Best Sport headlight Harness

[MoparFreak1988]

Sorry to beat the dead horse because I'm sure this has been brought up elsewhere just couldn't find it....

Title says it I have a non sport truck my restoration is using a sport cab I would like to convert to sport headlights.

• I read other post about issues with there harness's what is the best option/ bang for your buck

 

• If building it yourself where did you source parts
• are you happy with it
• how much did you spend
• would you do it again

 

• If you bought a harness where did it come from
• are you happy with it and
• how much did you spend
• how hard was the install

Questions for both options are how long have you run with out issue and is everything working as expected?

 

[joecool911]

I think the best sport headlight is not a sport headlight. Here on this website Michael has provided a wiring diagram which only requires an on off switch. The rest is controlled by your normal high low headlight selector. Aftermarket fog lights and driving lights are far superior at offer a lot much larger selection than the sport headlight. Nope he gives you fog lights. I've been gives your driving lights. On off switch select between normal lights and fog/driving lights.

Edited December 9, 2014 by joecool911

[KYcummins5.9]

the best bang for your buck is to build your own....

i bought one from a vendor and has been a PITA. they didnt supply any instructions/labeling. The harness is ok but nothing special...appears to be 18guage wire and 2 of the connectors were miswired.

checkout this write up i found while searching for info...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ikcqdc47e7epyul/Headlight%20Harness%20Instructions%202014.pdf?dl=0

its a fairly simple setup and would be easy to build....i was just pressed for time and ended up buying one that was supposed to be plug n play...

[MoparFreak1988]

Awesome thanks for the replies I plan to build my own as I talked briefly with Craig the creator of that write up last night through email, really a great guy.  I was thinking about headlight depot lights as they seem to be the leading manufacture of the aftermarket headlamp... When contacting sellers on ebay as well as amazon you will find most everyone get's the sport headlights through headlight depot as a vendor....  At 300 a piece for factory headlights I'm definitely not going that route,  I had read some headlight depot light had problems with quality and leaking,  is that the case? is there something I need to look out for?

 

right now I have a truck that was a non sport with non sport wiring with a sport cab trick is both headlight where destroyed in the accident, so at this point I have no headlights and I have to pick the best route/bang for your buck I'm thinking the sport conversion is the case but I may be wrong....  I do have factory fog lights which I'm thinking about replacing with something like this http://www.4wheelparts.com/Lighting-Lighting-Accessories/Dually-Series-Flood-LED-Light-Set-of-Two.aspx?t_c=14&t_s=448&t_pt=4242&t_pn=RIG20211

 

The other Idea which must be researched more and is assuming I  have countless dollars to throw at this beast    for 300 a piece I would look at picking up a set of HID 2014 Dodge Durango Citadel headlights used and fit those to the truck   

[KYcummins5.9]

The sport lights are definately an upgrade. I went with the headlights you listed and they are fine. i think i got the pair for around $150 on ebay.

[MoparFreak1988]

ya that sounds about right I found some on amazon from that manufacture, that's the route I will be going for now. 

 

Side note I mentioned the Durango headlights above well I actually looked into it and the Durango headlight has takes up an area about 7x17x4 inches deep.... Which is pretty much the size of our factory headlights 

I think it would be fairly easy to the point of I plan to get the truck back on the road with the sport headlights, then converting the second set of fenders I have to house the Durango headlight.  I have been waiting for a special touch to add to my rig and this should do the trick quite nicely

 

So now all I need to do is wait for a good set of used Durango headlights to come around, good thing I will have my hands tied for awhile with the restoration. 

Edited December 11, 2014 by MoparFreak1988

[dracozny]

I'm not sure exactly where I got my sport headlights from but I would suggest against running high and low simultaneously (when the high beam is on) like I did, the high beam reflector is completely roasted above the bulb after a couple years of running.  

[MoparFreak1988]

I'm not sure exactly where I got my sport headlights from but I would suggest against running high and low simultaneously (when the high beam is on) like I did, the high beam reflector is completely roasted above the bulb after a couple years of running.  

Thank you for this post I was curious what a bright box did over time, I assumed that if it's truly better and reliable(all 8 filaments burning on high beam)  they would have done it from the factory.

