Fog Light Installation

[joshb003]

Can anyone post a guide for fog light installation?

 

[joshb003]

Not to bump my own thread... but it would still be sweet if someone who has installed foglights could post either pictures of what to do or just a list of steps! I'm thinking about ordering some, but I don't want to do it without instructions haha.

 

[kcdirtbro54]

If you want to share with me a good place to buy a kit, I'll take pics of my install. At the moment, I can't justify 300 for a kit, at least that's what I'm finding when searching for a kit online

 

[joshb003]

The cheapest place I've found for the fog lights + switch was 229$ I think that's about as low as it goes!

 

[kcdirtbro54]

care to share? I've seen oem-style kits overseas for about 125, but I don't trust sending my money that direction. Where's the 230 price at?

 

[SurlySays]

yea i want to get some too, but the dealership wants like 500+ for the unit + an install... but i would like to get some OEM looking fog lights on my M2 before winter hits FoSho!

 

[Joker2]

My Navigator's Rally car has Hella 500s. They are not the best lights out there (for those that drove with Hella 1000s, 3000 and 4000) but during a Rally at night, when I turn them off like during a transit between stages, my Nav always asks: Do you see anything? I answer: Sure, of course I do. I lie!!! Powering the 500s off, drops visibility from about 300 feet to about 50 with low beams and about 150 with high beams. And if I want to keep the same safety level, I would have to drop from 50-60 mph down to about 30. With Hella 4000s you can comfortably cruise at 70-80 mph and see the deer far in advance. I know this not road-legal but I am posting comments on Auxiliary driving lights. Fog lights are effective if mounted low like the bumper mounts on the 323 or Subbies. Fog lights have a wide pattern while auxiliary driving lights have a narrow pencil beam like pattern.

I am struggling with which auxiliary driving lights I want and where to install them. The problem with proper Rally Lights is that they are mounted in a place where they are vulnerable to damage from inattentive drivers. I see Mini's with their aux lights broken or pushed back often enough. I am thinking of doing something with the Vision-x units because I a not ready to hack the bumper.

The Vision-x units are quite expensive (too expensive for me to make a mistake).

Here are some links:

http://www.rallylights.com/hella/AuxiliaryLampsGrid.aspx
http://949racing.com/Vision-X-Evo-Prime.aspx
http://www.visionxusa.com/LED-Evo_Prime_Light_Bar/c1_109/index.html

Yes, I know, pricey. That one deer you miss makes up for the price of decent auxiliary lights. That one time you stay on the road or help oncoming driver see you with good fogs, makes up for their price.

Good reading:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/lights/fog_lamps/fog_lamps.html

 

[Chris_uk]

here check this link from a guy here in the UKhe bought a kit from a different mazda but they the same fitting as the mazda 2

http://www.mazda2forums.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1802.15

 

[joshb003]

I haven't gone out and checked, but that Mazda 2 seemed to have different fog lights than the USA version. But those pictures were very informative!

 

[kcdirtbro54]

Care to share where you've seen the kit for 230?

 

[Chris_uk]

our mazda 2 shape changed to the smiley face at the same time it was released over there in the USA but as far as im aware, the fittings are the same except for our 1.5 sport model and tamura edition, they have the different sport style bumbers and so the fog light bezel is different, if you have the 1.3 as in our TS, TS2 range, then the fittings should be no different smiley face or pre smiley face, i would definately have a check into it though just to be sure, hopefully im right and you can save yourself some cash by buying the parts from another mazda

 

[cosh68]

The lads M2 had an aerodam fitted which needed different brackets to hold the original fog light units, I got fog lights from an RX & brackets from a TS2.....

 

[Domii3925]

http://piinkdem.blogspot.com/2013/04/diy-mazda2-oem-foglight-install.html

Not sure if I am allowed to post a link to another blog site, but that is my DIY. Yes the sport models are prewired for the OEM foglights, all plug and play.

 

[firespirit]

http://piinkdem.blogspot.com/2013/04/diy-mazda2-oem-foglight-install.html

Not sure if I am allowed to post a link to another blog site, but that is my DIY. Yes the sport models are prewired for the OEM foglights, all plug and play.

Domii - you didn't need to remove the front bumper in order to install foglights in the sport model I did it without pulling the bumper off. Just ran it up on ramps and went from underneath, simple!

 

[Domii3925]

I wasn't going to risk scratching up my bumper while going up the ramps lol. The removal of the bumper is very very simple anyways, so didn't really waste too much time.

 

[firespirit]

I wasn't going to risk scratching up my bumper while going up the ramps lol. The removal of the bumper is very very simple anyways, so didn't really waste too much time.

Blocks of wood before you run up the ramps will help you avoid scratching the bumper

 

[Domii3925]

Thanks firespirit for the info on not needing to take the bumper off, I will note that in my blog post for those who would like to take that approach instead!

I also had my bumper basically removed for the retrofit project I was also doing that same weekend.

 

[firespirit]

Thanks firespirit for the info on not needing to take the bumper off, I will note that in my blog post for those who would like to take that approach instead!

I also had my bumper basically removed for the retrofit project I was also doing that same weekend.

Yeah, your retrofit looks good! Kudos on that one

 

[inspekt]

Domii, Thanks for the update and great postings on your site. Could you post up a few more of how the car looks with your retrofit? The ones on your site are mostly with the lights on which makes it hard to see how the headlights themselves look after your retrofit. Also, congratulations on nailing it! I'm still working up the nerve to do it myself...

 

[Racebrewer]

Here is a FWIW:

On cars where I've installed aftermarket fog and or driving lights, I've used headlight relays and SPDT (single pole, double throw) switches.

The switches are basically ON-OFF-ON switches. To power the switch, I've Tee'd off of the high beams for one throw and an "ignition on" power source for the other. That way I can power the fog or driving lights to be on when the High beams are on (filler light on back roads) or to be on when the car was running (when I wanted them to be on. I have been in fog and snow conditions when the low beams were too much light)(yah, I know, this wasn't legal, but no one else was on the roads. It was that bad. Just one of the joys of having to go to work when nobody else was allowed on the roads).

John