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Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Yahoo Message Number: 13410
I have an '06 Bigfoot on an '05 Kodiak C5500 chassis and feel the need to upgrade the headlights. Been talking to Rally Lights and have a proposal from them, so I want to check a couple things with the herein appointed braintrust.

From the Rally Lights proposal (edited): E-code H4 lamps with +50% Xenon bulbs in the outboard positions, and E-code H1 lamps with +50% Xenon lamps in the inboard positions. Or, I could also use H4 E-code lamps in all 4 positions or DOT lamps in all 4 positions.

Looking for opinions regarding E-code vs. DOT-SAE, and H4's vs H1's. This proposal also include an upgraded heavier wiring harness withe three relays - outboard low beam, outboard high beam, and inboard high.

Thanks in advance..

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13411
I have the setup from Rally lights also. I went with the E-codes and H4 outers with H1 inners with the upgraded harness. You will not be disappointed.

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13412

You sure don't want to run those on the factory harness, but they are installing relays and HD wiring which is good.
Anything is better than the stock ones.
~
Victor Burns
KI6IM
Embark TB390 Bunkhouse

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13413
Cost estimate for the setup?

Rob
Fourwinds 34H


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note® II

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13415
Vic, I've always felt those headlights should have been recalled and replaced including he harness needed to provide adequate power. The few times we drove at night I concluded they were downright dangerous. Even with the upper beam on they were useless.

Don

Quote

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13416
Yessir. The OEM harness apparently stays in place to provide trigger voltage to the replacement harness and relays which uses either 10 or 12 ga wire. The HD harness pulls power from the jump post under the hood, and I'll need to find a good spot to ground it.

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13417
The first time I had it out at night, I actually thought the headlights were off, or at best, 3 out of 4 were dead...but alas, they were all functioning as designed. Go figure.​

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13418
Me too.  Mine are dim, but maybe not as dim as others?  My lamps were Maladjusted too which was also a problem.  I just do not drive at night much, and where I do, it's so dark the dim lights looked sort of OK.  I just never got around to fixing mine which is pretty funny since I am such a seek and repair kind of guy.
My problem was solved for a lot more than $500 buying the Embark, which was quite comfy on last week's 1,000 trip after new shocks and valves

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13419

There is about $100 in parts and some labor.
~
Victor Burns
KI6IM
Embark TB390 Bunkhouse

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13420
I found that the headlights were bad after first time driving in the dark. First thing I did was do a headlight alignment. Helped some. Next I upgraded the High/Low beams to Silver Stars. Some improvement but not up to par. Next I rewired the headlights with 10 gauge wire and relays. Also ran 10 gauge ground wires. This brought lights up to something that works. Make sure ground/s are run to a solid point on frame. The bolts around radiator stack are not a good ground. I found out the hard way. The headlight you plan to install would be even better. But I do not drive at night enough to make me put more time/money into project. If you do a search you will find where I documented my wiring relay project. Definitely required when increasing wattage of bulbs. BestRon Hall

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13421
Here is a picture of the rallylight harness

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID

"Jim Blackshire james.blackshire@... [SuperCrvgroup]"  wrote:


Yessir. The OEM harness apparently stays in place to provide trigger voltage to the replacement harness and relays which uses either 10 or 12 ga wire. The HD harness pulls power from the jump post under the hood, and I'll need to find a good spot to ground it.



Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13422
Picture of the relay pack installed

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID

"Jim Blackshire james.blackshire@... [SuperCrvgroup]"  wrote:


Yessir. The OEM harness apparently stays in place to provide trigger voltage to the replacement harness and relays which uses either 10 or 12 ga wire. The HD harness pulls power from the jump post under the hood, and I'll need to find a good spot to ground it.



Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13425
I used the +50% xenon bulbs.

Also installed a set of ridgid led spot lights in the front bumper holes

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID

"britton@... [SuperCrvgroup]"  wrote:

Which bulbs did you use in the H1 & H4 Conversion?

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13427
The timing of this thread is perfect for me. I am looking at doing an upgrade.
I replaced all my stock lights with Silver Stars quite a few years ago. This did help, but I think it could be better. I was considering the harness/ground wire upgrade, but I just lost one of the Silver Stars, so I am considering replacing all of them. I have been looking at options on Rally Lights site for years. I sent them an email a few days ago asking for suggestions, but have not received a response yet.
I was also considering something like these:
4x6" WHITE LED HALO PROJECTOR HALOGEN HEADLIGHT HEADLAMP BULBS CRYSTAL CLEAR SET


image

4x6" WHITE LED HALO PROJECTOR HALOGEN...
US $99.95 New in eBay Motors, Parts & Accessories, Vintage Car & Truck Parts

View on www.ebay.com
right

I was wondering how I would run the halos as my DRL's. Any suggestions? I guess I could pull the factory DRL fuse and just run them to a point that is hot when the ignition is on. Or to its own switch, but I do not like this option.
Any thoughts?
I was also considering going with the H4 LED bulbs. Anyone have experience with these?
Thanks,
Bill

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13428
I highly recommend Ray at Rally Lights. Although I had sent 2 email queries on the website and got no response, when I phoned, he was very helpful and I got a proposal back the same day. I have a couple more questions for him about driving lights (wider pattern, lower) and backup floods, but then I will get his recommended package.​

JimB

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13441
I got the 4 replacement headlights and harness from Ray at Rally Lights and will install this weekend. Anyone here know of a Kodiak manual, or a basic how-to for the Kodiak headlights? Never done this before, doesn't look terribly complicated, but would like to review the procedure before I screw it up, instead of after. ;-)
​

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13626
For those of you that went with the replacement lights and harness from Rally Lights for your Kodiak.
I just got off the phone with Ray, he is sending me a quote. I did bring up that our vehicles have Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), and asked how the setup will work with them. He wasn't sure, said there might be an issue with too low of voltage and it not being enough to trigger them. He said he hadn't received any feedback from others on if they work or not. So my question is, after you installed the lights and harness, did your DRL's still work?

Thanks,
Bill

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13627
Good Question. I ordered my parts yesterday and was thinking that same question. Figured I would research how to deactivate the DRL's

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #19 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13628
I pulled the fuse to the DRL's

I always drive with the running lights on, so not having the DRL's is not a big deal to me

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #20 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13629
My Bigfoot has DRL and works fine with Ray's setup. I did nothing special, just followed instructions...and I ain't a genius. ;-)

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #21 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13631
If the system that you are installing has relays before the headlights DLR's should work OK. My rewiring project worked good. The relays will energize with the DLR voltage. What does happen is you are now supplying full 12 volts for DLR lights.
Best
Ron Hall

Re: Kodiak Headlight Upgrade Question

Reply #22 –
Yahoo Message Number: 13633
Thanks for the quick answers.
I do want to keep the DRL's avctive. So it sounds like they will work fine. Ray wasn't sure. When he emails me the quote later today, I will let him know that they still work for you.

Anything else I should know, that you learned during the install?

Thanks everyone. I am excited to get these ordered and installed.

Bill