2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission High Beam/Low Beam Cross Wiring

[Hobart]

There used to be some information on wiring the low & high beam together - so the low beam is always on (at night) but can't find it. Has anyone done this

successfully?

 

[DieselDoghouse]

Well, paint me with gasoline cause I'm gonna get flamed but—WHY WHY WHY?

Briteboxes and all aside (and I'm assuming you have single bulbs), these bulbs were engineered to have ONE filament lit at a time. I'm uncomfortable that the OEM harness can drain the ground return for 2 lit filaments simultaneously anyway. The heatsoak in the bulb envelope IMHO will greatly shorten bulb life anyway. If you have or convert to twin bulb housings then you could light the brightest filament on low-beam, switch down on the twin filament (low beam bulb) and enable a relay to light the high-beam bulbs brightest filament as well:



low beam 55W + 0W 0W + 55W



High beam 35W + 55W 55W + 35W



Using the NHTSA approved wattages - other bulbs are out there.

This requires at least 2 relays and additional wiring - and quad bulb housings.

 

[GAmes]

I wired mine from instructions on this forum about 6 years ago with good results. I do a lot of night driving and bulbs last as long as normal.



Go here Ram headlight switching modifications



One thing the author did was tie into parking light wires for power, which I believe is a bad idea. I used the high beam power to power the relay, but connected a 30 amp fused hot wire direct from the battery to power the low beams while the high beams are on.



edit; I saw you have an '02. You need to read the last paragraph because your wiring is different.

 

[WilsonF]

I did this on my 96 two years ago and have had no problems.

Both filaments lit when on high beam FYI - Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource Forums



Its cheap and easy to do.



Floyd

 

[Hobart]

Thanks for all the info and links - will give it a try.

 

[Hobart]

High Beam+Low Beam

I'm trying to get this mod going. Found the 2 lite green wires (one is darker than the other) and the violet with white stripe. Grounded the tester but can't get either wire to light the tester. So wrong wire color or what? I've a late 2002 and the tester checks out ok.

 

[Hobart]

Its the lighter of the 2 green wires.

 

[2broke2smoke]

you'll hear a bunch of folks cry "don't do it ... "



but i've had my sport headlights this way for 80k miles with no problems ...



i just put a jumper between two wires in the column



works great

 

[CCahill]

I too have the jumper wire crossed over... more than 80K and no problems(knockin' on wood, and crossing my fingers)...

 

[Hobart]

High Beam combined with Low beam

Thought I had this figured out and it was working ok. But suddenly I've got the original separation of high and low beams. Checked the wiring - looks ok at the connector. Wonder what could have gone haywire.

 

[Hobart]

Ccahill

I've got 2 green wires. one's a yellowish green and doesn't seem to work; the other's plain green. Haven't tried it - afraid to cause a short. But could it be the one to use?