Fc light upgrade - advise please

[yasiryassin]

thinking i need to upgrade the lights for the FC some time soon as they are crap lol.
 
just wondering if anyone else has upgraded theirs and has any recommendations?

HID the best way forward?
or are cheap bulb upgrades ok? such as http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-RX7-FC-1985-95-XENON-HID-CAR-FOG-BULBS-/220825295450?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item336a369a5a
 
cheers,
yas

[kev-yorks]

Using these myself along with new h-lamp units as the reflector does tend to deteriorate with age, I\'d check those first. http://www.ringautomotive.co.uk/product_detail.asp?prod=2423

[the hat]

I\'ve been using some raybrig lenses and h4 hid hi lo kit for a while
Works great

[jimmydanny]

Rebuild to low-rise and Hella lenses, H7 for lows and D2S for high (in Norway atleast, xenon is not legal in lows without automatic height adjusting and cleaning of some sort (squirters or wipers))

I plan to do it when I get hold of £600 to do it

[yasiryassin]

Using these myself along with new h-lamp units as the reflector does tend to deteriorate with age, I\'d check those first. http://www.ringautomotive.co.uk/product_detail.asp?prod=2423

cheers. what are the life like of the bulbs? have you had to replace often?

[kev-yorks]

No issues thus far but I suppose like anything else you can always get a bad batch.

[yasiryassin]

kk sweet. just ordered a set from ebay. hopefully get them and fit them soon. will try get pics to show the before and after if i remember lol.

[Prof]

Rebuild to low-rise and Hella lenses, H7 for lows and D2S for high (in Norway atleast, xenon is not legal in lows without automatic height adjusting and cleaning of some sort (squirters or wipers))
 
I plan to do it when I get hold of £600 to do it

In the UK the MOT requirements state similar things - but there is also a new addition stating that cars with stiffer suspension don\'t require the self levelling lights, as they are far less likely to suffer from the \'loaded boot\' problem making the front end go up. Washers are still a requirement though, but the FC does have those.
 
A cheapish upgrade is to go with Halfrauds All Weather bulbs - straight H4 replacements, but they give out a lot more light and also some UV which helps illuminate road furniture better. HID\'s are the best replacement, but most HID bulbs aren\'t suitable for the standad reflector, you\'ll need to find the ones that are mostly \'shielded\' so that they throw a proper lo / hi beam pattern - and if you are getting the motorised units - watch out for fitments in the popup lens - some of the HID\'s have very long motors and they will foul the mechanism. Higher wattage bulbs apart from being illegal, are quite likely to test the old and tired wiring to distruction with the extra currents - HID\'s are lower wattage and also usually come with a power loom anyway.

[turbointhebrain]

raybrigs with 4300k HID bulbs are the best job! raybrigs for an fc are the same as unit as can be fitted to the following motors: MR2, Toyota AE86 (pop-up light model), Nissan S13 180/200/240sx. and possibly ma70 supra (second last one)

[turbointhebrain]

Using these myself along with new h-lamp units as the reflector does tend to deteriorate with age, I\'d check those first. http://www.ringautomotive.co.uk/product_detail.asp?prod=2423

these are defiantly a good bulb, i use them in my red Uk fc.  These are the same as the halfords ultimate brilliance model (dont quote me on the name though) can be purchased for £19.99 for 2 with a halfords trade card
 
Ross

[Prof]

raybrigs with 4300k HID bulbs are the best job! raybrigs for an fc are the same as unit as can be fitted to the following motors: MR2, Toyota AE86 (pop-up light model), Nissan S13 180/200/240sx. and possibly ma70 supra (second last one)

Is the raybrigs lens a projector lens unit ?

[turbointhebrain]

hey prof,
 
no, they are basically the same shaped unit, but the light refractor (shapes the light to the right positions) is built into the reflector at the back of the unit, like new cars. they also have a clear (crystal) front lens. The standard fc unit has the refractor on the front lens and in turn this will make the headlamp unit less efficient in output.
 
the raybrigs come either with blue tinted reflector or just silver
 

 
 

 

 
Ross

[yasiryassin]

nice one ross!!
will look into getting a set of these when i get some spare cash. just ordered bulbs for the time being.

[Prof]

They do look good - I am in 2 minds now - it was a reworking of standard reflector or go with quad light solution....

[yasiryassin]

changing to xenon bulbs seems like a good cheap upgrade. havnt tested them out at night yet, but look much brighter.
light on left side of pic is changed - right side of pic = standard