Can 9007 be Improved?

Jonny Z · Dec 20, 2006

I have an 06 Mazda B2300. They have Ford's 9007 bulbs.
The lenses are brand new. Low beam is sorry, high beam is even weaker on the foreground, and a hair brighter down the road, only enough to light the reflective signs and nothing else.
Has anyone tried XtraVision or NightHawk for this application? Or by design the 9007 is sorry?
My favorite halogen setup is 9006/9005, never had a problem with these.

Quest · Dec 20, 2006

Regrettably, you can't do much about it other than to add additional aftermarket driving lamps.

There are a lot of poorly designed and executed plastic headlamps out there that IMHO are casting nothing but some pathetic light pattern and output.

Both my dad's 7th gen Civic and my Fit comes with the clear lens with H3 bulbs. Even with standard OE type of Halogen Osram bulbs, they cast a wide, even and yet strong light patterns that exceeds our expectations. On a contrary, my wifey's 1993 Camry Vee-6's headlamps are terrible by comparison.

PW01 · Dec 20, 2006

Some will say that its just in my head, but I noticed a difference with the Silverstar 9007 bulbs. I work nights and drive an unlit rural highway home every night, the difference was especially clear in the rain.

CBDFrontier06 · Dec 20, 2006

I switched my 06 Frontier 9007s to SilverStars and there's a big difference on unlit country roads. Clear lenses are definitely better than the light scattering patterns you find in older style headlights. I see some older cars coming towards me at night that look like they have yellow nightlights stuck on the nose, not really shining any useable amounts of light down the road. Try a set of Silverstars.

G-MAN · Dec 20, 2006

If you think the 9007 is bad, you should drive a vehicle that takes the 9004. The 9007 is the "improved" version of the 9004 and is, in fact, designed the way the 9004 should have been all along. The 9007 has axial filaments, whereas the 9004 has horizontal filaments like the old sealed beams used to have.

If you're getting poor output and a poor beam pattern, it's simply a poorly designed lamp. The 9007 itself is a well-designed bulb. For an upgrade, I'd choose the GE NightHawks over SilverStars.

Jonny Z · Dec 21, 2006

I have been in an early 90's Lexus LS400. Yep, for an expensive car, it used 9004s and they are sorry.

I like dual bulb setups as opposed to dual filament setup. But most of the 9003/H4 are pretty good. Most got the ECE right kick too.

Russell · Dec 21, 2006

I put 9007 GE night Hawks in my wife's 98 Ford Explorer. She said they are much better. I know they are whiter.

dwendt44 · Dec 21, 2006

I've used 100 Watt 9007 in the last car I had, worked well.
Silver Stars are getting a reputation for short bulb life; considering the cost, the Night Hawks sounds like a better deal.

Quest · Dec 21, 2006

"....100 Watt 9007..."

OK, do you know your headlight wiring (gauge) before you stick in something that draws 80% higher than intended current?

I wouldn't do that if I were you though... (ever seen a wiring loom meltdown??)

dwendt44 · Dec 21, 2006

Ugh, that would be 55% higher.
Ran them for 4 years with no problems.
There are heavy duty harness upgrades available if needed.

Jonny Z · Dec 23, 2006

100W High (65W normal) would be 54% higher
100W Low (55W normal) would be 82% higher
Depends how you look at it.
The plastic housings / lenses didn't melt?

dwendt44 · Dec 23, 2006

Nope, no problems at all.
My normal weekly routine didn't allow high beams for real long time periods. Maybe 5-6 minutes before on-coming traffic caused me to dim the headlights.
These were 55/100 watt bulbs.(JC Whitney)

road_rascal · Dec 24, 2006

Slightly off topic (website link related to motorcycle useage but I'm sure someone could adapt the technology for auto use)- the guy over at www.easternbeaver.com has a relay kit for H4 bulbs that will put out more light from a stock bulb. A friend of mine put one of these kits on his 2004 Suzuki Bandit 1200 and it made a huge difference in the amout of light the stock bulb threw out. Not sure if there's a simple way to modify automotive wiring to use a kit like this. Just a thought.

96 Cherokee · Dec 24, 2006

Quote:

Slightly off topic (website link related to motorcycle useage but I'm sure someone could adapt the technology for auto use)- the guy over at www.easternbeaver.com has a relay kit for H4 bulbs that will put out more light from a stock bulb. A friend of mine put one of these kits on his 2004 Suzuki Bandit 1200 and it made a huge difference in the amout of light the stock bulb threw out. Not sure if there's a simple way to modify automotive wiring to use a kit like this. Just a thought.

Relay kits for automotive headlights are available.

Tremo · Dec 24, 2006

I agree that 9007s are way better than 9004s. My wife's old Escort had the 9004s and they were pathetic. Her Taurus now has 9007s and they are much better, a lot more light on the road. I just put in a set of Nighthawks, they seem to work well, whiter than the old stock bulbs.

I have silverstars on my old Camaro, it uses the 4000 series sealed-beams. I must say that I really like the Silverstar high beams, they throw a very white beam out ahead, easy to see way down the road. However, I am not so pleased with the Silverstar low beams. They're OK when the road is dry, but when it's raining or in fog, you can actually see better with a conventional bulb, the extra whiteness of the Silverstar just causes more glare. I think the optimum setup would be Silverstar high beams and Xtravision low beams.

If Nighthawk 9007s are not bright enough, then either add driving lights, or instakk a beefier harness with relays, and go with high wattage bulbs.

Trav · Dec 24, 2006

I put Hella 9007 from AA in a while ago,they are very white and illuminate better than the stock bulbs.

Sparkman · Dec 24, 2006

I had a pair of silverstars, they lasted me three months. Never again. I always drive with the headlights on.

I replaced them with xtravisions, and I have a relay harness. Headlights are awesome compared to OEM. This is on the XJ with 6054 sealed beams.

I have xtravision 9007 on the subaru and they're pretty good, though I think they could be better.

I would be very careful when upping the wattage too much without a relay harness. On most vehicles there isn't much margin in the design of the wiring and connectors. A lot can be said for delivering more voltage to the bulb, p = v^2/r, 12^2 = 144, 14^2 = 196.

esteve · Dec 24, 2006

I'm not too crazy about the 9007s either, especially the nearly useless high beams. The low beams are so so. Lots of people run light harnesses with good results, that's the way to go if you want to improve the 9007s.

Max_Wander · Dec 25, 2006

what boggles my mind is how 9004/9007 are still being used. It's not that their time has expired, it's just H4, H1 and any (E)uro spec approved light housing have always had great spread and cut-off. The DOT has very, very low and inspecific standards.

97tbird · Dec 25, 2006

My wife's '03 Elantra has German Osrams in H7 low beams and H1 high beams...they're amazing low or high...best lights I've ever seen personally (excluding HID etc).
After driving her Elantra, driving the Tbird with 9007's, I feel like I'm blind at night.
I have Philips Vision Plus in the bird now...I wonder if the 9007 Nighthawks are better...???

Can 9007 be Improved?

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