Member Since: 12 Oct 2008
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 75
Driving Lights...
Managed to source a cheaper set of brand new driving lights / bumper brackets, arrived as planned...
Instruction manual, about 1/4 inch thick... Cut 50mm hole in bumper, cut undertray...
Hello... is that the main dealer...?
Apparently took them 6 hours including slotting in some front fogs...
My 05MY S didn't have the loom for the PDC / Fogs as I was expecting so a new bit of loom had to be ordered...
Glad I didn't do it myself now...
Like the end result though, and surprisingly effective at illuminating Lake District back roads this weekend...
Pic from Honnister slate mine...
Allan
24th Nov 2008 12:45 am
ayrshiredisco
Member Since: 16 Aug 2008
Location: Ayr
Posts: 619
yeah looks good, IMHO i prefer the a-bar with the spots. but 8) in the silverIf in doubt............flat out.
Buck blue with mantec, abar, roolights and some of uncle rays finest
club blanked egr's
dark silver mini cooper s
24th Nov 2008 1:05 am
gingerbiker
Member Since: 09 Jun 2008
Location: North Yorks
Posts: 201
two quick questions...
are they the official brackets, or some other design?
how much did they charge for the extra wiring?
and for the rest of the D3 club.... i have an 05 yr car, want/need (!!!!) more illumination but want it cheap!
anyone any suggestions for brackets? wiring alternatives if mine lacks the extra loom to connect to?
i already have a pair of decent lights in the garage ready to fit, so need brackets and wires!
carl
24th Nov 2008 11:02 am
Bodsy Site Sponsor
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: In the Clubhouse
Posts: 21361
Your BEST method of instant increase of illumination os to get rid of the std headlights and get some Non Adaptive Xenons from Slimer. £400 IIRC for a pair and they are an easy DIY fit. TBH, they're a more illuminating upgrade than adding the LR spots and don't get filled with water! (sorry APG)
Can be easily swapped out yourself Bodsys Brake Bible
Clock/ SNOTM /3Flash / 4x4Info /BT Update /Service Reset/Error Codes / Gearbox Reset See It Here
24th Nov 2008 11:17 am
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
agree with bodsy I'm afraid, sorry. The LR Lamps dont give off much light and let water in. I changed my lamps for LF140s and Ive been well pleased Duncan
-----------------------------------------------------
If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
24th Nov 2008 11:37 am
gingerbiker
Member Since: 09 Jun 2008
Location: North Yorks
Posts: 201
fallen off my proverbial chair at the cost; i just spent £15 on 2 bulbs as well!
Cheapest option for more light is Phillips Extreme or Osram Night breaker bulbs. Not as good as Xenons but a significant improvement.Too much intellectual firepower can damage your common sense.
24th Nov 2008 7:37 pm
APG
Member Since: 12 Oct 2008
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 75
The full price for the lamps is horrific I'm afraid.
Lamps around £250, bumper mounting brackets £52 from your local dealer though no doubt TLO can do you them cheaper. The fitting kit for the bumper is very good and has steel plinths that sit down onto the steel of the bumper rather than just sit on the plastic. It's a solid mount rather than having them flapping about off the grill or bumper. I managed £100 for the lights and £22 for the brackets new & boxed.
I know the LR lights are a bit leaky as I had a similar model on the Defender, which is why I ran a bead of silicone around all the ingress points before they were fitted. Having done a fair bit of driving this weekend up in the lakes I am not unhappy at all with the performance of the LR driving lamps. A slightly higher intensity in the midline but not bad at all. I also have the xenon's as standard on mine.
And yes I know you can get a better lamp from the likes of light-force but I think they look a bit out of place whereas the LR ones are a lot better aesthetically only IMHO... Anyway, the next step is to get an HID kit from the states (about £50 delivered) to gently increase the light output a bit. not decided whether to do just the fogs or the driving lamps as well.
The missing fog loom is only £28 so not too bad, the rest of the kit TLO will do you for about £140 which is very reasonable. Fitting is relatively straight forward I understand but as the bumper was off for the driving lamps I got the local dealer to do it for me.
Aftermarket bulbs are a good solution, I have had three Defenders over the past few years so I know all about dim yellow headlamps. Halfords own extra bright made a significant improvement. Xenons are however very good and I haven't got tired of watching them ignite and burn up yet.. Allan
24th Nov 2008 8:22 pm
MacLeod 313
Member Since: 18 Apr 2008
Location: away
Posts: 10723
APG, I am in the same boat as you, however I have a A Bar to fit them too, so no need for the Brackets. I agree with you too on the keeping it Genuine Parts, but seeing some of the Mods D3's at pub meets with Light Force fitted, and the light they give off maybe its the way I will go too.
I always like Genuine Parts, but I need the extra light, and was advised by the forum combined LR spots and Xenons I would'nt know the difference, so I guess I will go with the flow.
And also Slimers Yellow LF look so 8) 8)
24th Nov 2008 9:12 pm
gingerbiker
Member Since: 09 Jun 2008
Location: North Yorks
Posts: 201
thanks for the detailed answers; my firststep will be too look at homebrew brackets i think, then go for standard wiring
25th Nov 2008 10:14 am
jjvd21
Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1070
APG, you mention fitting an HID kit to increase the output of the lights. I'm assuming this is a kit that has a converter to change output allowing the fitment of HID bulbs similiar to the xenons? Am I correct? Could this kit be installed on the fog lights? Or just the driving lamps you just fitted? Is there any additional heating issues that could damage the housings of either as a result of higher output HID bulbs? Thanks!!!!16 D4 Landmark
05 D3 HSE V8
THE original D4 spotter
25th Nov 2008 5:46 pm
APG
Member Since: 12 Oct 2008
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 75
The HID bulbs are shaped to be a direct replacement for the halogen ones. I'm not sure about how far they project at the back which is an issue for a closed spot lamp but not for the fogs or indeed a headlamp.
The ballast is separate and is designed to interface the standard wiring connectors though you do need to supply some additional wiring. And you do need to mount the ballast externally. The ballasts are waterproof on the better kits.
I may be wrong here but the HID bulbs are a lot more efficient and produce less heat as wasted energy than halogen so I am not anticipating any thermal problems. Then again I might have two rather expensive melted blobs on the front of the car.
Still investigating at present, but should the project take off i will try and do an install sheet.Allan
25th Nov 2008 8:22 pm
biggless
Member Since: 19 Oct 2007
Location: Durham
Posts: 37
Agree they look good with the A-frame. I also went for the LR spots, they look right, but LR certainly make you pay ! Also agree that, for the HSE, the extra lighting effect is marginal. Here's mine -
[/img]
27th Nov 2008 1:42 pm
APG
Member Since: 12 Oct 2008
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 75
Light guards as well...
I have a set sitting in my study for fitting this weekend...
Thought about the A bar as it is an awful lot easier to fit than the brackets and the driving lights slot straight on. Decided against it in the end. Yours looks well though...Allan
27th Nov 2008 7:36 pm
Popelka
Member Since: 31 May 2008
Location: Praha (Prague)
Posts: 2430
On the bottom of the A frame what are the 2 white dots, are they PDC's or bolts (in body colour) ????Experience is a difficult teacher, because she gives the test first and then the lesson afterwards!!!!
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Having done a fair bit of driving this weekend up in the lakes I am not unhappy at all with the performance of the LR driving lamps. A slightly higher intensity in the midline but not bad at all. I also have the xenon's as standard on mine.
