The SAE J581 Aux High Beam Thread

Could also toe them in a smidge. That's how I have my cibies aimed on my 4runner, dead level, toed a degree or two cross eyed. Helps going into long sweeping curves.

 

Interesting, will have to ponder on that.

 

Might result in too much hood glare, but I think it's worth a shot.

 

I had a lot more hood glare yesterday with the hood frosted over.

 

Am I the only one who's eagerly awaiting pics of a UPS truck properly fitted out with improved lighting?

 

If only I could. Pesky little thing about getting fired.

 

that would make a great signature for someone

 

Finished up the wiring (I think anyway). Have a rough country wireless switch and have it tied into the homelink buttons. Also took the blue wire from the switch and ran it to a high beam tap. Now the driving lights come on with the high beams or I can manually trigger them with the homelink buttons. Since the switch wire is down stream from the remote box I can hit the off homelink button if for some reason I wouldn't want them on with the high beams. Can also use the remote fob to do the normal stuff or hit the strobe button to try encouraging the idiot on their phone to get out of the left lane.

Here's why I'm not sure if the wiring is done. The high beam wire is 16guage but the switch trigger wire is 22 (or smaller), is that going to be an issue. I also have to fun Forscan (ford programming app) to make sure tapping the high beam isn't throwing any DTC codes. If it is I'll need to add a diode or relay that already has a diode in it.

This is funny, had to turn off the auto high beam function because the max pods are so bright and reflection shuts off the high beams.

EDIT Ran Forscan to check after driving home from work and no codes so seems like it is good to go.

 

Proper aiming for high beams is 0 degrees vertical tilt and 0 degrees lateral tilt, aka pointing directly ahead. If you wanted to spread them a degree or two to the sides that would be personal preference but your want to keep the bulk of the light output directed straight forward. A few degrees over great distances has a noticeable impact on where the light ends up going.

 

^^^That's why I suggested toeing them in rather than out. Helps keep the hotspots overlapped while also providing greater coverage of the opposite shoulder. YMMV/depends on mounting location and glare.

 

It is funny how many Google stories I get about lighting since landing here. Most are complete BS ones about the best fog lights linking crap on Amazon. This one was much better than most.

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdo...verything-you-need-know-about-driving-lights/

 

Not bad, but I was a little disappointed that the author didn't better define what the different beam patterns really are - especially a driving beam.

 

Yep. There are a few shortcomings for sure. But worth noting it references the Jalopnik article, which in turn a top automotive lighting expert references this site as a good example of why replacement LEDs don't actually work.

 

Finally got the lights wired in as planned.

SS3 Pro 4K driving on a BAMF behind the grill mount.

Blue Sea fuse box and 60 amp breaker mounted on to of engine bay fuse box.Fuse taps off high beam and low beam in the engine bay fuse box.

Relay mounted to inner fender.

Anytime backup camera High/Low 3 way switch.

They are switchable with low beam for when I'm off road or with high beam as auxiliary high beam.

I need to decide on cutting "windows" out of my grill.

I've never done any wiring before, bought some tools, connectors, wire, shrink wrap, loom and build my own harness. Took my time, kept checking continuity as I made connections and it all worked. Just glad I'm not paying myself by the hour for it.

Still need to clean a few things up and aim them, then I'll add some pictures.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions.

 

SS3 Pro fogs, H9 low beam and 4K SS3 Pro driving



High beam with 4K SS3 Pro aux high beam.

 

Very nice work! Any pictures of the pods mounted to the BAMF setup? I'm still working on my dual mounts to replace the single SS3s now.

 

I'll get some pictures tomorrow in daylight. The mount is very straight forward with roughly 2 inches of vertical adjustment. Lots of slots cut for mounting bolts to light cradles and the pods hang from it.

 

Actually did some driving with the yellow @Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro fogs turned on last weekend. It was a real windy section of undivided two-lane highway through the mountains, and they were great for keeping the centerline, fogline, and shoulder in view full-time at twilight and the dark through the turns. Excellent performance.