| Author | Message | ||
     Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) New Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 36 Registered: 05-2003 |
Is there any way to remove the reflections I am getting from my roof mounted lights. They reflect off the dashboard in 4 spots, 1 for each light. See photos of them here: http://www3.pbase.com/jamooche/disco When I point them down a bit to where my low beams aim, they are fine, but I really want to use them for long distances. I have seen many others on this site with these lights. What did you do? The LR dealer told me that the Trek vehicles from 1999 had the same lights and the same reflections. Thanks for any information. (On a more exciting note, I spent all afternoon yesterday under the car removing the running boards. Every bolt was horribly rusted. Had to Dremel off 2 of them. It doesn't look like a sissy anymore. They are for sale by the way.) | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) New Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 37 Registered: 05-2003 |
Or do most people aim them lower down? | ||
| Rob Soetewey (Robbert) New Member Username: Robbert Post Number: 17 Registered: 01-2003 |
Try blokking some light of on the top of the lens | ||
| Bryan Weiss (Jolyrogr) New Member Username: Jolyrogr Post Number: 15 Registered: 02-2003 |
What kind of lights are they? I started with 4 Hella 500's and got terrible glare off the windsheild due to the way these lights shine. I switched to 4000's (I know this is an expensive solution to the problem but I wanted to 4000's to begin with. This gave me an excuse to get 'em!) and it solved 95% of the problem. Got a black out hood decal and that helped with the rest. | ||
| Steve Rupp (Steve_rupp) New Member Username: Steve_rupp Post Number: 25 Registered: 03-2003 |
I would think a hood decal would solve the problem. It probably wouldn't look very nice on your disco though. | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) New Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 40 Registered: 05-2003 |
I have the FF300 lights, the small oval shaped ones. http://www.pbase.com/image/18829287 I played around with them yesterday but didn't get anywhere. They don't seem to reflect off the hood, but rather the dashboard in the area just in front of the black rubber pads. But I am glad to know this is a common problem. I tried mounting them further forward but that didn't change a thing. I will try to take a photo of the reflection pattern tonight and post it on this page. | ||
| Steve Rupp (Steve_rupp) New Member Username: Steve_rupp Post Number: 29 Registered: 03-2003 |
I think it has something to do with the pattern on the light. I have 2 Hella 4000 cornering and 2 euro beam lights on my rack with a black hood and don't seem to be having the same problem you do. Even with a nice coat of wax it isn't that bad. Like Brian said, you might consider splurging on some hella 4000's. | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 41 Registered: 05-2003 |
Here is what the light pattern looks like. The first shows the lights aimed at a set of trees about 10ft in front. http://www.pbase.com/image/19955311 http://www.pbase.com/image/19955312 http://www.pbase.com/image/19955313 It's not that bad, but I would like to get it to go away. Is that the type of reflectons you all are getting? 4000s sure would be nice. I bought these to save money! Thanks, Jamil | ||
| Steve Rupp (Steve_rupp) New Member Username: Steve_rupp Post Number: 32 Registered: 03-2003 |
It's definately the pattern of your lights. My euros and cornerings have nowhere near that reflection. I think you might have to deal with it. The lights sure look good though. | ||
| R. Shane Linder (Shane_l) New Member Username: Shane_l Post Number: 5 Registered: 07-2003 |
Jamil, I was having a hard time envisioning the reflections you were talking about, but now that you have posted the photos, I can see that it would be annoying. I went with Warn 4X Driving lights on the brushguard and roof rack. My Disco I has square headlights so I liked the look we got with all square accessory lights as well. I also replaced all the bulbs (headlamps and Warns) with HID Xenon bulbs. Maybe the HIDs would not reflect with that glare? I have no reflection like that at all and my rover is black. -Shane | ||
| Rob Soetewey (Robbert) New Member Username: Robbert Post Number: 19 Registered: 01-2003 |
I would move the lights backwards rather then foreward. I still think the glare comes from the top of the lights (where it reflects trough a focus point downwards). Try blocking of some light on the top of the light (just hold your hand in front of it) and see what you get. If this doesn't help it might radiate trough the bottom of the lens (the longest path trough the glass). find the source and paint it black. | ||
| Alan Yim (Alan) Senior Member Username: Alan Post Number: 696 Registered: 09-2002 |
I agree that moving the lights backwards would probably solve the problem but with the pre-drilled holes in the rack you don't have much of a choice. Some folks use hood blackouts to reduce the problem but in your case, it seems to be the first 6 inches of your dash that you're having problems with. Not sure how you'd go about fixing that. | ||
| David Zymowski (Davidz) New Member Username: Davidz Post Number: 9 Registered: 04-2003 |
Jamil, I would try sliding the whole rack backwards just a bit to see if it helps, I know not much room to move but easy enough to do. your other choice would be to put a strip of tint across the top of your windshield. | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 42 Registered: 05-2003 |
Moving the lights back would help, but there's mot much room to work with. I never thought to move the whole rack though. I'm going to try covering them up with taped cardboard temporarily to see exactly where the reflection is coming from and maybe use some black paint later. | ||
| Erik Olson (Jon) Senior Member Username: Jon Post Number: 427 Registered: 02-2002 |
Jamil, From the pictures it looks like some of the light might be playing off the wiper arms - have you lifted the arms into the up position (like when you wipe the windshield) to see if that cuts any of the glare? When we chase glare and reflection with movie lighting, we'll take a flag or cutter and just kind of move it around the fixtures by hand until we find the source of the offending light. You can use bit of cardboard or construction paper to do the same until you figure out if the glare is coming directly or indirectly from the Hellas. Hope that makes some sort of sense! Indirect contamination, like reflection from the wiper mounts might be remedied with some flat black paint across the shiny surfaces. Direct contamination means the fixtures are too far forward, and that there is not enough fixture housing along the bottom leading-edge of the lens to control the pattern. The lights I have up top have nearly 1" of light fixture housing at the bottom edge specifically to control this type of "spill". If the lens is fitted right to the front of the fixture, you're getting diffraction off the lens' edge and you might benefit from some "hoods" riveted to the bottom of the lights - you'd likely need only 1/2" of material here to cancel the effect of the lens being too far forward on the fixture. Good luck, e | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 43 Registered: 05-2003 |
I have solved the problem, thanks to many who responded in this post. I will take some pictures tomorrow and tell you how I did it. Thanks again, Jamil | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 589 Registered: 06-2002 |
Jamil, that would be great. I have the same lights and have the same problem so a solution would be awsome. Please let us know. | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 44 Registered: 05-2003 |
Here is how to fix the light reflections. I added a page about it to my website: http://www.jamilabbasy.com/reflections.htm Let me know if you have any questions, Jamil | ||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 85 Registered: 05-2003 |
Jamil, I think it looks very good,,and even protects the lights better. -Jim | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 602 Registered: 06-2002 |
Thanks, I will do that!! | ||
| john mac (Mcale) New Member Username: Mcale Post Number: 5 Registered: 07-2003 |
you should paint the parts you dremel and you wont get rust stains on the truck | ||
| Kobayashi (Koby) Senior Member Username: Koby Post Number: 482 Registered: 02-2002 |
I don't know about the weight of the FF300 or the strength of the metal you chose to extend the lights, but it looks like once you venture off-pavement the vibration and bouncing of the terrain might cause the light to bounce at the end of those metal extensions and dent the shit out of your roof. You might want to revisit the positioning of those lights and/or the choice of material you use to extend those lights back. Make sure you keep those lights from denting your roof. If I'm wrong and the lights are stable, then at least paint those metal extensions black. They really stick out up like a sore thumb up there. |
