Brighter headlights?

[Cubatoo]

Hello, the time has come for driving in the dark again.
It may be that everyone else's headlights are brighter than the Puma's now but I have realised that my dipped beam lights, especially, are pretty dire, and I have been driving in the dark with it for years
Does anyone have a suggestion for brighter dipped beam bulbs and where I can get some please? Cheers!

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi.
I have uprated mine from 55 watts to 100 watts there is very little improvement I think that the dip beam lamp is at a too lower angle, when adjusted to be higher then the main beam is too high. Pretty hopeless really.

 

[John Woodward]

Hello, the time has come for driving in the dark again.
It may be that everyone else's headlights are brighter than the Puma's now but I have realised that my dipped beam lights, especially, are pretty dire, and I have been driving in the dark with it for years
Does anyone have a suggestion for brighter dipped beam bulbs and where I can get some please? Cheers!

I use Osram Nightbreakers , the fitting is HB3. They work quite well, provided the headlight lens (inside as well as outside are cleaned) and the reflectors are cleaned. After 20 years it's surprising how dirty they can get inside.

Hello, the time has come for driving in the dark again.
It may be that everyone else's headlights are brighter than the Puma's now but I have realised that my dipped beam lights, especially, are pretty dire, and I have been driving in the dark with it for years
Does anyone have a suggestion for brighter dipped beam bulbs and where I can get some please? Cheers!

Have a read of this guide https://www.projectpuma.com/whats-

Hello, the time has come for driving in the dark again.
It may be that everyone else's headlights are brighter than the Puma's now but I have realised that my dipped beam lights, especially, are pretty dire, and I have been driving in the dark with it for years
Does anyone have a suggestion for brighter dipped beam bulbs and where I can get some please? Cheers!

It's worthwhile cleaning the inside of the headlights. I followed this guide.

Thread 'Cleaning the INSIDE of your headlights!' Cleaning the INSIDE of your headlights!

Then used HB3 Osram Nightbreaker bulbs. These are the first ones I found on eBay, so not necessarily the cheapest.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18446859...wtQxX3aTd-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=MORE
This gave a significant improvement and I don't mind driving a Puma at night anymore and I drive quite a bit at night.
Photo of dipped beam on on my Puma Thunder last year, which I was using daily through the winter, those headlights are now on my Red Puma, which you have seen at Gaydon

 

[Cubatoo]

I use Osram Nightbreakers , the fitting is HB3. They work quite well, provided the headlight lens (inside as well as outside are cleaned) and the reflectors are cleaned. After 20 years it's surprising how dirty they can get inside.

Have a read of this guide https://www.projectpuma.com/whats-

It's worthwhile cleaning the inside of the headlights. I followed this guide.

Thread 'Cleaning the INSIDE of your headlights!' Cleaning the INSIDE of your headlights!

Then used HB3 Osram Nightbreaker bulbs. These are the first ones I found on eBay, so not necessarily the cheapest.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18446859...wtQxX3aTd-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=MORE
This gave a significant improvement and I don't mind driving a Puma at night anymore and I drive quite a bit at night.
Photo of dipped beam on on my Puma Thunder last year, which I was using daily through the winter, those headlights are now on my Red Puma, which you have seen at Gaydon

Thank you Richard and John for your input.
You are right John, my headlight lenses and cover are pretty filthy which might account for me thinking my lights are dimmer. They probably are because of the dirt accumulating through the years!
I have been thinking of cleaning them but life has been getting in the way. I have also bought brighter bulbs for my daily driver, well in advance of the dark nights but they are still languishing on the shelf!

 

[Cubatoo]

Should say John, that your dipped beams look better than my high bem at the moment!

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi Cubatoo.
same here, that dip beam looks good,

 

[John Woodward]

Hi Cubatoo.
same here, that dip beam looks good,

That was on my old Thunder last year,, after I'd cleaned the headlights inside and out. I swapped those headlights onto my Red Puma back in March and I think they're just as good now. I drive about 15 miles back home on country roads four times a week and decent lighting is essential
I used the old Thunder every day last winter, but not using the Red Puma as often, as I intend keeping it for many years, but still have done about 250 miles in the last 3 weeks in the car and quite a few at night

 

[kevinh]

I bought the same Nightbreakers for a little less on Amazon. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07FY4WS8J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
And I made a fair effort to clean the headlights inside and out. But I still find mine to be pretty hopeless to be honest. Driving on unlit roads without main beam on is no fun at all :-(

 

[John Woodward]

I spent several hours cleaning the headlights, not just removing the lacquer on the front before polishing, also very important to clean the reflectors and the projector lens, after 20+ years they get quite dirty, as does in the inside of the light unit.

