Using NON DOT Lights.......

[hammersley]

I know there are a lot of lights that are NOT intended for On Road use..... BUT there are many HID's that I am told are "Legal" - IF the Distributor only coughed up enough $$$ to get the DOT certification - now that may be a bunch of crap... but that's what I have heard.



Be that as it may - if they are aimed properly . would you be afraid of using Non DOT lights??????

 

[seafish]

Aiming is only some of the problem with a non DOT headlight. . some cheaper HID kits scatter so much light that even though they may be aimed correctly, too much bright light still scatters into oncoming drivers eyes. That being said, high quality HID lights, or even other high quality BUMPER MOUNTED headlights (CIBIE), while NOT legal ( which is it's own risk) can both function extremely well, as well as NOT blind oncoming drivers. Several TDR member have done HID conversions using high-quality Lexus LS430 HID headlights, that while not legal, have not yet caused them legal problems, and more importantly, do NOT blind oncoming drivers. I DO have a pair of the LS430 headlights and ballasts in excellent conditoin that I bought off Craigslist, but I am not yet sure that I am going to do the conversion, due to time and money considerations. It is an eEXPENSIVE retrofit to do right. That being said, I am TRULLY jealous of the excellent and creative jobs that these TDR memebers have done. MORE IMPORTANTLY, they have TRULLY EXCELLENT forwrd lighting. Here are the threads, which you may already have read--

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...-transmission-discussions/191334-how-hid.html

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...iscussions/213784-hid-lighting-step-step.html

Other have also done it. In the meantime, I bought these bulbs on Daniel Sterns advice as the BEST option for the crappy 9007 bulbs we use. These bulbs are TREAL impovement in design of the 9007 type bulb, not just some color change that actually leaves you with "whiter" but actually LESS lumens.

<b>Philips <font color="red">Xtreme Power</font> 9007 / HB5</b> (TWO PACK)

If you have not yet been to Daniel Sterns website, CHECK IT OUT!!!-- danielsternlighting.com/

I have run these bulbs for over a year now, and I no longer complain everytime I drive at night--indeed, they are ALMOST good enough, but I will still supplement them with a relay harness to get more voltage to the headlights. This will cost about $100 (can be made DIY cheaper), and will make the bulbs burn brighter, BUT also not last as long. I ALSO want to do this inexpensive lighting upgrade to our multi-function switch, because I find that I can actually see perfectly if I drive with my brights and foggers on by holding in the hi-beam switch while I drive, but I HATE holding it in and trying to drive at the same time. I do NOT want to use a BriteBox as they seem to have a failure rate that is not acceptable to me. BigHammers unique solution is much neater IMHO--

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...-discussions/148135-poor-mans-bright-box.html

 

[kenny61]

I don't know any cops who look for the dot stamp on headlights..... unless they are "dazzling" then your in trouble regardless of a DOT stamp. remember dazzling is in the eye of the pen holder