In YOUR Opinion Is an H4 Headlight Conversion Worthwhile?

My car has Sylvania bulbs - I don't know if they are the supposedly extra bright Sylvania bulbs, but the H4 conversion was and is an extra cost option that I don't know would make such an improvement as to justify their approximately $100.(+) cost to perform.

I had one experience years ago with the lights on a '97 Dodge truck in which the conversion involved a wiring harness of relays and fuses for each light and used H4 bulbs with aftermarket reflector housings at a much higher cost than just a bulb changeover in my roadster. That experience was that when all was said and done I wished I'd never done it because the lighting improvement was not remarkable and the beam pattern was less usable generally than the original headlight setup had been for that truck.

So before I follow my compulsion to spend to improve can you all give me some things to think about concerning such a venture. Do you think it's worth doing?

Is there something else in the lighting realm that might be MORE worth doing?

I have been concidering. die grinding a hole on a old matching pair of sealed beams and gorrilla glueing, salvaged h4 holders in them .

Any suggestions guys? but if you talking about the blue light type ?

No thanks

http://www.socalautoparts.com/product_info.php/headlight-housing-style-flat-lens-p-16373?osCsid=91f1cc481bc871bf37fb66ccb4de4ee6

12 bucks each. Not DOT approved (as if anything we have would be). Accepts 100 w H4s if you need them (you won't). This is an EMPI part- all the VW parts houses should have them.

^ those are what i have and take an alignment well with no crazy light scatter.

very bright too. i'm running 55/60's

worth it? sure - why not. it's not like they are expensive.

I've got essentially the same headlights that Stan shows above. I love 'em.

I'm running 65/85 watt bulbs in them and feel that they have about the same brilliance/pattern as my wife's Honda CRV. By that, I mean that they're quite bright out front, with a low-beam horizontal cut-off line at about 4 feet high at 50 feet forward, with a kip-up to the right so you can read street signs. They are also as bright (un-augmented) as my Ford F/250 lights, either high or low beam. That's one hell of a lot brighter than the, typical, 1-candle-power lights normally found on un-augmented Speedsters and more in tune with driving spiritedly on back roads at night.

I augment my high beams with a pair of Hella driving lights that are NOT halogen, but are reasonably bright enough to notice if they're on or not. The only problem I have with them is that they throw a circular pattern which not only lights up the street, but the trees above it, the stuff on both sides.....pretty much the whole world, rather than concentrating the beam down the road like Lucas Flame-Throwers do. I would much rather have lots or light a half mile forward than lighting up the trees around me.

Hope this helps, and YES! Buy the H4 conversions. but run10 gauge wires to them through a headlight relay!

gn

Oh, and Barry: I don't think that gorilla Glue (as good as it is) will take the heat of the higher-wattage bulbs. You may have to go with high-temp-tolerant epoxy, instead. Just my opinion, tho.....

Automobile headlights offer us lots of choices. One of the best websites that gives an appropriate, not mind-numbing, level of info is: danielstern.com, then click on the Tech icon. Same caveats always apply: use quality lights, bulbs, switches, relays, wiring, etc. Then that extinguisher can stay in the mounting bracket.

Or you might consider getting those housings/bulb replacements and then go HID. Many different intensities/sellers listed on Ebay.

Yeah, do it! Pretty much what Gordo stated. I bought a pair off of Ebay upgraded the wiring and added relays. The relays and heftier wiring are the big key. Big bulbs are useless with out getting good power to them.
I packed mine with Silverstar bulbs. These, along with a pair of 55w projector driving lights (also Silverstar) peering out from behind the horn grilles show me the way quite clearly. I usually run the driving lights as daytime running lights.

~WB

I changes replaceable bulbs in all my vehicles to the OSAM/Sylvania Silverstar bulbs (of same standard wattage). I used both the standard Silverstar and the slightly more costly Ultra (they have recently reduced new versions). They produce a whiter light and further reaching pattern. Well worth the $30 per pair ()rebates often available). The std Silverstars last 1 year (must be programmed in) - the Ultras go much longer. Well worth the $. I did the speedster with Hella flat lenses and their H4 bulb. No extra wiring is required unless you bump up the wattage of the bulbs.

HID retrofit prices seem to be all over the place - assume due to quality and their performances. New cars charge $1000 but ebay offers for $100 - not sure what a true representative of quality product would be. Retro wiring and aiming looks to be rather complicated. Some seem to be just the ineffective blue tinted bulbs.

Are they worth it?

YES ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

All day and night, especially all night. It's the best upgrade that you can do. Seriously great ! !

i don't want the Zenon things with with the balist tht have to be focused . I just want a mid 90s up grade with a real glass incloseure that wont yellow like Lexon


ARE they Glass or plastic?

JB weld is good to 6oo degrees..

Might that work??

For some reason, Halloween brings out an Evil Streak in Blackie.

~WB

Probably the main problem I've had with the above mentioned truck lights is all the additional wiring: relays for each, direct power through 10 gauge wire, and having to tap and reconnect the OEM circuit so it'd all work normally from the headlight switch. That extra wiring is a bad combination with the truck's life outdoors where it's cold and often frozen in winter and a pretty damp PNW environment overall. Seems like I'm always having to chase down one ground or corroding connector after another. That coupled to the fact that it's a pretty heavily modified '97 diesel truck with added power, exhaust brake, 2 wd low range, and some camping and towing related accessorizing have turned the truck into an electrical headache. The poor truck must carry a few miles of wire

The roadster won't be living outside and I wasn't aware of the low cost bulbs shown by Stan, so OK, good, I'm gonna' do it. Thanks all of you!

One important question - why couldn't both headlights be fed direct battery current through a single relay setup? I mean battery feed to relay through heavier wire and out to both lights with the same heavy gauge wire, and the relay mounted near the battery switched on by the circuit from the switch. Seems like it would be a lot less complex that way tnan how my truck was wired, and less trouble prone too.

Sure why not? Just like this! Every thing is right there. Power from battery via fused leads and the existing low and high beam leads from the dash switch to energize each relay. Easy Peasy! My low and high relays are right there in the spare parts department along with the fog lamps and airhorn relay.

~WB

Great idea WB!