when you go back to halogen low beam, its like turning out the lights because your eyes are used to the much brighter/whiter light.

[slug_burner]

What is the reason for the need to have headlight washers? The self adjusting bit I can understand, but washers:confused:

[B92 8NW]

What is the reason for the need to have headlight washers? The self adjusting bit I can understand, but washers:confused:

Supposedly dirt/foreign matter on the lens can cause the light to scatter fairly badly.

I think the VSI calls for "high pressure headlamp washers". IE, I'm fairly sure the crappy OE D1 etc ones wouldn't suffice.

[JDNSW]

Supposedly dirt/foreign matter on the lens can cause the light to scatter fairly badly.
........

More than supposedly - in my experience more than 50% of dazzling low beams result from dirty lights. Very noticeable (as at present) when locusts are bad in the district. (the rest are usually badly adjusted, often as the result of excessive towbar down load)

John