Dim Headlights

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Chiangstar
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Dim Headlights

Post by Chiangstar »

Has anyone come up with a good way to get around the dim headlight problem that affects lots of FTO's? its getting a bit annoying and, more frequently, i cant see the pot-holes in the middle of the road at night time and its not comfortable.... :(

i once saw an FTO driving with their highbeams on and i assume they had pointed them downwards....i was driving infront of him and it wasnt too distracting and i bet it woulda lit up the road beautifully because i know my high beams are great....i was considering this as a last resort really...

but other than this, does anyone have a good solution??

thanks

simon
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Post by EURO »

hi simon,

I think i posted a similiar thing a while ago, my right head light is a lot dimmer then the left... I cant work out why or how.... from front on they seem the same brightness but, inside the car the Right side is a LOT dimmer.... i tried bulb changes but it made no difference, if any one has ideas on this it would help us both out lol

i think the type R FTO has automatically adjustable headlights??
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Post by TimmyD »

drive w/ your fog lights on?
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Post by TheSentry »

TimmyD wrote:drive w/ your fog lights on?
Not an option in NSW unless the conditions require it. Using your fog lights in normal conditions can get u a fine.
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Post by rxboy »

AFAIK the fog light rule refers to the proper fog lights which emit a strong yellow light. The lights in the FTO are better referred to as spotlights / driving lights. I think you can have them on any time of the day as long as they are the factory ones which don't dazzle other drivers.
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Post by ruchi »

That rule surprises me, are you sure about that? In VIC you can certainly drive with the driving lights on, the keyword being whether they "dazzle" other drivers, and driving lights don't.

Many cars come with driving lights these days and in VIC you see many of them using them everyday.
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Chiangstar
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Post by Chiangstar »

i actually had a problem with one of my headlights being dimmer than the other too but i realised that the bulb wasnt sitting properly and probably wasnt projecting the light properly....once i adjusted it, both my headlights were the same brightness....BUT theyre still pretty dim compared to other cars...

what do you guys think about an HID conversion? will it still be relatively dim because of the frosted lense on the main headlight?

simon
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Post by thecook »

my headlights are pretty dim

which was why i drove with my fog lights on
and in the end

i got pulled over, fined and lost one demerit point coz it was illegal to have fog lights on during a perfectly non foggy night, and also it was apparently too bright and could distract other drivers
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Post by GPXXX »

Chiangstar wrote:what do you guys think about an HID conversion? will it still be relatively dim because of the frosted lense on the main headlight?

simon
a HID conversion would be awesome and i can tell you, they are far brighter than conventional lights and they give off a blue-ish glow from far which is really cool... I'm trying to source a 2nd hand kit from Japan at the moment so we'll see how it goes...
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Post by TheSentry »

ruchi wrote:That rule surprises me, are you sure about that? In VIC you can certainly drive with the driving lights on, the keyword being whether they "dazzle" other drivers, and driving lights don't.
Driving lights are fine. I use my driving lights all the time as they come on with my low beams. Now having your 'fog lights' on is illegal in NSW, unless there is actually a fog or heavy rain. There are quite a few morons who drive with their foglights on during the day (mostly Rexies and late model commodores/falcons) which are extremely bright and annoying. I believe the fine for using foglights in the wrong conditions is about $70.
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Post by GPXXX »

you'll be surprised how many morons are out there who can't tell the difference between fog lights and driving lights... :roll:
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Post by Daz_FTO »

Probably just depends on the state and the dude in blue at the time - but in qld you can get a fine for driving with driving lights on as they are deemed a secondary light and are not required on suburban roads. In other words he was told not to use them except on highway stints. Down here in SA it seems every bugger drives around with some form of secondary on...and being in a low car - those lights really do annoy me. The roads are lit up - why do you need those things on???

As for the original prob - i think i mentioned this in another post, stand about 20metres in front of your left hand light and aim your normal lights at that spot on the ground. That should give you pretty good light near enough to your car to see potholes n stuff - u might find that your right hand light is pointing directly forward and not at the ground - thus appearing duller.

If light has nothing to reflect off is it really there??? :roll:
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Post by TheSentry »

GPXXX wrote:you'll be surprised how many morons are out there who can't tell the difference between fog lights and driving lights... :roll:
It's not that hard. Driving lights make your car more visible and can help reduce accidents. Fog lights blind people. There really is no reason to run them during the day in perfect conditions and saying "Bro, my car looks hectic when the fog lights are on." is no excuse. :D
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Post by EURO »

is there anyway of removing this frosting or changing it? without comprimising the lighting??? (that way we can use those optima blue lenses etc).
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GPXXX
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Post by GPXXX »

TheSentry wrote:
GPXXX wrote:you'll be surprised how many morons are out there who can't tell the difference between fog lights and driving lights... :roll:
It's not that hard. Driving lights make your car more visible and can help reduce accidents. Fog lights blind people. There really is no reason to run them during the day in perfect conditions and saying "Bro, my car looks hectic when the fog lights are on." is no excuse. :D
i was referring to the driver... ;):x
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Post by TheSentry »

GPXXX wrote:i was referring to the driver... ;):x
Haha accept my apologies mate for taking your post the wrong way. :)
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GPXXX
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Post by GPXXX »

hehe no worries champ, it's all good... i didn't see it coming haha :oops:
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Post by Chiangstar »

how about using more powerful bulbs? do they get too hot and melt the housing?

im just looking for a solution cos seriously, i cant see whats in front of me .... sometimes i have to switch my lights on and off the see if theyre actually make a difference :?

the lights are ok when its really dark....but if its not totally pitch black, you can hardly tell my lights are on....from the drivers seat

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Post by efteoh »

i find them annoyingly dim as well, possibly due to the thick "bulb like" lens?

i could use the driving lights more, but

1. i dont want to risk a fine/attracting cops attention.
2. replace fog light switches, (no i cant be stuffed putting relays in them either)

so seriously, what other soultions are there? HID would be prohibtivly expensive. and i dont want to use ricey blue lights unless they actually improve the light enough.


thanks, just had to get that off my chest.:)
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Post by G1 »

yeah i know what you mean... i always drive with my foglights as well as the lowbeams lights... im still to be pulled over yet... ive driven straight past cops too

if i get pulled over im just gonna say, look sir do you wanna get in and have a look at the difference it makes to the vision, which is essential for safe driving? and i can demonstrate that mine are pointed down and the car is lower than most cars so there is no chance that it will dazzle anyones eyes.

then again i might run into the wrong cop at the wrong time... but it doesnt hurt to reason with them in a friendly manner
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