TR6 New headlights

RF low beam burned out. After some online investigation, I see my choices appear to be replacing my original type or upgrading to halogens or LEDS. Some advise installing relays as well. I'd like to skip the relays and go with the original setup. Anyone have any opinion on which way I should go?

By original setup, I meant upgraded headlights without relays. Sorry for the ambiguity.

I suggest going with a relay. Replacing a burned out main switch on the dash is a painful job.
And, the lights will be brighter.

Here's the relays I installed. On the far right is the fuse block; each side (L and R) has fuses for both hight beam and low beam.

The headlight relays are the two relays with white lettering to the right of the relay with the blue text.

Kinda depends on how you drive, IMO. If you'll never be doing 60+ mph on a dark road (no streetlights, moon or other cars), then the stock headlamps are more or less adequate.

But if you actually need to see (and like me, your eyes aren't what they used to be), then some upgraded lighting is definitely in order!

At this point, I'd have to say my preference is still quality halogens + relays. There's been some discussion of LED headlights that work well, but I don't like how my LED H4 conversions light up a dark road and will be converting back to halogens. The halogens aren't as bright, but they put the light where you need it, way down the road. The LEDs put way more light on the road right in front of the car, where it reflects back into your eyes and interferes with night vision. At 60 mph, by the time an obstacle enters that big pool of bright light, it's too late to stop.

Just as food for thought, here is my "stealth" relay installation. With them mounted on the headlight buckets, the only thing visible under the hood is an extra purple wire running towards each headlight. Yet access to the relays is excellent, once I remove the headlight buckets. (Not that I ever expect to have any trouble with them.) Although I had sockets, I decided the individual wires made a more sanitary installation.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say these are probably the best commonly available sealed beam headlights you'll find:
[h=1]Sylvania H6024 XtraVision Sealed Beam Headlight[/h]Advanced Auto..AutoZone and I believe I've seen them in Walmart..

poolboy said:

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say these are probably the best commonly available sealed beam headlights you'll find:
Sylvania H6024 XtraVision Sealed Beam Headlight

Advanced Auto..AutoZone and I believe I've seen them in Walmart..

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Ken, I had terrible luck with a pair of those same headlights. Put in a new pair and took a drive to Oklahoma one weekend about 10 years ago and when I got home found both low beams burned out. Replaced them with Phillips and have not had any problems since. I do plan on trying a pair of these https://litezupp.com/epages/ac0e8ca...6c1-4d6b-ab90-9213bdc3f061/Products/L7NP-H43G hope to not have the trouble Randall had.

Hopefully they've gotten better in the last 10 years, Tom...The ones I had in my 74 were impressive for sealed beams

Last year I installed sealed halogens in my TR6. They are quite an improvement over the stock bulbs. I bought them from Rock Auto for $3.50 each! They were on closeout (they still are).

Another choice is an upgraded light sold by TRF. THey are 55 watts as I recall. They do not need a relay added. I have been using them on two TR's now for a number of years. Better than stock but not as good as modern cars.

Went to Auto Zone and they gave me Sylvania H6024s. When I got home, I saw they were recommended by Poolboy. Since (a) I hardly ever drive at night and never in the rain, and (b) I don't know if the relays are necessary. I'll stick with the current (no pun intended) wiring unless one of you experts think the relays are necessary with these upgraded lights. BTW, my car is a '71 and the headlight switch is on the steering column not the dash.

Not really "necessary" even with H4 bulbs. Just a nice improvement, to increase light output and original switch life. Same goes for sealed beams.

poolboy said:

Hopefully they've gotten better in the last 10 years, Tom...The ones I had in my 74 were impressive for sealed beams

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Probably true Ken. I also had them on for the entire trip and have the Victoria British relays in my car.

Well the headlights are in and one outer rim back on - but - like most of my jobs - something easy turns out to be a major PITA. I dropped one small screw which promptly disappeared but I had a good collection of sheet metal screws so no problem, but - the passenger side rim would not go back on. I assume the little tab goes on the bottom but I can't get it to latch nohow. The driver side was a little knackered so it went on easily, but the other side is perfect so of course it won't go on. What am I doing wrong?

On my old TR3A, I had to turn the removal tool around backwards and use the flat end to push the tab into the clip. Not sure why, but it seemed that no matter how far I bent the tab, it wouldn't go in without some help.

And trying to bend the clip broke it.

Tom, did you try the LitezUpp LED headlights that you mentioned in this thread back in November? ( https://litezupp.com/epages/ac0e8cab...ucts/L7NP-H43G) How are they? Thanks!
Bob

TuffTR250 said:

Tom, did you try the LitezUpp LED headlights that you mentioned in this thread back in November? ( https://litezupp.com/epages/ac0e8cab...ucts/L7NP-H43G) How are they? Thanks!
Bob

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Bob, I just installed a pair of them yesterday (4/5/19) afternoon and they are bright! In fact so bright that I don't want to drive at night until I check the aim.
I do have relays mounted near the buckets and have grounded the headlights to the car body both improved the halogen light performance. since the LEDs only draw about 1/2 as much power as the original lights I am not sure the relays are needed but considering the poor ground through the headlight buckets I still feel that is important.

Thanks Tom! I'd appreciate your follow-on update once you get them aimed and have driven at night with them. Thanks!
Bob

I'm interested too, especially on very dark roads. My experience with two different conversions (neither from Litezupp) has been that they put so much light on the road near the car, that it interferes with night vision. Even though they aren't nearly as bright, I can actually see better way down the road with the narrower high beams produced by good halogens. I actually switched the (former) tow vehicle back to halogens, and I plan to do the same when I get the TR3 back on the road.

Both of the conversions I tried in effect leave the low beams on, and add roughly 1/2 power as high beam. So 2/3 of the light is still going on the road near the car in a low beam pattern. Not much help at 70 mph.

Randall, I was getting so I could not drive at night because of glare. Ended up having cataract surgery and the lens replaced. Still had trouble and ended up having the cataracts on the inside removed. Still not perfect but it did help a lot. I am hoping these LEDs will also help because they seem to make a natural "daylight" illumination. Just trying them in my shop they seem to make a nice focused beam. The lens is clear with the bucket made up with reflective segments that focus the beam. I will let you all know how they work. I hope to have them sorted for our MBCG meeting Wed evening.