400/450se LED headlight conversion
Discussion
Morning All
I'm sure this has been asked before, but has anyone done an LED upgrade on the square 400/450 headlights. I know quite a few have done the Defender type upgrade on the round 350i headlights. The only issue I'm aware off is the early one tended to slam down when turned off, due to the increased weight of the new unit.
I found some square LED modules which are very close to the originals dimensions. Not too expensive and apparently DOT SAE marked (We will see, finest Chinesium).
Had a look at the original mounting brackets the weekend and they look pretty basic to replicate. Just wondering about beam height adjustment etc.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
KY.
I'm sure this has been asked before, but has anyone done an LED upgrade on the square 400/450 headlights. I know quite a few have done the Defender type upgrade on the round 350i headlights. The only issue I'm aware off is the early one tended to slam down when turned off, due to the increased weight of the new unit.
I found some square LED modules which are very close to the originals dimensions. Not too expensive and apparently DOT SAE marked (We will see, finest Chinesium).
Had a look at the original mounting brackets the weekend and they look pretty basic to replicate. Just wondering about beam height adjustment etc.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
KY.
Decent article https://www.thedrive.com/tech/19906/upgrading-your...
Just swapped the H4 bulbs in my lads Audi A5, as lights were very dim. New Osman night breakers are just fabulous in comparison to the old standard bulbs. https://www.amazon.co.uk/OSRAM-BREAKER-brightness-...
KKson said:
Just swapped the H4 bulbs in my lads Audi A5, as lights were very dim. New Osman night breakers are just fabulous in comparison to the old standard bulbs. https://www.amazon.co.uk/OSRAM-BREAKER-brightness-...
Yep they have really good reports Keith. I was considering them for my Vivaro Van as they have pretty crap headlights as well. Never gave them a thought for the Wedge.I got caught out slightly yesterday going to work in the Wedge and getting back later than planned. Apart from the near side one seeming a bit bouncy, I must admit they didn't seem as bad as I remember in the 350i.
The new Chinesium modules have turned up this morning. Surprise, surprise DOT/SAE certified etc. No markings. BIN!
gmw9666 said:
Decent article https://www.thedrive.com/tech/19906/upgrading-your...
Cheers GlenI'll have a read of that tonight.
Have you considered HIDs?
I fitted twin HIDs to my bike - the H4 type with a solenoid to move the reflector. Probably about an inch longer behind the bowl than the halogen's plug would be.
Despite all the horror stories, the light goes exactly where the reflector/lens send it. Now whether 40 year old Lucas lamp units would be that efficient is anyone's guess...
I fitted twin HIDs to my bike - the H4 type with a solenoid to move the reflector. Probably about an inch longer behind the bowl than the halogen's plug would be.
Despite all the horror stories, the light goes exactly where the reflector/lens send it. Now whether 40 year old Lucas lamp units would be that efficient is anyone's guess...
Biggest issue with the factory headlamp set up (and this applies to all TVRs) is the inadequate wiring harness.
Too small wires, poor connections, poor siting of connections, poor connections and weird circuit arrangements.
Siting of the lamp units is towards the lower end of the regulatory scale / dimensions. This creates an inherent restriction in the effectiveness of the lights.
If the output of the lights is poor then installing 'uprated' / modern incandescent bulbs isn't likely to perform as well as they could due to the poor factory electrical installation.
You can inspect the wiring and repair any 'faults' quite easily. You could add a couple of relays and use the factory wiring as the switching feeds. Then add new power and earth direct to the battery feeding the [higher rated] bulbs.
LED units require less power but you may find poor earthing (again the factory wiring) leads to flickering (at idle).
As for the pod mechs. Dealing with extra weight will put a strain on the factory set up. Other than changing it to another system (MX5, MR2 or solenoids for example) you'll have to accept it or put in the engineering to swap.
Too small wires, poor connections, poor siting of connections, poor connections and weird circuit arrangements.
Siting of the lamp units is towards the lower end of the regulatory scale / dimensions. This creates an inherent restriction in the effectiveness of the lights.
If the output of the lights is poor then installing 'uprated' / modern incandescent bulbs isn't likely to perform as well as they could due to the poor factory electrical installation.
You can inspect the wiring and repair any 'faults' quite easily. You could add a couple of relays and use the factory wiring as the switching feeds. Then add new power and earth direct to the battery feeding the [higher rated] bulbs.
LED units require less power but you may find poor earthing (again the factory wiring) leads to flickering (at idle).
As for the pod mechs. Dealing with extra weight will put a strain on the factory set up. Other than changing it to another system (MX5, MR2 or solenoids for example) you'll have to accept it or put in the engineering to swap.
mk1fan said:
Biggest issue with the factory headlamp set up (and this applies to all TVRs) is the inadequate wiring harness.
Too small wires, poor connections, poor siting of connections, poor connections and weird circuit arrangements.
Siting of the lamp units is towards the lower end of the regulatory scale / dimensions. This creates an inherent restriction in the effectiveness of the lights.
If the output of the lights is poor then installing 'uprated' / modern incandescent bulbs isn't likely to perform as well as they could due to the poor factory electrical installation.
You can inspect the wiring and repair any 'faults' quite easily. You could add a couple of relays and use the factory wiring as the switching feeds. Then add new power and earth direct to the battery feeding the [higher rated] bulbs.
LED units require less power but you may find poor earthing (again the factory wiring) leads to flickering (at idle).
As for the pod mechs. Dealing with extra weight will put a strain on the factory set up. Other than changing it to another system (MX5, MR2 or solenoids for example) you'll have to accept it or put in the engineering to swap.
Absolutely. The supply has to run all over the place before it gets to the lights. I created a sub-harness in heavier-gauge wire that takes a feed directly from the battery, via couple of beefy relays down to the nose of the car. That made a lot more improvement than replacing the reflector units and fitting new bulbs, which I'd already tried.Too small wires, poor connections, poor siting of connections, poor connections and weird circuit arrangements.
Siting of the lamp units is towards the lower end of the regulatory scale / dimensions. This creates an inherent restriction in the effectiveness of the lights.
If the output of the lights is poor then installing 'uprated' / modern incandescent bulbs isn't likely to perform as well as they could due to the poor factory electrical installation.
You can inspect the wiring and repair any 'faults' quite easily. You could add a couple of relays and use the factory wiring as the switching feeds. Then add new power and earth direct to the battery feeding the [higher rated] bulbs.
LED units require less power but you may find poor earthing (again the factory wiring) leads to flickering (at idle).
As for the pod mechs. Dealing with extra weight will put a strain on the factory set up. Other than changing it to another system (MX5, MR2 or solenoids for example) you'll have to accept it or put in the engineering to swap.
Controlled from one of the original headlamp connectors so none of the cabin/column switch wiring needed changes. Total cost under 20 quid at the time.
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