How to double the power of your headlights without spending a penny!

crazypete · 09-02-2003, 11:45 AM

I'm so proud of myself for this one!

Originally, I had used my foglights to do the bear's share of the illumination as those crappy clouded over headlights were near useless. Well, after driving over some of those metal plates in the road over in malden, the lenses ripped off the fogs and I needed a different lighting solution....

check this out!

As far as I can tell, a headdlight works like this: The bulb does not actually shine out through the lens but rather projects it's light backwards onto a reflective dish, which then casts a lesser light back through the lens. So here's what you do! Pull your headlight bulb out and (wearing latex gloves and goggles and being careful in general) scrape and sand with 200 grit sandpaper the top of the bulb. Basically take that rubber cap off the top. I found a single edged razor works well too. Now the light goes straight out and still goes back torwards the dish. Replace em and go for a drive. Impressive, huh? What a difference a little sanding makes. You think that's cool then hit your high beams! Man, I light up like a 1/4 mile's worth of 128 at a time.

If the state inspectors give you crap about it, it's a $20 fix to get some standard bulbs.

Have fun everyone!

95mustanggt · 09-02-2003, 04:30 PM

Typically, the light is refoced backwards into the light fixture so that the light can be focused forward. I don't see how removing the rubber cap would increase light projection, it should actually decrease it.

Jrock26584 · 09-02-2003, 04:38 PM

i think he is saying to sand off the silver tip on the end of the bulb or that is atleast how i read it

twilightcall · 09-02-2003, 07:08 PM

Great tip and idea. Thanks for sharing it. I am going to give it a try. I was out not too long ago and could barely see anything at night. I turned on my brights and I didn't get flahsed once as most people though that they were still on low. Compared to the new HIDs and Xenons. Man these will blind you if a SUV is behind you.

Hethj7 · 09-02-2003, 11:24 PM

If your all's problem is that your lenses are clouded over, you might want to try cleaning them up. Many mags have shown how to do this and I am sure you could find the details of it by searching this site.

crazypete · 09-03-2003, 12:18 AM

Sure! Go to the local auto parts store and get some 5000 grit sanding gel. It will come with a little buffer disc that you attach to a drill. Polishes them real nice. You might have to slice those little protrusions off the headlamp though, so you have an uninterrupted surface to work on. Alas, my lamps have...um... wrinkles (?) on the inside from when I got the car, so the polishing only helped a little.

Yeah guys, it is taking the "cap" off the bulb. Dont mess the dish up, that would be no good. This way the dish refocuses the light as before AND some of it shoots through the front.

mpj76 · 09-03-2003, 08:34 AM

Makes sense. I had a similar situation with some aftermarket projection style fog lights. They put a metal strip in front of the 50W halogen bulb. I took the strip off and it made them about 2.5 times as bright. Then I replaced the wiring with a heavier gauge and replaced the 50W bulbs with 100's. I just used them to supplement my high beams. They looked like airplane landing lights - awesome.

crazypete · 09-03-2003, 09:44 AM

oh yeah, as our esteemed colleague mentioned, if you are still lucky enough to have your fogs attached and in good working order, pull the cup out, remove the bulb, and break off that metal protrusion inside to get the bulbs to blast like the headlights do. For a trip, mount these now super fogs sideways and they will make 2 bright up and down lines at 2 and 10 oclock, combined with the headlights, it forms a box of sorts. Really neat. Makes pedestrians shield their eyes!

I wouldnt mess with bulb wattage on the stock wiring and switch. I've worked on 3 mustangs and ALL of them had melted/singed/burned headlight and fog switch harness points

GhettoPop · 09-03-2003, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by crazypete
pull the cup out, remove the bulb, and break off that metal protrusion inside to get the bulbs to blast like the headlights do.

metal protrusion? whats that?

i noticed that the connector (dont know the name)that plugs into the headlight bulb on my car took some damage from higher wattage bulbs which are gone now. where can i buy these from brand new? not a junkyard

crazypete · 09-04-2003, 11:53 AM

The foglight dishes have a metal strip with a cup on the end of them right around where the bulb goes in the back and this prevents the light from shining directly through the lens.

I've actually seen the 900* connectors on sale at napa on those spinning racks that have the "help!" brand stuff like random knobs and fasteners. As long as they still work, though, dont bother replacing them. If the wires are damaged, bandage them with electrical tape and you should be fine

09-02-2003, 11:45 AM	#1
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	How to double the power of your headlights without spending a penny! I'm so proud of myself for this one! Originally, I had used my foglights to do the bear's share of the illumination as those crappy clouded over headlights were near useless. Well, after driving over some of those metal plates in the road over in malden, the lenses ripped off the fogs and I needed a different lighting solution.... check this out! As far as I can tell, a headdlight works like this: The bulb does not actually shine out through the lens but rather projects it's light backwards onto a reflective dish, which then casts a lesser light back through the lens. So here's what you do! Pull your headlight bulb out and (wearing latex gloves and goggles and being careful in general) scrape and sand with 200 grit sandpaper the top of the bulb. Basically take that rubber cap off the top. I found a single edged razor works well too. Now the light goes straight out and still goes back torwards the dish. Replace em and go for a drive. Impressive, huh? What a difference a little sanding makes. You think that's cool then hit your high beams! Man, I light up like a 1/4 mile's worth of 128 at a time. If the state inspectors give you crap about it, it's a $20 fix to get some standard bulbs. Have fun everyone! __________________ 91 GT Carb conversion, holley 600 double pumper, edelbrock performer intake, FMS "C" drop springs, march 1000 underdrive pullies, crane 1.7 roller rockers, GT-40P headers, bassani x pipe, american thunder catback, FMS 4.56's, msd aL6, trunkmount battery, A/C eliminator kit, 3000 stall tci streetfighter, AOD with transgo kit, A+ servo, 300M hardened lockup shaft, kevlar bands and 28,000 gvw trans cooler, 3 core radiator, 300 lbs stripped with a full interior

