Anyone using 80/100 halogen headlight bulbs? I have a 2008 Expy

[nightfly]

Search doesn't show anything about this. As I had great results with this simple upgrade in my 928, I wonder if anyone has tried this? I know the housings on these Fords are plastic and not glass, so I'm wondering if anyone has melted down their housings by using these. Seems like it would make a great lighting enhancement while not changing the light pattern at all. BTW, I never got pulled over for 'too bright' lighting in the 928 while running the higher wattage bulbs if anyone is wondering.

 

[Adieu]

Pulled over for powerful halogen? In 2019? LOL

Even the buses in town run LED or HID nowadays

 

[nightfly]

Pulled over for powerful halogen? In 2019? LOL Even the buses in town run LED or HID nowadays

I ran the 80/100 H4 bulbs for a lot of years. The european 928's used a 8" diameter reflector instead of the American 7", but they were god expensive ($500), so the brainiacs on Rennlist just started using the 80/100 bulbs instead or paying Porsche for the bigger dishes (which supposedly had 30% more reflective surface and did make quite a difference). The brighter bulbs made quite a difference, too, though, so I'm sure they will again. I just don't want to go melting the housings. Unless....there are better replacement housings from other years, perhaps? I haven't been here long enough to know what other year model headlight housings will fit my 2008, or if any of them are glass.

 

[Adieu]

I ran the 80/100 H4 bulbs for a lot of years. The european 928's used a 8" diameter reflector instead of the American 7", but they were god expensive ($500), so the brainiacs on Rennlist just started using the 80/100 bulbs instead or paying Porsche for the bigger dishes (which supposedly had 30% more reflective surface and did make quite a difference). The brighter bulbs made quite a difference, too, though, so I'm sure they will again. I just don't want to go melting the housings. Unless....there are better replacement housings from other years, perhaps? I haven't been here long enough to know what other year model headlight housings will fit my 2008, or if any of them are glass.

07-14 or aftermarket (no glass there afaik, just cheap projectors instead of reflectors)

Pretty sure DOT stopped allowing stock glass headlights on new vehicles a while back (90's?)... I know BMW forums tend to be obsessed with scoring glass "euro" housings

 

[nightfly]

I'm now on my fourth hour of researching this. I found Summit racing's site and they list an 80/100 bulb as an application for my vehicle. I'm going to go ahead and try these Hella's first.
These are what they have in 80/100:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hla-h71071052/applications/make/ford/model/expedition

As mentioned in the reviews I've found, there've been no history of melting wiring. As my 90 and 93 Broncos used 80/100's too, I'm guessing that Ford has adequate wiring for this type of thing. It is, after all, only 8 amps.

 

[Adieu]

Just try a decent LED imho

 

[gixer2000]

You won't melt anything on the housing but the heat thats transferred to the harness will definitely melt the plug/harness.

If you do try these I would recommend buying a relay harness. That will keep you from damaging the factory harness and offer a higher amperage rating.

 

[nightfly]

Just try a decent LED imho

Led patterns that I've seen on other threads, well, they generally suck; the light housings aren't made for them. I'm fine with the current light pattern, just need more oomph in the brightness dept.

You won't melt anything on the housing but the heat thats transferred to the harness will definitely melt the plug/harness.
If you do try these I would recommend buying a relay harness. That will keep you from damaging the factory harness and offer a higher amperage rating.

Curious; do you know the gauge of the stock wiring to the headlights off hand? The Porsche was fine with the increased wattage bulbs, and those wires didn't seem particularly heavy duty; I ran 'em all day long and the wires never got hot (though it was a summer day, so they were always going to be normal/warm anyway). Though, you're right, these wires are now 11 years old. So I should just run some thicker gauge stuff. Any suggestions for specific relays?

 

[gixer2000]

Led patterns that I've seen on other threads, well, they generally suck; the light housings aren't made for them. I'm fine with the current light pattern, just need more oomph in the brightness dept.

Curious; do you know the gauge of the stock wiring to the headlights off hand? The Porsche was fine with the increased wattage bulbs, and those wires didn't seem particularly heavy duty; I ran 'em all day long and the wires never got hot (though it was a summer day, so they were always going to be normal/warm anyway). Though, you're right, these wires are now 11 years old. So I should just run some thicker gauge stuff. Any suggestions for specific relays?

Mine looks like 18awg but could be 16awg with a thin insulation.