CMC Headlight Options

There's a bunch of recent info, if you use the search function up above.

Direct replacement for most is a new Hella lens and new H4 style bulbs. Another option lately has been seeing several of our guys switching to LED lights. As Bill said use the search function or if you scroll back through the recent topics LED's were covered a few pages back.

Good luck.

Even adding a relay so headlights get a solid 12V directly from the front mounted battery will be a huge improvement even with stock lights.  Use slightly larger gauge wire for less voltage drop.  The H4 bulbs can be std Hi/Lo 60/55 W, 100/55 W, 100/80 W or  130/90 W. Most kit car wiring uses the light switch to switch 12v to the lights - that results in switch arcing and overheating (it can catch fire!)  A relay and larger gauge wire is $15 solution. 

I ran stocks for maybe 1 month. But like you I wanted more output. Made the switch to LED and so far am loving it. It's a good contrast to the city lights too...

Dave!  Long time, no see....Maybe I should get to Carlisle more often.

I have the Hella H4's with the super-beefy wiring and relays.  The bulbs I'm currently using are 100/55's that I got online years ago.  They used to be as bright as my F250 with its' Halogens, but then I put on the headlight stone shields - the wire mesh type, not the vertical bars - and I lost 20-25% of the brightness.  Bit of a surprise, but in retrospect I should have expected it.  So I bought a pair of 100/80 bulls that have been sitting in the shop for two years waiting to go in because it's an afternoon job to do both sides - not like swapping bulbs in my Rogue (although swapping a bulb in Kathy's Outback took about an hour!)

If you go with even the 85/55's, you should have the beefed up wiring and relays to get the most out of them.

Thanks guys for all the tips and I will search to review what was already posted. - Bayniac

The H4 with City Lights are great if you want safety of DRL.  This is about best deal available.

http://www.busdepot.com/lights...light-conversion-kit

WOLFGANG posted:

Even adding a relay so headlights get a solid 12V directly from the front mounted battery will be a huge improvement even with stock lights.  Use slightly larger gauge wire for less voltage drop.  The H4 bulbs can be std Hi/Lo 60/55 W, 100/55 W, 100/80 W or  130/90 W. Most kit car wiring uses the light switch to switch 12v to the lights - that results in switch arcing and overheating (it can catch fire!)  A relay and larger gauge wire is $15 solution. 

Greg, what gauge do you recommend?

14 gauge should be fine with 2 - 20 amp relays.  If you go with upper wattages maybe 12 - but they are short runs so little loss even with 14 gauge.  I like soldering with shrink wrap tubing vs using crimp connectors.