KC HiLiTES 6" Round Apollo Pro Driving Lights

[Li'l Work Truck]

They're on clearance at AutoZone for $130 right now. Mrs. Truck:

I've had my eye on them for a while. Anyone got any experience with them, good or bad?

 

[gaz]

@Li'l Work Truck
I have had an amber set on my SUV since 2007...the FoG fears them!

 

[Uncle Gump]

I get the nostalgic part of these. Back in the day the DayLighters ruled. The KC brand is etched in my long term memory.

If that's what you're after... and want them for off roading... DO IT!

If you want functional lights to help light up the night legally on public roads... these wouldn't be my choice.

 

[SenorNoob]

^Seconded. That's some serious current draw. Modern LED is much more light with a smaller footprint and lower power draw.

I have a set of KC DayLighters. I wouldn't have bought them if they hadn't been offered to me stupid cheap. ($20 for the pair new.) I've considered putting LEDs from LasFit in the housings. One of those on the long list of waiting for funding...

 

[Bird76Mojo]

A glass lens is the most important factor to me, regardless of being LED or halogen. I am a fan of halogen lights though. My eyes adjust to it much better. LEDS of all color temperatures just don't jive with my brain/eyes.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

I get the nostalgic part of these. Back in the day the DayLighters ruled. The KC brand is etched in my long term memory.

If that's what you're after... and want them for off roading... DO IT!

If you want functional lights to help light up the night legally on public roads... these wouldn't be my choice.

^Seconded. That's some serious current draw. Modern LED is much more light with a smaller footprint and lower power draw.

I have a set of KC DayLighters. I wouldn't have bought them if they hadn't been offered to me stupid cheap. ($20 for the pair new.) I've considered putting LEDs from LasFit in the housings. One of those on the long list of waiting for funding...

This was my thought: High beams x2, with a nostalgic, period-correct set of eye candies on my brush guard. But, if they're no good for backwoods country night driving, I don't want to waste my money. I'd even considered what @SenorNoob mentioned, but I'd need to make sure the LED's didn't need to poke out of the housings, but again, public roads.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

A glass lens is the most important factor to me, regardless of being LED or halogen. I am a fan of halogen lights though. My eyes adjust to it much better. LEDS of all color temperatures just don't jive with my brain/eyes.

There's a huge amount of people who agree with you, myself included. That's why I was leaning towards halogen.

 

[SenorNoob]

My daylighters are bright and can see a mile out. Not legal for road use. Especially not where I have them.

That doesn't mean I haven't turned them on with the high beams on occasion. I had a set of "baja" lights on the front at one time. Those worked well on the road. I'm not entirely sure if they were legal here or not...

Notice the KCs look below roof height? They are. 1/3 of the light goes into the cab. Yet another of the things I've gotta fix...

 

[gaz]

@Li'l Work Truck
As stated, mine are fog lights and use a standard H3 bulb. The bulbs last forever and are SUPER cheap. They are powered direct from the battery, fuse/relay/manual switch.

I use a separate set of round directional beam lights (same type of power circuit), also H3 bulbs, for extra night driving lights; my hi beams...I forget that I even have them

I would buy them again, no ice on these in the winter!

 

[Lefty]

I could be wrong but the shape of the reflector seems to be the important thing...and it seems that they are all pretty much the same nowadays. So, you have every reason to expect good results.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

They look cool, I am kind of underwelmed with my daylighters

Truck has LED's, with the Daylighters on there are just two little yellow blobs out a long ways out there and what little they do takes a whole lot of juice to do.

LED conversion kits are ridiculously priced.

I would just turn them into foglights if I could easily but last I checked they don't sell kits to do that.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

Okay, so consensus:

• Not road legal
• Not efficient
• Doesn't add to nighttime visibility up close/too much beam
• Mounting location may be too low

Crap, ok...

 

[sgtsandman]

For the period look and brand reputation, they are a good choice.

As far as legality on the road, other than fog lights and driving lights, that mount down low, halogen or otherwise, none of them are road legal. Part of it is the light pattern, part of it is the wattage (brightness). And part of it is where they are mounted.

There are benefits to halogen lights, them not icing over, the type of light they produce, and where they are in the color spectrum are all pluses. The power requirements are a huge negative. Some engines in the Rangers have aftermarket alternators you can get that offer more power output without special modifications. The 4.0 SOHC is not one of them, but I seem to remember that most of the other engines have options.

LEDs do offer more variety and require significanly less power to use. Not everyone can handle the light pulses and color spectrum they produce.

So, it's kind of a "pick your poison" type thing.

Check with you local laws on auxiliary lights also. Other than fog or driving lights, you may be required to cover them when you are not driving off road.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

For the period look and brand reputation, they are a good choice.

As far as legality on the road, other than fog lights and driving lights, that mount down low, halogen or otherwise, none of them are road legal. Part of it is the light pattern, part of it is the wattage (brightness). And part of it is where they are mounted.

There are benefits to halogen lights, them not icing over, the type of light they produce, and where they are in the color spectrum are all pluses. The power requirements are a huge negative. Some engines in the Rangers have aftermarket alternators you can get that offer more power output without special modifications. The 4.0 SOHC is not one of them, but I seem to remember that most of the other engines have options.

LEDs do offer more variety and require significanly less power to use. Not everyone can handle the light pulses and color spectrum they produce.

So, it's kind of a "pick your poison" type thing.

Check with you local laws on auxiliary lights also. Other than fog or driving lights, you may be required to cover them when you are not driving off road.

As far as legality... at least the daylights have awesome covers.

 

[sgtsandman]

As far as legality... at least the daylights have awesome covers.

View attachment 146185

I always did like the KC light covers. I had a set on the lights I had on my CR-V. They took weather well and stayed where they were supposed to when on.