New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Topic: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal??? (Read 3768 times) previous topic - next topic

New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

June 05, 2016, 04:00:28 pm

Couldn't find this discussion on the search menu....what's the general consensus on which way to have the new lights installed? Is there a particular direction in which they work better or are do all three of the installations work the same for night driving? I still have a couple of months but can't make up my mind which might look better or work more efficiently...feedback from folks with the different directions, & were there any regrets or wishes for a do-over after the job was done?

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #1 – June 05, 2016, 04:49:30 pm

Dani

Tough to say without having both. Mine were added by a PO and are horizontal. I like 'em.

One thing I have noticed is a slight yellowing on the new fiberglass. Hardly noticeable but I would ask your installer about this. I've been told its could have been the prep work on the fiberglass.

Ed

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #2 – June 05, 2016, 05:00:00 pm

If you are going with LED lights I would research JW Speaker brand,they have a good website,from my research they are the
best out there.I read here on the forum that one of these extreme places started to use them.I would have them put headlights
and some form of driving/foglight.Research the manufacturers site and see how hi and wide they recommend the install,not
how cool they will look.Your spending a few of these coach bucks so go with best product possible.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #3 – June 05, 2016, 05:41:16 pm

Dani, Xtreme can do any kind of bulb you want. They just cost more. We went with the standard bulbs and they do a fine job. We don't actually drive at night that much but having driving lights on during the day is nice for visability. And the same bulb works in all positions, they are just aimed differently.

They used to cut out where the lights go and add in a piece with the light holes and cut out where the old lights were and add in a new piece there. Now they just cut out the lower front corners and put in a single piece. Probably saves labor time.
I thought about the diagonal ones but the point of getting new lights was to get all of them higher. Horizontal for me. They probably all are so much better than what you have that some minor performance differences between the styles is not significant. Do what you think will look best to you!

Isn't she lovely.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #4 – June 05, 2016, 05:56:23 pm

If I remember correctly, a few years ago when we had ours done, the diagonal or vertical was a little more expensive than the horizontal at Extreme.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #5 – June 05, 2016, 09:55:26 pm

Here is what we did. Front Facad modifications? We've been very pleased. The headlights are J W Speaker LED lights. They are good! Rance at Xtreme P&G did the conversion.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #6 – June 05, 2016, 10:01:10 pm

Quote from: J. D. Stevens – June 05, 2016, 09:55:26 pm

Here is what we did. Front Facad modifications? We've been very pleased. The headlights are J W Speaker LED lights. They are good! Rance at Xtreme P&G did the conversion.

Do you know what model the JW's are?

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #7 – June 06, 2016, 01:28:26 am

Thanks all for the input, jury's still out but as long as the new ones get the job done I'm happy...Roger, yes, she ~is~ lovely, & the lights being placed higher look to be more effective...horizontal seems to be the choice of the majority....desperately need to get this done, got a bad case of road fever, get up too early & wanna move on!!! Probably should have been done a long time ago...just had so many other things to do...the date is August 24th at Xtreme....guessing it'll take about 10 days.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #8 – June 06, 2016, 08:24:43 am

Quote from: craneman – June 05, 2016, 10:01:10 pm

Do you know what model the JW's are?

They are 7" round lights designed as a drop in replacement for Jeep headlights. The current model is LED Jeep Lights - Model 8700 Evolution J Off Road Headlights . Ours are the model that was available about three years ago.

We considered diagonal or horizontal arrangement. We chose the horizontal arrangement. The placement provides an excellent distribution of light. The lights are very bright, even on low beam. They have a very sharp cutoff so they do not blind other drivers.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #9 – June 07, 2016, 12:29:37 pm

The Evolution 2 headlights that were released in 2015(?) are supposed to be a big improvement on the previous Evolution headlights.

7" LED Headlights - Model 8700 Evolution 2

I really like JD's setup and am considering it myself when I can make it down to Texas.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #10 – June 07, 2016, 12:55:13 pm

Don't want to take anything away from extreme but a poor boys way would be to install the new headlights yourself and
wait til the right time and money came along to do the fiberglass work.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #11 – June 07, 2016, 01:05:14 pm

In my case, I liked the look but not the brightness of my original 2003 headlights. With a pair of XID bulbs and ballasts installed, I'm a happy camper.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #12 – June 07, 2016, 02:34:26 pm

Quote from: John44 – June 07, 2016, 12:55:13 pm

Don't want to take anything away from extreme but a poor boys way would be to install the new headlights yourself and
wait til the right time and money came along to do the fiberglass work.

....well John, there are some who can do-it-yourself and some who can write the check, I am the latter....

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #13 – June 07, 2016, 08:43:38 pm

Sooooo, Miz Dani -

Which way are you leaning tonight? Diagonal, straight up and down or Horizontal. Inquisitive minds want to know?

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #14 – June 08, 2016, 03:21:23 am

...well Scott, am leaning towards horizontal, they look so neat & uniform....the diagonal seems a bit "off" to me & the vertical's very nice & ultra modern looking....got to study some more pics...probably gonna have to wait & see what the guys at Xtreme say & why, if it's just a little more $ then I may go vertical, if some other reason, horizontal is probably gonna be "it"....at least it'll be better than what I've been stuck with trying to navigate back country roads long before dawn.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #15 – June 08, 2016, 07:37:03 am

OK, enough already. I vote for horizontal. That's what I'd do if I had the dollars. Right now it's cheaper to stay with factory originals and not drive at night. Certainly not before dawn!

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #16 – June 08, 2016, 08:18:06 am

Quote from: Miz Dani – June 06, 2016, 01:28:26 am

....desperately need to get this done, got a bad case of road fever, get up too early & wanna move on!!!

...well Larry, when I'm up, I'm outa there...day, night or in between....just wanna get down the road....'til something wonderful turns up, i.e. a good reason to stay in one place longer!

I've driven my Explorer in blizzards at 2am, still kickin'...not sayin' I'd do the same thing with the FT....I may be crazy but I'm not stupid!

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #17 – June 08, 2016, 08:38:27 am

Consider putting your old fog and headlights up for adoption,some of us poor boy retirees could use them.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #18 – June 08, 2016, 09:06:25 am

...sent you a PM John....

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #19 – June 08, 2016, 09:31:49 am

We gave out taillight assemblies and the HID bulbs and power supplies that were in the old headlights to Forum folks who needed them. There was a pile of discarded headlight assemblies at Xtreme back by the dumpster. They might just give them away if you ask.

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #20 – June 09, 2016, 07:36:43 pm

I have the horizontal option with Hella bulbs (probably the standard) installed by the PO. The brights are awesome and I wish I could leave them on all the time. Low beams are another story. I assume they are adjustable, but I have yet to investigate. At interstate speeds I feel like I am "out driving" my headlights. As for my personal preference...my vote is for slanted. I think that arrangement looks good with the Foretravel body lines. Good luck with your decision!

Re: New headlights: vertical, horizontal or diagonal???

Reply #21 – June 16, 2016, 09:37:50 am

Oh, oh, oh,
Whatever you do ask 'em about installing a "warning chime" for the headlights. Boogles my mind they didn't install one OEM. They have every other warning bell.

Ed

Affiliate Notice