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Hella 500 Fog/Driving lights

6K views 18 replies 6 participants last post by  **DONOTDELETE** 
#1 ·
Are the Hella 500's worth it? I think that they are about 50 bux for 2 with a wiring kit. Were would you suggest mounting them? Should i get a set of 4 and buy a light bar? I Dont know much about the light placements and such.

Sorry, my YJ is a 90, not an 87.

 
G
#2 ·
The Hella 500 is a decent light for the price. If you want fogs (I wouldn't bother) mount them low--bumper height or lower. If you want driving - the higher the better. Don't be tempted to put higher wattage bulbs in though, it doesn't help and creates a lot more heat in the light. The best lighting upgrade you can do is to replace your headlights with Hella H4 (not DOT approved) or Hella Vision Plus (DOT approved) headlights. I have the H4's in everything I own. Awsome. For the driving lights the general rule is the more reflector area the more light you will get. The wattage is not as important. Fogs are typically useless in my opinion. Anyway, the 500 driving lights are worth the money. Either put them on top of the bumper, windshield corners, or roof bar. If you use the windshield corner brackets you should cut the light covers out to cover the edges of the lenses to cut glare down.

84 CJ7,AMC 360,dual lockers,33" Swampers,5 spd
 
#3 ·
Hella 500 driving lights ARE NOT DOT approved. Technically, you can't run them on the road. If you do run them on the road, make sure that they are not blinding other drivers. You'll know when you have it right because no one will flash you or crash.

Also, I don't know of any state where it is legal to run lights above your headlights. Most states require that lights above your headlights be covered at all times. If you're going to mount them for daily use, they need to be on your bumper.

85 CJ-7 258/T176/D300 Scout D44s F&R with Lock-Rites and 4.56 gears. 4" springs with lift shackles 36" SS TSL Radials Hella Rallye 4000s for guiding small planes into the woods
 
#4 ·
One place I've found fog lights useful: in the snow. when there is a fresh coat of snow on everything at night they can be useful to get a bit of reflection off the side berms that you can actually see and stay between them. Ray Ban ambermatics are popular with truck drivers in Alaska for the same reason. I don't have them now, but rigs that I owned that had fog lights, I never turned them on in the fog, just the snow.

It's all a state of mind, and if you don't mention the state of my mind, I'll be happy to overlook yours!
 
#5 ·
I am not concered about getting high watt bulbs. I might replace the stock lights with new bulbs. I am aiming for the driving lights. IS there any site for Lighting rules online? OR can you help me Find out How strict Kansas is on these things? I do not like the windsheild corner mounts. I may concider placing them on the bumper like some of the new Tj's have their lights.

Sorry, my YJ is a 90, not an 87.

 
#6 ·
That's a good place to mount them, I have a set mounted there and have been very happy with them. I've had them for about 4 years now, but don't let water get inside as it'll rust out the lens. After submergence, make sure you drain them out.

JEEPN
Waldoboro, Maine (yes, we're BACK!)
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled, It's a Jeep, Chevy, IHC kinda thing!
'88.5 Slamurai, 7" Lift, Locked, Swamped, Rolled, and just generally broken in right!
 
#7 ·
I'm sure there are people out there who have good use for high $$$ lights, but a friend of mine gave me some good advice when I started wheeling. Go to a discount store (Wallyworld or Nothern Tool for me) and get the biggest/cheapest set you can. Run them until they break (cause you will probably break them sooner or later). When they do you replace them with some more cheap ones.

I didn't really understand this until I saw somebody mourning his $300 lights after a minor disagreement with a tree branch. On the other hand, when I broke my biggest/most expensive light (front spots), I threw it in the back and headed to Northern Tool for another $15 replacement, tear-free.

'83 CJ-7 nothing original but the tub and axle tubes
 
#8 ·
while you are talking about driving and fog lights, what is the difference. i always thought driving were clear and fog were amber, but was informed by my brother-in-law that his new libery (gasp!!) came with foglights and they are clear. just curious.

thanka all
shawn

The cup isn't half full or half empty, it's just twice the size it needs to be!!!
 
#9 ·
True fog lights have fluted lenses.

And about buying the Wally World lights - they're great if you want the look of "el cheapo". Throw either my Hella 500s or My Hella 4000s up against any light from Wal-Mart and we'll see who can outshine the other :)

85 CJ-7:
Locked D44 F/R with 4.56 gears
4" springs with shackles
36" TSL Radials
Hella Rallye 4000s
'94 ZJ:
2" lift and 31" BFG ATs
3" Flowmaster and K&N intake
 
#10 ·
Sorry, I go for function for MY application, not necessarily form. When I'm blasting along at a BLAZING 2MPH on the trail (the only place these lights can be LEGALLY used), I'm not worried about lighting 4000 yards of trail, or 360 degrees of vision. Now if I was running a baja truck, rally car, or landing a small plane at night, that would be a different story of course.

Oh and another advantage of "el cheapo" is that I can afford to keep spares on hand just in case for auxilary lighting, or breakage. A little harder to do with high $$ models.

