My experiences with the SS/ST/GT fog lights + valance.
- The aftermarket valances are made from a lighter gauge but stiffer plastic. They're 'brittle'.
Once had to pull my '98 out of a field. Parked for the day & it had...(arrghhh!) sunk past the sidewalls of the tires into really soft grass covered muck. Long story, but it wasn't being driven outa there. Anyways...Hooked up, below the factory valance (non-fog) & up to the frame rails.
When the truck was being tugged, the tow straps squished that factory valance right up to the bottom of the bumper. Bent & twisted six ways from Sunday. (Seems to me this was on a Sunday! Hmmm...)
Figured it was gonna be junk afterwards. At that point, didn't care. I'll sacrifice that just get m'truck outa the swamp!
Got it out, unhooked the straps & the valance popped right back into it's original shape. Like nothing had happened. Didn't even break a valance-to-bumper mount. The valance was the 15 y.o. factory OEM GM.
Couple years later, I did the aftermarket valance/fog light install.
That A/M valance. What a POS. Just barely touch one of those cement parking block thingies. Snap goes a valance mount. Large-ish speed bumps, steep driveway entries. There goes a couple more mounts. Pull up an inch too close to a sidewalk...
Within a year all but about 3 of the mounts had been jury-rigged with a washer/valance/washer sandwich.
That sorta worked although at that point, if one of those Mickey Mouse'd mounts let go, 2, 3 or more would damn near immediately follow suit.
Don't keep up with that 'maintenance' & the valance will start to split lengthwise between the fog light openings & the nearest broken mount.
- Those lights themselves.
Yea, the A/M's LOOK OEM, but the glass is nowhere near as thick.
They'd last about 3, maybe 6 months, but never a year before they needed replacing. The smallest pebble or any other type of road debris pinging off those thin el-cheapo lenses & they'd crack. Add in the Wet-Coast rain & the bulbs would short out. Once the moisture gets in there, they'd actually explode within the housings & that would take out the reflector. Chipped, with chunks of the hot bulb glass welding themselves to that.
The lights come with 55w bulbs. They're just 'alright'.
These are FOG lights. Not driving lights. They don't project as such.
But... I can't leave things well enough alone.
If the 55w's are O.K. 100w's must be mo' betta!
Nope. Don't do that.
100w's run a lot hotter than the 55w's. The el-cheapo lenses won't put up with that. The extra heat will take them out. Crack!
...and here come the water!
There goes the bulbs.
Replacement lenses can not be purchased separatly. Have to buy the complete bucket/lens combo with the 55w bulb.
Replacing those exploded ones was getting expensive!
Sooo... found out Tractor Supply/Canadian Tire stores sell a light that is the exact same size.
But it's a seal beam. 55w's. Can't buy just one. Sold in 2's.
...and they're not plug-n-play. No connectors. Have to be hard wired into the harness.
They'll last 'a bit' longer than the A/M versions.
Once again, the lens' are thin.
Between dickin' around with several light replacements & the Mickey Mouse valance repairs, & as much as I like the look of the fogs, I finally got fed up & put the factory OEM 1997 valance back on.
It was still on the truck 7 years later, untouched, with no probs, up until the truck met it's untimely demise.
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But...Damn! They sure were bright with the 100w's.
Almost as bright as the high beams!
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