LED replacement headlights - Better than HID but sit down for Price

[spudboy]

I saw an excellent review of these JW Speaker LED headlights in a UK Land Rover magazine:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

They look pretty weird, but apparently are the ducks guts, and an improvement over HID's.

Anyway, I ran up the USA manufacturer to enquire. But, you have to deal with the Australian distributor only, so I rang them. They then put me onto Motor Traders in Adelaide.

Here's a link to more info:
http://www.jwspeaker.com/other/led-headlamps (http://www.jwspeaker.com/other/led-headlamps) (US Page)
http://www.invisionsales.com/lighting/speaker/lamp-inserts (http://www.invisionsales.com/lighting/speaker/lamp-inserts) (Aust distributor)

So, eventually I discovered that the trade price for these is $1633 :eek: Retail is over $2,000.

EACH :eek::eek:

So there goes that good idea. I can probably find better things to spend $3,266 on than headlights. Sexy bit of kit though.

You can also get spotties in the same series.

Cheers
David

[BigJon]

I guess it is one of those things whereby if you want to be the first with them you have to pay huge dollars. A few years down the track they will be cheap.

I paid over $600 for my first HID conversion kit, the same thing now is well under $100.

[one_iota]

see this thread also:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/111253-jw-speaker-model-8700-a.html

[spudboy]

Ah - OK, didn't realise there was already something on these. Merge together if you like.

[wardy1]

I have a set of LED spot/floods, they were from a sample pack. US made LED's chinese fully water/dustproof body and they are bloody brilliant!
Checked with Opposite Lock recently who are bringing them in in bulk...... $800/light! I paid a little over half that.
But they are WOW on a dark track:D
Did a night winch recovery of an idiot crossing the Buckland River in a Falcon wagon at 10:00PM over xmas...actually forgot it was night time the light is sooooo good.
Would I pay $3,500+ for a headlight upgrade??????? NOPE:nazilock:

Those in Vic who come along to the Greendale Gathering can have a good look, esp those who come out to play on the night run!!!!!

[spudboy]

I just took a look on Opposite Lock's website, but I couldn't find any LED headlights.

Do you have a brand-name (or the place where you got yours for such a good price) for some more searching on Google?

Thanks.

[wardy1]

I'm sworn to secrecy atm, seriously. The guy I got mine from is a member here and he is considering bring some more in:)
Opposite Lock don't carry actual 'headlights', they are carrying the spot/floods though, I saw their display at their stor in Mitcham.
Happy to let everyone know when my mate brings some more in.

[Ace]

If they want to sell them to recover costs then surely making them affordable would be a better approach. I understand that they need to cover development costs etc but I fail to see how they come to the price of $2000.

I guess they'll appear in expensive european cars where the cost of the bulb pales in comparison to the overall price of the vehicle and once they have been in these vehicles for some time cheaper manufacturers will get hold of the technology and the average joe blow will be able to afford them.

[LOVEMYRANGIE]

I saw an excellent review of these JW Speaker LED headlights in a UK Land Rover magazine:

http://www.jwspeaker.com/images/100.jpg http://www.jwspeaker.com/images/101.jpg http://www.jwspeaker.com/images/103.jpg

They look pretty weird, but apparently are the ducks guts, and an improvement over HID's.

Anyway, I ran up the USA manufacturer to enquire. But, you have to deal with the Australian distributor only, so I rang them. They then put me onto Motor Traders in Adelaide.

Here's a link to more info:
http://www.jwspeaker.com/other/led-headlamps (http://www.jwspeaker.com/other/led-headlamps) (US Page)
http://www.invisionsales.com/lighting/speaker/lamp-inserts (http://www.invisionsales.com/lighting/speaker/lamp-inserts) (Aust distributor)

So, eventually I discovered that the trade price for these is $1633 :eek: Retail is over $2,000.

EACH :eek::eek:

So there goes that good idea. I can probably find better things to spend $3,266 on than headlights. Sexy bit of kit though.

You can also get spotties in the same series.

Cheers
David

Maybe the LED in this case stands for Large Extraction of Dosh :twisted:


Sent from my backyard TeePee using smoke signals.