But hey, to each his own. YMMV

'83 CJ-7 nothing original but the tub and axle tubes
 
#11 ·
Fucntion, not form? I guess that would explain why I paid to have some of the best lights made short of HIDs. By the time you get done replacing your Wal-Mart lights, you'll have spent the $55 for the Hella 500s which, in three years of hard wheeling and water crossings have never broken once.

With proper protection and care when driving (i.e NOT driving over trees or bushwhacking), you'd be able to go home without a broken light.

I want the most light possible when night wheeling. Flooding a trail at night is the way to do that.



85 CJ-7:
Locked D44 F/R with 4.56 gears
4" springs with shackles
36" TSL Radials
Hella Rallye 4000s
'94 ZJ:
2" lift and 31" BFG ATs
3" Flowmaster and K&N intake
 
#12 ·
AllLockedUp: Do you feel like you have to justify yourself to me? Cause that's sure what it's sounding like.

Notice the phrases --
"function for MY application" yours may be different. When I night wheel I don't do it alone, and if I'm not up front I know people do not appreciate being blinded by 1000's of watts of lights into their mirrors. Your experience may be DIFFERENT than that, and hey you know that's OK, that's why we're all here.

"but hey to each his own. YMMV (your mileage may vary)." -- This is to denote that I am attempting to voice an opinion, not start a pissing match which you seem intent on creating, so why not put it back in your pants and realize that mine is only a single opinion, which happens to work for me. I never claimed that it was the only one, nor did I disagree with others who see contrary to my views.

In short, relax man. Enjoy your Hella's. I'm glad you have them, they make you happy. You like them and now everybody understands that you think they are worth the money. I have chosen to persue other solutions to the problem at hand. I think we've all made our points.

'83 CJ-7 nothing original but the tub and axle tubes
 
#13 ·
No one's starting a pissing match. Simply put, "you get what you pay for".

85 CJ-7:
Locked D44 F/R with 4.56 gears
4" springs with shackles
36" TSL Radials
Hella Rallye 4000s
'94 ZJ:
2" lift and 31" BFG ATs
3" Flowmaster and K&N intake
 
#14 ·
I have to agree. I have a set of el-cheapo's on the TJ, and a set of Hella 500 Drivings on the Trooper. There simply is no comparison to output. The Hella's win hands down and are by far the best light I have seen for the money. Not too bright, but just right for all around wheeling, driving down desolate roads (I always turn them off when meeting a vehicle), and they will take a lot of abuse. Now I won't even waste my money on anything else.

A guy in our Jeep club bought some Hella 3,000's and made the mistake of turning them on at -10 degrees while driving. Both lenses cracked and split from the temperature difference created by the ambient temperature and the heat generated by the lights. Just a word of caution if buying the large ones.

JEEPN
Waldoboro, Maine (yes, we're BACK!)
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled, It's a Jeep, Chevy, IHC kinda thing!
'88.5 Slamurai, 7" Lift, Locked, Swamped, Rolled, and just generally broken in right!
 
G
#15 ·
Does anyone else run the H4 headlights? I still think they are the best all around light for the money. The lowbeams are better than most foglights and the high beams are super bright. I've never gotten flashed with the H4's like I used to with regular sealed beams. The low beam cutoff is that good. I used to have 4 Hella 4000's, and 2 500's. I don't even bother now. I just use the H4's.

84 CJ7,AMC 360,dual lockers,33" Swampers,5 spd
 
#16 ·
Why yes, I run the H4 headlights. Yes you get what you pay for. Nice beam pattern, lots of light, easy to change bulbs (also keep a spare set of those with me too). Since it's what I use all the time driving, I didn't mind spending the $75 for the non-sealed beams. Win hands down over stock lights.

'83 CJ-7 nothing original but the tub and axle tubes
 
G
#17 ·
I have some cheap driving round 6" lights from kragen auto parts on my bumper/smittybuilt brush guard. They work great! cost a grand total of $19.99 havent briken any yet but if they did, so be it. I'll just spend another 19.99 on a second pair. Nice and bright enough for me. Who the hell pay's $300 for Warn light's? Seriously. Why not just pur your Rolex on the dash and use that as your clock while your at it? talk about a need for "look at me, look at me syndrome"

 
#18 ·
I have looked into the waly world and auto zone lights but there is just something that is not pleasing to me about them. I dunno what it is but it is there. I am planning on getting the Hella 500 driving lights (pair) for around 50 bux. The bumper is where i will be mounting them.

There was a question about fog lights and there color. The amber lights on you jeep is the parking lights. The fog lights are little ones that shine a WIDE beam of light across the ground. Driving lights are pointed up but not high ehough to blind oncommers. High beams are a HIGH and more wide than the driving lights. This sounds right, doesn't it?

Sorry, my YJ is a 90, not an 87.

 
G
#19 ·
You got it right 87warrior, did you hapen to hear about the 87 car pile up in Central California yesterday due to fog? Im buying some little fog lights to place on my bumper this weekend just in case!!!!!! Probably another $19 set but the ones I saw are little, probably 2" dia or maybe I'll buy the rectangular kind 2"x4"

 
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