09-02-2003, 04:30 PM	#2
95mustanggt Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Kamloops, BC Posts: 2,875	Typically, the light is refoced backwards into the light fixture so that the light can be focused forward. I don't see how removing the rubber cap would increase light projection, it should actually decrease it. __________________ 1995 Mustang GT 20016 F150 Lariat Super Crew

09-02-2003, 11:24 PM	#5
Hethj7 Mizzou Tigers Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: weston, MO United States Posts: 1,455	If your all's problem is that your lenses are clouded over, you might want to try cleaning them up. Many mags have shown how to do this and I am sure you could find the details of it by searching this site. __________________ 2006 Mustang GT 1990 LX GT-40 motor 262 horsepower, 307ft-lbs (sold but forever loved) 1998 Contour SVT Rice Haters Club Member #244

09-03-2003, 12:18 AM	#6
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	Sure! Go to the local auto parts store and get some 5000 grit sanding gel. It will come with a little buffer disc that you attach to a drill. Polishes them real nice. You might have to slice those little protrusions off the headlamp though, so you have an uninterrupted surface to work on. Alas, my lamps have...um... wrinkles (?) on the inside from when I got the car, so the polishing only helped a little. Yeah guys, it is taking the "cap" off the bulb. Dont mess the dish up, that would be no good. This way the dish refocuses the light as before AND some of it shoots through the front. __________________ 91 GT Carb conversion, holley 600 double pumper, edelbrock performer intake, FMS "C" drop springs, march 1000 underdrive pullies, crane 1.7 roller rockers, GT-40P headers, bassani x pipe, american thunder catback, FMS 4.56's, msd aL6, trunkmount battery, A/C eliminator kit, 3000 stall tci streetfighter, AOD with transgo kit, A+ servo, 300M hardened lockup shaft, kevlar bands and 28,000 gvw trans cooler, 3 core radiator, 300 lbs stripped with a full interior

09-03-2003, 09:44 AM	#8
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	oh yeah, as our esteemed colleague mentioned, if you are still lucky enough to have your fogs attached and in good working order, pull the cup out, remove the bulb, and break off that metal protrusion inside to get the bulbs to blast like the headlights do. For a trip, mount these now super fogs sideways and they will make 2 bright up and down lines at 2 and 10 oclock, combined with the headlights, it forms a box of sorts. Really neat. Makes pedestrians shield their eyes! I wouldnt mess with bulb wattage on the stock wiring and switch. I've worked on 3 mustangs and ALL of them had melted/singed/burned headlight and fog switch harness points __________________ 91 GT Carb conversion, holley 600 double pumper, edelbrock performer intake, FMS "C" drop springs, march 1000 underdrive pullies, crane 1.7 roller rockers, GT-40P headers, bassani x pipe, american thunder catback, FMS 4.56's, msd aL6, trunkmount battery, A/C eliminator kit, 3000 stall tci streetfighter, AOD with transgo kit, A+ servo, 300M hardened lockup shaft, kevlar bands and 28,000 gvw trans cooler, 3 core radiator, 300 lbs stripped with a full interior

09-02-2003, 04:38 PM	#3
Jrock26584 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 35	i think he is saying to sand off the silver tip on the end of the bulb or that is atleast how i read it

09-02-2003, 07:08 PM	#4
twilightcall Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 86	Great tip and idea. Thanks for sharing it. I am going to give it a try. I was out not too long ago and could barely see anything at night. I turned on my brights and I didn't get flahsed once as most people though that they were still on low. Compared to the new HIDs and Xenons. Man these will blind you if a SUV is behind you.

09-03-2003, 08:34 AM	#7
mpj76 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 158	Makes sense. I had a similar situation with some aftermarket projection style fog lights. They put a metal strip in front of the 50W halogen bulb. I took the strip off and it made them about 2.5 times as bright. Then I replaced the wiring with a heavier gauge and replaced the 50W bulbs with 100's. I just used them to supplement my high beams. They looked like airplane landing lights - awesome.

09-04-2003, 11:53 AM	#10
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	The foglight dishes have a metal strip with a cup on the end of them right around where the bulb goes in the back and this prevents the light from shining directly through the lens. I've actually seen the 900* connectors on sale at napa on those spinning racks that have the "help!" brand stuff like random knobs and fasteners. As long as they still work, though, dont bother replacing them. If the wires are damaged, bandage them with electrical tape and you should be fine __________________ 91 GT Carb conversion, holley 600 double pumper, edelbrock performer intake, FMS "C" drop springs, march 1000 underdrive pullies, crane 1.7 roller rockers, GT-40P headers, bassani x pipe, american thunder catback, FMS 4.56's, msd aL6, trunkmount battery, A/C eliminator kit, 3000 stall tci streetfighter, AOD with transgo kit, A+ servo, 300M hardened lockup shaft, kevlar bands and 28,000 gvw trans cooler, 3 core radiator, 300 lbs stripped with a full interior