Want to Upgrade 2000 Ranger to Much Brighter Headlights, Any Recommendations?

[BillRod]

Hi All

Looking to upgrade my wife's 2000 Ranger to much brighter headlights from the original stock headlights.

Either Replacing entire assembly with an LED assembly or replacing just the bulbs with a much brighter non LED bulb.
Not really up to speed on options for lighting so any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks on advance!
Bill

 

[DILLARD000]

Not sure which Bulbs you've got now?
On my 2001, several years ago swapped out HeadLamps from
factory 9007hb5Base\065wHi55wLo\Yelo 2Filament Bulbs
to new 9007hb5Base\100wHi80wLo\Blue 2Filament Bulbs
Also swapped out FogLamps from
factory 9145hb3Base90Deg\Yelo65w Bulbs
to new 9005hb3Base90Deg\Whit80w 21LEDs_Cree\Equal
Been running these several years now with good results.
Stiill have stock fixtures though they're slowly getting fuzzy "cataracts".
These were direct fit replacements with no ballasts required;
this is likely the cheapest improvement option, certainly compared to BallastedBulbs\LEDs &\or new fixtures.

 

[gaz]

BillRod,

You may be surprised what improvements can be made 100% legal, even with stock bulbs. The trick is to improve your vehicles ability to deliver the highest possible current to the bulb.

Your rig is 22 years old, the wiring that supplies your lights current is 18g at best and has a few loads and switches between the battery and the bulb. The primary improvement is to build a new, small circuit, that only does one thing, deliver the strongest possibly undisturbed current to your bulbs using new better spec, higher gauge wire, controlled by the original light switch and wires.

To accomplish this I splice into the headlight wiring approximately 18" from the head light, closest to the battery; this become the on/off power for the new circuit (this dramatically reduces the light load on the factory headlight switch).

This power turns on a one relay for the passenger side and another relay for the driver's side using underground waterproof insulated 10* gauge multi-strand copper wiring. The relays are powered directly from the battery with 20ah fuse. Each relay grounded and powering it's own headlamp.

You can measure the light output before and after, YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE the improvement.

After your new harness is built and operational, you can get well made legal bulbs and improve the light out put even more. I live in Washington, the most powerful headlight bulb that I can legally use has max of 55w on high beam. Phillips and Hella make some great bulbs that will not break the bank. I get mine from Summit Racing for under $4 each and carry a set of spares ($16 well spent).

The new harness can cost:
$5, 1 fuse
$14, 2 relays
$7.31, 10 feet of 10g red
$7.31, 10 feet of 10g black
$17, Special crimp tool
$8, box of gold plated connectors
$12, 12' Conduet
$8, 8 rolls of Tape
$16, 4 Hella bulbs (2 spares)

Under $100, no problem; you could go super cheap a buy a premade harness off eBay but getting all 10g wiring and gold plated connectors will not be part of it.

 

[rumblecloud]

BillRod,

You may be surprised what improvements can be made 100% legal, even with stock bulbs. The trick is to improve your vehicles ability to deliver the highest possible current to the bulb.

Your rig is 22 years old, the wiring that supplies your lights current is 18g at best and has a few loads and switched between the battery and the bulb. The primary improvement is to build a new, small circuit, that only does one thing, deliver the strongest possibly undisturbed current to your bulbs using new better spec, higher gauge wire, controlled by the original light switch and wires.

To accomplish this I splice into the headlight wiring approximately 18" from the head light, closest to the battery; this become the on/off power for the new circuit (this dramatically reduces the light load on the factory headlight switch).

This power turns on a one relay for the passenger side and another relay for the driver's side using underground waterproof insulated 14 gauge multi-strand copper wiring. The relays are powered directly from the battery with 20ah fuse. Each relay grounded and powering it's own headlamp.

You can measure the light output before and after, YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE the improvement.

After your new harness is built and operational, you can get well made legal bulbs and improve the light out put even more. I live in Washington, the most powerful headlight bulb that I can legally use has max of 55w on high beam. Phillips and Hella make some great bulbs that will not break the bank. I get mine from Summit Racing for under $4 each and carry a set of spares ($16 well spent).

The new harness can cost:
$5, 1 fuse
$14, 2 relays
$7.31, 10 feet of red
$7.31, 10 feet of black
$17, Special crimp tool
$8, box of gold plated connectors
$12, 12' Conduet
$8, 8 rolls of Tape
$16, 4 Hella bulbs (2 spares)

Under $100, no problem; you could go super cheap a buy a premade harness off eBay but getting all 14g wiring and gold plated connectors will not be part of it.

Ok...I'm intrigued/hooked. Not wanting to hijack the thread, but where can I get more details on the harness and it's components and and how to wire into the existing system harness?

This is something I would like to try as I've been looking at alternative lighting assemblies as well. Thanks.
r

 

[Uncle Gump]

All that does is allow the existing headlamp controls to actually control relays opposed to the headlamps themselves. Then the lamps operate with the relays.

Any resistance in the existing controls (switches/connections/corrosion/etc..) is added in series to the actual lamp load and lessens the available voltage to operate the lamps. Not good if you want brightness... and we all do.

To do it @gaz way... you really need four relays. Two for low beams... two for high beams.

I was thinking about doing this mod on the Bronco... two relays... one for low beams and the second for high beams. Each relay would control both sides.

 

[franklin2]

Why could you not use 2 relays? One for lowbeams and one for highbeams?

Whatever you guys do, I hope you stay legal and use DOT approved bulbs. I do have to meet you on the road coming the other way once in awhile.

 

[Blmpkn]

Projector housings and LED/HID bulbs

 

[Uncle Gump]

Some of the lighting systems on today's vehicles... I'm not sure how they were ever approved for on road use. Some of them just plain blind me.

 

[rumblecloud]

I know what you mean -- I hate that. I don't want flamethrowers -- just a little brighter light

 

[fastpakr]

All that does is allow the existing headlamp controls to actually control relays opposed to the headlamps themselves. Then the lamps operate with the relays.

Any resistance in the existing controls (switches/connections/corrosion/etc..) is added in series to the actual lamp load and lessens the available voltage to operate the lamps. Not good if you want brightness... and we all do.

To do it @gaz way... you really need four relays. Two for low beams... two for high beams.

I was thinking about doing this mod on the Bronco... two relays... one for low beams and the second for high beams. Each relay would control both sides.

I'm not following why the resistance of switches, etc is being added in. It does sound like Gaz's design is only handling the low beams (or only high, not clear on that), but isn't it still allowing battery voltage directly through the relay and into the lamp?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Because it is all connected in series. A little resistance in the headlamp switch... you drop a bit of voltage. Resistance in the dimmer switch... you drop more voltage. Resistance in all of the connections to the lights... you drop a little more voltage. Resistance in the 20 year old wiring... you drop a bit more.

The relays eliminate all that... the only resistance in the actual headlamp wiring system using relays is whatever you have across the load side of the relay and headlamp connections.

 

[fastpakr]

I understand that. But in gaz's setup he's using a relay to avoid all that. Why are you saying the switch resistance is added in series when he's just using it to trigger the relay?

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'm not... but it seems to be your take away from what I said.

We are speaking the same language...

 

[fastpakr]

I'm not... but it seems to be your take away from what I said.

We are speaking the same language...

Got it. I read your post again and see where I went off track.

 

[Uncle Gump]

all good man...