DIY 1985 Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Anyone have experience replacing the stock headlights in your 720 for LEDs? I'd prefer to significantly increase the stock range of lumens, achieve an even distribution of headlight beam, and not go too blue or green in hue. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Good ones are too expensive. Cheap ones just throw light everywhere. The stock bulbs have a single source of light from a tiny filament that is properly reflected and aimed with some sort of cut off to not blind oncoming traffic. Bad LEDs, which is most of them, just pour light out front. The only true way to overcome this is with good LEDs in a projector style housing. I think there are 5 3/4" projector LEDs for motorcycles. 2 Quote Link to comment
G-Duax Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Patten depends on what the quality of the 2 components used. I've had both the cheap eBay H4 conversion lenses, and now the Hella lenses in my 620. The Hellas were twice the price as the cheap crap, but work so much better, and don't chip like the cheap ones. The cheap ones, even with conventional bulbs, threw less than ideal patterns. My Hella lenses throw a very strait, intense beam when on high. That leaves the H4 bulbs you put into them. Cheap ones are very failure prone, and may throw weird beams (don't have personal experience, due to avoiding chineezy electrical components at all costs). Yes, good quality LED bulbs cost a lot, but when driving 75 miles a day, mostly at night, are worth every bit of it. I think My PIAA bulbs were over $100 each (they are not the PIAA bulbs coming out of china, which are about $ a pair). But they work so good, that I only put in one pair, as I can damn near burn up people's plastic rear bumpers, and have not needed to put the second pair in. Moral of the story, you will get what you pay for. 2 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted February 9, 2019 Report Share Posted February 9, 2019 4 hours ago, G-Duax said: Patten depends on what the quality of the 2 components used. I've had both the cheap eBay H4 conversion lenses, and now the Hella lenses in my 620. The Hellas were twice the price as the cheap crap, but work so much better, and don't chip like the cheap ones. The cheap ones, even with conventional bulbs, threw less than ideal patterns. My Hella lenses throw a very strait, intense beam when on high. That leaves the H4 bulbs you put into them. Cheap ones are very failure prone, and may throw weird beams (don't have personal experience, due to avoiding chineezy electrical components at all costs). Yes, good quality LED bulbs cost a lot, but when driving 75 miles a day, mostly at night, are worth every bit of it. I think My PIAA bulbs were over $100 each (they are not the PIAA bulbs coming out of china, which are about $ a pair). But they work so good, that I only put in one pair, as I can damn near burn up people's plastic rear bumpers, and have not needed to put the second pair in. Moral of the story, you will get what you pay for. I have Hella H4s on my 66 520. Please, I would appreciate a link to the PIAA bulbs that you are referring to. 1 Quote Link to comment
MaxChlan Posted February 10, 2019 Report Share Posted February 10, 2019 On 2/8/2019 at 7:02 PM, Charlie69 said: I have Hella H4s on my 66 520. Please, I would appreciate a link to the PIAA bulbs that you are referring to. Seconded. Seems like a lot of talk about what good lenses and bulbs are, but no links to good products. I'm in the market to upgrade to LED/HID, but there are just too many options and a lot of junk out there. 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 I wasn't about to spend over $700 (for four) on something not provable to me was any good for what I wanted. The H4 housings had a shitty beam pattern and fuzzy cut off and making them brighter just blinds on coming traffic. I watched a lot of you tubes for sealed beam to LED conversions and some even said there was no difference and no improvement. They were all crappy beam pattern except the projector ones. I now have projector lenses on all four and cheap ass Amazon 55 watt xenon HID bulbs. The low beams are fitted with a 'fence' that when flipped by the projector lens produces a razor sharp cut off shadow unlike anything a sealed beam does. The cut off is crucial for not blinding oncoming traffic. The two high beams have no cut off for maximum light. High beams take 4-6 seconds to reach full brilliance but the light is ungodly arc welding bright. Four ballasts and H 11 bulbs would be about $140 CDN and I bought an extra set of bulbs as one has failed (maybe) and I have a spare now. I run them in the daytime for safety and at $23 for 2 bulbs is fuck all. When I drive to Canby I do a lot of night traveling before and after the event and I want to SEE and in the daytime, be seen. All cars now have daytime lights and I'm seriously worried that someone will glance towards me, and not seeing any headlights, will simply pull out in front of me. 2 Quote Link to comment
bottomwatcher Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 My brother in law gave me a set of LEDs for my 68 beetle. $500+ he works for truck light in Pennsylvania so American made. Friggin awesome! Also led tractor bulbs for spreader lights on my sailboat same deal. But they don't make bulbs to fit the 720. I would love to find affordable LEDs that are worth a poop. But the Chinese crap on Ebay has me nervous. In 30 years of ownership I think I have only replaced one or two headlights. But they could definitely be improved. 1 Quote Link to comment
G-Duax Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 Sorry for the delay, took a while to find the old box...... PIAA LEH100 2 Quote Link to comment
bottomwatcher Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 ok so the link says out of stock. Anyways spoon feed me on this. I deal with boat LEDs on daily basis but not familiar with the headlight assembly projector housing whatever is needed to make this bolt in place of the original halogens. Really the brights are not needed since I can rarely use them anyways. The leds on the bug are awesome but the newest vehicle I have is a 2002 chevy Duramax so I am way behind the times on modern headlights. That old beetle has the best headlights in the fleet. 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 On 2/11/2019 at 3:04 PM, G-Duax said: Sorry for the delay, took a while to find the old box...... PIAA LEH100 Thank you. Amazon lists them but I could not find a price or a way to order them. They show on ebay but it is questionable as to what you will receive from ebay. 1 Quote Link to comment
C10 Posted February 15, 2019 Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 I'm looking to replace my lights as well @datzenmike what lenses and housings did you end up using? Would something like this work? https://www.carid.com/1985-nissan-pick-up-headlights/lumen-4x6-rectangular-halo-led-headlights-391098922.html then buying cheap bulbs? 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 15, 2019 Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 I'm so afraid that you will be sold something that promises a lot but you end up with something barely equal to what you have. Expect to spend hundreds of dollars for good lighting. It's hard to find a projector in such a small lamp. Those are just reflector lamps in that the light from the bulb travels back and is reflected off the parabolic back of the lamp. I have 5 3/4" round. Try to find a projector type with the lens. 2 Quote Link to comment
bottomwatcher Posted February 15, 2019 Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 Trucklight doesn't show the 4x6 and the brother in law said it was not a priority. Soo I don't think a drop in good replacement exists. This kind of sucks but this is being in the realm of old but not valuable vehicles. If someone wants to buy the ebay and report pack after 1 year of ownership otherwise buy the standard halogen. 1 Quote Link to comment
G-Duax Posted February 15, 2019 Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 Seen several MkIII Supra guys remove their rectangle head lamps, and fab a box to hold a pair of small round high intensity spot lamps off some modern car. It was somewhere on SupraForums.com a year or two ago. Was a lot of work to come up with some way to adjust them. But would look cool on a 720 having 8 front bulbs. 2 Quote Link to comment
waddlin Posted April 25, 2019 Report Share Posted April 25, 2019 I put these low beams in my truck and love them. They are pricey but you get what you pay for. They have a great cut off and put out a lot of light. I plan on getting the high beams soon. https://headlightrevolution.com/united-pacific-31396-4x6-led-low-beam-reflector-style-headlight/ 2 Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted April 26, 2019 Report Share Posted April 26, 2019 From the retro fit source, which has a good rep. https://www.theretrofitsource.com/universal-4x6-bi-xenon-headlight.html These can be used with led or hid bulb setups. 1 Quote Link to comment
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