Headlight Relay Installation Brightness Difference

[Steeveedee]

I looked around but couldn't find any before and after pics of the change in headlight brightness. I used the LMC kit. Installation was pretty straightforward. I spent about an hour making the harness so that it was reasonably neat and didn't rub anywhere. With less draw in the rest of the system, even the parking lamps are brighter.

Here are the pics I took, a little over an hour apart. Yes, the headlights are on in the first pic.

[jcwren]

Nice. Did you use someone's kit (if so, which one), or did you do your own thing?

[leddzepp]

I’ve used the relay upgrade along with sylvania silver star bulbs and it makes a world of difference.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by jcwren

Nice. Did you use someone's kit (if so, which one), or did you do your own thing?

LMC

Originally Posted by leddzepp

I’ve used the relay upgrade along with sylvania silver star bulbs and it makes a world of difference.

I plan to upgrade the bulbs when one of the current ones goes out. I'm too cheap to just throw them out, atm. I'll have to drive it at night to see if it is improved enough, and go from there. Thanks for the recommendation!

[davepl]

I stuck HID in mine! Wicked bright, crisp cutoff, never had anyone flash me back so they must not be annoying - but now the one under the AUX battery has quit! Arrrgh!

[Already Gone]

I have the American Autowire Harness sitting on the shelf ready to upgrade my headlights when I get my truck out of Winter storage. I agree with Leddzepp the Silver Star bulbs are a great upgrade. I will also be putting in the pictured headlights as well. The attached pic is from last summer with just the stock headlights..

[68 P.O.S.]

Very nice!!! Great work, looks pretty damn good.

[lil hoodlum]

Thank you for the info and for the comparison. I too have been thinking about making this upgrade.

[truckster]

I built my own harness using Bosch relays and these Hella lights:

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-0023953...7185440&sr=8-1

They're very bright and make it easy to see at night. Between the headlight upgrade and LEDs in my instrument cluster, driving at night is a totally different experience.

[jimijam00]

I got a fleabay harness (lot cheaper for same wire and relays) and these headlights for much more light https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Undone]

truckster and jimijam00 are those lenses glass or plastic?

[Bigdav160]

The Hella's are glass

[truckster]

Originally Posted by Undone

truckster and jimijam00 are those lenses glass or plastic?

The Hella lenses are glass. They look almost like the OEM lenses but they're a little flatter. They require no modifications to the headlight buckets or retainers.

[54blackhornet]

I installed Hella H4 in my GMC, boy what a difference when all four are on. I didn’t upgrade to relays though and at times tripped the circuit breaker in the headlight switch...

[OregonNed]

I used the LMC kit and was very happy with it. The only modification was enlarging the ground tabs slightly for the grounding bolts. There was a big difference in brightness keeping the stock lights. I also bought 2 extra relays that I keep in the glove box.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by OregonNed

I used the LMC kit and was very happy with it. The only modification was enlarging the ground tabs slightly for the grounding bolts. There was a big difference in brightness keeping the stock lights. I also bought 2 extra relays that I keep in the glove box.

That's a smart idea, and I should do the same. Electronics used to be really high-reliability.

[RichardJ]

I looked at the pre-made kits years ago and decided I didn't want any of that mess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSPp5I1LDqs
i just looked at the LMC kit instructions and I can't think anyone would want any of that either.

In my photo below, the original hi/low (Lt Grn/Tan) are in the harness behind the lip of the fender. The wires come from the bulkhead connector on the left of the photo and come out into the harness on the right in the photo.

Cut Tan wire into relay #86, relay #87 out to other end of cut Tan wire. Blk ground wire to #85 and Red 12v wire to #30.

To make it simple. Tan IN, Tan OUT, Grd wire, +12v wire. Voila, you have low beam lights.

You don't have to have extra lengths of wire and extra plugs, just to add two headlight relays. One 12v wire from the Battery Junction Block is all that needs to be added. Well, plus short Blk Ground pigtails.

Do the same with the Lt Grn and you have Hi beam.

My '67 GMC had two Lt Grn wires from the bulkhead connector. So two Lt Grn into the relay (together), relay OUT to the two cut Lt Grn wires (together).

In my photo, a couple wire colors aren't correct. 80's GM automobiles have 6-10 of these Bosch style relays under every hood. I get the ones with the fattest wires as they are usually 40 Amp and also take connector and wire lengths for reuse. These Bosch relays are usually about $4 on the internet, but the connectors are about $6. Go figure. I like these relays better than the cheap FLAPS junk.

The cut Tan wires have Female /Male inline spade connectors going into the relay and out. If the relay should fail, I can plug the cut Tan wire ends back into each other and the lo beam headlights will work as before with power from the headlight switch.
Same with the Lt Grn Hi beam relay.

[jimijam00]

Originally Posted by truckster

The Hella lenses are glass. They look almost like the OEM lenses but they're a little flatter. They require no modifications to the headlight buckets or retainers.

Ditto on the sku I got too.

[BigBird05]

I went to the junk yard near me and bought 10 relays and connectors off of 3 S-10's for $20.00. Thats just $2.00 each!

[slikside]

Sub'd. Great info...

[bigmac73]

[QUOTE=truckster;8949359]I built my own harness using Bosch relays and these Hella lights:

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-0023953...7185440&sr=8-1

did you buy the 178MM size?

[truckster]

[quote=bigmac73;8951499]

Originally Posted by truckster

I built my own harness using Bosch relays and these Hella lights:

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-0023953...7185440&sr=8-1

did you buy the 178MM size?

I bought the 165mm size.

[sellersrodshop]

Curious what an LED replacement bulb would do in those Hella housings when/if the halogen H4’s burn out? Have the harness here & trying to cipher thru all the different options on lighting. I have read differing opinions on replacing H4 halogens with LED & have come to think if you can find a LED option that puts the chip the same distance through the housing as the old bulb, it does good without throwing light all over the place.