HID in reverse

[CappZ]

Well I don't think anyone has done this before as I have looked for it with no luck. I have searched this forum, another one, and google..but nothing.
One of my mates put HID lights in his reverse lights..with the help of a relay and some wires..they were up and running.

I would like to know what bulb type would fit into the reverse light hole of a 2004 Liberty..If anyone has tried and failed I would like to know as well..and if anyone has tried and succeeded please reply!!

I would really like this if I am going to tint my tail lights..

Thanks guys.

[Arith]

I'm sure there are better ways to light up the area without resorting to HID's. HID's are intense and can be blinding, and with the high height of the reverse lights, you're bound to blind anyone behind you. If you're tinting with only 50%, it's not going to make much difference in terms of decreased illumination. At the end of the day that's your call.

However, you could probably try to fit either H1 or H3, the smallest bulb sizes, as the reverse light socket is basically an oversized T10. You just need a bit of innovation to keep it fastened.

[CappZ]

Yehh, I have thought about the whole "being really f-ing bright" thing..but I don't think I will be reversing where it will distract and blind people from driving..well try not to anyways..
I guess once you go HIDs you never want to use anything else

Hmm, whichever is smaller I will try I guess.. and I will just have to be a bit innovative if a have a gap to fill, but then again duct tape fixes everything

[nytrojen]

seems more than a little bit excessive, but it's your car and your choice man. Personally, i'd stick with just some ultra bright LEDs or somethin. Seems a waste to use HIDs for reversing lights...

[CappZ]

Yehh, well I was quite happy with the CREE LEDs as my reverse lights..but then I had the good idea of using them as my parkers..so I figure if I'm going to pay $30 for some more of the LEDs then I might as well try and find a used set of HIDs to experiment with.. I haven't fully decided if I want to do it yet.. Depends how much work is involved

[hks180]

I have tried this mod long time ago, YES it's way over kill...the reason i tried this was due to my window tint was bit dark so i want bit more light. But it's just way over the top plus it takes few sec for the HID to warm up and you don't drive your car in reverse for long period of time so i pull them out as i want them light up straight away ...

But a good set of LED or halogen bulb should be good enough for the job.

Leo

[tangcla]

Heat issues associated with halogen and HID globes will melt your taillight housing. have you seen how little clearance there is between the globe and everything else around it?

mmm... melted hole...

[RAN94A]

Yea i'd be worried about the waiting for them to warm up thing... (you'd turn into the person i hate most when i go shopping) lol take 5 minutes to back out of a car space in a carpark..

Heaven forbid you need to make a couple of point turn in the dark and wait for them to warm up properly each time lol

[teK--]

Just don't tint the taillights, it's a simple solution.

By tinting them you are voiding their ADR compliance for luminance and visibility, which I'm sure the other vehicle's insurance company would have something to say about if you were rear ended. IMHO signal and emergency lighting is not something that should be modified without due consideration.

[swingn]

Considering it's not a light that's "on show" so to speak, I think going for a good quality LED would be the best way to go.

Would be much cheaper & a lot less mucking around running relays & hiding the ballast.

[CappZ]

Wow, so many negative replys...

Hmm, takes about 3-5 secs to fully light up, and if you put your car in reverse and then check to see if everything is all clear to be able to reverse then they will be fully lit up. You don't realise how long your car is really in reverse for when you do it lol.

Yehh, I thought about the legalities of the tinting..and I don't really intend to tint it much if I end up deciding to tint it at all..

I'm so indecisive I don't even know if I even want to tint them anymore..

[tangcla]

Actually it's more closer to 10 seconds before the HIDs are full bright.

[Roddez]

Please don't. It's hard enough looking into HID headlights when you are expecting them. To have an HID reversing light shine into you face at that height can't be good.

If you really need to see so much detail behind you install an infra-red reversing camera.