Can anyone recommend fog lamps for my '02 XLT which really do cut through pea soup rather than just look snazzy? I'd like to mount the lights nice and low where Ford would have put them had they been installed as OE, but there are just so many varieties in the catalogs I'm confused as to which will fit nicely versus which are junk, etc. Is there a special cutout available from Ford into which a certain size foglamp will mesh perfectly?
Look for the word "PIAA" on them. That's the best indicator of quality I've ever seen. I bought a couple sets of those cheap "projector" jobs from the local autoparts store. Both were crap and lasted less than a year each. I got a set of 1500XT in the "fog" (wide beam). I liked them so much I bought a second set of the "driving" (narrow beam). Yes, I have two sets mounted on the front of my '97 Explorer LTD. Cut some square aluminum stock (believe it was 1 1/8") and bolted it between the two bumper support brackets. Two lights are positioned in the stock bumper cutouts where the originals were, and the other two on the aluminum bar I added. All four are behind the lower bumper fascia so they look like an integral part of the bumper.
I no longer care about the crummy headlights. When I need to see, I definitely can see. And these have lasted 3 years or so, I think (and are still working like new).
This link may be pretty slow, but will show you the finished product:
Your truck looks terrific so I took your word for it and found the PIAA
1500XT complete kit for $196 free shipping. Well at least I hope that's for two lamps and not one! I think the primary driving lights on the Explorers a bit later than yours were upgraded, so I'll hold off on the narrow beam 1500XT's for the time being. I have read about a device though which keeps both the normal and bright lamps on simultaneously; that I'd really like to find, but I don't know what it's called. Also I don't know why in the world Ford would install such anemic interior lighting. Perhaps my eyes are going with age but you can't even read a map while driving with those weak dome lamps!Thanks again.
Herb Kauhry wrote:
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