The SAE J581 Aux High Beam Thread

Maybe these are worth a look?

https://www.demon-tweeks.com/us/cibie-oscar-lamps-241968/

I’m not positive that they’re SAE J581 compliant, so further research would be required.

 

You mean like this? Yup, they're Oscars alright. They were sitting in my basement for over 30 years until I pulled them out for the new 4Runner.

 

I’m planning on Oscars or Hella 700FF for my driving lights. I’m not too worried about strict J581 compliant because I will have them wired to my high beam circuit for street use.

 

For your specific purpose I’d agree with @MrMccrackin and take note about the comment on mounting location to avoid the counterproductive hood glare. The Pro fogs will also help with light out to the sides, and pros have more spill and a wider angle than the other fogs, which will be helpful for your purpose. A center mounted front Baja combo bar isn’t going to give you significant light to the sides like your other solution would, and if you are already planning on driving lights the bar doesn’t seem like it would provide a significant purpose other than just more light.

Depending on your grill situation, you might consider some Diode Dynamics SS3 Pros in selective yellow with a clear driving lens swap. That would provide 4000k output in a more compact platform that would block less airflow to the radiator.

Also, I have a spare BAMF behind the grill light mount, PM me if interested.
https://www.bayareametalfab.com/2005-2021-Toyota-Tacoma-Behind-the-Grille-Light-Bar-Bracket_p_9.html

 

Agree that the SS3 Pro will be easier to mount, but will the lower CRI (in the 70s with a clear optic swapped on) have any negative effects? I can understand @Cwopinger's choice of halogen, specifically in regard to the color temperature and the CRI of 100. Does a light source with sub-optimal CRI cause eye strain?

 

A lightsource with a CRI rating in the 70s shouldn't. There is more strain from high color temperatures/lightsources that are blue wavelength dominant, like 6000k white HID and LED than warmer/lower color temperature.

CRI comes into play at short distances, certainly, but you're not going to be comparing paint swatches at 300m.

I've run selective yellow filters/tinted lenses and bulbs on and off for years. With the removal of most of the blue wavelengths of light from a halogen source, the CRI drops from 99-100, to the 60's, yet selective yellow light is noted for a Reduction in eye strain compared to full spectrum "white" halogen light. Because there's a reduction (almost elimination) in blue wavelengths compared to the red and green, which still allow adequate distinction between shades of green/grey/black/brown/red etc that you would see along the road and in nature.

Intensity of light is the primary concern for being able to see. If there isn't enough light of whatever spectrum to adequately illuminate what you are trying to see, your eyes will strain trying to adjust.

The photos I posted on the previous page show what a color temp difference you can expect to see between a halogen lamp and the 70ish CRI 4000k neutral white SS3 pods, as well as the dramatic difference (exaggerated, as a camera sensor doesn't adjust and 'see' the same way a human eye does) in color temp between a halogen lightsource and the 6000ishK 70ish CRI lightbar.

 

@crashnburn80, @MrMccrackin thanks for the reply’s. I think I can pull off the rack mounted cornering lights without hood or rear view mirror glare based on another thread I found where the same idea was successfully done. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-ditch-lights-an-alternative-mounting.617091/

I appreciate the grill light mount offer, DM will be inbound. Living in FL with retirement trips planned to the desert SW I am concerned with radiator airflow and overheating problems with the grill lights. That’s why I decided on the 7” lights vs. 9” Super Oscars. I didn’t think about a lens swap for the 4K SS3 Pros, that sounds like a good option. I was avoiding LED driving lights because I didn’t want the distracting (to me anyway) color difference between the halogen headlights and the aux lights.

Thanks again for some of the most informative threads on TW! I’ll buy you a beer when I get up to your area on my travels.

 

Austin, your signature line caught my attention, my build is solidly in the “utility and realistic ability enhancements” also. I sub'ed for future reading.

 

@Toy_Runner thanks for your comments too. I had skimmed your previous post on my phone while at work and totally missed that you were using the 4K pods for the pictures. That visual helps a lot, thanks!

 

I live in Phoenix with some of the most oppressive heat in the universe (it’s an AZ thing) and I have 6” KC mounted behind the grill, airflow isn’t a problem on the 3rd Gen. btw, pay no attention to that China light bar it was a Father’s Day gift, before I stumbled onto crashes educational thread.
I plan to remove it at some point.

 

@Cwopinger , not trying to piss anyone off, and recognizing some have significant preference for halogen over 6000k color, but have you at least seriously considered OEM LED?

I am completely satisfied with mine. They take up no extra space. They use less power and generate minimal heat which works great in hot weather. The DRL’s are superior and more fun. They have significantly better output to the point that I feel no desire for aux lighting, though if someone made an aftermarket towing mirror with integrated puddle, ditch, turn and DRL of high quality I might bite on that.

I’m also 46 so I’m no spring chicken.

These halogen headlights on our third gens really aren’t very good at their job. The LED headlights are significantly better.