 

[Cubatoo]

I spent several hours cleaning the headlights, not just removing the lacquer on the front before polishing, also very important to clean the reflectors and the projector lens, after 20+ years they get quite dirty, as does in the inside of the light unit.

Hi John, what did you use to get the lacquer off if the outside of the headlights please? I dont want to mess up the surface of the plastic.
My lacquer ( and I am assuming you mean the coating on the outside of the headlight) looks pretty dull and verging on opaque. I had a very unpleasant journey home this evening!

 

[chrisjenkins]

I'm having the same trouble with yellowed headlights. I bought a cleaning kit from Amazon, it includes sanding discs, polishing discs and polishing liquid (to be used with a power drill). Frankly I'm terrified of trying it, in case I damage the headlights permanently, but the only alternative seems to be new headlights, at around £300!

 

[caprixpack]

I'm having the same trouble with yellowed headlights. I bought a cleaning kit from Amazon, it includes sanding discs, polishing discs and polishing liquid (to be used with a power drill). Frankly I'm terrified of trying it, in case I damage the headlights permanently, but the only alternative seems to be new headlights, at around £300!

Good luck finding new headlights, I've been searching for over 2 years and in the end I had to settle for some good second hand lights and they weren't cheap either.

 

[John Woodward]

Hi John, what did you use to get the lacquer off if the outside of the headlights please? I dont want to mess up the surface of the plastic.
My lacquer ( and I am assuming you mean the coating on the outside of the headlight) looks pretty dull and verging on opaque. I had a very unpleasant journey home this evening!

I purchased a kit off eBay and used the 3 inch sanding discs, think I started with 600 grade, then when the lacquer was removed went progressively up to 2000 grade before polishing using the cutting compound, then finally polished

 

[Cubatoo]

Thank you John, Oo, scary! I don't have that sort of sander, just a Dremel which is 2 years old and still in its box!
Might be able to adapt something!

 

[John Woodward]

Sarah, I've just done a quick Google search and found these people in your area, price seems very good, especially as the Holts kit costs about £12.

https://bedfordmobile.com/services/car-wash/headlight-restoration-22189821
Details of the Holts kit,

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/holt...MYq8HwvXZek-iCxlzvvdSonFLCnt3mARoCR1QQAvD_BwE

 

[souky]

Hi,
I've got a set of headlights for sale from my 1.7 2002 Puma if of any interest. They're in great condition. Mine was written off and I managed to salvage a few bits before the scrappy took her. Any reasonable offers and they're yours. I'm based in Essex/Suffolk borders. I've also got 2 parcel shelves in very good condition available too.

 

[pumasteve]

Hi,
I've got a set of headlights for sale from my 1.7 2002 Puma if of any interest. They're in great condition. Mine was written off and I managed to salvage a few bits before the scrappy took her. Any reasonable offers and they're yours. I'm based in Essex/Suffolk borders. I've also got 2 parcel shelves in very good condition available too.

Still available? Would you post for additional cost?

 

[Cubatoo]

Sarah, I've just done a quick Google search and found these people in your area, price seems very good, especially as the Holts kit costs about £12.

https://bedfordmobile.com/services/car-wash/headlight-restoration-22189821
Details of the Holts kit,

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/holt...MYq8HwvXZek-iCxlzvvdSonFLCnt3mARoCR1QQAvD_BwE

Great John!, Many thanks for your suggestions. I am going to book the visiting headlight people as I sm scared of polishing them myself!

 

[Cubatoo]

Great John!, Many thanks for your suggestions. I am going to book the visiting headlight people as I sm scared of polishing them myself!

Headlight man booked!

 

[souky]

Still available? Would you post for additional cost?

Hi,
Yes, happy to post - I would ensure that they were wrapped very securely with lots of bubble wrap etc. Would also send by a secured tracked system eg. Parcelforce or a courier of your choice. Would have to check on price but would estimate around £10.