Fog Lights or Driving Lights.... That is the question

nags · 01-07-2003, 09:58 AM

Well.. I want to install some extra lights on the front of my new tacoma, but I'm not sure if I should install some driving lights or fog lights? What would benefit me the most? This will be for street driving,.. Not off roading... I would like something that'll fit into the whole in the bumper.. I have about 2" to work with top to bottom and about 6" wide..

Thanks,
nags

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BTOWN4RUNNER · 01-07-2003, 10:10 AM

In my opinion, you definitely want to go with a fog light. The driving lights are great, but are basically high beams that allow you to look wayyyy ahead of where you are going. Fog lights are designed to penetrate fog, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, dirt, bugs, birds, well...you see where I am going. They are very cool. I have PIAA 520 fogs and love them. They will not fit into your opening, because they are like 7" round or so. But the whole idea of a fog light is a good thing. You would be absolutely surpised at the difference that they make. They cut right through everything. I sometimes, in very bad fog and rain, drive w/o my headlights on at all and just use the fog lights, that is how good they work. Check around and see what you can find, but I definitely recommend fog lights over driving. :fireman:

**UKMyers** · 01-07-2003, 10:11 AM

Nags welcome to Yotatech!! I see you made it over from the Darkside.. This place is much more friendly and generally more active as well. Anyways I have both fogs and driving lights on mine and I find I use my fogs alot more often. We have tons of traffic here where I mostly drive at night so I don't use my highbeams hardly ever. The fogs fill that void from the front of your truck to the bottom edge of your lowbeams. It all depends on your driving I guess. They are both nice. Someone posted the other day about installing some Hella Optilux lights that were fogs and driving lights both with a 3 position switch. That might be an option.
Here's the thread
Good Luck! Well done on posting a pic on your first post.. You will fit right in here...

WATRD · 01-07-2003, 10:13 AM

Well then, the question is, what do you hope to use them for?

If you do a lot of night driving, on deserted back country roads where your headlights don't even make a dent in the darkness, driving lights are key. They have a long throw that pierces the darkness ahead of you and helps keep you from "over driving" your headlights, that is driving such that if something where to appear at the edge of the light envelope, you would not be able to stop in time.

If your driving is mostly on curves or around town, throwing hundreds of watts of power half a mile out in front of you is pointless. The light will be hitting other cars/drivers/curves not much beyond what your headlights can do. In that case, a nice set of wide dispersion fog lamps are handy. Fogs will throw quite a bit of light ahead, but their real forte is filling in the deadspots between, around and to the sides of where the headlight beams are.

Driving lights == high speeds or long distance
Fog lamps == better lighting close in and much better peripheral vision.

***Corey*** · 01-07-2003, 10:15 AM

Hello Nags, and welcome to the forum.
Normally I'd recommend the Hella 500s I run (see my website in the mods section) but since you have not decided yet on fog or driving, how about both

Lightforce is an Aussie company that makes real nice lights.
They come in three sizes, and all can be fitted with a yellow lenses turning them into a fog light.

Todd has the 140s on his rig.
http://www.pnw4runners.net/~todd/misc/

They are the smallest out of the three.
You can see his yellow lences here.
He has the gray 1st gen 4Runner.
http://www.pnw4runners.net/~todd/Gre...2/DSCF0001.JPG

If I replace my 500s on my bumper, I'll probably get the Lightforce 170s.

WATRD · 01-07-2003, 10:23 AM

Quote:

all can be fitted with a yellow lenses turning them into a fog light

Um, Corey? It's not the color that makes it a fog lamp, it's the beam pattern.

Although fog lamps are traditionally amber because it tends to cut through moisture in the air, an amber cover over a driving light is still a driving light

Aren't the Lightforce lights refocussable too?

Wide, shallow beam == fog lamp
Long, pencil like beam == driving light

Color is irrelevant, a nice amber is a plus on fog lamps, but fog lamps can be white too...

jacksonpt · 01-07-2003, 10:41 AM

I've got a decent set of Pilot driving lights that might fit the space you're talking about. They are a 55w bulb, driving lamp. Not bad, not great. I run a ton of lights on my rig... and from my experience, the best way to increase your visiblity is with some 100w euro beams. but they are waaaay to big for your application. Your next best bet would be to find some fog lights that fit your space, then swap the 35w bulb out for a 55w bulb.

Here's a pic of my lamps... the ones on either side of the license plate. If memory serves, they are about 6" long by 1.75" high.

***Corey*** · 01-07-2003, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by WATRD
Um, Corey? It's not the color that makes it a fog lamp, it's the beam pattern.

Although fog lamps are traditionally amber because it tends to cut through moisture in the air, an amber cover over a driving light is still a driving light

Aren't the Lightforce lights refocussable too?

Wide, shallow beam == fog lamp
Long, pencil like beam == driving light

Color is irrelevant, a nice amber is a plus on fog lamps, but fog lamps can be white too...

Exactly. You can focus the beam pattern on them, I just left that out.
Most relate fog lamps to an amber colored lens though.

