Fog light placement

[thered95]

this is how you do it with a diode.

i borrowed the diagram from half assed

this is similar to the diode i use

http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/FBM1A-400.jpg

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[Sumbitch]

hey guys,
i'm adam, just finally registered with GMT400. Been on FSC for a couple years. Ill have to do an intro post in the near future but for now here is my situation.

my 4l60e crapped out on me a couple months ago. I got a $6000 loan which MOST of that is for my tahoe (97 2 door 4x4, pics later). My baby's in the tranny shop getting a sweet heavy duty rebuild by a phenomenal transmission mechanic. Other things i'm getting or already got; alpine sub and amp, optima redtop, bilsteins, MAYBE alternator.

Which brings me to this thread. This is my third 2 door hoe, i've always wanted foglights but never have. My TYCs w/ DDM HIDs is plenty fine for me lighting up down the road. What i want is that extremely wide beam pattern of fogs.

Ive decided against a brush guard or bull bar. Im partial to the idea of cutting into the valence, mostly because its so low. What i do want is a new bumper. I LOVE the look of the Diesel ones (88GMCtruck). I think ive narrowed it down to 2. One is from LMC truck and has the (included) lights similar to the diesel bumper. The other one has the (circle) holes for the lights out by the corners. I like the look of square/rectangular lights on the OBS.

My question really is this; do those lights that are close to the license plate throw a pretty wide beam? where and how much could i find a diesel bumper for? and what do you guys think about these two bumpers?

LMC lighted bumper http://www.lmctruck.com/features/csd/csdbmc.htm

other bumper with circle holes http://www.partstrain.com/store/det...8_Cyl_5-dot-7L/MT-1040303.html?location=Front

IMO, if you want to buy major components of a 400 in great condition or brand new, go to LMC. If you looked a page or two away from those bumpers with built-in lights, you'll find that LMC sells diesel bumpers for roughly $200 not including shipping, but including the handling charge.

I'd personally rather buy a brand new diesel bumper, but its not in the budget. Anyways, the bumpers with built-in lights look goofy to me.

 

[88GMCtruck]

also you don't need the relay for the 4 high. all you need is a diode between the 2 trigger wire. this will allow you to have 1 less relay to mount.

for the light end you want male plugs and for the stock wiring side you want the female plugs.

I personally prefer the relay.

Cheap, readily available, durable and available at any auto store if it ever does pop.

I've also seen lots of diodes blow through on these kind of current draws...

I wired mine up almost 10 years ago similar to that setup. Cut the harness along the fender to trigger 2 relays and use a diode to do the 4-hi function. Haven't had a single problem with the diode in that application.

IMO, if you want to buy major components of a 400 in great condition or brand new, go to LMC. If you looked a page or two away from those bumpers with built-in lights, you'll find that LMC sells diesel bumpers for roughly $200 not including shipping, but including the handling charge.

I'd personally rather buy a brand new diesel bumper, but its not in the budget. Anyways, the bumpers with built-in lights look goofy to me.

FWIW everything I've bought from LMC was junk. The one that made me never buy from them again was their sport airdam. I couldn't get the holes to line up with my bumper and the hardware pack i ordered was garbage. I ended up going to the dealer and bought all OEM, fit like a glove.

I think for some items we can no longer get from the dealer or are harder to find, like some of the interior bits, they are fine. But I highly dislike their body parts.

 

[Sumbitch]

FWIW everything I've bought from LMC was junk. The one that made me never buy from them again was their sport airdam. I couldn't get the holes to line up with my bumper and the hardware pack i ordered was garbage. I ended up going to the dealer and bought all OEM, fit like a glove.

I think for some items we can no longer get from the dealer or are harder to find, like some of the interior bits, they are fine. But I highly dislike their body parts.

I can't speak from true experience (however if the need arises I might have to order some new rocker panels). One of my friends bought cab corner replacements and rear fender panels for his '92 and the panels are holding up great, especially for being his DD/plow-truck. However, he then also bought the OEM-but-not-really-OEM-looking bumper with the diamond plated steps and that is starting to surface rust. But he knew it was cheap, he just needed a bumper so he could pass inspection and had no way of getting to a junkyard. So I'm in favor of LMC for new OEM parts (dealerships suck ass around here). If your dealership doesn't suck, might be best to START there and see where it goes.

