Light Improvements, Front and Rear.

[SPLITV]

Has anyone got any suggests to improve the lights on a 58 Van (Small Rear Lights).

Running 12V already.

How would you split the wiring to stop a new set indicating.

Front lights are terrible at night unless on main beam.

Also how many settings should there be for the fronts?

I only seem to have two, lights and main beam.

Would love to see some pictures please.

Cheers.

[chrisflstf]

Led tail lights. And a good ground

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1412740

[Lind]

run separate turn signals mounted on the bumper and add a center brakelight.
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[Clara]

Yes headlights are low or high beam. That is two settings. Also have running lights, which are not enough to see your way

Without volt drop, six volt headlights are good to see by

Old wires can have volt drop.
Check voltage at lights!

Good ground cable?
Good headlight switch. Does switch get warm? If so it loses voltage

You can run halogen bulbs
Or h4

They are not as bright as modern headlights. Fwiw


You can add reflectors in back to be more visible.
Maybe an Smv magnet
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[j.pickens]

I rigged up an auxiliary 4 pin trailer connector which I run to a LED light strip made for mounting on the rear of a pickup truck. Bought a bunch of 10mm by 60mm neodymium bar magnets and double sided taped them to the LED strip.

Really bright for being safe at night, and you can just pull it off for stock appearance. It sits between the decklid hinges and the rear hatch.

Light bar, 60":
https://www.amazon.com/LivTee-Tailgate-Reverse-Run...GHVZB?th=1

Turn signal adapter for early bus with separate turn and brake circuit:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08344TSMB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Neodymium bar magnets:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09D3D9T3K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
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[crofty]

I run H4's on my buses.

Tailight buckets with good reflective insides are a must.

As has been mentioned, good grounds, (i run a ground wire on my tailights), good headlight switch are a must.
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[SPLITV]

thank you everyone, interesting ideas.

Crofty, how did you install the H4 bulbs?

I like the idea of the light bar, maybe on the bumper.

[dgsaz]

I found a great way to add lights to the front bumper. If you go to an industrial hardware store, in the prefab metal tabs for welding. Pick part 181, one per light.

Layout where you want the lights.

Remove the four bolts that hold the overrider. Just a bit of grinding and off to the welder, from there off to the powder coater.

Wait for call, go pick up.

When you get home, take Dremel and expose a quarter sized patch on the bottom of the tab to insure a good ground.

Re-install the override with the same 4 bolts and mount your lights.

img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/2371637.jpg[/img]

This can be done even cheaper if you can do your own welding and simply paint the overrider.

The welding tabs are great for what they do. Lots of sizes and shapes.That's what I did.

dgsaz

[Daddybus]

Here are my LED head lights and the "mount" for my driving and fog lights

[dgsaz]

Some random dude: Wow, why do have so many lights on the front?

Me: yes.

[pyrOman]

[MrPolak]

[MrPolak]

All my lights are LED.

Parking lights

Driving lights

[PatJr]

[crofty]

[VWAdam]