 

For that reason I plan to install sport headlights that operate as the would from the factory, but also take advice from Mike and joecool911 and install L.E.D driving and L.E.D amber fog lamps into the bumper they are rigid industries L.E.D. lamps (link above) they will both look the same when off except the amber illuminates yellow vs. white.

On low beams due to the amount of light output and state law I plan to run only the fog at 800 lumens or the driving at 1500 lumens I have a factory switch to control the fog lamps so I am thinking I will just wire the two lamps together with a switch in the cab to select between the two.  Then on high beams all both fog lamps and driving lamps will be on, the wiring will be a pita but I have a father that is an electrical engineer (who is the one that came up with this idea)

 

I mentioned state law so I will touch base on it a littl bit because I was kind of shocked at some of Wisconsin's rules your state may be different but thing of note:

1. Always check your local laws first before modifying any forward facing light on your vehicle... we have these rules to keep you and other drivers safe.
2. In Wisconsin a fog or driving lamp is identified as an adverse weather light and must be mounted below the level center line of the headlamps otherwise it is considered an off road lamp and then in turn that vehicle can not be used on the highway unless it meets the detailed restrictions outlined here now again this is Wisconsin your state may be different http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/347/II/07
3. On low beam no more than 4 main lamps should be illuminated

• those are detailed as a lamp emitting over 300 candle power and can illuminate people and/or objects at a distance of 100 feet or farther

 

That being said I don't know if I can legally convert my headlights to a different model from a different vehicle even though the thought of hid projectors sounds really nice    

[MnTom]

That looks to be one of those "Don't ask, don't tell" type things. Chances of you getting in trouble for the lights are quite slim.

[dracozny]

That looks to be one of those "Don't ask, don't tell" type things. Chances of you getting in trouble for the lights are quite slim.

Exactly, if only the cops here would enforce the law on headlights, those friggin hid kits have blinded me so many times now it's a miracle I have avoided so many accidents.

[MnTom]

The best way to keep going when meeting those type of lights is to look down and slightly to the right. In other words, look at the fog line until they pass.

[dracozny]

The best way to keep going when meeting those type of lights is to look down and slightly to the right. In other words, look at the fog line until they pass.

unfortunately that line is often nonexistent, but yes I do that when possible. I also flip my high beams on if I'm not likely to blind anybody but the offending driver.

[MoparFreak1988]

I hate those HID kits as well but I do have one question and sorry if it has been asked before but am I getting this right the retrofit kit allows you to properly aim the projector versus the drop in where you adjust the housing and not the bulb. 

[volkswagon]

I'm trying to make my own adapter harness but I'm having some troubles. On the plug on the truck I'm getting power to 2 terminals on low beam and to 1 terminal on high beam.  This doesn't make sense to me. Can someone explain this to me?

[MoparFreak1988]

are you making a harness for going to sport headlights? did you follow the write up posted above?

Dropbox - Headlight Harness Instructions 2014.pdf

[volkswagon]

are you making a harness for going to sport headlights? did you follow the write up posted above?

Dropbox - Headlight Harness Instructions 2014.pdf

Yes I made a sport harness. I tried following the instructions in that link but either I did it wrong or the instructions are wrong. So I just sorted through the wiring on my own and got it done.

[MoparFreak1988]

Gotcha was there a issue with the harness instructions or something got overlooked? mine went together well and it appeared to be working correctly before I broke my truck down for paint... 

[volkswagon]

To me it seemed like it was wired for the common wire to be ground. On our trucks the common is 12 volt and the ground is the switched. So I had to run power to the relay coils and complete the circuit with the ground through the wires from the original headlights.

[MoparFreak1988]

Interesting I believe you are right... I am no electrical genius just enough to make me dangerous but I can tell you that this was made for our trucks and he built and sold this harness for awhile

what I see from the instructions is the ground is the switched (and maybe the common), now it gets 12 volts to the relay directly from the battery and then grounds out by the lamp socket seen in the last picture two grounds and two 12v+ and the negative to the relay comes from the factory harness( like you said), my old man that is an electrical engineer put my harness together for me in trade for me fixing his truck I will pick his brain to see if he changed anything but as far as I know he built it to spec  

[volkswagon]

I'm sure you're right. I just had problems following the directions so I made my own lol.