Simple hoop with triple HID's for less than $400
02-20-2009, 06:59 PM
#1
JK Super Freak
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Simple hoop with triple HID's for less than $400
So I figured I'd share a project I completed recently... a while back I built a kind of minimalist winch bumper out of channel, and since I never really cared for the factory fogs, I got rid of them. I wanted more light for night runs, but I wanted to keep to the minimalist look. Over the summer I saw a Defender that had three lights across the front and I really liked the look and utility of it (one down the middle, two angled out slightly) so I started in with Photoshop to see what I could come up with...
Parts list:
Real Wheels prerunner light bar: $140 at Quadratec.
3x 7" HID off-road lights: $225 from Kragen (on sale for $99 ea., 25% off coupon from the post office "change of address" packet, search for "HID" on their site)
30A relay: $5 at Fry's
Black "textured finish" Rustoleum spray paint: $5 at Lowes
Misc hookup wire and terminals: ~$15
I had never heard of "Real Wheels" before, but the hoop was just what I was looking for. Saved me from having to fab it up from scratch. I had to flip the mounting brackets from side to side to move it forward a bit so the lights would clear my winch remote plugin and clutch handle:
The bar came with two smallish light tabs that were placed just slightly too close together to clear the middle light. I ground off the existing tabs and welded on three new, wider ones. I touched it up with the textured Rustoleum. The finish matches almost perfectly -- this is probably a good match for any slightly textured black powder coat:
I drilled the hoop for the wires, and slightly tapered the black plastic collar on each light so it would fit cleanly in the holes. I drilled and pulled the wiring out through a rubber grommet near the base of the light bar:
The finished product:
I am super happy with the lights -- they are advertised as (and appear to be) true HID's, though it's unclear to me how they can be out there for 1/4 to 1/8 the price of most HID's. I can't vouch for their longevity (yet), but their output is more than adequate.
Anyway, just thought this might help some folks with ideas.... it appears full and bright HID's can be had without taking out a second mortgage...
UPDATE: Since these lights are pretty heavy (due to the built-in starter and ballast?) they were bouncing in a very annoying way when running somewhat rough stuff at higher speeds. It was a very small bounce, more of a vibration really. My guess is that this would be a problem with these lights and any non-reinforced light tabs that are welded straight out as in the pics above.
Well after one of the longer days of running washboardy roads in Death Valley a couple weeks ago, I got out to find that one of the tabs had snapped clean off! Luckily the light was still just resting on the bumper below it. My guess is that the vibration reached just the right frequency, because you could see it just ripped the weld bead straight out of the hoop. Since I needed to pull the whole thing apart to re-attach the bracket anyway, I also added some gussets to the tabs to reduce vibration and ensure that this won't happen again. I haven't had them on the trail yet, but I can already say that vibration is dramatically reduced to being almost non-existent with these new brackets.
Also a small update for those not wanting to read the entire thread below: the new JP Magazine (May 2009) has a writeup of running these lights on a JK. Bottom line is that they are super impressed, have seen some yellowing of the protective covers over time, but would definitely buy them again.
Updated pics of the gussets below:
UPDATE (again): Since I hated the look of the clip-on stone shields, and they are supposed to yellow after a while anyway, I replaced them with some 7" wire mesh stone guards that are intended for a classic Mini Cooper:
Since the ring was exactly the same diameter as the bolt circle holding the red rings on the lights, I cut each one in two places on the side to let the mounting screws pass through. I got some "finishing washers" from Home Depot and notched them out to fit over the rings and serve as clamps, and attached them with some slightly longer (3/4") hardware. The existing red rings are "attached" with what are basically torx drive wood screws (!?) -- but actually the rings are glued in place as well, so my original plan of popping them off to black them out was thwarted. I may still do it, but there will be lots of masking involved.
Here's the result... light hoop v3.0:
UPDATE (yet again): I blacked out the red rings which I think improves the look dramatically. I also finally took some trail shots of the light output. The pics do not do them justice, and I like the wide pattern I set up (the foreground bushes do not actually look that bright in person).
The setup from the outside:
Stock low beams (only):
HID's (only):
HID's + Stock low beams:
HID's, Stock low beams, and 4x 100W IPF 968's on my Gobi light bar:
Parts list:
Real Wheels prerunner light bar: $140 at Quadratec.
