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**CT99XJ** · 10-14-2009, 11:10 PM

tomorrow im going to start the work on converting my sealed-beam lights to Hella H-1 or H-4's, since i discovered one pair each lying in my garage. praying i dont have any issues on the install, hoping everything goes right in place... will post pics and rants/raves when it all blows up in my face...

JeeperMatt · 10-15-2009, 04:06 AM

Will you be needing to upgrade the wiring harness for this? I want to say that it's highly recommended, but I honestly can't remember...

Don't forget the before and after pics good sir

**CT99XJ** · 10-15-2009, 11:27 AM

i think i might have to, the H-4's i have have an adapter to go from their plug to the factory one so i might not. we'll find out tho

flawlesslydisturbed · 10-15-2009, 12:45 PM

I was wondering about that to. I want to do this also just haven't looked into it much.

**CT99XJ** · 10-15-2009, 02:14 PM

slight setback- a: its raining AND snowing in connecticut, and also the H-4's i have are a little too small for the stock XJ light fixture. follow-up to be posted shortly. my jeep and computer are living in the gharage atm so ill post when i have any progress.

**Lyon** · 10-15-2009, 09:35 PM

I have the hella's in my jeep. They came with it. The originals has H2 bulbs in them. I switched to H4 with no problem. The only difference is that one of the 3 tabs is slightly skinnier. H2 has 3 fat tabs. H4 has 2 fat 1 skinny. And used original harness. No need for an upgrade. Just remember to adjust them if yours is lifted. I need to adjust mine. Oh yeah, word of advice, use anti-seize on the bracket screws if you don't snap them coming out. Makes life much easier the next time you need to change bulbs. Good luck!

usnfoley13 · 10-15-2009, 09:42 PM

Lyon how do these look compared to the stock? do they throw a better beam? brighter and worth the upgrade?

flawlesslydisturbed · 10-15-2009, 09:59 PM

The main thing I worry about is cracking or breaking the housing and having to buy another one since they aren't cheap. I wonder how tough they are.

**CT99XJ** · 10-16-2009, 01:04 AM

see, i know they make the H-4's thatll fit it, but the ones i had already apparently wont. i think theyre 95-97 GM-sized bulbs or something, more rectangular than the XJ bulbs. i was just seeing if theyd work, but oh well. back to my Wagner Crapola Specials... till next paycheck

**Lyon** · 10-16-2009, 10:00 AM

The bulbs I got were 5150K so they throw a very slight blue tint. I'll be honest, they are not that much brighter than stock but the color is nicer. The lights look cleaner. The originals kind of look yellow to me. I think you'd be happy with the result. Do one at a time and look at it with one of each bulb on both sides and you'll see how nice it looks. I liked it too because my jeep is blue so it went well with it. I bought the matching fogs as well but my housings are so nasty you can't really tell the difference. Hitting ebay maybe next week for new ones.

PandorasBox · 10-16-2009, 04:27 PM

ebay did me wonders, h4's with new housings and bulbs like 170 about three years ago, there much better than stock. Anyone going HID? i see convo, but nobody biting the bullet......

flawlesslydisturbed · 10-16-2009, 07:12 PM

It's on my list, just don't know when.

**Lyon** · 10-16-2009, 09:54 PM

HID's are pretty serious. And the conversion kits are simple to do. They are much more expensive but the bulbs last 10 times longer that the regular H4 replacements. I would have done the HID but the jeep came with the Hella lamps when I purchased it. SO I took the cheap way out and just did bulbs. I had to get the lift and tires!!

**CT99XJ** · 10-17-2009, 12:59 AM

ive been debating HIDs, but ive got enough candlepower facing forward with all the lights i have to blind a moose. the Hellas would just be to simplify the replacement, and also because i had a set laying around, but since said set doesnt fit, that kinda defeats the purpose.

**CT99XJ** · 10-21-2009, 11:20 PM

so i (for a bit) thought about doing a wagoneer style 2-on-a-side setup. then i sobered up and went to bed