But with the Hella's like I have, they do change the lens fluting to make it a fog lamp, and color.
Corey

nags · 01-07-2003, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by UKMyers
Nags welcome to Yotatech!! I see you made it over from the Darkside.. This place is much more friendly and generally more active as well. Anyways I have both fogs and driving lights on mine and I find I use my fogs alot more often. We have tons of traffic here where I mostly drive at night so I don't use my highbeams hardly ever. The fogs fill that void from the front of your truck to the bottom edge of your lowbeams. It all depends on your driving I guess. They are both nice. Someone posted the other day about installing some Hella Optilux lights that were fogs and driving lights both with a 3 position switch. That might be an option.
Here's the thread
Good Luck! Well done on posting a pic on your first post.. You will fit right in here...

Thanks for all the help so far. I've definetley recived a lot more information here already than the "other" board. As for posting pics.... if you check out some of the other boards that I frequent you'll see that I'm quite the post whore.. I know what I'm doing

Thanks everyone for the info so far.. I haven't had a chance to read through the whole thread cuz I'm at work right now, but I'll be sure to go through it all when I get back home.

Thanks again,
nags

nags · 01-07-2003, 07:50 PM

Anyone got pics of lights installed on tacoma's?

WATRD · 01-07-2003, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nags
Anyone got pics of lights installed on tacoma's?

My website has pictures of my PIAA 520's mounted on a brush guard in the first life of my Tacoma and then the same lights on my ARB as it looks now. http://www.watrd.com

If you visit the WATTORA site, there are several of the members rigs that have various lights mounted in various ways. Look in the past events section and the members section for pics. http://www.wattora.com

nags · 01-07-2003, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WATRD
My website has pictures of my PIAA 520's mounted on a brush guard in the first life of my Tacoma and then the same lights on my ARB as it looks now. http://www.watrd.com

If you visit the WATTORA site, there are several of the members rigs that have various lights mounted in various ways. Look in the past events section and the members section for pics. http://www.wattora.com

thanks. I'm really hoping for someone to post some pics of lights installed that I like and then I can just buy the same ones

I'm lazy

WATRD · 01-07-2003, 08:44 PM

No problem. I hope someone posts something that "speaks" to you

Here's a few culled from our members pics;

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20010729/DonnaMar's%20Pictures/donnamar_DCP_1154.jpg

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20020609/P6090031.JPG

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20...3Sultan205.jpg

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20020223/02230205.jpg

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20011124/DCP_1456.jpg

nags · 01-07-2003, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WATRD
No problem. I hope someone posts something that "speaks" to you

Here's a few culled from our members pics;

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20010729/DonnaMar's%20Pictures/donnamar_DCP_1154.jpg

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20020609/P6090031.JPG

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20...3Sultan205.jpg

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20020223/02230205.jpg

http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20011124/DCP_1456.jpg

Thanks, but I dont have a brush guard, so most of those are out

:cry:

WATRD · 01-07-2003, 08:50 PM

Ah well, I tried

Best of luck with it

Bundubasher · 01-08-2003, 02:16 AM

Hi guys

I use the rectangular Hella 550 Fog Lamps (I think they are 35W but I'm not sure) and they throw a white beam LOW and WIDE. Much wider than dipped lights and I find this very helpful on medium/narrow country lanes. The only problem is that I've pendant mounted them under my ARB Bullbar and they do not lie parallel with the road - they are slightly higher on the outer edge - but in the foggy conditions we get here in the UK they are pretty damn essential as spots are useless.

Anyroad, that's my two pennies worth...

01-07-2003, 10:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
BTOWN4RUNNER Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Boyertown, Pa Posts: 1,853	In my opinion, you definitely want to go with a fog light. The driving lights are great, but are basically high beams that allow you to look wayyyy ahead of where you are going. Fog lights are designed to penetrate fog, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, dirt, bugs, birds, well...you see where I am going. They are very cool. I have PIAA 520 fogs and love them. They will not fit into your opening, because they are like 7" round or so. But the whole idea of a fog light is a good thing. You would be absolutely surpised at the difference that they make. They cut right through everything. I sometimes, in very bad fog and rain, drive w/o my headlights on at all and just use the fog lights, that is how good they work. Check around and see what you can find, but I definitely recommend fog lights over driving. :fireman: __________________ Ryan 2002 Toyota 4Runner Sport Edition Friendship Hook & Ladder Fire Co., Boyertown

01-07-2003, 10:13 AM	#4 (permalink)
WATRD Contributing Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Duvall, WA Posts: 5,109	Well then, the question is, what do you hope to use them for? If you do a lot of night driving, on deserted back country roads where your headlights don't even make a dent in the darkness, driving lights are key. They have a long throw that pierces the darkness ahead of you and helps keep you from "over driving" your headlights, that is driving such that if something where to appear at the edge of the light envelope, you would not be able to stop in time. If your driving is mostly on curves or around town, throwing hundreds of watts of power half a mile out in front of you is pointless. The light will be hitting other cars/drivers/curves not much beyond what your headlights can do. In that case, a nice set of wide dispersion fog lamps are handy. Fogs will throw quite a bit of light ahead, but their real forte is filling in the deadspots between, around and to the sides of where the headlight beams are. Driving lights == high speeds or long distance Fog lamps == better lighting close in and much better peripheral vision. __________________ -Rob Slightly Modified 2001 Tacoma - WATRD.COM WATTORA is becoming NWToys! Tread Lightly! certified Tread Trainer Search 100+ Toyota tech sites, including this one: Toyota Tech Search

