Bypass/overide for highbeam/foglights ??

[smokum]

Does anyone know of a bypass or overide to eliminate the highbeam/foglight cancellation on a '99 F150 Lariat ??

Thanks,
Greg

[f150phule]

If I understand you properly you want to be able to have your highs on with your fogs at the same time?

I'm pretty sure I've seen this issue answered on another forum. From what I remember you have to modify something inside the headlight switch.

I'll try to dig it up.

[herbz]

I had this done on my 00' F150, my buddy wired it up for me so that didn't require modification to the headlight switch. He connected the foglights to the highbeam trigger on the headlight bulb using a relay so that when I turned on the highbeams power was still supplied to the foglights. I have this done on my 05' FX4 as well. SUPER BRIGHT.

[Northern Supercrew]

Search out the Bambi Mod. i've seen how to do this on the 04-08 series on another forum, not sure if the 97-03 is similar.

[f150phule]

I checked on the Bambi mod and so far have not found one for the 97-03s. Only thing I could find was this thread.

http://www.svtlightnings.com/svt/how-to/foglamps/foglamps.htm

But from what I read it doesn't say if this will allow the Highs with the Fogs.

[smokum]

Thank you for your responses guys...... I'll take a look at the link and see what there is to see, and do some more searching.

Was kinda hoping for an aftermarket add on/in but I guess I've got some reading to do, lol....

-Greg

[b4000]

I'm just wondering about the concept of having both hi and lo beams on at the same time? Don't the lo beams shut off for a reason? I mean, sure, it's going to be brighter, but does that actually help you see better? If you're driving fast enough to need to use the hi beams (so you can see further), then what difference does it make seeing stuff closer to the front of the truck? At those speeds, if something is so close that you'd only see it in the lo beam area, I wouldn't think you'd be able to hit the brakes in time anyway, and wouldn't that extra bright area sort of blind you to the dimmer light of your hi beams further ahead, where you actually would have a chance of stopping or avoiding an obstacle?

Does that make any sense, or maybe I just don't get how it works?

[smokum]

I think you misunderstand, and its has nothing to do with higher rates of speed.

I'm asking about modifying to have the High beams AND factory "fog lights" on at the same time.

I live in the boonies where deer, fox, and coyotes are rampant, and any street lighting non existent, so its quite a difference in overall viewing of the roadway when the fog lights cancel out if you choose to operate the high beams which in turn unnecessarily restrict having an overall brighter view when needed or desired.

Hope that makes sense.... I just got back from surgery today and am still a bit groggy.

-Greg

[f150phule]

I read on another forum, someone had a friend wire up the fog light power to the high beam power on the headlight in order to use them when the highs are on. Sorry they didn't give any more details.

[herbz]

I read on another forum, someone had a friend wire up the fog light power to the high beam power on the headlight in order to use them when the highs are on. Sorry they didn't give any more details.

That's exactly what I did. I have no idea what my buddy did but I trusted him cause he's an electrician. Took him 10 minutes, hardest part was putting the darn headlight back in place. One of the best mods I've done. I was out snow wheelin' tonight and man does it make a difference.

[taisa899]

what about hooking the fogs up to a toggle switch?

[b4000]

I live in the boonies where deer, fox, and coyotes are rampant, and any street lighting non existent, so its quite a difference in overall viewing of the roadway when the fog lights cancel out if you choose to operate the high beams which in turn unnecessarily restrict having an overall brighter view when needed or desired.

I think I get what you mean. I also live in the boonies with all that plus plus moose and the occasional bison. But what I'm getting at is, for example, if I'm driving along the highway at 100, and I've got on the high beams so I can see as far down the road as possible. The further down the road, the dimmer the light becomes. My fog lights only throw a short distance directly in front of the truck. Now if I'm trying to see way up ahead, into my dim highbeam area, and I've got this bright pool of light directly in front of me from the fogs at the same time, wouldn't that sort of blind me a bit and make it harder to see further ahead?

Here's a crappy schematic of what I mean:
TRUCK -----OO------------------------------oo X--> MOOSE
.................fog lights(bright)..................High beams (not so bright)

So, in the above example the fogs would prevent me from seeing the moose, far up ahead because I've got the fog lights dazzling my eyes right in front of my hood?

And if I'm doing 100, and I only see the moose when he gets into my brighter fog light area (say 20m ahead), I've got less chance of stopping.

Off road, I agree the more light all around you the better, because you're not really going very fast anyway. But at highway speeds, I want to know what's in front of me further ahead than 20 meters. Once a moose or whatever is that close and you're doing 100 KPH, it's sort of academic.

I have a set of 130W KC Hilites on my truck that are roughly aimed with my highbeams, and a bit off to the sides so I can see the shoulders better. Obviously I shut them off when there's oncoming traffic, which you'd do with just regular highbeams anyway. That may sound really bright on paper, but the light still gets dimmer, the further away from the source. It's just physics.

Please don't get the idea I'm just trying to start an argument, I'm really trying to figure this out. My hunch is that the engineers at Ford and all the other companies might know what they're doing when they have they fogs switch off with the highbeams.

What I'm saying is that, yes, overall the light will be *brighter*, but it will be brighter in the wrong areas that might not actually help you see better.

Hopefully that sort of makes sense, or maybe I'm just hopelessly confused!

[smokum]

LoL, no I understand what your saying......

I suppose it boils down to what an individual is comfortable in "seeing" for their own driving experience. Add to that age, vision restrictions and personal preference.

Theoretically, your assumptions appear correct, but for MY personal preference and driving experiences it's just how I am more "comfortable" driving.

I say this mostly because this is the first truck that I've owned that I haven't had bar mounted aux spots/floods on, and am not really wanting to go that route (yet, I guess), on this one.

I just notice that when going down the road with lowbeam and fogs on that when I pull the highbeam lever (as you would to flash someone) and manually hold it on that I "prefer" that viewing over the other available options.

I run the PIAA extreme white bulbs in mine, and although they are a great improvement over stock they are still lacking for my own comfort.

I may look into aftermarket headlight assembly housings to see what's out there with better reflector designs and lenses, but I really don't want to add under-bumper or roof/bar mounts just yet.

Hell, even my wife's '07 Escape offers better all round night view in stock form over mine.

The search continues........

-Greg

[b4000]

Okay, thanks. What you say makes sense.

I think you're right about the reflector design making a huge difference, too. I noticed in my old GMC work truck, a 2006(?) vs. it's replacement, a 2009, the difference with the headlights was huge. Same bulbs, I believe, but the way the light was concentrated so much better. Like replacing a couple of old candles with laser beams!

[shelbyx1]

maybe just upgrading headlamps to hid replacements will help?