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anyone swapped out the stock fog light bulbs??? need suggestions
Hey everyone,
I'm in the progress of getting my parts together to swap out the headlights for HID. I would like to swap out the bulbs in the stock fog lights for either led or hid and was hoping for some suggestions. If so please share which model bulbs you bought. Also could you please share how big of an ordeal is the swap? I have a bad back and working in a tight spot is real tough on me.
You can get to it from the top if you have small arms, from the bottom but that involves jacking the front up. Also some have gone through the brake cooling inlet hole in the bumper.
Hey everyone,
I'm in the progress of getting my parts together to swap out the headlights for HID. I would like to swap out the bulbs in the stock fog lights for either led or hid and was hoping for some suggestions. If so please share which model bulbs you bought. Also could you please share how big of an ordeal is the swap? I have a bad back and working in a tight spot is real tough on me.
OEM fog light bulbs are 899. To be plug-and-play, replacements should be 800 Series.
If you do your foglights at the same time you work on your headlights, it's simple and painless. If not at the same time, then it's not a big deal either as long as you don't have Popeye arms: just open your headlights, disconnect your battery, remove the headlight bezels and access the foglights from above.
You can also do it from below, but you would need to jack up your car, or use ramps, and remove the bottom access panel.
As for specific LED replacements, take a look at this post. It has a couple of recommendations plus a link to a detailed write up.
HIDs work really well in the stock fog projectors. I have had 55-watt HIDs in mine for many years and use them as regular driving lights rather than fog lights. Your stock fog housings can produce a nice cut off when using HIDs. But if you go HID, don't cheap out and try to use the stock wiring as the wires are inadequate to the task. Use an aftermarket wiring harness that runs straight off the battery with your stock wiring providing the switch signal.
i was just going to say this, especially if you're not running the wiring mod that keeps the lows and highs on together.
the reason for this is because when the lights are off, the flash-to-pass feature (when you pull the stalk to momentarily flash the brights) actually flashes the fogs rather than lift the lights, turn them on/off, and then lower them back down. also, if you use the lights with the lock/unlock/alarm, that also utilizes the fogs.
why that's bad for HID is because cold-cycling them reduces their lifespan, so they work best & longest when you turn them on & leave them on. likewise, when you turn them off, leave them off long enough to cool back down (that's also why they're dim for the first few seconds - they're warming up). same goes for HID high beams.
LEDs don't care: they're instantly on full-bright & don't mind rapid power cycles as much.
not saying HID fogs are bad - just understand the limitations of how an arc lamp works & how to change the way you use them to maximize their life & utility. they're definitely the brightest option out there.
that said, there're some new LED designs out now that are almost as bright but don't have the warm-up limitations
not saying HID fogs are bad - just understand the limitations of how an arc lamp works & how to change the way you use them to maximize their life & utility. they're definitely the brightest option out there.
that said, there're some new LED designs out now that are almost as bright but don't have the warm-up limitations
To each his own choices.
I use my 55watt HIDs in my fogs whenever my headlights are on, which is often as my 03 is a daily and nightly driver, and many times before I use the headlights. In 10 years of use, I have only replaced the HID bulbs once and bulbs were not expensive.
HIDs do need to be used with a battery based relay harness to ensure full voltage and the stock wiring only serves to apply the switch signal. But the harness is inexpensive and easy to install. Many videos here and on YouTube.
Radioflyer, only way to fly, I just had my car out last night for the first time since install, and as stated you can easily run without headlights.
mmm... i agree they're bright, buy based on the height they're adjusted to in that pic, i'd guess 20-25mph before you're outrunning them (as in driving faster than you'd be able to see an object, process what you see, react, and not hit it).
that's why the lows would still be much safer to keep on regardless
... just to make sure nobody took those statements to mean they were a good substitute for headlights
mmm... i agree they're bright, buy based on the height they're adjusted to in that pic, i'd guess 20-25mph before you're outrunning them (as in driving faster than you'd be able to see an object, process what you see, react, and not hit it).
that's why the lows would still be much safer to keep on regardless
... just to make sure nobody took those statements to mean they were a good substitute for headlights
I agree with your statement, they are low, my car is over 2 inches lower than stock, I ran with the headlights off & on & to get coverage farther out you would need to adjust accordingly, but I was still impressed, & it is nice to know you have the extra lighting if needed.
09-13-2018, 09:20 PM
anyone swapped out the stock fog light bulbs??? need suggestions
