Need thoughts on improving Rainier lighting

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2004 Rainier low beams are very ineffective to the point of worry. After adjustment brights are perfect and reach just like they should but the low beams don't do much beyond 40 feet. Already did the dumb things like PIAA Xtreme White 9006 which now makes it very bright out to .. 40 feet but no further. Issue seems to be reflector design of low beams. So add lights right?

Vehicle front end is all plastic and I don't want to add bull/light bar if I can get around it. Fog lights, which are ineffective too, are a two inch existing opening that could possibly be enlarged. I think it is an H4 bulb in a frosted projector type fitting but I need to look. Question: Has anyone seen something that might go in a modified hole at that location? The existing opening is only about two inches and I am eyeballing that at maybe 4-5 inches (chrome surround) before it gets all Road Warrior looking.

While I don't want to be "that guy" with the fogs blazing away, if I could find an aimable, or at least mountable, answer with a decent cutoff I might be willing to try it there. The existing GM logic and wiring would support it by only illuminating when the low beams are selected.

Any ideas or especially experience appreciated.
 
Are your headlight housings in good condition? Usually something that old will be in bad shape by now with oxidation and the reflectors not working good anymore. If your housings are still in good condition you can upgrade to a Phillips HIR2 9012 with a small modification to one of the tabs.

Also you can check your voltage drop at the socket and if it's high you can install a relay.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

Basically there's no cheap option here. Usually new genuine oem housings will make the biggest difference but be careful not to buy cheap imitations they do not work right. You can sometimes find housings on Amazon or on Gm parts direct website.
 
Appreciate that. I agree it is not going to be an easy/cheap solution. Unless the housing reflectors have degraded within (years of heat from DRLs for instance) they are in good looking shape. No fogging whatsoever. Vehicle has lived in the garage mostly for 22 hours a day since it was new. In checking some of the other boards I see the problem mentioned from time to time but not good solutions so far.

The ideal solution would be would be a small projector driving light that would fit that foglight hole in the lower bumper if it could be one that has a sharp cutoff so as not to be a PITA. People might still think you are but at least I would know better. The search goes on. Thanks again.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis


Also you can check your voltage drop at the socket and if it's high you can install a relay.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html


You input on the relay is a good one as these cars already have a low beam/DRL relay problem. I replaced it repeatedly in this one till I have now had one holding for over a year. It was a recall item in later years but I think GM hoodwinked the NHTSA into only recalling up to 10 years old.
 
Have you tried adjusting the low beams to reach further without worrying about the high beams? Possibly find someone with an optical aiming machine at a good body shop.

Also some simple green and warm water inside the housings will clean them up. Just shake it really good and dry it 100%, that is if you have the time to have the housings off the car for a day or two.

The 9012 bulb upgrade is the brightest option for 9006.

Other good 9006 bulbs are ge Nighthawk Platinum or Phillips Xtreme power

The PIAA lights are blue coated correct? That limits light out put pretty bad, always choose a clear colorless bulb or one that has the filament clear glass. The ge Nighthawk Platinum have a small blue ring but it's not covering the output of the filament.
 
If separate low and high beam adjustment is not possible, then the correct procedure is to adjust to the low beams, and the high beams will shine where they may. Not ideal -- some housings are not designed all that well -- but that's how it is.

I'd recommend starting with the linked procedure and going from there. If you really do have only 40 feet of light in front of you (that's an awfully short distance), and beam length didn't change with high output bulbs, it sounds like alignment is at least a contributing factor here.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html
 
It ain't just the PIAA's, none of those "Ultra" whatevers throw any further. As I said in the OP the original lights are done at 40 feet and they are done at 40 feet with "dumb things like PIAA Xtreme White".

@Hokeyfyds The shame about favoring the low beam aim is that the high beams are just about perfect as they are. Thanks for that thought though, I may have to go that route.
 
The Phillips HIR2 9012 bulbs have some serious output. Also you can use HIR1 9011 in high beams they are the best too I'm using the 9011 in my Buick high beams with GE Nighthawk Platinum 9006 low beams.
 
I find on some newer cars the cut-off on the low-beams is so good that there isn't enough light above the cut-off to light up highway signs and edge markings at night. Not a problem in urban areas but at highway speeds on dark nights corners sort of sneak up on you.

I generally resort to raising the aim of the right headlight a bit.
 
Originally Posted By: Surestick


I generally resort to raising the aim of the right headlight a bit.


Good point, that could be done.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
The Phillips HIR2 9012 bulbs have some serious output.


Do you know if they are beyond 65watts? Do you feel their use will require the use of a separate circuit with relay? I sure would like their operation to be as seamless as possible with the existing lights.

I think I may also take a look at some four inch pencil beams. Looking in the fender, it appears that it would be possible to fab up a bracket. Gotta watch the heat getting to the bumper though. I might be able to aim them far enough right and/or tape off enough of them to cut down on dazzle. I get the bad feeling that a regular clear lens driving light is just too much for oncoming cars.
 
The 9012 is a 55 watt low beam application while the 9011 is a 65 watt high beam application. The filament precision is the same as 9006 just more lumens and the slight tab difference that needs to be trimmed down slightly.

I would not add any other lights to the front of the vehicle unless you want some led drl lights, which won't help you see any further.
 
My intention would be that anything "extra" has to go into the foglight holes otherwise you're just asking for legal trouble. Depending on the power draw it might be possible to cut the low beam by modifying the wiring. That would circumvent the "three plus light" problem. Issue is, DRL control is likely part of the body control computer. But if you could cut in downstream it might be workable. Thanks for working on this with me, I appreciate the thoughts and sounding board.
 
The 9012 would be the highest-output "drop in" solution for you (and still be at stock power draw). I don't know how good of a cutoff your headlamps have, and don't know if you'd be blinding others. Could you post a beam pattern photograph, similar to what's in the thread below, so we could have a general idea of what you've got and what you're working with?

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/2072375/1
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
The 9012 would be the highest-output "drop in" solution for you (and still be at stock power draw). I don't know how good of a cutoff your headlamps have, and don't know if you'd be blinding others. Could you post a beam pattern photograph, similar to what's in the thread below, so we could have a general idea of what you've got and what you're working with?



Understood and thanks. It's a given that it is not an output problem, although I do indeed intend to give the 9012's a go, so much as a reflector design issue. I will try the reaiming of one unit to an acceptable lowbeam level as recommended and then report back.
 
I've used all sorts of LED lights on my vehicles and equipment, so I know what works, does not work, and how.

That design does not look like it has any cutoff ability. They look like my docking lights, and they have no cutoff either.

LED lights that do have a cutoff appear to have several small projectors on the inside (and probably are). Look into LED versions of the 4.5" lights used by cruising motorcycles as "highway lights". They have true cutoff and LONG reach.
 
They quote a six degree beam. Aimed slightly away from oncoming traffic that should work if true. I may have to buy one to find out though. I know it's not an optimum plan but....
 
Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who tried to help. I have indeed reaimed the low beams and there is real improvement if not a total answer. I do "look for satellites" a little on high beam but do not use them that much in actual practice anyhow. I will continue to look for an amateur-engineering replacement for the stock fog light holes though. Like lights, once I get "focused" on something it's hard to let go. Thanks again.
 
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