Night driving.

GordoSD · Feb 8, 2014

My 73 year old eyes , one with MD don't see so well at night. What kind of new lights, or bulbs can I put in my existing light assemblies to turn up the wick a little? Can you use a high beam bulb in the low beam light and adjust it down a tad more?
Farm vehicle 99 Tahoe.

Wheat Farmer · Feb 8, 2014

I have the lower Fog lights NOT Colored ones) that really help. A friend once took and put on others lights that shined more to the side. I hate meeting cars with those Eur. lights Thought I heard about glasses that help?????

spacecadet9 · Feb 8, 2014

There are conversion kits for HID (high-intensity discharge) lamps. They are available in different color temperatures from amber through purple, 6,000k is about neutral or white. My only experience is meeting cars with bright bluish headlights (8-10,000k).

jeffcat · Feb 8, 2014

I think you will find that the replacements fit but are not high/low. You have very bright lows and that is it. Real vehicles had a high bulb by itself that I have seen. Wanted to do my Explorer till I found this out.
I hit a deer last fall and did all of the work myself with junk yard parts. Both light buckets were busted up and I found a da--m n near new set of light assemblies on a much newer Explorer. WOW!!! what a big change in out put. If you install brand new assemblies it may just fill your needs. Take a look around the junk yard and look for nice bright and clear set of headlites. Could save you a lot of bucks. Jeffcat

IlliniJohn · Feb 8, 2014

Most Halogen headlights grow dimmer as they get older - -thus, if you haven"t replaced them lately, just same replacement lights will be a lot brighter. For more info, just google headlights dim with age.

Most Auto Parts stores have quite a selection of replacement lights with varying intensities, including High Intensity Discharge.

Lastly, how are the lenses on yopur Tahoe, still bright and clear, or cloudy and yellowed with age?

ss55 · Feb 8, 2014

Are your polycarbonate headlight lenses clouded and yellowed from exposure to sunlight? If yes, the clouded layer can be polished off. It helps.

Auto parts stores sell rubbing compound to polish headlight lenses by hand or with a powered buffer. Tooth paste also works but it is less agressive.

Don't use too agressive a polish or deep scratches in the lenses will deflect the light towards on-coming drivers. Just like sanding woodworking projects, any deep scratches have to be polished out with decreasingly agressive compounds until its smooth.

You can get high powered bulbs for off-road snowmobiles and motorcycles, 80 watt high beams instead of the standard 55 watts. They may not be legal in your state. I'd try new standard bulbs and polishing out any lens clouding first.

bobs old iron · Feb 8, 2014

these new type of bulbs are getting better to see at night, going to put some in my van one day,, only bad thing when people put them in they don"t have them adjusted, thus, blinding oncoming traffic...

tomNE · Feb 8, 2014

the yellow glasses help me!

MarkB_MI · Feb 9, 2014

There are high output bulbs available in the more popular sizes that put out more lumens for the same amount of power as the stock bulbs. The downsize is they have shorter life than stock. Sylvania Silverstar and Silverstar Ultra are available in most auto parts stores.

GordoSD · Feb 9, 2014

Lenses are nice and clear. I read up on the new bulbs available. Looks like $50 will fix me up with the H.O. Sylvania bulbs

JRSutton · Feb 9, 2014

I'd agree with polishing the lenses to let more light through - lenses on a 99 would probably benefit.

Any automotive store should now carry several choices of brighter bulbs.

It's basically a matter of how much you want to spend on them. The real bright ones are pretty high up there in price.

Not sure on a 99 - I think you'd be ok - but some older vehicles don't have adequate wiring for those new high power bulbs.

You need to buy a relay system - but, I'm thinking by 99 your lights are already on a relay type system, and you should be fine.

It offers less overheating of the wiring, and better light brightness.

Maybe somebody else here can chime in on that one if they know for sure. But again - I'm pretty sure you're ok by 99.

wilson ind · Feb 9, 2014

Hope I don't meet you on road I want to see with spotlights in my eyes.

T in NE · Feb 9, 2014

You'll find that even newer vehicles with lights on relays, have pretty light wiring to the lights.

Silverstars on relays with 12 gauge wiring really light things up, but they last about half as long as a regular light.

You could try aircraft landing lights under your bumper.

Night driving.

GordoSD

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Wheat Farmer

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spacecadet9

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jeffcat

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IlliniJohn

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ss55

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bobs old iron

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tomNE

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MarkB_MI

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GordoSD

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JRSutton

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wilson ind

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T in NE

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