[pfillery]

Surely you will be able to get cheaper knock offs from China soon that are just as good but a tenth of the price. Doesn't take long for someone to reverse engineer it and make it available to the masses.

Don't see why you can't get them from somewhere overseas for less than $2k a pop, someone must retail or wholesale them cheaper without going through th Australian distributor.

[spudboy]

I rang the factory in USA, and they told me the RRP from them was US$720 each. However, they would not sell anything to me direct because of their distributor agreement with the Australian mob.

If you really wanted some, and had a friend in the USA, then that'd probably be the cheapest option.

Someone is making a good profit hey?

[Bigbjorn]

Unity in the US offer a 6" LED spotlight unit for US $365 plus post. They don't do headlights though.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

At that price for headlamps I'd be driving in daytime - a vast improvement over LED replacements! :D

Otherwise I'll just let the Prince of Darkness dribble a few lumens onto the bitumen just in front of the bumper. :o

[Tank]

I would hate to be driving towards these "headlights", have they been tested to pass ADR's here, the intense white light from these LED lights cannot be good for eyes, HID's are bad enough I pity the IS truck driver if these ever take off, Regards Frank.

[spudboy]

At that price for headlamps I'd be driving in daytime - a vast improvement over LED replacements! :D


Ha! That's funny. Made me laugh :p

[patclan]

I just ordered a pair of the new phase 7 truck-lite LED headlamps. they look nicer than the older version at $200 each are a bit more reasonable.

Time will tell if they are a great improvement but I am hoping they will be.

Cheers
Patrick

[George130]

Surely you will be able to get cheaper knock offs from China soon that are just as good but a tenth of the price. Doesn't take long for someone to reverse engineer it and make it available to the masses.

Don't see why you can't get them from somewhere overseas for less than $2k a pop, someone must retail or wholesale them cheaper without going through th Australian distributor.

They don't reverse engineer anymore just hack the network and take the specks.

[superquag]

A thing to watch is the differant American pattern for Low beam... it's vastly differant from ours, regardless on the LH 'kick-up' to light up silly pedestrians.

US (auto) lighting standards allow a lot more 'above the line' glare than ours...which are not the tightest.

I'll reiterate my hobby-horse.... you don't need humungous amounts of light on LOW beam, just well-controlled and as glare-free as possible...

Remember, the dazzled (and cheesed-off homicidal) moth that you blind, is the one who is likely to swerve at you 'cos you're the last 'glary' car that's taken him over the edge...

for HIGH beam do anything you think you need to do...

I'd be inclined to wait a bit for the next generation or three, when beam=patterns for Oz are sorted...

[bblaze]

talking to a trruckie up here and he paid $700 a light, all speced to adr rukes appently with the correct dip alinement. Said he dosnt use his driving lights any more
cheers
blaze

[Barra1]

talking to a trruckie up here and he paid $700 a light, all speced to adr rukes appently with the correct dip alinement. Said he dosnt use his driving lights any more
cheers
blaze

Any chance of the "details" as to where and how he obtained these lights?

[Michael2]

I called the Melbourne importer awhile ago and he told me to call Burson Auto Parts. They quoted $800 per light.

US pricing $770 per pair

J.W. Speaker LED 8700 Evolution Headlight Conversion for 2007-13 Jeep Wrangler JK (pair) (http://www.rebeloffroad.com/product-p/jw8700kit.htm)

J.W. Speaker LED Headlight Conversion for 2007-12 Jeep Wrangler JK (http://ok4wd.com/j-w-speaker-led-headlight-conversion-for-jeep-wrangler-jk.html)

$850 per pair

Discount Fleet Supply - Heavy Duty Fleet Products - Buy Online! - www.DiscountFleetSupply.com (http://www.discountfleetsupply.com/jws0547331.htmle) look of the Speaker lights.



The US Jeep & Merc sites (others who use 7"round hi/lo beam) rate the JW Speaker lights as much better than the Trucklite Version. I also prefer the look of the Speakers.

[kenl]

If you want to order from the US just use a forwarding agent like "ship-to" , "ustooz" Etc. They charge a smallish fee that pales into insignificance compared to the exorbitant distributors markup.

