Has anyone installed their own aftermarket driving lamps like PIAA (not factory)?

My question is that the instructions requires that the switch hot wire be connected to the high beam hot wire so that it will activate with it. Does anyone know which wire this is and where it's located behind the lamps?

Thanks in advance.

 

I caaaannnnnntttt believe it

Stumped all the experts again

 

Here's a link to the Factory Instructions for the Fog Lights....it may help.

http://www.bridger.us/mini/howto/Driving_Lights_902.pdf

 

I installed Piaa lamps on my car. As soon as I get a chance to look, I'll post which color wire the high beam is.

 

I bought the driving lights from the dealer when I bought my MCS, then installed the lights myself. Actually, after attaching the lights, I chickened out on the wiring and paid a local shop that specializes in German cars to do that part. Saved alot of money not having the dealer install. They look and work great. Oh, and I skipped the switch and had them wired directly to the high beams.[img]null[/img]

 

>>I installed Piaa lamps on my car. As soon as I get a chance to look, I'll post which color wire the high beam is.


Patiently waiting.......


http://www.imagestation.com/mypictur...;id=4217933235

http://www.imagestation.com/mypictur...;id=4217933225

 

On an MCS with Xenon's, there's a plug towards the lower back of the light with about 5 wires coming out of it. The high beam is the yellow with green tracer.

A word of warning!!! If you have Xenon's, watch what you touch in that area. Grab the wrong thing and you'll think you're a Christmas tree!!

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03 B/W S model; Madness intake; Cibie 45 lamps; Magnaflow exhaust; H&R springs; Helix swaybar

 

Thanks so very much I'll go try it out tonight.

 

Works like a charm Thanks again for all the input

 

Glad you got them working! :smile: I'd say that was a pretty good guess on my part, then!

J/K!

 

>>Glad you got them working! :smile: I'd say that was a pretty good guess on my part, then!

Dannng....my signature pic is still not working
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http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...a.jpg.orig.jpg

 

Moorlockx! First time I read your post, I missed the J/K! Was thinking that was an incedibly mean thing to do! Zing! Good one, good one.

 

While we are on the subject, Anyone seen or have pics of a MINI w/ Hella "Black Lights" (Not really black lights, just look black after you turn them off)? I wanted a set of these so bad for my Dodge Ram and was just thinking they would look pretty mean on a MINI. Also, I have seen a picture of a red MINI w/ lights mounted down low, does someone offer a kit for this or was it handmade. Thanks.

 

Can't help you with the Hella situation, though, on the right color car, they could look really nice. As far as the low mounted lights go, they're all "handmade". The only mounts offered by companies, that I've seen, are the factory style and an add on light bar.

A little advice....unless you're going just for the aesthetics of the look, you don't want to mount driving lights under the bumper. It diminishes the performance of the lights. By the same token, it's beneficial to mount fog lights low.

 

Anyone here with aftermarket driving lights notice any vibration in the light beam while driving? I have PIAA 580 mounted to the factory brackets. They are slightly larger than the factory lamps, but they do a great job lighting the road, and the beam color nearly matches the xenon's. However, the beam will jiggle over any slight imperfection of the road - which is annoying. Has anyone else come across this problem with your driving lights and found a solution to stabilizing the lamp fixture?

 

>>Anyone here with aftermarket driving lights notice any vibration in the light beam while driving? I have PIAA 580 mounted to the factory brackets. They are slightly larger than the factory lamps, but they do a great job lighting the road, and the beam color nearly matches the xenon's. However, the beam will jiggle over any slight imperfection of the road - which is annoying. Has anyone else come across this problem with your driving lights and found a solution to stabilizing the lamp fixture?

Yes...It's a little anoying. I especially hate it when closing the hood....it goes, "Sprooiinnnnggggg". I now hold the lamps to close the hood

 

Actually, we did find that to be a problem. Both Randy Webb Motorsport and MINI-Madness carry a thicker bracket made for the PIAA kit. This solution works and has been around for 6 months or so now with no problems.

Randy

 

>>Actually, we did find that to be a problem. Both Randy Webb Motorsport and MINI-Madness carry a thicker bracket made for the PIAA kit. This solution works and has been around for 6 months or so now with no problems.
>>
>>Randy

Here you are...Do your brackets fit the same holes that I've already drilled and how much?

 

are the brackets sold separately? is there a close-up pic? thx

 

The High beam line is in the bundle on the passenger's side running off teh bonnet. Unwrap it and there is a thick yellow/green line. You can see my install here on this thread:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37523

Anyway best of luck. The Bonnet mount ALL vibrate to some extent. If you want things rock solid you'll have to come up with something other than stock.

Ian

 

Thanks for the tip. I've already got it figured out though

 

I took the stock brackets anf reinforced them with two pieces of metal welded in place. One was a strip of angle down the back of the bracket. The other was a bent piece for the lower front mount......gad, I wish my camera worked when I did it for pictures! If you do this, you have to do both pieces as the bracket flexes in both spots. Also, attachment was done with machine screws and nuts instead of those wimpy pop rivets.

Anyway, it cost me $20 for the welding and the lights (6" Cibies) are about as solid as can be. For the "not-so-mechanically-inclined", the heavier brackets may be the solution.

 

I draw cars for a living. Can't weld worth a dang

 

I can weld alright, but my arc-welder would've probably done damage to the light metal of the brackets. That's why I shaped the metal pieces I wanted installed and paid a guy to use his MIG setup on them.

A side benefit of the reinforced brackets is that it has helped support the grill area, so it doesn't vibrate as much.

I didn't like MINI's solution of drilling holes in the hood and using metal stops behind the lights. That seemed kind of cheesy to me. I've been told even the stock MINI lamps have some vibration in them.

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03 B/W S model; Madness intake; Cibie 45 lamps; Magnaflow exhaust; H&R springs; Helix swaybar

 

Here's a couple pics. They didn't turn out so good. The piece on top is almost totally hidden by the grill. But you can see the back bracing good.