Proper Aftermarket Fog Lamps

[Soul Shinobi]

I'm looking to buy a proper (lower color temperature, which means yellow in this case) after market fog lamp kit (set of two).

Application: I live in New England (southern New Hampshire) so some decent fog lamps are a must in the worse weather (which is the more fun time to drive!). I intend to use them in blizzards, fog, rain, and any other really crappy weather we might have.

Price: Ideally I wouldn't like to spend more than $30 total, but if you can convince me a nice pair that can do more than I ever imagined, then I may go as high as $50.

Style: I would ideally like rectangular lights of a modest size because the main lights on my 1992 Legacy are that shape and I don't want them to be much of an aerodynamic drawback. I would mount them below the bumper just in front of where the OEM auxiliary driving lights would have gone.

FOR EXAMPLE:


What I Had In Mind: I've been looking online and can't seem to find a sure hit for what I'm looking for, and I don't really know the brands (except for the big ones like Hella and PIAA, but those are way out of my price range). I went to the local store (VIP Autocenter) and they have two that seem to be what I want, but I have no idea if the brands are reliable or not; they were a kit by Optronics for $17.99 and a kit by Pilot for $19.99. Are these worth my time?

[ultrasonic]

The cheap stuff is generally exactly that... cheap. If you want something pretty good at a low price you'll have to ignore your aesthetic prejudice. The best performance for the lowest price on true fog lights (not aux driving lights) is Hella Optilux projectors:

http://www.rallylights.com/Optilux/Opti ... _Lamps.asp

You can get the 1000 or 1100 kit for only $19 if you don't mind the slightly ricey "electron blue" lens. It does project yellow light, and the pattern is good with a nice sharp cutoff.

[Soul Shinobi]

Hmm, I was expecting a response quite like this. I was actually sort of hopeful on the Pilot brand I saw at the store because Summit Racing caries high end lights by that brand, but perhaps these Hellas will be a better match despite how ugly they are to me. Let's say a top of $50 to $60, can I get something a bit closer to my taste? I'll definitely look at this site, it looks like just the place for me to be looking.

[ultrasonic]

I am in the process of working out my Hella FF200 fogs. I have been through two attempts to fabricate a custom mounting bracket. I lurked ebay for a while and found a set of FF200 (free form, almost round) for about $70 shipped. That was from a private seller who had never installed them. You can see my earliest attempt at mounting them in the photos on this page:

http://homepage.mac.com/ultra.sonic/aut ... bum18.html

I think I have the brackets worked out now. They are slightly further outboard and more evenly spaced than these pictures show. I have the switch I want, and a mounting location, but have yet to wire them up. I'll have to get that done in the next couple weeks.

The round style lights just say "rally" to me a bit more than the rectangular ones. And I'm giving in to asthetics abit, as the best performing fogs would probably be the Hella Micro DE projectors. But the Free Form lights should be pretty good, better than the non-free form reflector type.

You might be able to get some Hella 500s (round) or 550s (rectangular) in a fog pattern for around $60-70 at Advance Auto. Old technology, but better than the el cheapos.

[Splinter]

I was looking at getting cheap fogs. Then I waited another month and got some kickass Hellas for $150

[jamal]

Hella FF lights rock.

I don't see the point in cheaping out with aftermarket lighting- if you want fog lights for fog and not bling, get a good set.

I love my FF1000 driving lights and they were worth every penny (~$100).

[evolutionmovement]

Cheap lights are worthless. They will work marginally, break easy (highway rock damage), and fail often. I'll never bother with them again. I've had Hella 550s and 500s and liked the both of them. Pretty rugged, too. I think I paid $60 for the 550s, but that was ten years ago. I angled mine out slightly and used them as partial cornering lights. I think the 550s were a little better, but it's hard to say as they were on a GL and the 500s were on my Legacy. Stock headlights were about comparable between the two. IIRC, the 550s went further out to the sides.