I think these Local distributors are soon to become history. :p

[Plane Fixer]

A while back we changed over from the standard filament landing lights on the aircraft I look after. The filaments only have a normal life of approximately 25 hours.
In normal airspace landing lights are usually used on descents into the terminal area, so they were changed regularly, at no small cost either.
We then changed over to LED about 18 months ago and they are still going strong and certainly with less current draw. I would be surprised if we ever have to change one in the near future.

[manic]

But in the US they drive on the wrong side of the road - would'nt the lights be dipped the wrong way?

[goingbush]

But in the US they drive on the wrong side of the road - would'nt the lights be dipped the wrong way?

I have the USA made Trucklite LED's on my Defender, they dip straight ahead, not to the left or right. which is why the Harley Davidson and other M/cyl that use 7" round headlights get retrofitted with them. (motorbikes dip straight, as you would not be able to see on low beam going around a corner one way or the other)

the dipping straight is a non issue - may not be strictly legal ?? but vision to the left on low is better than H4's and i've yet to be flashed by oncoming drivers.

[bblaze]

Any chance of the "details" as to where and how he obtained these lights?
He is on a run down to perth ATM , when he gets back I will ask him, think he mentioned before that him and a mate got a set each or something.
cheers
blaze

[frantic]

If you want to order from the US just use a forwarding agent like "ship-to" , "ustooz" Etc. They charge a smallish fee that pales into insignificance compared to the exorbitant distributors markup.

I think these Local distributors are soon to become history. :p

Another option if they wont ship to that u.s forwarding site would to look at the u.k distribution stockist as they would buy far more than us and would hopefully be closer in price to the u.s.

[bretty15]

Terrafirma Duo-Lux 7 inch Headlights | Lighting - 7 inch LED Headlights Accessories for Land Rover Vehicles (http://www.terrafirma4x4.com/products_php.php?cat=1&grp=178)# this mob make them in lhd or rhd not sure on price

[patclan]

Terrafirma Duo-Lux 7 inch Headlights | Lighting - 7 inch LED Headlights Accessories for Land Rover Vehicles (http://www.terrafirma4x4.com/products_php.php?cat=1&grp=178)# this mob make them in lhd or rhd not sure on price

Could not find an online price in OZ but in the UK cheapest I found was 450 "pounds" ex vat per light, so 900 pounds plus delivery from the UK per pair, would need to order them separately to stay under the $1k import allowance here.

Think at that price I will be happy with my $450 delivered pair of LED truck-lites when they come, if not I will sell them on ebay and put my old ones back in and get a light bar.

How on earth are LED lights so expensive, the LED is 50yrs old.. A holiday must have been had in the development..

cheers

[TeamFA]

Think at that price I will be happy with my $450 delivered pair of LED truck-lites when they come, if not I will sell them on ebay and put my old ones back in and get a light bar.

Can I ask where you got them from at that price?

Very keen on hearing how they go once delivered and installed...

[patclan]

Can I ask where you got them from at that price?

Very keen on hearing how they go once delivered and installed...

Sure, I have ordered them from a Motorbike shop in the US on Ebay. As Goingbush said, if they fit a Harley they will fit a defender, well that is what I am hoping for :confused: . I will update once I have them and they are installed. They do not come with the LED Halo that you see in the photo on the bike, that is an option for the Harley I think, mind you might look OK on the deefer.

Just checked the tracker and they are en-route, probably land in Oz in a day and take the post 2 weeks to get to the gold coast, but that is for different thread.

eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121063017423'ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649)

cheers
Pat

[460cixy]

Any one tried truck lites how do they go? Worth the coin?

[patclan]

Any one tried truck lites how do they go? Worth the coin?

I will be able to tell you soon hopefully, mine are on the way, but I believe Goingbush has/had them already. I seen a post of his with some comparisons I think, that's what sold me on them.

[goingbush]

Any one tried truck lites how do they go? Worth the coin?

I have TruckLites phase 5 on my Defender - got them $380 pair- delivered,

fantastic esp in conjunction with a LED light bar - I would not drive at night before, no issues now. ;)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/03/1242.jpg

[Carnut1100]

That looks bloody nice!!!
I've got several cars using 7" round H4s....are they just plug and play?

