Fog light reccomendations

So I've done a couple of searches, but I keep coming up with stuff slightly off topic.

Currently, I'm running Hella 550's mounted to a roof rack (quite bright) and the stock headlights. In the next month I'm going to be driving cross country, so I need some legitimate fog lights. The three requirements I have are:
a) Cheap...I'm relegated to the fact that they're going to get hit by rocks, mud, water, whatever. If they break, I don't want to feel like I wasted 100 bucks on them (say another set of Hella's). Thus, my price limit is 50 bucks shipped.

b) Bright/Durable. This rules out the harbor freight lights . Also, even tho I'm not spending a ton on them, I don't want the first rock at mile 200 to knock them out for the next 2800 miles. You get the picture.

c) Legal!!! This is the most important note. I need these things to be legal in nearly all 50 states. I plan on mounting them under my bumper to keep them as low as possible and aiming them correctly, but if they're too bright, that rules them out.

Finally, a request, I'd like them to look like my Hella 550's that I have mounted up top. I've found a set of refurbished Hella 450's for 49, which after shipping basically rules them out, as much as I would like them. I also found some KC lights on amazon, both 55w and 100w. I have a feeling that the 100w's are overkill and possibly illegal in some states.

What do you guys run? Remember, functional, not for show.

Thanks,

Ben

saab said:

So I've done a couple of searches, but I keep coming up with stuff slightly off topic.

Currently, I'm running Hella 550's mounted to a roof rack (quite bright) and the stock headlights. In the next month I'm going to be driving cross country, so I need some legitimate fog lights. The three requirements I have are:
a) Cheap
b) Bright/Durable
c) Legal!!!

What do you guys run? Remember, functional, not for show.

Click to expand...

I've run a couple sets of the Hella 550's (not including the set that's half-installed on my rig now - hey! The weather has broke! I can finish!). I never had a complaint with them at all. I ran with the covers on during daylight, and even on dry nights when I left the lights turned off. That minimizes potential breakage. $79.99 or so.

I've also had a set of the cheaper Bosch ones that my local autoparts used to carry. They were also nice, but the smaller case made them a bit fiddly for installation. They had a metal case that once shorted-out against a bulb wire (whoops!), and I've seen corrosion on them after a couple of winters. ($49.99?)

My first foglights were "Night Blaster" (I think) brand. About half as bright as the Bosches, no "controlled pattern" at all, and after a while I came to refer to them as my "twinkle lights" - because you never knew when one or both would take a break for a while. ($35). After two winters they were thoroughly corroded, and one lens was cracked, and I'd gone thru three cheapy bulbs.

You get what you pay for. The Hella 550's are about as low as I'll go now. MAYBE the Bosches again if space was tight.

Den

WallyWorld disposables.

I ran 550's on my 98, below the bumper where the stockers go, shattered the lenses on them and replaced them with Hella 450s, smaller sized light but just as good illumination and I actually do use them as fogs, we get alot of that up here in the hollows and such all year. I also run Hella E codes, currently have Sylvania Silverstar H4 bulbs in there, both the E codes and fogs are a good combo but then they are also adjusted correctly..