Interior / Exterior Visual TechThis section contains discussion related to visual modifications of the Toyota FJ Cruiser. Some items might include dash kits, roof rack modifications and other visual modifications.
I decided to test my stock before and after I cleaned the headlight domes. I was happy with my findings.
Stock with dirty domes: 244 Lux
Stock with clean domes: 311 Lux
BIG Difference!
If you want to see at night, keep your headlights clean!
I will list the lux ratings in descending order, so don't confuse the lux numbers with the photography timeline I used above...
PIAA: 411 Lux
Koito: 396 Lux
Silverstar Ultras: 379 Lux
IPF: 377 Lux
GE Nighthawk: 357 Lux
Silverstar: 339 Lux
Hella: 336 Lux
Raybrig: 311 Lux
Stock: 311 Lux
Notes: While the Raybrigs offered no improvement over the stock bulbs in terms of light density, they did provide a "less" yellow light, so I listed them above stock. Potentially a waste of money here...
I expected more from the Hellas... though the color of the light was improved, possibly only bested by the Koitos and PIAAs, the density was not the drastic improvement I expected.
My first set of PIAA's only lasted me 11 months, so longevity may be the trade off for their extremely white and dense light. However, I cannot say if I did not touch the bulbs or not back then because I was so excited to get them in there. Perhaps my next set will do better now that I know to NEVER TOUCH THE GLASS!
The afterglow of the IPF Magic's is just plain cool!
Any questions... post up or PM me.
If you want my opinion... get the PIAAs. Those aren't for sale by the way.
Holy Crap that site has a lot of H4 bulbs... I think we are going to have to stick with the most popular ones after this addition.
I am going to be broke and up to my eyeballs in headlights!
Hey I just noticed that place is down the street from me! Im going today. Joel, I would have bought your IPF bulbs. BUT mine burnt out on my drive back from pismo, I ordered IPF fat boys from that site, but seeing how close they are, I called and they allowed me to cancel order and go in and compare stuff. Ill post results. Great post rep. sent.
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Black Diamond 4x4 AT QC UR C7 V5 Z2, Low-Jack ,On 33" Nitto mud grappler, Fox Shox front, 3" Revtek lift rear, Pro-comp Xtreme Steel rims, PIAA Mirror lights, TRD Cold air intake, N-fab nerf bars, Road Armor Titan bumper with K.C. Rally 800-pencil beams/ PIAA 510 ION Fog lights, Manik tail light guards, Bushwacker fender flares and Black Diamond trim.
Job well done Joel! It appears as though you kept everything as consistent as humanly possible. Out of curiosity, any insight as to why the IPF and I believe PIAA's lit up more of the ground directly in front of the bumper? Most of the bulbs barely highlighted the top of the box and it looks as though the IPF's and PIAA's did a better job of blasting the grass and ground with light! Any other major differences that you noticed? I love the color of the PIAA's but the outputs of the output of the IPF's better.
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2008 Black Diamond 6MT: CQ, C7, UR TRD Intake:TRD Short Throw Shifter:Sport Pedals:URD Y Pipe:JBA Catback Exhaust:Clear Bra: Custom Smoked Turn Signals & Tail Lights: Huper Optik Tint: 3M Clear Bra by Detailing Dynamics: Demello Sliders: PIAA 1500 Back-up Lights:
3" All-Pro Walker Evans Adjustable Suspension with all the fixins! 17" Weld Racing Methods Black & 295/70/R17 TG's
Near Future Demello Front Bumper
Job well done Joel! It appears as though you kept everything as consistent as humanly possible. Out of curiosity, any insight as to why the IPF and I believe PIAA's lit up more of the ground directly in front of the bumper? Most of the bulbs barely highlighted the top of the box and it looks as though the IPF's and PIAA's did a better job of blasting the grass and ground with light! Any other major differences that you noticed? I love the color of the PIAA's but the outputs of the output of the IPF's better.
Ummm... I think I may have either forgot to turn off the porch light or disable the flash for those two.
The results really surprised me. First from looking at the photos, the PIAAs were not impressive at all. Maybe it's camera tricks. I thought the Silverstar Ultras look more natural and has a better light spread (though the housing is the same so I don't know how that can be) then the other "white" lights. Is it possible the light meter is favoring the "white" lights? I don't feel they look brighter, but the results seem to indicate the white lights are much brighter.
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Click for the "Genie" build up
Sandoo Blue FJ
Walker Evans 2.5 dia. front shocks, adj. rear reservoir shocks, Pro Links. AP F&R bumpers, AP 1.25" UCA, Demello skid, TMax 9000 Competition winch. Viking Trail Line. 34X10.5X16 Swamper LTB. Trail Gear Sliders, Aeroflow, Lightforce Blitz 240 HID, All Pro Swing Out.
The results really surprised me. First from looking at the photos, the PIAAs were not impressive at all. Maybe it's camera tricks. I thought the Silverstar Ultras look more natural and has a better light spread (though the housing is the same so I don't know how that can be) then the other "white" lights. Is it possible the light meter is favoring the "white" lights? I don't feel they look brighter, but the results seem to indicate the white lights are much brighter.
You have to remember that white light is all the colors of the spectrum of visible light. This can be seen when shining white light through a prism.
It would seem to me that yellowish lights would therefore be less complete and have less light. Perhaps this explains it some.
Also, you will notice when looking inside an H4 bulb there is a dish around the highbeam filament. This could affect the spread! Perhaps this dish shape is what makes the Ultras spread better.
It seems to me the Hellas actually show the hedge best in regards to what it would look like in the daylight.
Ideally we could have had 6 light meters at different stations and gotten spread readings as well, but I am not that much of a geek!
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