[modman]

I would also look at projector HID's
Very nice spread and awesome cut off for road use
There's a guy on the patrol forum does very nice retro-fit work
Non of the crap eBay plug and play stuff
Dc

[goingbush]

The 7" TruckLite LED's are direct plug & play for a Defender, no wiring or other mods req, no more switch problems either as they draw hardly any current.

The other advantage over HID's (or indeed quartz) is LED's dont glare back from reflective signs etc, so much.

[patclan]

https://plus.google.com/photos/112874167362691633029/albums/5852506300743215057/5852506334153139122#photos/112874167362691633029/albums/5852506300743215057/5852506334153139122My new LED headlamps from Truck Lite arrived, took about 40 mins per light to replace, that includes searching for dropped screws. Now they are in I like them ,they are quite dark as in smoky when off which I like, but would probably look better on black surrounds, so I may paint the surround one day.

The were pretty much plug and play, with 3 clamps holding the old ones into the surround fitting perfectly on the truck lite on retaining mounts. They do sit about 1cm further out than the wipacs, but not beyond the surround, I will get some covers to protect them now as one of the wipacs had a crack.

I have not had a chance to test them in the dark yet but it seems a nice light. I will have to check my adjustments also as I moved the screws a bit when putting them in. The manual/electronic level still works also so I will be able to adjust them on the fly if they are too high at first.

Here are a few pics the ones with them on are dipped beam.

One of my HID's looks like it is on but it is not, it is just the flash from the camera hitting the condensation on the glass, I just changed the glass lens on the one on the left as it got smashed, so it is clean and less reflection.

cheers Patrick

[TeamFA]

Awesome... thanks for posting the information on fitting and pics.

Looking forward to hearing your impressions of using them at night.

Cheers!

[Mellow Yellow]

I have TruckLites phase 5 on my Defender - got them $380 pair- delivered,


Where did you get them from? Thanks.

[460cixy]

Where did you get them from? Thanks.


I'm in the same boat I can't find anyone selling them

[goingbush]

Where did you get them from? Thanks.

regularly log onto ebay US and you will often find deals like this. I used bongous.com to get myself a US mail address and they forwarded them for $75

Truck Lite LED 7 inch Round 12V Headlamps Pair | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Truck-Lite-LED-7-inch-Round-12v-Headlamps-PAIR-/290879216091?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43b9c099db&vxp=mtr)

snap them up quick, wont last long at that price.

[Carnut1100]

Would have to check US ones though....could be right hand dip.

[goingbush]

Would have to check US ones though....could be right hand dip.

no probs, the trucklites dip straight ahead, not left or right. which is why harleys etc use them, (bikes dip straight). may not strictly be legal but in practice they work fine , never been flashed by oncoming drivers with mine.

never been noticed by cops either.

[TeamFA]

no probs, the trucklites dip straight ahead, not left or right. which is why harleys etc use them, (bikes dip straight). may not strictly be legal but in practice they work fine , never been flashed by oncoming drivers with mine.

never been noticed by cops either.

Any bike headlight I've ever used in Australia has a low-beam pattern that rises on the left-hand side, like car lights. Including a few Yamahas, and the American Harley and 2 generations of Buells. Was a legal requirement, as I understood.

[digger]

just adding this in here in case anyone is interested in it..


Free Shipping HID Kit Specialized design for Land Rover Defender,100W hid conversion kit for Land Rover Defenderheadlight-in Lights & Indicators from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com (http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-HID-Kit-Specialized-design-for-Land-Rover-Defender-100W-hid-conversion-kit-for-Land/747476887.html)

[d2dave]

just adding this in here in case anyone is interested in it..


Free Shipping HID Kit Specialized design for Land Rover Defender,100W hid conversion kit for Land Rover Defenderheadlight-in Lights & Indicators from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com (http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-HID-Kit-Specialized-design-for-Land-Rover-Defender-100W-hid-conversion-kit-for-Land/747476887.html)

Unless there has been a recent change in law, these are illegal.