New HID's installed on my TJ

[yyc_tbird_sc]

I hate to tell you this, but if you get a cop on a bad day, then you're going to get your jeep impounded. The HID lights did not come as stock, are not designed to be in those housings, and thus....are not DOT or Transport Canada certified. I know that I may get flak for saying this, but there is a reason for this. You mentioned that your lights lit up the back seat of a corolla....imagine just how blinded the driver was of that car.  (I am aware that there are alot of things done to vehicles that make them technically illegal).

Don't get me wrong, if you're going to the trouble of putting in HID's, then get the proper lenses for them as well. If the lenses don't exist for a particular vehicle, then don't bother. All an HID conversion in a normal reflector is going to do is squirt off everyone else on the road. When you had your Lincoln....those housings were designed to have the HID bulbs in them, your jeep doesn't. The way the lenses/reflectors are designed is to keep the light on the road, and not up in the faces of on-coming drivers.

If anyone from National, Modern, or any other place that sells parts reads this, I hope they get the hint and stop selling these kind of products. Anything is legal to sell, if you look at the box, it will say "for off-road or show use only". This means it's not meant to be used on the road. However they will never say this when they sell them, cause then they wouldn't make money from the sale. I mean no offense, this is the nature of the business, but I wish that morals would dictate things once in a while.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but it's a bit of a peeve for me. I like being able to see where I'm going. Please don't take what I've said here as giving anyone trouble, just venting a bit.

[4PLAYZJ]

I hate to tell you this, but if you get a cop on a bad day, then you're going to get your jeep impounded. The HID lights did not come as stock, are not designed to be in those housings, and thus....are not DOT or Transport Canada certified. I know that I may get flak for saying this, but there is a reason for this. You mentioned that your lights lit up the back seat of a corolla....imagine just how blinded the driver was of that car.  (I am aware that there are alot of things done to vehicles that make them technically illegal).

Don't get me wrong, if you're going to the trouble of putting in HID's, then get the proper lenses for them as well. If the lenses don't exist for a particular vehicle, then don't bother. All an HID conversion in a normal reflector is going to do is squirt off everyone else on the road. When you had your Lincoln....those housings were designed to have the HID bulbs in them, your jeep doesn't. The way the lenses/reflectors are designed is to keep the light on the road, and not up in the faces of on-coming drivers.

If anyone from National, Modern, or any other place that sells parts reads this, I hope they get the hint and stop selling these kind of products. Anything is legal to sell, if you look at the box, it will say "for off-road or show use only". This means it's not meant to be used on the road. However they will never say this when they sell them, cause then they wouldn't make money from the sale. I mean no offense, this is the nature of the business, but I wish that morals would dictate things once in a while.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but it's a bit of a peeve for me. I like being able to see where I'm going. Please don't take what I've said here as giving anyone trouble, just venting a bit.

Don't lift your jeep then because if you follow the letter of the law no lift kits are DOT approved.

Hypocrites, just a pet peeve of mine.

[parabs]

At the end of the day, to each their own.  I didnt think this thread would create a negative reaction.  I wrote this because it is may be a good thread for others who want more light output to follow.  I had the silverstars in my jeep and they were terrible compared to other vehicles I had.  I drive at night on the lonely secondary roads a lot, and I need to see.  This mod increases that ability.

If a cop pulls me over and hes in a bad mood,  I will likely get a ticket for something.

If National didnt sell me the housings, I would have go them from quadratec, or someone else...if there is a will, there is a way as they say...however I did buy the housing based on the fact I thought they were for HID's.  I had thought I read that somewhere, but that doesnt mean much unless I can find the article.

Last night in my travels I didnt get flashed once, and I think they are aimed a bit better now.  Heck, I didnt even get the finger.  

I understand your vent yyc, no one likes to get blinded by oncoming traffic.

[parabs]

Don't lift your jeep then because if you follow the letter of the law no lift kits are DOT approved.

Hypocrites, just a pet peeve of mine.

I have actually heard of people importing lifted vehicles from the states, and they are not allowed in until the vehicle has been returned to stock specs...what you say is true, no lift kit (that I know of) is DOT/Transport Canada approved.

[yyc_tbird_sc]

I meant no offense, and I do own a lifted 4x4 (ford ranger....). I am aware that there are many vehicle laws that are broken without even thinking about them, and I have probably done this without even thinking about it.

What I meant was, I wish that retailers would sell good quality and certified parts to buyers. However, we (as buyers) want stuff cheaper, so they will sell us what we want. Cheaper (cost) items often mean they're not to the same standard, ie....DOT certified or have lesser quality components.

I missed that you bought new housings....are these housings designed for the HID bulbs, or just new replacement housings?

[parabs]

hey yyc, no offense taken, nor should any be taken the way you ended your first post in this thread.

The OEM housings are sealed, so you have to buy aftermarket if you want anything other than OEM/Silverstars.

I thought I read that these IPF housing I purchased were for HID's, however I cant find that link (or any link) to say they are for HID's.  All H4 bulbs fit into these housings.

DubbleJ suggested that housing to be used for HID's should have a cutoff line.  I dont know what that means exactly, but mine do have a cutoff line, similar to the jeep in the picture.

Thats all I know..

[yyc_tbird_sc]

Ahh..okay, thought you were referring to the IPF and Hella offroad aux lights. The cutoff line will be something designed into the reflector to cut off the light from going above a certain point....basically stopping the HID bulbs from throwing light everywhere and blinding other drivers. If you got housings designed for HID bulbs, then it's all good.

In my original post, I assumed you just got the HID conversion to replace the factory bulb. These kits are pretty cheap, and are mostly what I've seen around. Some of them don't even have a high beam function. I also didn't realize that the jeeps came with a sealed beam bulb still. The new housings always look good when you get them in compared to the original huh?

[bae146]

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html 

[parabs]

...The new housings always look good when you get them in compared to the original huh?

Absolutely.  I have noticed, particularly with new GM products that their OEM halogens are extremely bright.  I often mistake them for high beams, however once the lens gets pitted up with rocks, combined with the degradation inherent with Halogen bulbs over time, they dim significantly.  

I think the fact I put in new housing could be a large contributing factor in the increase in lighting.  The beam pattern of these IPF's is also far superior over the silverstars that were in the jeep.

That link by Bae146 is interesting.  The only IPF part is the housing.  The entirety of the guts came with that cheap HID kit, including the reflector.  I wouldnt doubt it is a rip off of a quality product made somewhere overseas where patent laws dont matter/dont exist.