[Soul Shinobi]

A few minutes ago I was thinking that maybe I should just get some $20 ones and use them as though they were disposable... But it's really starting to seem that Hella is pretty much the be all/end all of auxiliary lamps so I'll have to drop some money on some.

Okay, the ones that interest me are (in order of interest, and price, to be honest):

Optilux 2020 Series Combination Fog/Driving Lamps
http://www.rallylights.com/Optilux/optilux_2020.asp
Type: 2020 Combination Fog/Driving Lamp Kit
Price: $45.79
Pros: price, dual lamp system has both driving and fog lights, more aerodynamic.
Cons: potentially lower quality than my other choices, not badass looking, no stone shield.

Hella Model 530 Driving Lights and Fog Lights
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/530.asp
Type: 530 Clear Fog Lamp Kit OR 530 Amber Fog Lamp Kit
Price: $63.69
Pros: price, size, shape matches headlights.
Cons: no stone shield.

Hella 500 Fog Lights and Driving Lights
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/500.asp
Type: 500 Clear Fog Lamps, Kit OR 500 Amber Fog Lamps, Kit
Price: $68.79
Pros: round shape does give that genuine rally look, include stone shields.
Cons: kind of pricey, would hang lower than my other options and be at greater risk to being hit during rough driving, any other mounting position than this would both require extra hardware and cause more drag.

Hella FF75 Driving Lights and Fog Lights
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/ff075.asp
Type: FF75 Fog Lamp Kit
Price: $73.38
Pros: discrete look, more aerodynamic.
Cons: price, not badass looking, no stone shield.

Hella Model 550 Driving Lights and Fog Lights
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/550.asp
Type:550 Clear Fog Lamps, Kit OR 550 Amber Fog Lamps, Kit
Price: $80.31
Pros: include stone shield.
Cons: price.

Hella Model 450 Driving Lights and Fog Lights
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/450.asp
Type: 450 Clear Fog Lamps, Kit
Price: $85.24
Pros: include stone shield.
Cons: price.


I just did some burst research on fog lamps, and I found some very good articles on lighting here:
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech ... lamps.html

Also I found this interesting information, outlining my own personal misconception:
"The respective purposes of front fog lamps and driving lamps are often confused, due in part to persistent misapprehension by the public at large that fog lamps are necessarily selective yellow, while any auxiliary lamp that makes white light is a driving lamp."[1]

I'm torn between normal fog lamps and ones that are amber for three of the six that interest me; could anyone sight personal experiences?

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive ... _fog_lamps

[Splinter]

I have the 550 driving lights, and they are amazing. I put overwattage bulbs in them, and its actually painful to look at them

[evolutionmovement]

Fog lights shine low and wide while driving lights are more pencil-shaped straight ahead. I prefer the yellow lenses for less glare. You can make your own stone shields by just cutting thin sheets of polycarbonate to go in front of the lenses. On the rectangular units this is particularly easy as mounting would only require longer screws for the side lens retainers so you could use the same bolt pattern.

[skid542]

I just wanted to drop a quick - thanks for posting your findings. It's a great list of lights and associated links. I've bookmarked this thread.

[Soul Shinobi]

Oh well you're quite welcome; I'm glad now that I got off my ass and looked it all up.

Hmm. I've been putting a ton of thinking into this and I've come down to the first two from my previous list.

Optilux 2020 Series Combination Fog/Driving Lamps
http://www.rallylights.com/Optilux/optilux_2020.asp
Type: 2020 Combination Fog/Driving Lamp Kit
Price: $45.79
Pros: price, dual lamp system has both driving and fog lights, more aerodynamic.
Cons: potentially lower quality than my other choices, not badass looking, no stone shield.

Hella Model 530 Driving Lights and Fog Lights
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/530.asp
Type: 530 Amber Fog Lamp Kit
Price: $63.69
Pros: price, size, shape matches headlights.
Cons: no stone shield.