Obviously parts that are easily aftermarket and sold elsewhere I wouldn't buy from LMC. Like LED taillights or fog lights or halogen bulbs... And stuff that is obviously overpriced. I wanted a dome light housing for my mood lighting mod and because I have the map lights, they wanted $96 for the housing!! Junkyard took $10 for not only the housing but everything else.



Some of you guys actually have me convinced to do a diode... lol. we'll see.

 

[BigV]

Down toward the bottom of this page http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Cars/1999ChevySuburban4x4/index.htm you will see how this guy wired his lights up.

I've got something similar laid out on my bench. Just waiting on a couple of connectors to come in.

 

[2dr Friggs]

Yea I found those diesel ones right after I posted. I like the look of those the most, but my concern with those is that I won't get a very wide beam pattern, plus I will have to buy lights, mounting, and wiring all separately. Maybe someone with one of the diesel bumpers can chime in about beam pattern, that is if you're using fogs opposed to driving or spotlights.

I love when you have lighting visible through you're side windows. I'm content with my down the road output.

 

[great white]

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Jeez gents, all I said was I prefer relays. Build your circuit whichever way gives you the most confidence.

Personally, I use neither relays nor diodes in my circuit in the places we're talking about:

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I take my low beam trigger directly from the dash headlight switch. I'm fused between B+ and the relay, it's just not in the diagram.

This removes the troublesome multifunction switch from the circuit instead of taking the trigger from the engine compartment (ie: extra relays, diodes, etc).

Once the low beams are triggered like such, they don't go off until you turn the headlight switch off. You can turn the high beams on and off all you want. It's "4HI" by it's design without "jumpering" anything....you just have to run one wire to the back of the dash headlight switch.

It does away with your DRL if they're on the low beam light though. The high beam DRLs should still be functional since the factory circuit remains intact: as long as drl module puts out enough to activate the relay, but it will be full power and not reduced DRL.

I'd probably disable them if I reworked the high beams as the DRL in a relayed circuit will just be high beams all the time, or leave the high beam circuit alone (IE: no relay). You'll still have "4Hi" even without the relay in the high beam circuit since you're triggering the low beams off the dash switch and not the multifunction selector.

Mine was on the low beams, so it disabled them. That's why I went with some clear fog lights "frenched" into the bumper for my DRLs (law where I live although I've never heard of anyone ticketed for it).

The high beams are still triggered off the stock wiring since you have no choice but to go through the multifunction switch. Truthfully, I have though of installing an older Ford floor relay for my high beams. The multifunction switch is just such a massive PITA on almost every vehicle I've ever owned.

Driving the relay from the dash switch also removes most of the current off it thus making it last longer (or at least the probability of lasting longer). Although you also gain that with taking your relay trigger off the engine compartment wiring.

I also use DPST relays so each lamp has it's own feed wire. Of course, mine feeds HID transformers now instead of the OEM bulbs. You don't need to use DPST, you can use SPDT or SPST and just parallel the lights. I just prefer DPST, call it a personal quirk if you wish....

I like this way because it removes the multifunction switch (problematic on tilt columns, mine has already failed once) and even if the multifunction switch goes out completely (contacts, pulled/broken wires, etc) I still have low beams.

Running through the stock wiring means running through the multifunction switch and if that fails: no headlights at all...that was a religious experience I'll tell ya!

Also, by using the same relay for both legs, if one fails I can just swap over the good one. IE: if the low beam goes out, I swap in the high beam and carry on until I can replace it.....

 

[Sumbitch]

You must be registered for see images attach

Jeez gents, all I said was I prefer relays. Build your circuit whichever way gives you the most confidence.

Personally, I use neither relays nor diodes in my circuit:

You must be registered for see images attach

I take my low beam trigger directly from the dash headlight switch.

This removes the troublesome multifunction switch from the circuit instead of taking the trigger from the engine compartment (ie: extra relays, diodes, etc).

Once the low beams are triggered like such, they don't go off until you turn the headlight switch off. You can turn the high beams on and off all you want. It's "4HI" by it's design without "jumpering" anything....you just have to run one wire to the back of the dash headlight switch.

