2003 bluebird all american headlights

[aswallie]

It's a 3 position rocker switch that returns to center. Rock up is open rock down is closed. I first thought the only way to really make it work would be a key pad and an external rocker where the keypad locks or provides power to the external rocker, but there might be something on the market that has an open and close button on it. If push comes to shove and i have to put a key fob remote in place of the external keypad i can live with that. It sounds like it may be the easier of the options where unlock on the fob sends the open signal and lock sends the close signal. The fob would probably have a trunk and/or an alarm function and i could wire the trunk to activate our heater.

[peakbus]

these are what im using now.. they are DOT approved and have an actual adjustable beam pattern.. meaning that your headlight adjuster screws will affect the pattern enough you can get them aimed proper;y to see good and not blind others..


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1[/QUOTE]

Christopher, Have you had those long enough to know how they do in snow? I was about to buy those based on research and reviews but then started reading about how most LED's are not hot enough to melt snow/freezing rain and get covered. JW speaker is another top rated brand and have a heated version but at $240 per light as opposed to $82/pair.

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Originally Posted by peakbus

Christopher, Have you had those long enough to know how they do in snow? I was about to buy those based on research and reviews but then started reading about how most LED's are not hot enough to melt snow/freezing rand get coveired. JW speaker is another top rated brand and have a heated version but at $240 per light as opposed to $82/pair.

Clean lights completely with good glass cleaner, then Rain-X heavily. Nothing will stick long enough to be a problem. Works on plastic headlights, mirrors and regular glass as well. Instant cure for the problems I had with windshields, lights and mirrors icing over when driving the big rigs.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON

Clean lights completely with good glass cleaner, then Rain-X heavily. Nothing will stick long enough to be a problem. Works on plastic headlights, mirrors and regular glass as well. Instant cure for the problems I had with windshields, lights and mirrors icing over when driving the big rigs.

** THIS!! ** I rain X my headlights.. as far as snow I have had these for a couple winters however that bus doesnt purposely get driven in snow. these do feel a little warm to the touch due to the bulbs being closer to the front.



my red bus does get driven in snow and rain X helps but its lights have a bulb-in-bucket style.. a 2 sided bulb like cheese wagon talked of earlier and they definitely dont get very warm.. I havent been in any snow heavy enough to overcome the rain X and any heat that nay be there.. but I could easy the bulb-in-a-bucket style getting quickly covered in heavy snow esp if the temp is down in the low 20s or such..

[CHEESE_WAGON]

The Rain-X worked on a Freightliner Cascadia and a Peterbilt 386. Both have composite plastic wraparound one-piece headlight housings.

[peakbus]

Thanks Christopher & Cheese Wagon. I wondered about how a Rainex type of product might help. I am going to order the Osrams. I don't plan extensive winter driving anyway but you never know what weather you might run into driving south from Northern Idaho for a spring trip to somewhere warm.

[Brewmaster]

Originally Posted by aswallie

Does anyone have the part number for the headlights and assembly for the headlights? Or better yet, know an LED replacement for them? I've been digging around and all I've been able to find is general wire diagrams for my lights.

Give me the Body ID number and I will look it up for you

[boojiewoojie]

1)Buy empty reflectors and put LEDs in them. Inexpensive and excellent low beam cutoff.
2)Go with projector assemblies and HIDs. By far the best option for the most light with the most control. You can even decide on the horizontal angles you desire. Under $200. Go with a normal temperature (5k)
Only negative is you'll have to fabricate to fit. IMO well worth the effort.

[aswallie]

Looking for just a little more advice if anyone is willing to give it. I confirmed I've got 1a1 2a1 lights, googling LED replacements hasn't been very successfully. Should i just look for a reputable 4x6 led bulb?

[CHEESE_WAGON]

2A1 / 1A1 should be the same thing I mentioned earlier. You might check these out... May require some wiring mods and/or relays though. Something I recommend anyway if not already in place.

https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Lights-.../dp/B07CG9B3LT

[aswallie]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J5D2RTM...ing=UTF8&psc=1

Thoughts on this being a lower cost alternative? I'm not against buying the right thing but if i can save a buck I'm going to save a buck.

[aswallie]

Originally Posted by aswallie

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J5D2RTM...ing=UTF8&psc=1

Thoughts on this being a lower cost alternative? I'm not against buying the right thing but if i can save a buck I'm going to save a buck.

I guess this review is the answer i was looking for!

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Maybe... but sometimes you get what you pay for, too. If they don't have DOT imprinted on the lens, don't buy them, they are NOT DOT approved.

[aswallie]

Originally Posted by aswallie

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J5D2RTM...ing=UTF8&psc=1

Thoughts on this being a lower cost alternative? I'm not against buying the right thing but if i can save a buck I'm going to save a buck.

They are DOT rated bulbs and I'm back with an update and to show the difference. They shipped quick but the box was missing one of the four, the company was super cool about it and they're sending out an extra bulb for free. The light itself has a high and low setting, i need to use the provided writing adaptor to get them to work. My bus is wired so the center two of the four only come on when the bus l brights are on which i want to change. I'm going to wire it so all four come on dim and all four can turn on bright. I'm including photos of my wire setup in case anyone else is wanting to buy them.Attachment 51200

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Be sure to readjust as necessary. Center two are high beam, they are only supposed to come on in high beam. Unless they have a low beam setting, do not change so they are on with low beam.

If they do have a low beam side, wire up relays if not already installed, and wire the lights accordingly.

[aswallie]

On the to do list. Any tips and tricks to do it right?

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Originally Posted by aswallie

On the to do list. Any tips and tricks to do it right?

They say to sit the subject vehicle level 25 feet from a wall and adjust the low beam's upper edge to 4 inches above bumper height. This is usually a pain due to no guarantee of perfectly level ground anywhere, so my method (obviously best done late night to avoid any wayward idiots) is this...

1) Find a parking lot that is fairly level.

2) Park subject vehicle in a parking space like normal.

3) Have someone with a low-sitting vehicle park normally in another row about 75-100 feet away, facing the subject vehicle but in an offset space to simulate oncoming traffic.

4) Adjust until the low-beams no longer blind the other driver.

5) Road test for high-beam / low-beam pattern.

If more adjustment is necessary, use small adjustments from this point. Rinse, lather repeat as necessary. The reason I do this is I put LEDs in a Malibu I owned and the Camry I now own. Both drove me crazy with the normal method until I started doing it this way.

Refer to my previous post for other info I added just now.

[aswallie]

The bulbs did have a low and high beam setting, which i was very pleased to find out. I spliced a spare write i had from gutting the bus and made sure to tie into the adaptor of the new light and not the wiring of the actual bus, that way if i messed things up i can always default back to the original bulb style. Here are some pictures of the bulb in low and high then after i got both bulbs running and how i wired them. Took it for a test drive to make sure the connections are sound and we're good.Attachment 51517Attachment 51518Attachment 51519Attachment 51520

[fishe160]

I wanted to say thanks for posting this, I was able to follow it exactly this weekend on our BB.

[mhreynolds]

the screws to remove the headlight bezels and the headlights are behind the plastic trim panel. how do I remove the trim panel? no bolts or screws, i'm guessing it's a snap fit, but I priced pretty hard and no luck...