Lighting Upgrade for GU

[smith281]

Hi All,

Can anyone recommend a lighting upgrade for 1999 GU. My headlights lights are terrible! The exisiting wiring looks horrendous with lots of wires twisted together and covered with insulation tape.

Are there any good upgrade kits on the market. E.g. uprated wiring which I can install direct from the headlight fitting to the relay/fusebox to bypass the existing wiring.

I've looked at a few HID Xenon kits, but I'm not sure I want to go that far. I think the standard headlights should be adequate, provided they work properly.

Any advice?
Cheers, Tom

[BearGUST]

I would be getting the wiring corrected and add relays to the circuit while you're at it.
Plenty of people have fitted HID's but it is illegal. Only vehicles which were factory fitted with HID's have a suitable reflector, others do not which is why it is illegal.


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[the evil twin]

It is a GU so will already have relays other than that agree with BearGUST. You can use any aftermarket H4 loom or make your own or repair what you have... just go back as far as you can and splice it in.

When the wiring is up to speed fit Philips +100 bulbs and you will be giggling. Low beam won't blind people and high beam will be almost up to driving light performance and all legal

[smith281]

Thanks guys. What size wire would you use for this work, 2.5mm2?

[PattyWgnOwen]

2.5mm wire from super cheap is not 2.5mm. Get hold of some rated 60 amp 4mm wire or use quality 6mm.

If you are in Brisbane ashdown-ingrams is a good place to start.

[Gas_Guzzler4800]

Get your wiring sorted out and then go to a wreckers and get a pair of series II headlights and corner lamps. Quite a big improvement over the series I lights. I have owned both and its like chalk and cheese

[PattyWgnOwen]

gas guzzler,
do you mean series 3? i can't see much visbile difference between my series 2 and my mates series 1?
the series 3 is when they changed to clear lenses, and I do remember my first patrol having pretty good lights by comparison?
perhaps a pair of aftermarket chinese ones will be ok as well if it is the clear lense that makes the difference?
i also read apost on the other forum about a guy who changed his series 1 to run eth square headlites from a series 4, b ut apparently you need to change the bonnett?
Owen.

[PattyWgnOwen]

I read an article about upgrading bulbs in 4x4australia a while back.

All H4 bulbs are 55/60 watt so if you want a higher wattage, you need a different bulb. I think you can get 55/100 bulbs but they may be illegal, and you would definitely have to upgrade teh wiring to carry the extra amps.
There are different types of H4 bulbs that range in colour from normal to blue, each with a different use. Blue lights are good for night driving but don't throw as much light.
then there are upspec ratings that relate to brightness of the bulbs.
+50%, +75% and +100%.
the article says that the brighter the output, the thinner the fillament (makes sense) and the more fragile it will be on rough roads.

You will pay up to $100 for a pair of +100% bulbs, and they will not last anywhere near as long?

I would suggest that unless you do only road driving, you should stick with the standard cheap bulbs and have somebody look at the rest so you know what the problem is.

If you go to any half decent auto electrician, he can tell you what voltage losses you are getting in the wiring and suggest remedies.

[jet]

ARB used to sell a headlight wiring harness upgrade kit so you can fit higher wattage bulbs. its expensive and nothing a sparky could do for you but its pretty much a drop in fit. Its in the third vehicle for me now.
The issue with upgrading globes is heat rather than watts, ie a 100W produces WAY more heat than a 55W
The newer headlights are all plastic and theres concern re discolouring or melting, Ive seen neither running 100/90 for the last 6 years, however I have used the heavier wiring loom to allow full current and volts to new globes
Original wiring is maxed out with the standard globes. Just putting higher watts globes in isnt very clever. The +100 are not higher wattage just a different design.

I actually blow a low beam 90 watt element every year or so.

[Gas_Guzzler4800]

Yeah sorry I missed an "I" there. I'm typing on a phone.... I was referring to the crystal style headlights. The reflector design is quite a big improvement over the older style.