3x 7" HID off-road lights: $225 from Kragen (on sale for $99 ea., 25% off coupon from the post office "change of address" packet, search for "HID" on their site)
30A relay: $5 at Fry's
Black "textured finish" Rustoleum spray paint: $5 at Lowes
Misc hookup wire and terminals: ~$15
I had never heard of "Real Wheels" before, but the hoop was just what I was looking for. Saved me from having to fab it up from scratch. I had to flip the mounting brackets from side to side to move it forward a bit so the lights would clear my winch remote plugin and clutch handle:
The bar came with two smallish light tabs that were placed just slightly too close together to clear the middle light. I ground off the existing tabs and welded on three new, wider ones. I touched it up with the textured Rustoleum. The finish matches almost perfectly -- this is probably a good match for any slightly textured black powder coat:
I drilled the hoop for the wires, and slightly tapered the black plastic collar on each light so it would fit cleanly in the holes. I drilled and pulled the wiring out through a rubber grommet near the base of the light bar:
The finished product:
I am super happy with the lights -- they are advertised as (and appear to be) true HID's, though it's unclear to me how they can be out there for 1/4 to 1/8 the price of most HID's. I can't vouch for their longevity (yet), but their output is more than adequate.
Anyway, just thought this might help some folks with ideas.... it appears full and bright HID's can be had without taking out a second mortgage...
UPDATE: Since these lights are pretty heavy (due to the built-in starter and ballast?) they were bouncing in a very annoying way when running somewhat rough stuff at higher speeds. It was a very small bounce, more of a vibration really. My guess is that this would be a problem with these lights and any non-reinforced light tabs that are welded straight out as in the pics above.
Well after one of the longer days of running washboardy roads in Death Valley a couple weeks ago, I got out to find that one of the tabs had snapped clean off! Luckily the light was still just resting on the bumper below it. My guess is that the vibration reached just the right frequency, because you could see it just ripped the weld bead straight out of the hoop. Since I needed to pull the whole thing apart to re-attach the bracket anyway, I also added some gussets to the tabs to reduce vibration and ensure that this won't happen again. I haven't had them on the trail yet, but I can already say that vibration is dramatically reduced to being almost non-existent with these new brackets.
Also a small update for those not wanting to read the entire thread below: the new JP Magazine (May 2009) has a writeup of running these lights on a JK. Bottom line is that they are super impressed, have seen some yellowing of the protective covers over time, but would definitely buy them again.
Updated pics of the gussets below:
UPDATE (again): Since I hated the look of the clip-on stone shields, and they are supposed to yellow after a while anyway, I replaced them with some 7" wire mesh stone guards that are intended for a classic Mini Cooper:
Since the ring was exactly the same diameter as the bolt circle holding the red rings on the lights, I cut each one in two places on the side to let the mounting screws pass through. I got some "finishing washers" from Home Depot and notched them out to fit over the rings and serve as clamps, and attached them with some slightly longer (3/4") hardware. The existing red rings are "attached" with what are basically torx drive wood screws (!?) -- but actually the rings are glued in place as well, so my original plan of popping them off to black them out was thwarted. I may still do it, but there will be lots of masking involved.
Here's the result... light hoop v3.0:
UPDATE (yet again): I blacked out the red rings which I think improves the look dramatically. I also finally took some trail shots of the light output. The pics do not do them justice, and I like the wide pattern I set up (the foreground bushes do not actually look that bright in person).
The setup from the outside:
Stock low beams (only):
HID's (only):
HID's + Stock low beams:
HID's, Stock low beams, and 4x 100W IPF 968's on my Gobi light bar:
Last edited by mmccurdy; 06-03-2009 at 09:38 PM.
02-20-2009, 08:05 PM
#5
JK Super Freak
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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Okay I just went to snap some, but the in-cab ones turned out crappy since I'm sitting in my driveway. I'll add some from the trail when I get out next.
In the meantime, this shot is a good comparison between head-on HID and stock headlamps -- keep in mind the outer two HIDs are actually pointed somewhat away from the camera, which is why they appear dimmer:
In the meantime, this shot is a good comparison between head-on HID and stock headlamps -- keep in mind the outer two HIDs are actually pointed somewhat away from the camera, which is why they appear dimmer:
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02-22-2009, 11:13 AM
#10
Have you compared these lights to any others? I know not many guys run the HID aux lights like these just because of the costs... But have you compared to any of the traditional halogen 100w and/or 130w in similar sizes?