Anyone fitted driving lights?

[qship]

Ive been doing a lot of country night driving of late and while the lights are good I would like to have something better. I have never seen a 1 or 3 series with driving lights. Anyone have any experience/rational suggestions.?

[woosh]

Firstly, nice job starting this thread. I've been thinking about fitting some too for my occasional long evening drives out of Sydney.

There are a few options:

a) Those number plate bracket mounts (can be had for $50 from repco/autobarn) - take this one for example: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ROO-LITE-...item3a7424e41b

b) driving lights fitted into the lower front grille. Similar placement to the MotoGP 1M's led lights but with a bigger unit fitted

c) On a roof rack. This is the route I think I will be taking, as it'll be quite quick to install and remove on the fly (will have a wiring harness socket set up somewhere for convenience) - example: http://www.purefjcruiser.com/images/P1-801B-6T825.jpg

d) Rally car style LOL - http://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/62...8721bf4e77.jpg

[TimMc]

Is there any way of getting more photons out of the xenons?

[qship]

I have read somewhere that the draw of power for the lights will cause fault codes. Anyone?

[sbce90]

Rally style gets my vote.

[Mechz]

What are you after? More spread or more distance?

[bfi2906]

Get a bull bar

Then you have all the options

Perhaps someone could photoshop this

[MickyD]

Originally Posted by woosh

F
c) On a roof rack. This is the route I think I will be taking, as it'll be quite quick to install and remove on the fly (will have a wiring harness socket set up somewhere for convenience) - example: http://www.purefjcruiser.com/images/P1-801B-6T825.jpg

Illegal - from memory, the centerline of the lights can't be higher than the base of the windscreen. Whether or not that is the specific rule, it is definately illegale to have them on the roof like that. Even the roll hoop mounted ones on utes are illegal (hence why they usually have covers on them - this makes it legal to have them there when on the road)

Originally Posted by qship

I have read somewhere that the draw of power for the lights will cause fault codes. Anyone?

If they're wired correctly (switch inside the car to disable, only come on with high beam, and wired through a relay back to the battery), I can't see it being an issue. Surely the car isn't so sensitive that an extra 200w drawn straight from the battery will trip things....


...don't get me started on people who think their fog lights give them better visibility at night either.... they actually REDUCE your distant vision since they make the foreground brighter and your pupils close down to compensate, reducing how far down the road you can see (since it makes your night vision worse).

[Jeef Beef]

Originally Posted by MickyD

...don't get me started on people who think their fog lights give them better visibility at night either.... they actually REDUCE your distant vision since they make the foreground brighter and your pupils close down to compensate, reducing how far down the road you can see (since it makes your night vision worse).

Gives you a wider spread of light though, but I'm sure OP is looking for distance.

Rally style.

[woosh]

If you don't mind blocking your FMIC a bit, you could try this location - http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...tonemapped.jpg

MickyD: fair points mate. I guess I should reconsider how I'll be doing this then. Although I do still think the roof rack location provides the best spread of lighting... but yes, if there's an oncoming car and you don't turn off the lights in time, then their vision is definitely impaired worse than front bar mounted lights. Hence why I guess they're illegal!

[qship]

I have used the number plate mounted brackets before. Their problem is that the bounce the light all over the place due to the flex in th plastic bumper. On my Liberty I had to remove the foam from behind the bumper and add a bloody big metal plate to stiffen the mount and minimise the bounce.

As for roof mount, how do you spell D E F E C T.... Country coppers would be on you like protitutes on a Labor polititian.

I'm after a longer range. The spread seems ok to me.

[woosh]

qship: If the number plate bracket is out of the equation, what placement are you considering now? Surely the front grille area is all that's left haha ...unless you want to mount the lights on your bonnet?

[qship]

Originally Posted by woosh

qship: If the number plate bracket is out of the equation, what placement are you considering now? Surely the front grille area is all that's left haha ...unless you want to mount the lights on your bonnet?

I'm not eliminating it, just trying to bludge off someone elses hard work! It is probably the option I will pursue (if any). I was hoping someone may know of a specific bracket or other mount that means I don't have to stuff around. Or a replacement/upgraded headlight option.

Just putin it out there!

[Alpine*]

Get a nudge bar and mount them there. You can always remove the bar when they are not needed

[Mechz]

Originally Posted by woosh

If you don't mind blocking your FMIC a bit, you could try this location - http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...tonemapped.jpg

MickyD: fair points mate. I guess I should reconsider how I'll be doing this then. Although I do still think the roof rack location provides the best spread of lighting... but yes, if there's an oncoming car and you don't turn off the lights in time, then their vision is definitely impaired worse than front bar mounted lights. Hence why I guess they're illegal!

I think it's more to do with the fact that it will light up your bonnet and/or windscreen which is a distraction to you and reduces your visibility.

Oncoming cars are going to be blinded the same no matter where you mount them, as long as they are pointing forward.