Is a wiring harness really worth the trouble?

[sublimaze]

I want to change the headlamps & foglamps in my '04 Explorer, but I need help deciding which route to take. I have decided to go with Sylvania SilverStars. The question is whether I should also install a new wiring harness. Is the light output significantly improved with a new wiring harness? I know absolutely nothing about auto wiring and I don't have time to figure it out, so if I needed a new harness I'd have to pay someone to install it. I don't want to spend $100s on a lighting upgrade, and I'm definitely not interested in ricing out my vehicle. I just want to see better at night and in bad weather.

Also, I have read that super-white and blue lights don't work very well in rain & fog. If that is the case, wouldn't it be better to have yellow- or amber-colored foglamps? Again, my primary concern is being able to see at night and in bad weather. Having the headlamps & foglamps match color is much lower on the priority list.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Rob Slade]

I have not personally used the wiring harness (because I have true HID's) but I have heard nothing but good things about its effectiveness. The installation is super easy. All you have to do is mount the relays somewhere on the firewall and attach the stock wires to the harness and the bulbs into the bulb sockets of the harness. Then just attach the ground wires to the bare metal of the cab or frame and you're all done.

Once you get under there, you'll see how easy it is and be happy you saved all that money on install

 

[Bill Kemp]

I would just put in Silverstars and see how you like them. I think you will notice a big improvement. A harness will give you more light but you may not feel you need it. PIAA SuperWhite or Star White & Silverstars are around 3800K on the light scale. There isnt much, if any blue, in the output and I have not noticed any "rain fade". The higher K rated bulbs 4000K ect. dont work for me in wet conditions.
Amber lights are just not as bright as white. The only conditions that they have been proven somewhat better than white is in snow flurries. I would not give up the additional light in all other conditions for a marginal betterment in flurries.
If you havent checked out the aim of your headlights now would be a good time to make sure they are aimed correctly. At 25' from a wall. level ground, your beams should be 2 to 3 in. lower than the hieght of you headlights. Fog lights usually can also be adjusted for better light.

 

[Sandy]

YES !

When these vehicles were manufactured, the vehicle was setup with the minimum dollar investment. Meaning, the manufacturer used the smallest wiring that they could get away with. So if you add extra wattage, the wire could over heat, causing maybe a fire or at the least not as much light as the headlights could.

You don't really need a harness but the harnesses do supply most of the stuff you need for the job. All you need to do is get two 30 amp relays, some fine strand 12 or 10 gauge wire.
Mount the relay close to the existing wiring for the headlights and use the existing wiring to control the relays, one for high beams and one for low beams. Run the 12 or 10 gauge wire from the battery to the relays then to the headlights. Use a fuse inline for the main wire from the battery.
When you trip the high beam level in the vehicle it will actuate one or the other relay and cause the headlight to change beams and the existing wiring will control the on/off function too.
Nothing inside the vehicle should change.

Later,

 

[aldive]

I would definately replace the wiring harness when you change lamps.

Its a very simple 15 minute job.

Take a look at the write up on its install at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67524&highlight=wiring+harness.

Good luck .....