Fog Lamp Suggestions

[Archive]

My 2001 has factory fog lamps, but when it comes to serious fog there has to be better options. What are some of the higher quality brands out there, especially when it comes to projection in dense fog or blowing snow? Are the amber/yellow colored ones best? Projection beam? Is there really a difference between Driving and Fog lamps? My idea is to get the smaller projection beam units and cut holes in the airdam with a hole saw--if I decide it won't end up looking tacky or dorky #ad
Another option is flat rectangular ones mounted just under the airdam, but exposes them to more hazards.

TIA for your educated opinions #ad


Vaughn

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"Blue Thunder" & NW BOMBers
'01 2500 QC Shortbed 2wd, Patriot Blue over Driftwood, HO 24v Cummins & 6-speed, 3. 54LSD, Cab & Fog lamps, Camper & Tow Pkg.
BOMBings: RV injectors, PS Boost module, Amsoil air filter, straightpiped exh. , SS fuel lines, debadged body, AutoMeter Sport Comp gauges, Amber turn signals, 55w halogen rev. lights.

 

[Archive]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie:
What are some of the higher quality brands out there, especially when it comes to projection in dense fog or blowing snow?

<font color = blue> Vaughn, over here in England come January, February, we usually get serious fog conditions once or twice each year from past experience. By serious, I mean visibility down to less than 50 feet.

Hella make some HD piercing beams, brilliant white for the front and high-intensity blazing red for the rear as well, just to discourage the tailgaters from decorating your rear end! (On the brightness scale the rears are twice as bright as the rear brake lights). Rear fog lights are actually a European mandatory requirement. I can research the actual specs next time I'm back in England in December and I'll let you know.

Hey, I could bring you over a set next April on my way to BC, if you can wait that long..... <font color = black>

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JMc

2001 Flame Red Sport 3500 QC, 5. 9L 24v Cummins, 4x4 Auto, 3. 54/LSD, 155 inch WB, Agate leather, Camper Special & Trailer Tow Groups , Sliding Rear Window, WAAG sidetubes with dually kickouts, Line-X UTR Bedliner & underseal, Grover Airhorns, Lance 1130 slide-in Camper, 60 gallon Aerotank, RS9000s, Reese Titan class 5 hitch, Roadmaster XX, in planning stages... . Gauges, Mag-Hytec, Exhaust Brake, Psychotty Air, 4" exhaust, Injectors, Rickson 19. 5" wheels, , Bill K. VB & TC.

 

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Perlux used to be the standard by which all other fog lites were measured. Every semi truck and ambulance used to have them.
They make some rectangular ones that are a little easier to find a place for than the big 6" ones. They have little louvers in them to keep the beams from shining up. I think the products are now available in the Grote catalog.

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"Roadrunner"-96 4X4 club cab-12v-auto-3. 54 gears-Amsoil bypass filter - all Amsoil fluids-trans filter-britebox-shelfit-DeeZee boards-Rhino liner-Rancho 5 speed shocks-Hellwig rear antisway & overload springs-Warn 12000 lb. winch-dual redtop optimas-combo gauge and trans. temp gauge in pillar mount-255/85R16 Kelly MSR tires-custom pinstriping- Walker muffler-Cummins mudflaps-Tuff Country control arms-2" coil spacers

 

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I just had a Hummer in the shop and it had factory installed KC HID foglights on it. Those babies could light up the night and make it day. I looked into the price of them, and #ad
they were almost three times the price of an HX40. Guess I'm not gonna order me some of them.

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Chris Timochko
1997 5sp 4X4, HX40, BD 4" Brake, Marine Compression, Custom Tuned Injection Pump, 370B Injection Nozzles, Delivery Valves, Governor & AFC Spring Kit, Psychotty Air, Water Injection, NOS Diesel Kit, 6" Chrome Exhaust System, No Smoke Valet Switch, McLeod Dual Disc Clutch, Mag-Hytec Rear Cover, Cummins Chrome Kit, Optima Red Tops, Hadley Bully Horns, Hurst Line Loc, Goodyear Wrangler AT/S 305/70/16s. Test mule for Auto Wurks Diesel race program

 

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I've got a pair of airplane landing lights ready to go on mine. They were on my old truck and really lit up the night. They are Dietz brand 5500's I think.

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Curtis Harris

"JAWS"(The Great White)
Updated 11/19/00
1997 Club Cab Dualie
correctly valved 5 speed. White, Brown Manf. brushguard and rear bumper,Sprayed in liner, Stock plate and AFC properly adjusted. That's all for now. More to come.

 

[Archive]

Vaughn,

I just went through this process. I wanted something that would fit in the holes (mine didn't come with the factory fog lights). I decided on the CATZ brand, the MSC model, with the gold bulb. They are about 3. 5 inches in diameter and should fit right in.