It does away with your DRL if they're on the low beam light though. The high beam DRLs should still be functional since the factory circuit remains intact: as long as drl module puts out enough to activate the relay, but it will be full power and not reduced DRL.

I'd probably disable them if I reworked the high beams as the DRL in a relayed circuit will just be high beams all the time, or leave the high beam circuit alone (IE: no relay). You'll still have "4Hi" even without the relay in the high beam circuit since you're triggering the low beams off the dash switch and not the multifunction selector.

Mine was on the low beams, so it disabled them. That's why I went with some clear fog lights "frenched" into the bumper for my DRLs (law where I live although I've never heard of anyone ticketed for it).

The high beams are still triggered off the stock wiring since you have no choice but to go through the multifunction switch. Truthfully, I have though of installing an older Ford floor relay for my high beams. The multifunction switch is just such a massive PITA on almost every vehicle I've ever owned.

Driving the relay from the dash switch also removes most of the current off it thus making it last longer (or at least the probability of lasting longer). Although you also gain that with taking your relay trigger off the engine compartment wiring.

I also use DPST relays so each lamp has it's own feed wire. Of course, mine feeds HID transformers now instead of the OEM bulbs.

I like this way because it removes the multifunction switch (problematic on tilt columns, mine has already failed once) and even if the multifunction switch goes out completely (contacts, pulled/broken wires, etc) I still have low beams.

Running through the stock wiring means running through the multifunction switch and if that fails: no headlights at all...that was a religious experience I'll tell ya!

Also, by using the same relay for both legs, if one fails I can just swap over the good one. IE: if the low beam goes out, I swap in the high beam and carry on until I can replace it.....

DRL heatsink is removed so DRL's are out of the equation. Very first thing I ever did to my truck was remove them. I like being able to "black out" my exterior/interior lights if I want to while keeping the truck running. Plus it also looks BA with just marker/parking lights on at night... stationary, of course

I have my own diagrams that I made just to clearify what is what before I do anything (cause I have spring break so I'm much more likely to do things to my truck now that I have enough time to take action and not just plan).

Stock wiring 4-Hi mod (to my understanding)
121807[/ATTACH]"]

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Not the exact way everyone has done it but I'd probably do it that way if I didn't want to make my 4-Hi mod any different than the rest.


Altered dash switches (if I wanted the ability to have highs only, lows only, or 4-Hi) ignore the purple diode from my highs trigger to the lows trigger.
121809[/ATTACH]"]

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I like options, but the wiring for this ^ wouldn't be fun to do unless in a heated garage or on a warm, calm, sunny SPRING-LIKE day. Its mostly a fail-safe for the multifunction switch anyways...

My interpretation of what great white is saying, I think.
121811[/ATTACH]"]

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Corrections or criticisms appreciated for any of the three. They are just illustrations of what I see in my head. My apologies for the ugliness of my diagram and the lack of totally correct diagram schematic symbols. Thanks again great white!

(my firearms OCD just kicked in. This will be my three hundred and thirty eighth (338) post on the forum. The .338 Win Mag is probably my most favorite large big game cartridge for North America. Wouldn't hunt north of the lower 48 without one. Moose, caribou, black bear, grizzly bear, Kodiak bear, bison, elk...etc.) sorry bout that. Whenever I see a number that is also a popular (meaning not a wildcat) cartridge caliber, I will see the caliber first before I see what the number actually represents.

 

[2dr Friggs]

Nobody had input on if you can achieve a wide beam pattern while using one of the diesel bumpers???

I want to order one ASAP

 

[Sumbitch]

Bump.

Apparently not 2dr Friggs. Maybe this bump will help out a tad bit.

A guy on Facebook has given me a decent amount of help with figuring out behind-the-grille lights and how to do em inexpensively. Might order them "tractor" lights for under $30 and see what they can do.

Dad told me the other day he had amber fogs on two vehicles in his lifetime and in HIS opinion, they didn't do anything except light up the road ten feet infront of you. Granted, this was probably 30 years ago so I can imagine things have slightly been built better since then. But winter is almost over (come on Spring, start already!) and the amber fogs no longer seem to be a logical choice at this time.

4-Hi mod is on the backburner and HIDs are looking more like a summer/fall project cause engine complications seem to be tugging at my wallet. Oh well, such is life.