Blacked Out Headlights... Need More Light | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Blacked Out Headlights... Need More Light

Ok so i have purchased black headlight covers and have put them on my explorer. I absolutely love the look that they create, however they do diminish my light alot. So im pretty much just relying on my factory fog lights. Now im looking to purchase 2 more fog lights to mount on my bumper and make up for my lost light. Im on a budget and want to buy something that wont blind others and something that i will be able to attach to my factory switch.
 



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Look at the SC laws first - it may be illegal to run that setup because then you would have more than 4 forward lights.
 






where would i look online for that information?
 






Try searching Google.

But if I were you, I'd just get it straight from the horse's mouth: stop by your local Police station and ask.

EDIT - aaaand remove your black headlight covers before you drop by just in case those are illegal too.
 






Yeah i dont think im just gonna stop by the police station lol I dont really care for our local cops and i have 5% tint so thats illegal too. Why would four foward lights be illegal? i have seen many other with lights all over the place. Sorry for the ignorance
 












Well i could wire it to where the two additional lights come on only when the two factory fog lights are on and not have my headlights on at all.
 






Well i could wire it to where the two additional lights come on only when the two factory fog lights are on and not have my headlights on at all.
Like I said, I would ask a cop because disabling the stock headlights might in itself be illegal. Or you can just take the risk ;)

And you dont have to drive your Explorer there, have a friend drive you. Or ride a bike :)
 






im just gonna take the risk. Do u have any suggestions on the lights that i should buy?
 






Ummm..Lets see. Cheap lights that will replace the headlights and not blind others?
As far as I know there isn't such an animal.
Best solution.....remove the tinted covers. You'll get tired of them soon anyway.
 






Upgrade to HIDs, and go to 4300K since its the brightest.
 












Depends how dark his covers are. It would make a difference though. Best bet would be auxiliary lighting, but I think the HIDs would make a large difference.
 






Depends how dark his covers are. It would make a difference though. Best bet would be auxiliary lighting, but I think the HIDs would make a large difference.

Yeah, they would make a difference all right..they would melt the light covers...
 






HIDs actually burn cooler than halogen bulbs...
 






HIDs actually burn cooler than halogen bulbs...


They may "burn" cooler, but when the light energy passes through a dark material, it generates heat in the material. The more light energy, the more heat generated.
 






It won't make that big of a difference. If they didn't do anything with the stock bulbs I doubt there will be any melting of the tint, especially over a plastic housing.
 






Why not just use the covers as they are designed and take them off at night?

The whole reason they are easily removable is because the dark covers don't let the headlights shine through them.

The dark tinted covers aren't illegal to have on during the day, but they will get you a ticket (or worse) at night or when driving in conditions (rain, snow, fog) when your headlights are supposed to be on to make your vehicle visible to other drivers.

While it's commendable you want to achive enough light output for good visibility using other means, and without blinding other drivers, but that would be difficult to do without disabling the stock headlights and switching your primary lighting to be auxiliary headlights, which are quite expensive, and not the same thing as driving or fog lights.

The other possible solution if you're into custom things, is to find a similar vehicle they make the "blacked out" projector style headlights for (like the older Chevy fullsize trucks and SUVs), and adapt them to fit the Explorer. While not all of these items are "legal" in terms of being DOT and SAE approved, they'd be a much better and safer option than driving around at night with dark tinted covers over the stock headlights.
 






Just take them off at night. and you will see much better.
 



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Law first... in this case.

Ok so i have purchased black headlight covers and have put them on my explorer. I absolutely love the look that they create, however they do diminish my light alot. So im pretty much just relying on my factory fog lights. Now im looking to purchase 2 more fog lights to mount on my bumper and make up for my lost light. Im on a budget and want to buy something that wont blind others and something that i will be able to attach to my factory switch.

Look at the SC laws first - it may be illegal to run that setup because then you would have more than 4 forward lights.


In just a cursory review of SC State Vehicle Laws and Regulations, you have among (if not) the strictest lighting regulations, and vehicle regulations. A call to the DMV and Local and/or State police would be worth it... You already said you have one tint violation, why risk anything else?
 






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