 

More info to consider, thanks! That’s good the airflow isn’t disrupted too bad, your AZ heat will be worse than my heat/humidity on truck temps. The picture gives me a much better idea of how much the 7” lights would fill up the grill. I had taped a couple of old DVDs on the grill when I was brainstorming this, I know they are smaller than the lights but we’re the closest thing I had handy to that size. I thought they should work, glad for the confirmation. FWIW, I also taped a couple of 9” paper plates up there to simulate Super Oscars. Wow they are big! I decided they would probably cause a problem. Lol

 

David, no offense taken, discussion helps the conversation even if there is disagreement.

I haven’t considered an OEM LED swap at all, it just doesn’t seem worth it for me for what it would cost. I’m happy with the halogen headlights since the H9 low beam swap and just want the extra distance a set of aux driving lights will bring for the high beams. I’m ok with the LED SS3 fogs because with the selective yellow lens the color temp difference is unnoticeable.

As far as adding LED lights for my cornering light solution, I think I will be OK with the BD S2 Sport pods (the solution in the thread I linked above) as I will not be running them all the time and when they are on it will be out of my main field of view.

If someone ever makes a towing mirror like you described I would buy them too!

 

That's a pretty cool install. I did something similar with my Baja S2 lights, as I did not care for the traditional ditch light brackets on the hood. I made some zero-height brackets and added them to the slot in the roof rack. No hood or mirror glare in these corners.

I have the pro driving lights in 4000K. They're not quite a match for halogen, as they are a bit "whiter" though still warm in tone, and certainly better than the 6000K chips. If you're looking for a solution more compact than big halogen reflectors, these are a great choice. Though they do lack the pattern size and punch of some of the big reflectors. Here's a comparison of the color, though the photo is not quite accurate (it's too warm).



This setup provides a decent spread of coverage for forward/peripheral lighting, but I have noted one missing spot, and that's cornering at speed. It's a pretty limited use case for me, as my suspension isn't go-fast stuff (just stock TRD pro setup). But I did notice while trying to keep up with some buddies' buggies on fire roads that I have blind spots on fast sweepers. The bar and driving lights only provide coverage directly ahead. The fog lights are aimed down and the S2s are too dispersed to punch far.

I don't think I plan on correcting it though, I think any more lights will look too busy up front. And the few times on the trail at night are usually slow work.

 

Tory, that’s a really nice looking 4R.

It’s good to see another use of the S2s for a cornering light in something other than the traditional ditch light position. Doubly good to hear no hood or mirror glare. It looks like you have the wide cornering S2s so I can see where they wouldn’t have a lot of throw for high speed cornering. I will use the combo light to get some more distance from them. As I said earlier my use will be slow speed stuff so I think I can make it work.

After seeing @MrMccrackin 6” KCs behind the grill I’m kind of leaning back toward my original plan of Cibie or Hella halogen driving lights since they don’t cause a airflow/overheating problem. The pattern and throw for the money along with the halogen bulbs to match the headlights make a pretty acceptable package for me, especially since I really don’t do a lot of night driving.

More decisions for me to make. I’m going to get stuck in analysis paralysis lol

 

Yep wide cornering. Excellent for peripheral at low speed. And since I wanted them to tuck down as close to the rack as possible, I knew I wouldn't be able to adjust their aim as precisely as spot/combo would call for. As the channel they sit in is tilted down slightly, the wide cornering patterns form a sort of "V" shape. They blend in nicely to extend the fog pattern down low, all the way to almost 90° out on either side of the truck up to almost 10 feet high.

You can see what I mean in this video (buggy chasing):
https://youtu.be/NKt-HZz_V4c?t=97

 

Is it possible to source the Cibbie super Oscar 9” in halogen? That’s what @Too Stroked has? But he bought his many years ago?

I see plenty of LED versions for sale at rather reasonable prices but a quick search isn’t finding halogen.

Do we have any rough comparisons between the LED 9” oscars and the DD SS3 MAX in driving pattern? The more compact SS3 seems easier to mount and not significantly more expensive.

Perhaps there is a KC or Hella halogen option? Or is everyone ok with halogen base headlights and LED aux lights purely because cost?

 

I have the 7" Oscars. The 9" are the Supers.

 

Dan Stern used to be the go-to source for anything Cibie. However he has noted that cibies stamping dies for their lenses are getting at the end of their useful life (so an older production lamp with an intact reflector may be a better performer than a new one). He currently just asks people to email him about auxiliary lamps and fogs.

I don't have a driving beam optic for my SSC3 pods, but I can try to get some pics posted up this week with some comparison shots of my LED super oscars, SS12 bar and SSC3 pod with spot optics.

Back around page 3 there was a member who posted photos of his Hella 700FFs.

 

Yep.

Cebie Super Oscar 9"

Vs SS3 Max

Max are far higher in intensity output, but the Cibies have a larger pattern area.