TJ Driving Lights to DRL?

The stock 'driving lights' are really fog lights aren't they. If not, then they are high beams so in either case are useless for daytime runners.

Headlights are the best.

The daytime runners are only imposed because big brother knows we aren't smart enough to drive with the lights on.

I suppose it wouldn't be too hard to put a relay on the headlights so the ignition has to be on. Weather this is safe or legal, I don't know but I doubt it.

I drive a lot on rural roads and have real driving lights. When on these roads, I aim my driving lights at the ditches as far ahead as they are effective. This lights up animals and fools pulling out before they reach the end of the driveway.

When I am mainly highway cruising, I aim my lights more on the road, well the drivers side one back onto the road anyway with the passenger side one ditch biassed.

Off road I aim them closer.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

MrDan>

On the new TJs the daytime lights are in fact the headlights Running at a 50% duty cycle or something like that. (not on constantly) They come on after moving forward 3 feet. FYI :-) Only Jeeps in Canada have them. I believe it's a relay that operates them.

Mike Roma> The stock 'driving lights' are really fog lights aren't they. If not,

They are the high beams on half power and are kinda useless. Dim and blinding at the same time.

I see more people driving at night now forgetting to turn on their real lights.

Mike

FrankW wrote:

I, for one, particularly despise the usage of high beams for DRLs. I shamefully have taken to high beaming them back when they are particularly blinding to me and I am not hurting other folks incidentally. They of course have no clue why I did that as I see them brake for that cop that is not there.... In the USA this would be GM, Toyota and BMW vehicles. The BMWs' are especially deadly. Argh.

I am thinking that the answer to the OP's question would be how to rig it so the low beams always come on when the ignition is on and go off when it is turned off. I would be interested in this as well for my use in my 2002 USA TJ. My 98 Toyota Sienna has a headlight setting that does exactly this, low beams on when turned on and turns off when the ignition is turned off and the drivers' door opened (which means that the battery runs out when the radio is turned on via the passenger door [been there, lol]).

How did this high beam thing get legal anyway? Is this not failure to dim high beams to oncoming traffic? Sure it is lower power, but as Mike notes it is the aim not the power. Blind me but only half way. Stick a knife into my heart but only halfway. Sheesh.

Sorry for the rant, but I see this as a top problem on the roads today and it frustrates me no end as it keeps propagating.... Chagrinned Tomes

for heavens sake, if you want the lights on during the day, just turn them on when you get in the car and then turn them off when you park the vehicle

is it really that hard to do???

LOL!

Mike

Joshua Nels>

The problems with that are:

1. It's another thing to remember every time you start the vehicle, and you might not be consistant.

1. Turning the headlight switch on also turns on the parking lights, which use energy and burn out more frequently, and

2. Certain accessories, like some radios, dim the display when they recieve a voltage from the accessory position. This is obviously undesirable in the day.

One problem I see with just wiring it so the headlights are on when the ignition is: What if you want to sit in the car with say the blower running but not the headlights, either to not draw attention to yourself or to save drain on the battery? An overide switch would be nice. I plan to use such a setup in my 93 XJ, with the overide switch where the transmission select switch used to be on older models.

I investigated getting a factory DRL, but it looked like there was no place for it to plug in on the American harness.

Know what else sucks? Every night I see a pile of idiots driving around with their headlights AND fogs on for no reason! 4 blinding lights for the price of 2. Especially the guys with monster KCs who do that :) I have the KC 150's and wouldn't dream of taking the cases off them in the road except if there was a hurricane. I'm pretty sure it's illegal in VA to use them anyway on the road. Inconsiderate! (end rant)

Matt

Heh heh, I have Hella Black Magic's with 100W bulbs in them. If I give those fools a flash, they turn off their 'fogs' fast.

I am aimed like high beams usually, ditch lights on rural roads. They actually have a clean enough beam I can turn them right down in front lower than low beams and cut through fog with them.

The dorks have driving lights wired up like fogs so they can use them with low beams.

I thought the law was stupid about wiring lights so they come on with the appropriate headlight beam at first, now I see the need.

Too many folks don't know the difference in light patterns and use.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's