Spence1016

1)I just got back from walmart and saw that they have hella and kc lamps. i was looking at the hellas and there was the normal 500's and then 500FF's. The FF's said that they have free-form technology. Does anybody know what this means? Both boxes said driving lamps as opposed to fog lamps.

2) I purchased some cheap fog lamps to mount on the bottom of my rear bumper as back up lights and also want to be able to turn them on whenever. So my question is, is there any way to wire them so that they will automatically turn on when my stock back up lamps turn on while also being able to turn them on whenever i want?

3) i wanted to get some touch up paint but wasn't sure on which color to get can any body tell me? I have a 2000 limited, white with silver bumpers, flares, and trim. I need it for the bumpers(so silver.)

Thanks for any input

Spence1016

i figured out the paint on silver 4runners is called millennium silver, is this the color they use for the trim on white 4runners?

86blue4runner

cant answer #1, but was wondering the same thing, i was in walmart today looking at those to. for #2 you cold just putt them on a switch, and flip the switch when you want to back up.

Spence1016

the lights did come with a switch but i could just see it as annoying having to flip a switch every time i wanna back up at night. but if theres no simple/inexpensive way to do it i will probably have to deal. Can anybody answer my other questions?

CJM

Wire them to the back up lamps, but also wire it into a relay with a switch? I dunno...

I am wiring my own for my T100 to just a switch.

Texas_Ace

I wired mine up to come on whenever i put my truck in reverse or i can overide it and turn them on when ever i want.

It is quite simple actually. You just get a relay and wire the reverse light 12+ power to switch it on. That way you don't short out the stock wiring harness.

Spence1016

where did u tap into the 12+ wire for the reverse lights and place the relay?(i have the same ride, minus 4wd)

Spence1016

from hella's website:
Hella 500 Driving Lamp – This smart-looking 6.9” round lamp features a proven light-weight design, sturdy, shock-proof housing, and a bonded water-resistant lens assembly with an aluminum vapor-coated reflector for maximum durability. Dimensions: 6.9” x 6.4” x 2.6”.

Hella 500FF Driving Lamp – Made with Hella’s innovative Free Form lighting technology, this powerful 6.9” round lamp is designed to project more lighting output and deliver a more precise beam placement than conventional lamps. Features a stylish clear glass lens and light-weight design. The lamp assembly is made with a sturdy, shock-proof housing, bonded water-resistant lens assembly with an aluminum vapor-coated reflector for maximum durability. Dimensions: 6.9” x 6.4” x 2.6”.

About their micro FF light:

The Free-Form reflector has over 50,000 precisely calculated surface points to aim the beam exactly where it is needed. Can be mounted above or below the bumper. Unique molly-mounting system makes installation a snap, even on molded bumpers. Micro FF can also be mounted with a traditional single stud mount.

ydopen

What i didn't know walmart had lights like that?

Texas_Ace

Ok here is how i did it but i give a disclaimer that if you screw something up it ain't my fualt.

I tapped the 12+ wire that goes to the revers light (take the bulb out and use a multi-meter to see which is which). I used a neat little wire tab that just clips on the wire. I then ran the wire down under the bumper and made a little hole to bring it through the floor but after the break in i think that i am going to redo it by running the wire through the stock wire harness inside the trim. and do all the wiring in there.

Once you have that and the power wire fromt the battery (i would use at least 14 guage wire for 50w lights and 12 for anything bigger) and the reverse tap then the rest is easy if you know relays.

Just run the revers wire into the switch part of it (the side that turns on the high power side). Ground the other side of that connection. then just wire the battery power wire to the high-power side (there is a better name i just can't think of it) and wire the lights up to that.

If you want to add a switch to the mix then you will need to creat an overide. I don't reomend trying to use the relay to do it as you could fry it (most likly not but i don't want to take a chance). So if you want to do it right then you will need another relay to overide the first one. Basicly you will want the 12+ to just skip the first relay and go stright to the lights. you can use the power wire that you already ran for this, just a matter of wiring the other relay. not hard once you get the hang of it, i use them for everything on mine. Got about 8 of them right now. need to get a fuse block now...

Obiously you will need to know how to wire relays for this. That you will need to read up on the particular relay you get. they all work the same but the contacts are differnt.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

KC has diagrams for installing lights out the wazoo.
http://www.kchilites.com/faq.aspx

Spence1016

thanks texas ive never really worked with relays before so thats the kind of specific info i needed and might go pick some up tomorrow to see if i can get it the way i want.

Yea i was pretty surprised when i saw the hella's next to the stack of cheap rice lights and figured that it was just a one time, overstock type of thing but when i went today, a couple of weeks later, they still had a bunch. I haven't seen any hella or kc fog lights yet tho. Im probably going to pick up a set of the 500FF's next time i go, but they cost 65 dollars.

Texas_Ace

Biggest thing to make sure of is that the reverse wire is connected to the right side of the relay. If it is on the wrong side it could mess something up. So duble and triple check it before you try it.

Spence1016

ok, by the "right side" do you mean the right hand side or the correct side? is it different for different brands/types of relays?

Texas_Ace

Right side as in the correct side of the relay, they are all setup a little differnt but all work the same way. One side is the high-power side which you will connect the battery and the lights together on. The other is the switch side which will turn on the high-power side. Search google and you will find a lot of diagrams showing you how relays work. that link that the rabbit posted should have some there as well.

mikes19984x4

haha, yeah the walmart where i'm at has nothing but some cheapos...haha! but go with the realy as texas ace said, and just do the switch to override...and post some pics when your done, as i'd like to see it...

Texas_Ace

I would go get some pics of mine but it was all ripped out when the kids decided that they needed my stuff more than me. good thing i saw it before i drove it, i could have fried something.

and yeah i got my hellas from walmart as well, lathough they didn't have the 500FF at mine.

mikes19984x4

yeah, the walmart close to me only sells those crappy APC lights, which in my opinion are a waste of $. but i'm currently looking at getting some hella 500s and mounting them on my stock front bumper, and from the way everyone talks about them, they're pretty good. although, i wish i had the funds to get some of those lightforce lights, as those things are BRIGHT!