Anyone replace foglight bulbs on MAZDASPEED3 with higher watt bulbs?
- Thread starter C'ville
- Start date
I did some significant mods to my fog lights to make them only kinda useless, up from totally useless. If you look into the lens you can see the bulb is inside a metal shield that blocks 90% of the light - pretty interesting design! I pulled the lights out of the bumper and removed the metal shield. Now, let me say this is not an easy thing to do, but I think it is the only way to get any useful light out of them. If you want to try it, I can describe it more. I also replaced the bulbs with SilverStars and adjusted the aim a bit higher.
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I got Sylvania SilverStar 60 watt 9006 bulbs (the stockers are 55) which is the largest I could find from a major manufacturer in that size.C'ville said:
For example, you can get a pair of 9006s for your fogs and 9005s for your high beams from ebay like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ASS%3AUS%3A1&viewitem=&item=220100940722
Ok, the process is like this:
Remove the screws holding the lower corner under-panels on to access the back of the lamps. Unplug the connector and remove the bulb (don't touch the glass). Remove four philips head screws holding the lamp assembly into the bumper and remove the assembly.
You now have the lamp in a plastic frame. Remove the screw on the bottom of the frame. You can now swivel the lamp in the frame - this is the vertical adjustment. Remove the screws on the ends of the frame and the lamp comes out of the frame.
Now, here's the tricky bit. You need to remove the metal shield from inside the lamp and there are two ways to do it.
Way #1: Get a pair of needle nose pliers and reach into the hole and start bending the s*** out of the metal shield. It is made out of amazing metal that bends and bends and bends before breaking. You need to keep flexing until it does break, or manages to come out from under the screw holding it. One of mine came out from the screw and the other finally broke. You need to take some care doing this because the reflective material inside the light scratches really easily. A few scratches won't make a big difference but you don't want to make a real mess of it. Once the sheld is loose from the mounting, you have to get it out of the hole. It is helpful to have two pairs of needle nose pliers to bend it into a shape that will fit out of the hole.
Way #2: Take the lamp assemblies (without the plastic frame!) and put them in your oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. This should soften up the adhesive holding the lens onto the reflector. Take out of the oven and pry the reflector and the lens apart. Then remove the screw holding the shield. Then put the two pieces back together and back into the oven to seal it back together again. I have not tried this, but it should work I think.
Anyway, then put the whole thing back together, leaving the screw on the bottom of the frame loose. Then aim by moving this screw back and forth to get the vertical alignment you want. To do the aiming, I waited until after dark, then put a blanket over the headlights so I could see the pattern of the fogs on the wall.
See, I told you it wasn't going to be easy. But I couldn't stand the useless lights. Now at least they do something on a foggy drive in the dark.
Pictures: Light with shield in place before modification. Adjustment screw. Mounting screws. Reaching inside to break the shield. Resulting light without the shield.
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voiceKoil said:$hit you serious? I just sold a pair of silverstars from my eclipse on ebay, they were 9006s, I thought they were H11s but I didnt look in the manual, I just figured I wasnt that lucky
Yes! According to the manual on page 10-7 it shows Fog Lights Type A and Type B. Type A = 55w H11 and Type B = 51w HB4(same as 9006). Now if you turn the page to 10-8 it shows a picture of a Type A Fog Light and Type B Fog Light. Well we (MS3) have the one that looks like the Type B. Type A is a round style Fog Light. The manual could be wrong that's why I was asking about what bulb. I guess the easiest thing is to pull one out and check.
Anyone else replace there Fog Light bulbs?
Rotus8 said:
Nice! I recently finished a 67 Chevy Shortbed with a 327 Vette drive-train. Unfortunately someone wanted it more than me. It was stolen from the custom interior shop I had it at. Long story short it was a inside shop job.
I dont want stones thrown at me for "jacking" this thread so best wishes on your truck.(drive2)
Having done this mod on mine, I have yet to have anyone flash me, so I guess it must not be too bad. You can adjust the tilt of the lamp so it keeps the beam low. Removing the shield mostly effects the side-to side pattern, the up and down pattern is quite limited by the rectangular shape of the reflector.MM3Canuck said:
Cant believe you did that....
Over the years I have done a lot of research about lights in cars and I got to tell you you had made the biggest mistake ever.
That Metal thing as you call it is a light direction stand. It helps direct the light produced by the bulb to the back of the fog light or any given headlight. What it does concentrates all the light produced by the bult in to one direction which is the mirror finish reflector.
So you removed it and now your bulb is producing light with no direction to go. Just about 20 % of the light now is been reflected to the back of the foglight if not less.
The way to enhance the way a foglight projects more light to the road is to change to a higher lumen bulb, not necessarily watts mean light specially in a car.
What you need is a better bulb with better clarity and the right amount of lumens to immitate the light the sun produces and that way you will see better.
Sorry man, but you messed up the foglights.
Over the years I have done a lot of research about lights in cars and I got to tell you you had made the biggest mistake ever.
That Metal thing as you call it is a light direction stand. It helps direct the light produced by the bulb to the back of the fog light or any given headlight. What it does concentrates all the light produced by the bult in to one direction which is the mirror finish reflector.
So you removed it and now your bulb is producing light with no direction to go. Just about 20 % of the light now is been reflected to the back of the foglight if not less.
The way to enhance the way a foglight projects more light to the road is to change to a higher lumen bulb, not necessarily watts mean light specially in a car.
What you need is a better bulb with better clarity and the right amount of lumens to immitate the light the sun produces and that way you will see better.
Sorry man, but you messed up the foglights.
Rotus8 said:
