Looking for a new set of quality spot lights

[whastie]

Hi all - I would like to take advantage of members knowledge on this one. I have a 2.8L 1998 Patrol Diesel 5 speed Y61 manual with bull bar fitted. Currently have a set of spot lights fitted, but they have seen better days and are not particularly effective any more. I have had them since purchased approx. 15 years ago.

Am interested in opinions on what type/brand I should be looking at to replace the existing spot lights.
Also if I would be able to connect them to the existing wiring - all seems to be in working order - or should I look to re-wire ?????

Regards
Wayne HASTIE

[NP99]

Have a read of this for what its worth:

http://www.lightforce.net.au/images/pages/4WD%20161%20LR2.pdf

[Ben-e-boy]

Hi all - I would like to take advantage of members knowledge on this one. I have a 2.8L 1998 Patrol Diesel 5 speed Y61 manual with bull bar fitted. Currently have a set of spot lights fitted, but they have seen better days and are not particularly effective any more. I have had them since purchased approx. 15 years ago.

Am interested in opinions on what type/brand I should be looking at to replace the existing spot lights.
Also if I would be able to connect them to the existing wiring - all seems to be in working order - or should I look to re-wire ?????

Regards
Wayne HASTIE

Gday mate.

I live in monkland so not very far from you at all.
I can vouch for the great southern camping lights being a good bit of gear. In the video they were tested against lights fitted to my ute.

Cheers
Benny

[threedogs]

Light force XGTs are a great Halagen light , other that that buy a slimline ballast HID kit for what you have
and convert them. Might be able to convert for lest than $50.

[Coldcomfort]

http://www.light5light.com.au/index.htm

I bought my light force lights from here..... They are based in NSW but I think that english is their second language They will slot right onto your existing wiring if you get the units wih built in ballasts. These people will also install any colour HID that you like. Very happy with mine.

[MudRunnerTD]

Yeah I would consider converting your current lights if the lenses are OK. Cheap to convert and will rebirth them.

[Swampy]

After buying my truck it had a older set of lights on it, I changed them for a set of roo lights but u get what u pay for, I am looking at upgrading to the light forse xgt but after seeing the link to the lights that gsc are doing I will be looking at them, if you are serious about getting good vision at night have a look here. http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?18898-PRODUCT-RELEASE-GSC-G7-HID-Driving-Lights
Hope this helps.

[macka82]

I recently bought some light force 240 blitz and a aftermarket hid kit and upgraded them myself. Not hard and wow they are insanely bright. These are my first light force have has Narva and hella previously but won't be going back. Very happy with the light force..

[Lieney]

I've played with HID, LED and Xenon and Halogen and all have their good / bad points. I've even upgraded bulbs and played with different outputs.
Consider distance or spread that you need dependant on countryside you will be driving through.
Consider the money you want to spend.
Not much cash go for a nice set of halogen 100W Hella, Lightforce etc
A set of 6 HID lightforce on the roof combined with a 1m LED light bar on the front would be pretty flash.
A combination of LED bars and HID, or an HID spread and spot beam can make for an awesome setup at a reasonable cost, depending on your 'reasonable'.
There are also LED spotties out but are costly. I reckon they're real flash quality.

[megatexture]

I put 100w hid in my light force 240s and they are awsome lights but I'd convert the ones you have if they are in decent shape

[whastie]

O.K. Thanks to all who contributed. More than enough for me to get my tiny little mind around. But seriously, thanks for the input - I'll need to go through it all and make a decision (TAKING INTO ACCOUNT budget constraints).


Regards
Wayne

[NP99]

O.K. Thanks to all who contributed. More than enough for me to get my tiny little mind around. But seriously, thanks for the input - I'll need to go through it all and make a decision (TAKING INTO ACCOUNT budget constraints).


Regards
Wayne

.....and of course how often you use them Vs cost:trink13:

[MudRunnerTD]

A mid range (in cost) LED light bar!! Simply awesome!

