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Comments
The Subaru bars on my Forester are definitely sturdy. I HAVE stood on them and jumped up and down, and I weigh 200+ lbs. Just my 2 cents.
-Bob
Len
Pathfinder
H2 Hummer
Montero Sport
Trooper
Tahoe/Suburban
Passing grades go to:
G-wagen
ML series
Explorer or Expedition (forgot which)
-mike
(The rest of the world gets headlights with the clear corners why the hell don't we.)
One of the reflectors, drivers side actually, fell out into the light twice and I was able to work it back in, but it kept coming out and I thought screw this I am not doing this every couple of weeks.
So I took my mad pills and very carefully using a propane torch to heat the end of a screwdriver red hot I sliced the reflector into bits and removed a bit at a time, some guys over on the I-club have actually separated their headlights by heating them in an oven.
I was not about to attempt that on a headlight that costs $600 CDN. each, if the reflector had not kept falling out I would not have even done what I did, but after doing it I am satisfied with the result.
Cheers Pat.
I personally don't feel a job is complete until I've had to get medieval on it with a torch. ;-)
-Colin
burninating everything
Steve
Pat: hilarious, figures you'd be the first one here to do that.
So, do you then replace the clear bulbs with yellow ones?
-juice
Cheers Pat.
Needless to say that provided the motivation not to screw up and do a good job, there was no question of retreating.
Cheers Pat.
Can you post some pics, I'd love to see the results. I'm considering something like that for our Impreza. Here's the Photoshop version of what I'm talking about (top is "before", bottom is "after":
http://www.zztrailer.com/outback/tslights.jpg
Anyone have experience w/ Hella 500 fogs? I'm considering adding those as well (in the stock location), as we don't have any fogs now. I did a search on MODS II and found a couple of references from a few years ago, any information on how they compare with the stock fogs on '02/'03 Imprezas, or stock fogs in general? If we could save some bucks over OEM and get a better light that'd be great. Thanks for your input.
utahsteve
-juice
Perhaps he just painted the street side of the bulb and counts on the light reflecting off the back side. Or maybe he is content with grossly diminished signal brightness as a trade-off for "kewl".
Remember when smoked tail lights and headlight covers were all the rage. The really "with it" car owners would tint their tails so dark that the brake lights were just a dim memory of their former selves.
I have little patience for people who sacrifice function for fashion, particularly when it effects the safety of others. What really bugs me are fog lights as "vanity lights" and the geniuses that drive at dawn and dust with their parking lights on, when everyone else is using their headlights.
Flame off.
-james
hope you got flame suits on ;-)
Actually, there are paints just for that application. Can't remember what it's called. Pretty much gel like and lets light through.
-Dave
To pacify certain misanthropic individuals, the following additional info may be useful. For all others, my apologies for taking up the space, feel free to ignore this. My '97 has OEM fog lights. I have used them in fog, and on dirt/gravel roads to more clearly define irregular road surfaces at night, and found them somewhat beneficial but not great. I don't drive around with them on all the time. I don't drive around with my brights on all the time. I don't have oddly tinted headlights or bulbs. I use my headlights when conditions warrant, such as in inclement weather and during the dawn/dusk/night. I don't think it's wise to compromise the safety of one's vehicle, but my experience in the coatings industry makes me believe that it may be possible to modify things from an aesthetic standpoint without compromising the functionality of them.
utahsteve
Further both Phillips and Sylvania both make silver bulbs for this purpose.
Believe me I do not do something to run with the crowd, I do because it is pleasing to me, you do not know me from a hole in the ground anymore than I know you so where do you get off insulting my integrity.
Am I angry, bloody right I am.
Pat.
-mike
Cheers Pat.
-mike
You do not put a heavy coat of paint on you just mist it on there is nothing diminished in the light output.
Cheers Pat.
That photochop of the WRX certainly looks better than stock IMHO.
-juice
Now to be honest the manufacturers manage to get the siver on in an even coat while mine is not but the only time you notice is when the bulb is actually lit and I do not intend to hang on to the front of the car to watch it working LOL.
Cheers Pat.
-mike
Cheers Pat.
