T350 headlights - can anything be done!
Discussion
After another stressful drive in the pitch black last night can anything be done to the normal headlight beam to make it at least 1 candle power? They're currently set up as per MOT regs and so shine pretty much straight down, lighting up about 5m in front and then nothing (v. dangerous IMHO), can the beam be raised and if so how?
Secondly, what bulbs are available that will give out a brighter light? Anyone know the codes for the bulbs as looking through the lenses the headlight bulbs seem to be those old fashioned huge round ones!
Secondly, what bulbs are available that will give out a brighter light? Anyone know the codes for the bulbs as looking through the lenses the headlight bulbs seem to be those old fashioned huge round ones!
H7 BULBS, try upgrading to xenon (hid) plenty of kits out there,they can (not always) effect the dash lights when switching on to get over this switch on the headlights before starting the car. Have a search on here you will find plenty of threads about this subject, fit the kit to my 350 makes alot of diffrence.
I have just been through many of the options with fitting a HID kit to my T350C to improve the headlights considerably.
I DID have all the problems with the HIDs affecting the electronics but as above there are certain workarounds with the dash lights etc.. IMHO it is worth the work arounds.
I originally fitted a set of 6000k's that looked great but I had problems with them, so I removed them and fitted a set of 5000k's, which then developed problems as well but the fault was traced to the fuse board and I have left the 5000k's in and they are working perfectly now (although I prefer the blue/white look of the 6000k's over the 5000k's.
As such, I have my set of 6000k HIDS sat in the garage if you would like them. I paid £150 for them and they were only fitted for about 1 month and used 2-3 times in Summer before the faults appeared.
You can have them for £80.00 if you like. They were not the cheap kits off ebay but from one of the reputable suppliers.
Stu
I DID have all the problems with the HIDs affecting the electronics but as above there are certain workarounds with the dash lights etc.. IMHO it is worth the work arounds.
I originally fitted a set of 6000k's that looked great but I had problems with them, so I removed them and fitted a set of 5000k's, which then developed problems as well but the fault was traced to the fuse board and I have left the 5000k's in and they are working perfectly now (although I prefer the blue/white look of the 6000k's over the 5000k's.
As such, I have my set of 6000k HIDS sat in the garage if you would like them. I paid £150 for them and they were only fitted for about 1 month and used 2-3 times in Summer before the faults appeared.
You can have them for £80.00 if you like. They were not the cheap kits off ebay but from one of the reputable suppliers.
Stu
I was asking down at TrackvRoad whether anything could be done about the headlights and they said its a bit of a risk he has had cars have lots of problems and some have hardly any? He advised me to just put up with the old one's if i could. Maybe it might be worth talking to a person with a lot of knowledge in car electronics?
Yes they can be adjusted. Even within the MOT regs there must be a little latitude and how much you have in the car will affect the beam too. I recently had mine re-adjusted and though they face a little too far left (great for checking out distant roadsigns) they are so much better than before. And though this probably sounds obvious cleaning the 'perspex' cover, particularly at the moment with the grimey road conditions, makes a huge difference, much more than expected possibly because when it is dirty it interferes more with the focus of the lamps.
Thanks guys. Stu - thanks for the offer but at present I'm not wanting to mess around with HIDs as I'm a little wary of touching the electrics, I'd rather try and find a brighter buld (anyone know of any and the codes?) and raise the lamps a little. The main beam is fine, just the headlights that need sorting.
Where is the adjuster for the headlights? Do I need to go through the wheel arch? If so can this be done wheels on?
Where is the adjuster for the headlights? Do I need to go through the wheel arch? If so can this be done wheels on?
Hi Zippee, I had similar problems when i purchased my T350. Bought a HID kit, but when testing it i soon relised that it was interfering with the dash lights, which i found was unacceptable. So the other option was to upgrade the bulbs.
This is what i bought:
581 Philips silver vision bulb (replaces the orange bulbs for silver) £14
233/T4W Philips Blue vision (replaces side lights) £9
H7 Philips X-Treme Power (replaces main lights) £29
H7 Philips Power-2-Night (replaces main beam lights) £28
I purchased them from autobulbsdirect.co.uk you get 10% off if your a TVRCC member.
It made vast difference compared to what was in originally.
If you don't like what i have suggested there are other bulbs you could purchase.
Hope you find this useful
This is what i bought:
581 Philips silver vision bulb (replaces the orange bulbs for silver) £14
233/T4W Philips Blue vision (replaces side lights) £9
H7 Philips X-Treme Power (replaces main lights) £29
H7 Philips Power-2-Night (replaces main beam lights) £28
I purchased them from autobulbsdirect.co.uk you get 10% off if your a TVRCC member.
It made vast difference compared to what was in originally.
If you don't like what i have suggested there are other bulbs you could purchase.
Hope you find this useful
need4power said:
Hi Zippee, I had similar problems when i purchased my T350. Bought a HID kit, but when testing it i soon relised that it was interfering with the dash lights, which i found was unacceptable. So the other option was to upgrade the bulbs.
This is what i bought:
581 Philips silver vision bulb (replaces the orange bulbs for silver) £14
233/T4W Philips Blue vision (replaces side lights) £9
H7 Philips X-Treme Power (replaces main lights) £29
H7 Philips Power-2-Night (replaces main beam lights) £28
I purchased them from autobulbsdirect.co.uk you get 10% off if your a TVRCC member.
It made vast difference compared to what was in originally.
If you don't like what i have suggested there are other bulbs you could purchase.