[Winnie]

Yeah I reckon if you spend money on spotlights now and then see what a light bar can do you'd be seriously disappointed. I know I was. Spent about $600 on my HID lights and then saw a $400 LED light bar which absolutely smashed them on light output!

If you're happy and you know it tap a post!

[guwishyouhadone]

im the same winnie i got a light bar of flebay and it blows my spotties away, go the light bar!
this is the one i got last december and it still puts a smile on my face when i flick it on lol
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/22-dual-row-High-Powered-Cree-XPG-5w-LED-light-bar-11200-lumens-160watts/221200612923?ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&ih=012&category=33713&cmd=ViewItem

[grimace]

FYRLYT these lights are extremely well made and have the ability to be a spot or a spread beam and around the $650-$700 mark, these lights are the ducks nuts!

[mick.]

I'm about to rip my light bar off. It's a great quality bar but there are eBay HIDs (chinese bulbs and ballasts) and there are OEM HIDs. Compare a Light bar to genuine Denso ballasts boosted to 100 watts running Osram CBI 5000K bulbs in some XGTs then you will know what a real HID can do. They put every other HID on the market here and anywhere else to shame. They only take 2 to 3 seconds to warm up too.

The set up is still cheaper then a lot of light bars too. The down side is the size of a true 100 watt ballast is nearly twice the size of those Chinese 70 watt ballasts listed as 100 watts and they have ATV fans sitting on top to keep them cool.

Cheers Mick.

[hillys14]

I have lightforce 240 xgts on the v8 cruiser and there great but my $150 hid spottys off ebay on the patrol have taken a hounding and never missed a beat and the light isnt to bad distance wise either

[Cbates]

I've been tempted to get a set of the 7" Chinese ones off ebay, are they worth it for like 130$ish ? I don't have much money to spend and anything on my lights at the moment is an improvement

[Cbates]

Have a look at the HID videos under our vendor thread mate - we compare one I ours v 2 of those Chinese numbers and the results speak for themselves ... let alone the awful mounts and build quality of the eBay lights ...

But fully appreciate there are budgets at play (we do lay by as a side note), so try at least to get the best you can afford as you may regret it later if not.

Best if luck with it either way mate.


Scotty (Bigrig)

Thanks Scotty!
Appreciate the help mate! I will check out the thread and have a look, I agree it's worth buying quality things straight up but yea wasn't sure how well they would hold up if I bought two pairs etc.
thanks mate

Corey

[mick.]

Honestly with any lighting you get what you pay for. If you don't have the money you are best off saving a bit and buying quality. Those Chinese lights are like a lottery whether you get a good set or not and as mentioned the adjustments are like a supercheap ratchet. It's either way to high or to low as the adjustments are massive between the teeth.

They also loose there colour and Lux pretty quick and sometimes one more then the other meaning you have 2 different coloured lights.

Cheers Mick

[Cbates]

Do you think it's worth buying hid kit for my current lights?

[mick.]

What sort of lights do you currently have?

[Cbates]

I have some older rallye 1000s

[mick.]

If the reflectors are still good mate then fitting a half decent HID kit to them would put out better light then the cheap HID spotties on ebay.

Cheers Mick

[Cbates]

Yea the reflectors are pretty good, any suggestions on a hid kit?

[Cbates]

I also have some ipf 800ds, is it worth converting them to hid? If so is 55w good or worth going to 70w?
Thanks!

[BigRAWesty]

Hay mate. If going a conversion then go 55 to be safe. 75 creates a lot of heat and can do damage.
The 55's still throw an awesome beam.

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Dougie80]

55,s are a safe bet but just be aware of the K's, The more the k's the bluer the light

[BigRAWesty]

Good point to make. From memory 5000-6000k is the norm. 4000k is a more yellow light, and 7000k is a bluer light

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Cbates]

Thanks guys! Really appreciate the help!