Upgrading Newell Coach With Brighter Driving & Turning Lights - Suggestions?

[Gimpy]

Driving at night on dark, rural roads left me with a desire to see better - both way down the road and around corners. It only took a couple of nearly blind turns late one night in a dark foggy area to make me realize I need to shed more light on the situation.

So...

I want to upgrade the bulbs in the headlights to the brightest possible. Short of going to Wal-Mart and picking a package with bulbs that fit of a higher wattage (assuming they're available), are there alternatives?

Have you undertaken something similar?

[Neweller]

Gimpy, if you do a search through the forum here at top right hand box above, you will find some fairly lengthy discussions on this topic.

There are some great light bulb upgrades out there unless you want to spend a bunch more and an install HID system. There are pros and cons to the different options. I have had extension involvement in automotive lighting the past few years, but I am somewhat reluctant to advocate too much information around here. You do not want to ever use cheap made bulbs and anything that will overheat your existing size wiring. I will share whatever I can here within reason and understanding and without any liability.

[Richard and Rhonda]

First thing is to install relays to get full voltage to the bulbs. I say first because no matter what you do after that you need full voltage to the bulbs. For example I picked up about one and a half volts by using relays.

Others may have different opinions. But here are what I think are your options.

Install relays, did I say that before?

One, install e code reflectors. You can get them from Daniel Stern and they are pricey. This is what I did. The lights are fantastic and the look is stock.

Two, install projector style lights like the newer models have. At a minimum you will have to fab something to aesthetically fill the hole left by removal of the huge Ford truck reflectors.

Three, install HID lights of your choice, but you still will need to fill the hole.

Four, fit a new front cap with the projector lights from Newell.

Please do not install HID bulbs in the existing reflectors, or over wattage bulbs in the existing reflectors. Yes you will get more light, but you blind the oncoming drivers with the glare. The DOT reflectors are purposefully designed to cast light up and to the right to see road signs.

[NewellCrazy]

I'd say try aiming your headlights first, but note:

Take a good look in the daylight hours to find your headlight aiming screws (up/down and left/right). Then have the wife get in her car and follow you in the coach some evening. Go to the back or side of your local Wally Mart (or big box store) and point

both vehicles at the wall. Stay back 50 or 60 feet from the wall. When you compare the light distribution of the car versus the coach, you'll clearly see how far off the coach lights were...