driving/fog lights
Question:
I agree 100% with Dan the other poster. In addition I would make sure my headlights were adjusted properly in the first place. One thing I didn’t notice in the posts were the mention of auxiliary low beam lights. I have seen them made by Hella. The are not driving lights and as such can be used with the low beam lights. The also are not fog lights yet have a very low and wide beam pattern to give a fog light advantage but they also throw the light out more forward than fog lights giving you the best of both worlds. I would only buy a name brand such as Hella,,,,Piaa etc. It is worth it in the long run. The other ones are just crap. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi guys > I’ve got a 95 GMC Sierra and it didn’t come with any driving lights. So, > my question is, what are the best driving lights to use? AutoZone has some > called "Extreme" . Are they worth a crap? Also, does anybody have any idea > what the factory switch would cost. I’d like to keep the dash as factory > looking as possible. > Thanks, > Rich
Response:
Thanks guys,,,I’ll check around for a Hella dealer, I’ve heard of em but don’t remember seeing them anywhere. I live in a pretty big city so there’s gotta be a dealer. I’m not in a big hurry, so I’ll do my homework. I looked at Dan’s site & it’s very informative. Thanks again Rich
I agree 100% with Dan the other poster. In addition I would make sure my headlights were adjusted properly in the first place. One thing I didn’t notice in the posts were the mention of auxiliary low beam lights. I have seen them made by Hella. The are not driving lights and as such can be used with the low beam lights. The also are not fog lights yet have a very low and wide beam pattern to give a fog light advantage but they also throw the light out more forward than fog lights giving you the best of both worlds. I would only buy a name brand such as Hella,,,,Piaa etc. It is worth it in the long run. The other ones are just crap.
Response:
> I agree 100% with Dan the other poster. In addition I would make sure > my headlights were adjusted properly in the first place.
Very important point there. It’s always best to make sure your headlamps work *as well as possible* before considering your auxiliary-lamp needs. Auxiliary lamps are NOT "instead of" headlamps. Your headlamps are your main lamps. Damaged lenses (cracked, pitted, cloudy, yellowed, opacifying), deteriorated reflectors (anything less than mirror-perfect is unacceptable) mean you need a new headlamp. Headlamp bulbs — yes, even halogen ones — lose a lot of their light output over time; use only top-quality bulbs without any funny colors, such as Sylvania Xtravision in the pink box. And if you’re still running sealed beams, for heaven’s sake install a set of E-code headlamps so you can see where you’re going. > One thing I didn’t notice in the posts were the mention of auxiliary low > beam lights. I have seen them made by Hella.
I did give aux. low beams passing mention in my last post. Note that Hella has discontinued their only auxiliary low beam, the XL. Remaining stocks may still be found. It’s a terrible shame the Cibie Booster Beam went away a number of years ago; that was a fantastic aux. low beam, and with some of the garbage headlamps they’re sticking us with these days, these would be very useful. > I would only buy a name brand such as Hella,,,,Piaa etc. It is worth it > in the long run. The other ones are just crap.
Hella, Cibie, Marchal, Carello, Bosch, Proda, yes. PIAA? Personally, I dislike companies like PIAA that spend a lot of money on a lot of glossy ads and hype to psych people into paying their outrageous prices for their junk products, thinking the high price and glossy brochures mean they’re getting "professional" lamps. –Daniel TO WRITE TO ME: Remove the headlamp from my return address. .______DANIEL STERN LIGHTING______. | http://lighting.mbz.org | — dastern "at" vrx "dot" net Automotive Lighting and Signalling Services NBCS b6f+wg++rp
Response:
They say Sylvania 8, & have HB3 & DOT UO,,,,L 14 & SAE HR 90 on em & I need something to see at night on my way home from work when it’s so foggy that you can’t see 50 feet in front of you. Thank you for your help Rich
I’ve got a 95 GMC Sierra and it didn’t come with any driving lights. Practically no vehicles in North America come equipped with standard or optional driving lamps. Many come equipped with standard or optional FOG lamps. Many of the fog lamps available as standard or optional equipment on vehicles in North America are a complete waste of money, as they help forward illumination not one bit and create excessive glare for oncoming traffic. my question is, what are the best driving lights to use? It is unlikely that you need driving lamps. Driving lamps are auxiliary high-beam headlamps. They may be used only with high beam headlamps, and only when there are no vehicles in front of you in either direction. Fog lamps are for use in fog, rain or snow, when the backdazzle from your lowbeam headlamps makes it difficult for you to see the verges of the road. You have skipped several steps in your quest for better lighting. Start from the start; state when and where you need more light, and which specific headlamp system your truck is currently equipped with (read the lens markings; there were several systems available on that truck). THEN it can be determined what sort of lighting equipment will best get the job done for you. AutoZone has some called "Extreme" . Are they worth a crap? No. Stick to the products of established, European lamp companies. Hella, Bosch, Cibie, Marchal, Carello; or, if you feel like being a big spender, there is the new auxiliary low beam HID headlamp set from Osram-Sylvania. There is also a good auxiliary high beam (driving) HID lamp set from Hella. But first, see above regarding your specific needs. The cheap junk from China, Taiwan, Korea, India, Poland, etc. sold in discount auto parts and department stores is a complete waste of time and money. –Daniel
Response:
Hi guys I’ve got a 95 GMC Sierra and it didn’t come with any driving lights. So, my question is, what are the best driving lights to use? AutoZone has some called "Extreme" . Are they worth a crap? Also, does anybody have any idea what the factory switch would cost. I’d like to keep the dash as factory looking as possible. Thanks, Rich
Response:
> I’ve got a 95 GMC Sierra and it didn’t come with any driving lights.
Practically no vehicles in North America come equipped with standard or optional driving lamps. Many come equipped with standard or optional FOG lamps. Many of the fog lamps available as standard or optional equipment on vehicles in North America are a complete waste of money, as they help forward illumination not one bit and create excessive glare for oncoming traffic. > my question is, what are the best driving lights to use?
It is unlikely that you need driving lamps. Driving lamps are auxiliary high-beam headlamps. They may be used only with high beam headlamps, and only when there are no vehicles in front of you in either direction. Fog lamps are for use in fog, rain or snow, when the backdazzle from your lowbeam headlamps makes it difficult for you to see the verges of the road. You have skipped several steps in your quest for better lighting. Start from the start; state when and where you need more light, and which specific headlamp system your truck is currently equipped with (read the lens markings; there were several systems available on that truck). THEN it can be determined what sort of lighting equipment will best get the job done for you. > AutoZone has some called "Extreme" . Are they worth a crap?
No. Stick to the products of established, European lamp companies. Hella, Bosch, Cibie, Marchal, Carello; or, if you feel like being a big spender, there is the new auxiliary low beam HID headlamp set from Osram-Sylvania. There is also a good auxiliary high beam (driving) HID lamp set from Hella. But first, see above regarding your specific needs. The cheap junk from China, Taiwan, Korea, India, Poland, etc. sold in discount auto parts and department stores is a complete waste of time and money. –Daniel TO WRITE TO ME: Remove the headlamp from my return address. .______DANIEL STERN LIGHTING______. | http://lighting.mbz.org | — dastern "at" vrx "dot" net Automotive Lighting and Signalling Services NBCS b6f+wg++rp