I also have the Hella 200 FF fogs on my Legacy that Paisan mentioned and they're significantly better than the 500s, but a lot more money (twice?). You should be able to find the 500s at major chains for $69 all day long. The 200FF is new and much more sophisticated, so mail order might be the way to go. I think I paid $125 or so about 9 months ago. If you're not a serious driver, the 500 is plenty of light. I routinely drive all night no matter the weather, drive up to 30 straight hours, etc, etc and at that level of fatigue the professional grade illumination pays dividends.
As for painting the orange bulbs silver and "not reducing output" I disagree. No matter WHAT you put on the bulb - even water - you've diminished the output as measured in lumens. There's no way around this simple physics. Whether you can perceive it is the question.
IdahoDoug
I used to be part of the crowd that didn't care for DRLs. But driving in the early morning or on foggy days, you'd be surprised at how many people think lights are only to light up the road and help them see. No understanding that it also helps others to see YOU. I'm now a fan of DRLs.
Jim
Okay I will concede in an instrumented test there will be some loss in illumination, but my point is in pure observation the signal lights are still plenty bright enough to be clearly seen, so can we end this discussion.
Cheers Pat.
Thanks,
Jim
Juice: actually that's my Pinto, err I mean TS, not a WRX in the photochop
Pat: thanks for the info on the Legacy mod.
utahsteve
I retained the covered bin and moved it to the bottom, the stock layout was radio,covered bin in the middle and open bin on the bottom,the bins are interchangable, hope this answers your question to juice.BTW i believe you can buy a bracket from Piaa, and Hella for mounting those lights in the stock location.
Cheers Pat.
-mike
The stereo is a double-DIN, so it takes up two of those spaces total. When you remove the stock head unit, in my case a single DIN tape player, the new one takes up one of the spaces below it.
That was also the case with the Forester.
43 minutes sounds amazing mike. Did you torque every bolt down to spec?
-juice
-mike
Whoever sits on the Gunma, Japan, assembly line and tightens the bolts on the tow hooks in the rear is a strong person! Those were tight.
-juice
-mike
-juice
Cheers Pat.
Yokahama AVS Sports @ $128
Bridgestone RE730 Gen II @ $118
Dunlop SP Sport 8000 @ $117
Toyo Proxie RA1s @ $125ish
-mike
-juice
-mike
-juice
The tweeters were a 10 minute job, but make a very noticeable difference. The bells and triangles on Fleetwood Mack "Silver Springs" really comes alive now (a good thing as it was on "The Dance" live album)!!! The woofer will have to wait for warmer weather as it entails pulling the console, dash and radio to get to the harness.
Steve
out of those no question the overall winner is the Yoko AVS Sport, but they'll wear quite a bit faster than the RE730. who cares!
the Toyo RA1 is long-lived for a DOT-legal race tire but it won't last daily driving. it'll either wear out quick under hard use--if you don't get tossed in jail ;-) --or the rubber will harden and become nowhere near as effective. it's not made to take near as many total heat cycles as a new high-silica true street tire like the AVS Sport.
it would be fun on the track... of course that's what it's made for.
-Colin
Juice: I have an extra set of rims I bought over the net for $200
-mike
-juice
I just replaced the air filter on it (~28k miles). The engine side of it was rather clean (the accordian side). The snorkus side (wire grid screen side) was not bad, but there were several dead bugs, a leaf, and a fairly low centered stain patch in the mid section of the filter. The stain appeared to be dirt, grime, etc.
I was very surprised to find the leaf all the way through the snorkus. It was fairly intact too.
Keep in mind this is with the OEM snorkus and the inlet at the front of the vehicle. I'd bet that less bugs (and leaves) would enter from the fender well area.
It was not nearly as dirty as my cabin filters were this past summer (2 years of dirt). And I know I haven't replaced the air filter previously, nor have I paid for it during any of my dealer oil changes. So, this should have been the first air filter change (2 1/2 years of use).
FWIW - I probably didn't help you much. ;-)
-Brian
I have a pair of Boston Acoustic tweeters in my '99 Forester that really make a difference. I picked them because the fit into the factory mountings.
-Bob
How much were those, Bob? Prolly not too bad.
-juice
Why not leave the snorkus and use a drop-in K&N or Amsoil panel filter?
Ed