01-07-2003, 10:15 AM	#5 (permalink)
*Corey* Co-Founder/Administrator Staff Join Date: May 2002 Location: Auburn, Washington Posts: 26,070	Hello Nags, and welcome to the forum. Normally I'd recommend the Hella 500s I run (see my website in the mods section) but since you have not decided yet on fog or driving, how about both Lightforce is an Aussie company that makes real nice lights. They come in three sizes, and all can be fitted with a yellow lenses turning them into a fog light. Todd has the 140s on his rig. http://www.pnw4runners.net/~todd/misc/ They are the smallest out of the three. You can see his yellow lences here. He has the gray 1st gen 4Runner. http://www.pnw4runners.net/~todd/Gre...2/DSCF0001.JPG If I replace my 500s on my bumper, I'll probably get the Lightforce 170s. __________________ Corey 2007 FJ Cruiser Built for 4wheelin', expedition, camping, and overlanding use PNW FJ Cruisers ☺ Detailing 101 ☺ Join Topsites ☺ Muffler Comparisons ☺ Maggiolinas In The Wild FJ Cruiser Buildup ☺ New Roof Top Tent ☺ Video Of My Penthouse Part II ☺ Rehinge Your ARB/Engel Fridge Blog About Roof Top Tents ☺ FJC Magazines Online Review Of My Tent ☺ 2009 Specialized Rockhopper Pro

01-07-2003, 10:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
jacksonpt Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 2,753	I've got a decent set of Pilot driving lights that might fit the space you're talking about. They are a 55w bulb, driving lamp. Not bad, not great. I run a ton of lights on my rig... and from my experience, the best way to increase your visiblity is with some 100w euro beams. but they are waaaay to big for your application. Your next best bet would be to find some fog lights that fit your space, then swap the 35w bulb out for a 55w bulb. Here's a pic of my lamps... the ones on either side of the license plate. If memory serves, they are about 6" long by 1.75" high. __________________ Jackson - My Site 96 SR5 4x4 - 33" MTs, open diffs, and 3.90s - LET'S ROCK! My runner has bee traded in sniff on an 06 SR5 long bed d-cab Tacoma. The tacoma is nice, but... sniff ... I'll update my site when I'm done grieving.

01-07-2003, 07:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
nags Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 321	Anyone got pics of lights installed on tacoma's? __________________ 2003 Tacoma DoubleCab Limited TRD TRD Supercharger URD Fuel Kit K&N FIPK Flex-a-Lite Electric Fan Hayden Transmission Cooler Magnaflow Exhaust Test Pipe Hellwig Rear Swaybar (and its still slow!)

01-07-2003, 08:44 PM	#13 (permalink)
WATRD Contributing Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Duvall, WA Posts: 5,109	No problem. I hope someone posts something that "speaks" to you Here's a few culled from our members pics; http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20010729/DonnaMar's%20Pictures/donnamar_DCP_1154.jpg http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20020609/P6090031.JPG http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20...3Sultan205.jpg http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20020223/02230205.jpg http://www.wattora.com/pastevents/20011124/DCP_1456.jpg __________________ -Rob Slightly Modified 2001 Tacoma - WATRD.COM WATTORA is becoming NWToys! Tread Lightly! certified Tread Trainer Search 100+ Toyota tech sites, including this one: Toyota Tech Search

01-07-2003, 08:50 PM	#15 (permalink)
WATRD Contributing Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Duvall, WA Posts: 5,109	Ah well, I tried Best of luck with it __________________ -Rob Slightly Modified 2001 Tacoma - WATRD.COM WATTORA is becoming NWToys! Tread Lightly! certified Tread Trainer Search 100+ Toyota tech sites, including this one: Toyota Tech Search

01-08-2003, 02:16 AM	#16 (permalink)
Bundubasher Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Zimbabwe Posts: 150	Hi guys I use the rectangular Hella 550 Fog Lamps (I think they are 35W but I'm not sure) and they throw a white beam LOW and WIDE. Much wider than dipped lights and I find this very helpful on medium/narrow country lanes. The only problem is that I've pendant mounted them under my ARB Bullbar and they do not lie parallel with the road - they are slightly higher on the outer edge - but in the foggy conditions we get here in the UK they are pretty damn essential as spots are useless. Anyroad, that's my two pennies worth... __________________ Jeremy "Enzo" Elphick-Pooley www.Africa4x4Cafe.com WWW.Africa4x4Overland.com UK spec '94 4Runner 3.0 Turbo Diesel

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