Now I'm going to go stare at my car in the garage for about a half hour until I come up with something brilliant. That's how we with A.D.D. work. I've already put a low beach chair in front of my car for me to sit in and look at where I want to put the lights while I think for that time. I'm hardly even exaggerating, this is all quite true.

EDIT: I've decided that if I got the Hella Model 530 Fog Lights that I would get the amber ones. I wonder if I got the Optilux 2020 Series Combination Fog/Driving Lamps if I could get some yellow cut-to-fit film to put over the fog light side of them...

[ultrasonic]

...
Hmm. I've been putting a ton of thinking into this and I've come down to the first two from my previous list.

Optilux 2020 Series Combination Fog/Driving Lamps
...

The problem with combination lights is; ideal mounting position for fog lights is as low as possible. Ideal mounting position for driving lights is above the bumper, in the same horizontal plane as the headlights. Obviously having both fogs and driving lights in the same housing is going to result in a compromise in performance of either (or both).

...

Now I'm going to go stare at my car in the garage for about a half hour until I come up with something brilliant. That's how we with A.D.D. work. I've already put a low beach chair in front of my car for me to sit in and look at where I want to put the lights while I think for that time. I'm hardly even exaggerating, this is all quite true.
...

Oh, I know what you mean. When I was looking at fog light options I got the dimensions of each model light I was considering and I used a technical drawing program to draw real size templates. I cut out the templates in pairs and used masking tape to attach them to possible mounting locations on the car. Using a camera on a tripod I was able to shoot digital photos of each set up with the exact same framing and perspective: headlight level, looking square at the front of the car. Then I made a slideshow of all the potential light configurations.... I'm kind of embarassed to admit all this! But it worked very well to get an idea of what the end result might look like.

...

EDIT: I've decided that if I got the Hella Model 530 Fog Lights that I would get the amber ones. I wonder if I got the Optilux 2020 Series Combination Fog/Driving Lamps if I could get some yellow cut-to-fit film to put over the fog light side of them...

I agree with the choice of yellow for foul weather lighting, obviously.

You can get yellow bulbs to go in the fogs; Yellowstars and Extreme XP Yellows (new and expensive!). The light they emit is usually a bit more pale than having an actual yellow lens, but it works. The good suppliers already mentioned in this thread have them available.

http://www.rallylights.com/hella/H3.asp

Tungsram Golds are available from daniel stern.

[ultrasonic]

Something else I noticed on rallylights.com: it looks like Hella may be phasing out the 530. They have single replacement lenses and reflectors limited to stock on hand, after that they are no longer available. It might be difficult to get parts if you crack one a couple years from now if this is true. Maybe you could use the 450 if you really want a rectangular light and the 550 is too large.

[Soul Shinobi]

Oh man, now I'm really torn! Do I get the Optilux 2020 and a pair of Yellow Star bulbs for the fog half and aim them for fog but with the driving light option? Poor weather lighting is what's important so I'd have to aim them for fog, but the two-for-one deal of the 2020's dual lighting just seems too convenient! So what if I do this and the driving light part turns out to be crap?

The Optilux 2020 with Yellow Star bulbs would only be about $7 less than the amber Hella 530's, what the hell... And what about my other options, am I really ready to spend that much money? I need you guys to talk me into spending this much... God I need a real job.

EDIT: (removed last line, it was a stupid thing to say)

[Bheinen74]

I recently got the Hella Optilux 1500 for my turbo wagon. I mounted them in the oem spot, removing the factory back cups-they snap out after removal of 3 screws from back side.

I got the lights new on ebay, for about 30 bucks shipped. Only problem is they are a littlle too small for the mount location, they need to take up more space. man on man tho, they are bright. here are some pictures of the lighting output, prior to me correctly aiming them

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/bheinen/alb ... 4124#page1

I bought another set for my other car, on ebay, and got them for 24 shipped. To mount them, i used the supplied brackets. And all it took was to drill 2 small screw holes up into the bumper beam, and I used my own self tapping sheet metal screws unstead of the supplied mount bolts. took about 30 minutes of my time total.