In your case, since you aren't putting them there, you have more options. I looked at several brands. PIAA is great. Hella is great. I've had KC Daylighters 150 watt, which are great for driving - vaporize anything within a hundred feet! But haven't tried their fogs. I also did the landing lights on my '69 Firebird, behind the grill. Outstanding for getting people to dim their brights. Blind them for 10 minutes!

The main thing to note is, from what I read, that amber is better than white because it is a longer wavelength and results in less scatter back from the fog, snow, dust, etc. (My KC's would blind me because of this - totally usless in serious fog/snow. ) Also, you'll probably find that most fog lights tend to be shorter range than driving lights and have a wider spread to the beam. And they are designed to be mounted low to get under the fog. So they don't add much for clear condition driving. They might help making tight corners off-road at night due to the wider beam though, if you do that sort of thing.

Some of the sites (Hella, CATZ) show examples of the actual lights in use so you can see the beam pattern. I didn't find one for PIAA.

You have lots to choose from. Good luck.

JK

 

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I see a lot of 18 wheelers running amber lights under the front bumper. Anywhere from two up to ?? I suppose the "look" may be the primary reason but some of them seem to light up the road nicely. I was thinking about this approach. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

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Q-horse, I have done that with my truck. I got a hold of truck-lite 1. 5 X 3. 75 inch lights and put 33 of them around the perimeter of the truck. I have the black plastic air dam on the front and I just screwed them right in there. They're self-grounding (I had to run a ground wire to the ones I put up front), and all 33 only draw 11 amps. On the sides, I screwed them directly in to the sheetmetal edge at the bottom of the rocker panel. They light up an aura around the truck just like a big rig. The truckers call them "Christmas Lights" #ad


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Chris Timochko
1997 5sp 4X4, HX40, BD 4" Brake, Marine Compression, Custom Tuned Injection Pump, 370B Injection Nozzles, Delivery Valves, Governor & AFC Spring Kit, Psychotty Air, Water Injection, NOS Diesel Kit, 6" Chrome Exhaust System, No Smoke Valet Switch, McLeod Dual Disc Clutch, Mag-Hytec Rear Cover, Cummins Chrome Kit, Optima Red Tops, Hadley Bully Horns, Hurst Line Loc, Goodyear Wrangler AT/S 305/70/16s. Test mule for Auto Wurks Diesel race program

 

[Archive]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie:
My 2001 has factory fog lamps, but when it comes to serious fog there has to be better options. What are some of the higher quality brands out there, especially when it comes to projection in dense fog or blowing snow? Are the amber/yellow colored ones best? Projection beam? Is there really a difference between Driving and Fog lamps? My idea is to get the smaller projection beam units and cut holes in the airdam with a hole saw--if I decide it won't end up looking tacky or dorky #ad
Another option is flat rectangular ones mounted just under the airdam, but exposes them to more hazards.

TIA for your educated opinions #ad


Vaughn

I just installed a set of driving lights on my truck. This was because both headlights got moisture in them and the reflective chrome was no longer there. Does anyone have a guess as to why the reflective chrome would be taken away by moisture?? I installed my lights in the bolt holes that hold the air dam on. Easy installation,drilled 1/4" hole air dam in back of the light for the wires to go through. I connected the power source wire to the solenoid that operates the cab clearance lights,that way they can be turned on with the parking lights or the headlights.
I had to purchase two new headlights,called dealer for price=$108. 00@. Mopar4less sells them for$90. 00. Called dealer back and he agreed to sell them for$90. 00@.
Driving lights came with 55watt bulbs. Walmart sells 100 watt bulbs for $4. 96 so I'll be changing them shortly. JC Whitney also sells 130 watt bulbs.
My 2 cents worth.

 

[Archive]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie:
My 2001 has factory fog lamps, but when it comes to serious fog there has to be better options. What are some of the higher quality brands out there, especially when it comes to projection in dense fog or blowing snow? Are the amber/yellow colored ones best? Projection beam? Is there really a difference between Driving and Fog lamps? My idea is to get the smaller projection beam units and cut holes in the airdam with a hole saw--if I decide it won't end up looking tacky or dorky #ad
Another option is flat rectangular ones mounted just under the airdam, but exposes them to more hazards.

TIA for your educated opinions #ad


Vaughn

I just installed a set of driving lights on my truck. This was because both headlights got moisture in them and the reflective chrome was no longer there. Does anyone have a guess as to why the reflective chrome would be taken away by moisture?? I installed my lights in the bolt holes that hold the air dam on. Easy installation,drilled 1/4" hole in air dam in back of the light for the wires to go through. I connected the power source wire to the solenoid that operates the cab clearance lights,that way they can be turned on with the parking lights or the headlights.
I had to purchase two new headlights,called dealer for price=$108. 00@. Mopar4less sells them for$90. 00. Called dealer back and he agreed to sell them for$90. 00@.
Driving lights came with 55watt bulbs. Walmart sells 100 watt bulbs for $4. 96 so I'll be changing them shortly. JC Whitney also sells 130 watt bulbs.
My 2 cents worth.
Bob

 

