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Just bought a 521


mainer311

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Fairly certain that there is no law regarding how many low beam lamps there are.

 

Made that way from the factory? You’re talking about a time when 35 watt sealed beams were the latest and greatest technology. They probably didn’t run all 4 lights on low beam because they had to give the 30 amp alternator a chance to catch up!

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H4s for outer lights. H1(single high filament) for high beams.


H5001 and H5006 are what those are/will be replacing.


There is no low as to a maximum amount of head lamps that can be used. Minimum is 2, and the other end of requirements is that an equal amount are on either side.

Your truck, your way. But to have 4 lights all pushing the same lumen...to equal the same result? Why?

You may get pulled over by some kid cop stating your brights are on. I'd rather do anything to avoid those interactions.

Need more output? Buy LED bulbs. Less amps used and better lumen output.





Remember the thermostat? Yeah. This is that all over again.

 

 

:poke:

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These are e-codes. Low beam cutoff is sharp. Having four versus two isn’t going to blind anyone, as all 4 bulbs have the same cutoff.

Do I want more lumens on the road? Duh. Do I want LED lights on my vintage truck? No. The whole point of this was for better visibility at night. Mission accomplished.

 

Flatcat, I think your understanding on lumens is lacking. Lumens add up. Just because all the lights are at the same level doesn’t mean I won’t have any more output by adding two.

 

Sometimes I think you guys missed the forest from the trees.

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I am truly sorry, but if one cannot see at night without having 4 headlights on then maybe you should not be driving at night.

If you have to see far enough ahead to see all wildlife and everything else on the road ahead, you are going to be blinding on coming traffic.

If you have them adjusted so they will not blind anyone you are not going to be able to see any farther ahead than you could see before with the normal 2 headlights.

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Overkill...2 headlights are good enough.  If this was an issue, there would have been a recall since back in the days.

 

A recall to replace the entire headlight harness? 

 

Like I said, the stock electrical system in these trucks sucked. They probably throttled back to conserve energy and didn't give a fuck how bad it was. 

 

Did you know 4Runners were imported into the US as pickup trucks, and the rear seats were installed after they were imported to avoid importation fees? The Japs did all kinds of weird stuff to beat the domestic US market and their pressing vehicle laws. US manufacturers were in bed with big government like they are today, and they didn't want the imports to outsell them. 

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I do not want to come off as another old guy yelling "GET OFF MY LAWN", but here goes.

In the early 1970's car manufacturers were allowed two headlight options.  Two 7 inch round headlights, or four 5 3/4 round headlights.  This was a federal DOT regulation.  Even square. or rectangular headlights were not allowed.  European regulations on headlight were far ahead of what the USA would allow, and to change what was allowed in the USA required literally an act of congress.

Combination high/low lamps were allowed 37.5 watts on low beam, 50 watts on high beam.  High beam only lamps were allowed 37.5 watts.  Headlights were required to be clear, not amber.

 

Low beam lamps were required to have a definite cutoff, and beam pattern.  Because the low beam lamp had these requirements, it compromised the high beam pattern.  high beam only lamps could be focused farther down the road.

A vehicle with four round 5 3/4 headlights actually has three beam patterns.  The low beam cutoff patters on low, with two lamps on, the high/low lamp lights intermediate distances when on high beam, and the high beam only lamp lights farther distances down the road.

 

You may like having four headlights lights on low beam when driving.  However, most people are going to assume you left your high beams on and flash you.  You in turn are possibly going to flash them back, and they may respond by going back to their low beams, and you back to your low beams, but you, and the other driver have now both been flashed by high beams, and both of your visions are compromised, approaching each other.

 

The approaching person may be a police officer.  He may do nothing, he may turn around and stop you.  He may give you a warning, he may give you a ticket, requiring proof of correction, or even a vehicle inspection.  If Massachusetts has laws requiring inspection of vehicles, the state may deem your 521 not road worthy because of rust issues.  

 

If a bunch of old guys on a forum are telling you something might be a bad idea, it is not because we all hate you.  It might actually be a bad idea.

 

The stock electrical system on Datsuns was actually pretty good.  I would argue it was better that the stock electrical system on a lot of domestic cars from the 1970's.

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Dan, I generally highly regard your opinion, but what I’m trying to get across, is that ECE headlights have a MUCH more controlled beam cutoff than DOT 5.75” lights. Even if there are 4 lights on vs. just two, the low beams will not be blinding people if adjusted correctly.

 

The Cibie/Hella e-code H4 are very highly regarded as being a dramatic lighting improvement over DOT lights.

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"The Cibie/Hella e-code H4 are very highly regarded as being a dramatic lighting improvement over DOT lights."

Absolutely I agree with this.  I ran Cibie E code lamps in one of my 521 trucks, for years, I wired a second relay for the high beam only lamps.  I also ran a 510 or 240Z 50 amp alternator in this truck.

 

The Cibie high/low E code lamp will put out more than enough light, in the correct position, using only the two outside lamps.  I used the 55/60 Watt halogen bulbs.

 

The 521 I am working on is getting the high beam only Cibie lamps.  I am going to put two relays by the original head light relay, use original headlight relay output to trigger the new relays, one for high beam lamps, one for low beam lamps.

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The 521 I am working on is getting the high beam only Cibie lamps.  I am going to put two relays by the original head light relay, use original headlight relay output to trigger the new relays, one for high beam lamps, one for low beam lamps.

 

That's exactly how I made my harness.

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Not gonna tell you how to build your truck, that's all I want to know and please let us know how the cops feel about your headlights

 

Are e-codes legal in the US? No. Illegal? I guess technically. ECE vs. DOT is still a superior light, and considering European light standards make more sense than DOT, I really don't care.

 

Will cops get down and inspect the pressing in the glass lens to find a "DOT" symbol? No. Will inspection stations? Highly doubt it.

 

I live in an area where puerto rican kids (not afraid to say it) bomb around in Hondas that scrape on the roads and blind everyone with their HID conversions in stock halogen housings. 

 

If a cop sees my 521 on the road, he's going to give me a high five and let me carry on my way. Most vintage cars around here get a little more lenience.

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Getting past all of that...a post I made on the last page...

 

You could probably fund your projects with that harness you made and some of those cool 521 3D parts.

I know I'd like to know more about your harness.

 

Tell me more about this harness. I'd spring for one if there was an available option. Maybe a little more custom/different optiont than the one you made?

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Flatcat, I deleted the diagram that I made, but can easily make a new one and send you a PDF. It’s very simple, and uses the factory headlight relay to trigger two additional relays. The low/high circuits are completely separate of each other, and each one has its own fuse holder.

 

I am not interested in making and selling any more.

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