By Tom on Friday, August 10, 2001 - 07:40 am: Edit

I have a 1999 Disco Series I and wanting to install a pair of Hella driving lights. Can someone give me some tips on how to run wires inside of the car?

Thanks
Tom

By Steve (Steve2) on Friday, August 10, 2001 - 09:05 am: Edit

tom-

there sould be a full explanation by me in the archieves - the existing wiring is there and is very straight forward once you locate everything

steve

By tom on Friday, August 10, 2001 - 09:23 am: Edit

steve, thanks for your reply, but can you tell me what was the title? in archieves, there are thousands of topic sort by alpha.

By Steve (Steve2) on Friday, August 10, 2001 - 04:59 pm: Edit

ok tom

you OWE me big time if we ever meet. atleast an ice cold pepsi - summer, hot chai tea - winter. deal?

step one:
find the stock wire loom wrapped around the headlamp wires. trace these back to the firewall and thru.

step two:
remove fuse/relay panel by dr's foot. remove dr's knee bolster. remove the lower drink holder assembly to gain access to where the switch goes (assuming you are placing it by the cruise switch)

step three:
find where wiring has come thru firewall and trace to relay station by dr's foot. the forward most relay should be empty. insert std. hella fog lamp relay (if there is one there, it's a gift from solihull!) then carefully trace wiring from relay into rats nest of wiring behind dash.

step four:
using a mirror and light or getting on your back onto the dr's floor mat - look for a bright green connector hanging all by itself on the pass side of the wire mass coming up into the i/p cluster area. (note it does not make it any easier to remove the bincale - so don;t bother) this magical connector is usually secured by bright blue tape. carefully cut the tape and bring the connector down. more times than not - it can be felt before it can be seen. pulling on the wire produces a madening noise making you believe you will find it instantly......

step five:
easy street. make sure the fuse for fogs is in place. install switch. wire your spot lamps. reinstall all panels etc etc etc

steve

By dburress on Friday, August 10, 2001 - 05:09 pm: Edit

Start by purchasing a factory switch ($8/$14US)for the fog/driving light location on the dash. This switch should/will be located next to the cruise control switch. To find the factory connector buried in the dash you will need to remove the bank of switches by pulling them out, then disconnect it/them. Open the cup holder and removed the screws that attach it. The clock needs to be removed next (pita). This will give you some room to look for the needed switch connector (green in color), it should be taped to the wiring harness routed in that area. It's very tight so you may need to open the panel under the steering wheel (knee location) for better access. Once the connector is found, route it thru the dash opening and reverse the installation. A quick check to be sure that a needed relay (relay bank is located behind the kickpanel on the drivers side, left foot: there is an open base toward the firewall if the relay is not installed) is in place is to switch on lights ,low beam, depress new switch to "on" position and the switchs' green indicator light should be on, if high beams are on, the switch indicator will be off. If you have to purchase a relay, make sure that it is similar/exact in pinout to the relay located next to the open base. Now you should be ready to connect the "Hella's", I'm not aware of a mating connector (off the shelf) for the ones on the front of your Disco, so I suggest removing them by cutting the connector wires leaving about two or three inches of the wire attached to the connector, this will let you re-install at a later date if the aux. lights are removed. Use "Posi-lock" connectors to make for a clean, positive install of the aux. lights. I hope this helps.

By tom on Saturday, August 11, 2001 - 04:21 am: Edit

thank you for all your help. i will post more questions if i hv any(hope not).

I def owe you all one

By tom on Saturday, August 11, 2001 - 09:07 am: Edit

I think these are the last questions.
i found the green connetor, but can't get the factory switch until monday(LR parts dept won't open til then). and i pluged the relay that came with my Hella 500. everything seems ok til I have to test it monday. but when i try to hook up the Hellas, there are 2 factory wires . one is blue with purple strip and other one is black. but Hella only have 1 white wire come out of the lamp.
so my questions are:

1. how am i doing?

2. How can I connect from factory wires to my
single wire for hella?

3. where are the fuses for these 2 lights. are they same as dipped beam lights in the owner's manual?

Thanks

By Mike B. on Saturday, August 11, 2001 - 07:07 pm: Edit

The ground for the Hella 500s is inside the lights. Open the lights and you will find the ground inside. You have to run the ground out through the rubber grommet on the back of the Hella lights.

Thanks,
Mike B.