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Vaughn,I installed amber projector style fog lights behind my airdam. They light up the road very well and look great,I get complements all the time. I only holesawed 1 1/4"holes,just the lens peeks out. I used two pieces of 3"x 8"x1/8" plate and mounted the lights on one end,the other end of the plate attaches thru two existing holes in the front cross beam. I'm glad I did it this way because every adjustment affects another,makes it easier to keep everything looking centered. The factory wiring is in place,you don't need to add any,,just a relay and switch. I bought a Dodge foglamp switch,easy to install and looks totally stock. I recommend the projector style because the lens is over a inch thick,very hard to crack like other low hung lights I've seen. I'd post a picture, but it's too foggy to get a good one.
Bill

 

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I disagree Josparkz. Cibie was the benchmark in the performance lighting industry. I would have to say PIAA holds that title now. Almost every auxiliary light on the market has copied PIAA styling and features, especially the ION crystal "look". Most of the cheap brands (Pilot etc. ) have copied the look but not the performance. The ION crystal technology developed by PIAA is superior to all other manufacturers. PIAA was also the first to release H. I. D. on the market... even before ANY of the U. S. or foreign car makers added this to their vehicles.

Vaughn, you may want to take a look at the 1500XT series auxiliary lights offered by PIAA or their 900 series Dual Sports. Scott and I have the Dual Sport 900 lights. You will find plenty of cheaper lights... but NOT higher in quality or performance features.

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John Treibel
'98. 5 2500 QC 4x4 Sport, Glasstite Vision II, 285 BFG A/Ts on M/T Challengers, Warn 4X Boards, Mopar fender flares & tow hooks, NW Custom s/s-rubber mud flaps, Mag-Hytec diff. cover & trans. pan, Edelbrock IAS shocks, Reese Titan V hitch, VDO Vision gauges, Dynamat, '00 Sport grille and headlights/PIAA Super White bulbs, PIAA Dual Sport 900 aux. lights, BD exh. brake and TorqLoc, Amsoil Dual Remote Bypass, Optima Yellow Tops, DD3s (not installed yet) & Boost Module, Aeroquip AQP braided s/s fuel hoses, Banks High-Ram intake manifold (not installed yet... ya I know, I'll have to eat my words) and 14 cm2 turbine housing/Big Head wastegate actuator, ATS 3-piece exh. man. , Banks 4" dia. s/s exh. sys. , BD V10/Cummins hybrid TC & valve body, BD trans. front pump & PressureLoc, Air Bulldog induction hood (with NACA ducts), plus MANY other trick modifications

Recycle Bin: Prime-Loc fuel filter relocation kit (JUNK!), VA CPC (upgrading to DD3s), '00 Dodge/Cummins valve cover (changed my mind... stay tuned)

 

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Here is a web site that does nothing but headlamps, fog lamps etc. and there is some great information on the site.
He also has Tech and wiring diagrams for some specialty products that require more power than a factory harness can handle. Very informative site. Lets see if I can post the address here.

http://lighting. mbz.org/


I have never purchased anything from him but I was reading about the new HID lighting there. Hope this helps.

Later,

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Paul
No Diesel for now.
South Burbs Chicago, Illinois

[This message has been edited by PJensen (edited 11-23-2000). ]

 

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PJensen, thanks for the link, but there are no pictures or details on that site! John I will look around for PIAA lamps, do you know of any good vendors? Are they terribly expensive? I want something quality that won't be overly expensive, basically "best bang for the buck" so it won't be a big loss should one get damaged for whatever reason. I don't want to go over $100 or so.

illflem, what brand & model did you install?

Thanks, Vaughn

 

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Vaughn I used the Blue Glow from JC Whitney. The lens glows a cool blue color when off,but throws amber light when on.

 

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Vaughn,

When you open the link I sent checkout the FAQ, Tech and News links. There is plenty of informative articles etc in them. If you have a specific question just click on Daniel Sterns link to email him with your specific question. He is quick to reply. Good Luck on your fog lamps. Let us know when to break out the #ad
!!!

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Paul
No Diesel for now.
South Burbs Chicago, Illinois

[This message has been edited by PJensen (edited 11-24-2000). ]

 

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I have the factory lignts on my 98. 5. I had one blow out so I went to PepBoys and found they sell several versions of replacment bulbs that have the same plug, but different wattages. I think the factory was 28W and they had them up to 50w.

the ones I bought had a different angle connector (stright instead of angle) but they still worked.

 

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I went and spec'd out some PIAAs at a 4x4 Accessories Outlet that just opened here. $209 for the sets I was interested in #ad
Towpro, maybe I'll try your approach and give the stockers a chance with decent bulbs. If they perform to my satisfaction, I'll save my $$.

I just blew some BOMB budget on Must Have snowboarding equipment this morning. It was time to upgade the boots and bindings to Switch. Got bit by one of those Early Bird One Hour Specials #ad

 

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Vaughn, a better auxiliary light for the more budget conscious, Hella makes some very high quality, well performing lights.