Changing round headlights to square ???

[JohnEd]

JR,

That was me!  I installed ever so slightly higher wattage bulbs.  The more precise focus of the Hella kept ALL the light out of the other guy's eyes.  I don't recommend it and have since replaced those bulbs with stock 55 watt items.  The Hella is an incredible improvement over the lights of their day and, being all glass, they are still a superb idea.  Mine are 18 years old, have gone through maybe 5 sets of blbs and I still have pride of ownership.

The projector lamps are the hot ticket and the high voltage pure white bulbs are like having lights for the first time.  Costs thousands to upgrade your older system.  Those puppies should also be illegal as they blind me and I know those Mercedes and BMWs are properly focused.  Why is that stuff legal? Don't know, but, it sure doesn't say much for the judgement of DOT. 

I am safe and legal, bro, honest.  I do speed though when out in the wide open spaces so I am normal.

regards,

John

[gus]

It always pains me to see anyone add square headlights to a stock looking classic bus. If one had added the front and rear FG caps then it square goes well with them, but the original look is so much classier with the round HL.

Our buses are unique, why try to look like every other S&S coming down the road?

That said, I know it is your bus and your bucks but I had to add my two cents!!

[rv_safetyman]

As has been mentioned, some of us want to keep the "original" look.  In my case that is dual 5 3/4.  I have been caught a couple of times and I just as well have been using candles.

I did quite a bit of research on headlights and one of the best pages that I found is:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/home.html

I am about to crack out for the following headlights:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/csr.html

Pretty pricey but driving down a dark highway with the better half watching the right markers and me watching the center line, is just not worth it.

Daniel Stern makes a strong case for headlight relays.  I did some playing with my fuses a couple of days ago, and it is obvious that my connections are very marginal and that relays would certainly improve even my "dinosaur age" headlights.

Jim

[JohnEd]

Jim,

For my money you are headed in the right direction.  My Hella's are "flat faced" and superbly focused.  Razor sharp line across the garage door with dark above and bright below.  Cibie's are their equal as far as I know.  Don't get sealed beams.  My Hellas have the same lens in a Non sealed beam as the sealed beam does.  Different back is all.  Calif wouldn't approve replacable bulbs back then but i got them anyway when I verified that the lens was the same in both.  The Hella had a upward turn on the right low beam that illuminated the right side for deer or peds and Cibie mentions that they have that feature also.  I think the flat face has a better focus in both mfr.s lines.  Make sure you run a heavy gauge wire to the light location and install relays to actually switch the light.  You need a relay for the high and low beam in each bulb if you do it my way.

Good luck and shop the net.  I found Hellas discounted.

John

[gus]

Jim,

Had the same problem on my 4104. The solution is mostly cleaning all grounds and connections at the terminal strips but the real improvement is by adding Halogen sealed beams. I got mine at an auto parts store for about $13 each and I think WM carries them also. The great thing about the halogens is that they have an inner bulb even though they are sealed beams so that if the glass lens cracks the light still burns! Pretty neat.

Actually I have one of each now and am waiting for the old sealed beam to crack before adding the other halogen. You can really see the difference.

Relays on a 4104 will only enable you to bypass the panel switch since the batteries are all the way in the rear but they will probably help some. I've been thinking about doing that since all the switch wiring is getting ragged.  Check the HL switch, if it is getting hot it needs to be replaced or you need a relay. Don't be fooled by heat from the bulbs, sometimes they have been replaced by overly large bulbs and get hot. Some even burn the plastic overlay.

[RJ]

Jim and John are on the right page here, when it comes to the SAFTEY issue of headlamps.  (Jim - I like those new CSRs!!)

The E-code lamps have a far superior light output pattern than the stock US DOT stuff, and, unless you've actually driven with a set, you won't comprehend the difference.  It all has to do with the more precise optics of the E-code lenses, not the bulb itself.

Even the "halogen" DOT lights you get at AutoZone don't compare, altho they are better than straight incandescent, but not by much.

I've used the standard E-code headlamps since the '60's, when I first learned about them thru my car rally activities.  Have had Marchal, Hella, and Cibie, with my preference being the latter.

These are not sealed beam lights.  Should one fail, all you do is replace the bulb, not the entire lamp assembly.  And the bulbs are available at any auto parts store, as they use H4s for low beam or H1s for high.

The standard E-code headlamps are available in 7" and 5.75" round, also in 142x200mm and 165mm rectangular.  (http://www.cibieusa.com/cibie_main_frameset.htm)

So even the guys who are only interested in "STYLE" can install some, if they're the least bit SAFTEY-conscious.

These lamps aren't cheap - they run $50 - $75 each - but then again, "What price SAFTEY??"

FWIW & HTH. . .