Hope you find this useful
Thanks very much for this - very useful. Can I just confirm the main lights are H7? Mine are those huge round bulbs, presumably direcly replaceable with an H7 shaped bulb?This is what i bought:
581 Philips silver vision bulb (replaces the orange bulbs for silver) £14
233/T4W Philips Blue vision (replaces side lights) £9
H7 Philips X-Treme Power (replaces main lights) £29
H7 Philips Power-2-Night (replaces main beam lights) £28
I purchased them from autobulbsdirect.co.uk you get 10% off if your a TVRCC member.
It made vast difference compared to what was in originally.
If you don't like what i have suggested there are other bulbs you could purchase.
Hope you find this useful
Those huge bulbs you refer to are H7 size fitting, which is a standard fitting all H7 bulbs will fit directly into the light unit.
I bit of advice, both wheels have to be removed to replace the bulbs. The indicator bulb can be quite tricky to replace, just need a bit of patience. It is a baynet fitting so pull the connectors off the light unit and turn the unit with your hand. Probably best to wear a glove to get a good grip and avoid some nasty cuts, it is stiff, don't worry about breaking indicator unit as it as it solidly glued.
Replacing the other lights is dead easy just pull the rubbers off and release the cage and disconnect the wires job done. no need to disconnect the battery, put if you your worried about damage just take out the fuse for the lights under drivers dash.
There is a main cover for the lights and some gromets below, usually the just removing the lights cover gives enough space to complete the job. But i had to remove one of gromets to get enought access to change the indicator bulbs.
MOST IMPORTANT
Use axel stands not just a trolley jack to support the weight. If you don't have any stands you a household brick with a block of wood on top.
Remember to reseal the light cover and gromets (if removed). I used black silcone sealant, your will need a big tube and remember to clean off all the old stuff and debris with metholated spirits (purple stuff).
Hope this helps.
Have to tell you it is really easy job no special skill required, it just sounds complicated. Don't forget to stop reguarly for tea breaks to keep warm and stand back to admire your work.
I bit of advice, both wheels have to be removed to replace the bulbs. The indicator bulb can be quite tricky to replace, just need a bit of patience. It is a baynet fitting so pull the connectors off the light unit and turn the unit with your hand. Probably best to wear a glove to get a good grip and avoid some nasty cuts, it is stiff, don't worry about breaking indicator unit as it as it solidly glued.
Replacing the other lights is dead easy just pull the rubbers off and release the cage and disconnect the wires job done. no need to disconnect the battery, put if you your worried about damage just take out the fuse for the lights under drivers dash.
There is a main cover for the lights and some gromets below, usually the just removing the lights cover gives enough space to complete the job. But i had to remove one of gromets to get enought access to change the indicator bulbs.
MOST IMPORTANT
Use axel stands not just a trolley jack to support the weight. If you don't have any stands you a household brick with a block of wood on top.
Remember to reseal the light cover and gromets (if removed). I used black silcone sealant, your will need a big tube and remember to clean off all the old stuff and debris with metholated spirits (purple stuff).
Hope this helps.
Have to tell you it is really easy job no special skill required, it just sounds complicated. Don't forget to stop reguarly for tea breaks to keep warm and stand back to admire your work.
Can anyone help me on these bulbs?
http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h7-philips-blue-v...
Will these be ok to use?
need4power said:
H7 Philips X-Treme Power (replaces main lights) £29
I've tried to get these from autobulbs but can only find philips blue vision bulbshttp://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h7-philips-blue-v...
Will these be ok to use?
Changed all my bulbs over last night (on one side anyway, other side tonight) had a bit of a struggle with the screws in the arches but managed to get them out, I put them back for now but want to replace them with something a bit better preferably bolts that I can get a socket on? Does anyone know what size they are and could anyone recommend any particular ones to use?
I bought replacement bulbs from Consumabulbs. Similar to the other place mentioned on here. They do make a difference, but as stated not great. Definitely worth doing though.
I do have an admission though; I waited until service time and got RG to do it!
As they will be again while the car is in for the engine work.
One question though; do the extreme bulbs burn out more quickly? I'm sure they seem to, as I tend to run all the cars with the upgraded ones and seem to be forever changing the damned things!
Tempted to ask RG about HID replacements, although I know that when they first offered a kit it was, although a pukka one, £600.
Feck!
Anyone know why the T350 has H7 and the Tam H4? I guess it's another TVR 'feature' of uniqueness...
I do have an admission though; I waited until service time and got RG to do it!
As they will be again while the car is in for the engine work.One question though; do the extreme bulbs burn out more quickly? I'm sure they seem to, as I tend to run all the cars with the upgraded ones and seem to be forever changing the damned things!
Tempted to ask RG about HID replacements, although I know that when they first offered a kit it was, although a pukka one, £600.
Feck!Anyone know why the T350 has H7 and the Tam H4? I guess it's another TVR 'feature' of uniqueness...
Hella now have LED versions of the units used. Not cheap but not as expensive as some factory units.
Always going to be a compromise as, by consequence of the cars design, the units are set at the low end of the height range for headlamps on cars.
I have Jeep sealed LED units in the Tamora and fitted LED bulbs in the lower spot lights. Both work better than the original incandescent bulbs.
Always going to be a compromise as, by consequence of the cars design, the units are set at the low end of the height range for headlamps on cars.
I have Jeep sealed LED units in the Tamora and fitted LED bulbs in the lower spot lights. Both work better than the original incandescent bulbs.
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