Ive got to switch my stock headlights over to compliant ones. Shes a 92 Sambar truck with the non round headlight array. Any one know of a substitute?
My 1993 Hijet came with a bad headlight. I went to Advance Autoparts with my old one in hand and the employee found one on the shelf that fit the lamp frame perfectly. Wal-Mart might have one that works. The best thing to do is to take the old lamp and frame with you to the store. Sam
sooke, you might want to do a search, i remember someone posting they knew how to do a trick to aim them properly. i have a 99 hijet and am looking for the same solution. my lights blind on-coming traffic... but i can't remember who posted it. sam, his lights are the late model type that are molded to the shape of the body, i wish i had the option you had of just getting one off the shelf, plugging it in and aiming it the right direction.
I am sure that Japanoid in New West could get the right ones as well as minitruck.ca in Victoria. Also you might try MiniBrutes.com in Sask - very knowledgable, good guy. I think that they might be up in the $500.00 range but don't quote me on that. Doing it on your own nickle - I have heard reference to the Sambars being available in Korea/ Taiwan where they are LHD's but you are going to have to do some research for a supplier to buy from. Depends on how quick you need them verus the $$$ saved to get them from overseas your self.
Try buying HID bulbs for 1998 Lincoln......dealerships are charging over 500.00 per bulb. Aftermarket HID-D4S bulbs cost around 350.00 a pair..
Just put new sealed-beams in the Climber. H6054 from Carquest for roughly $10.00 a piece. The only stupid thing is that you have to completely mess up the aim by loosening the adjusters way up in order to get the headlight and ring out. Pretty silly design if you ask me. It wouldn't have been very hard to make with seperate mounting screws than adjusting screws. Oh well... as far as aiming, thats the fun part! Back up about 25 feet and shine on a garage door or wall so bright spots from the beams shine just below the level of the headlamps by about 6 inches. If you discover it's not perfect after cruising around a bit, adjust-em some more.
That's about what I paid for a replacement lamp for my Hijet, at Advance Auto, right off the shelf. I also messed up my alignment and had to readjust the beams. This was probably needed anyway because of the three inch lift and 25 inch tires. The irritating thing was that the plastic trim ring didn't go back as securely as it had been before. I have never driven my truck at night but I wanted to be prepared. Sam
although this is a van, it should give you guys some insight into the question and an explanation as to why these are not "off the shelf" headlights... take a look, they are composites. http://www.cars-directory.net/specs/subaru/sambar/1992_10/picture/14203/ i was trying to post a pic, but this website will have to do...
Just for any one else reading this thread that didn't already pick up on this: As previously stated by LGC: i.e. they are one off for this vehicle - they are not the same as any standard round or rectangle headlight. And no you cannot just "re-aim" them, the beam pattern is cast right into the lense. It is the exact opposite of a LHD pattern - putting most of the light right into the oncoming drivers eyes. Anyone trying to legalize their minitruck for on the road in Canada has a couple of choices: Aquire the correct LHD headlight - if it's a 7" round or rectangle unit, no problem. Any auto parts store has them on the shelf. Composite headlights are different as each manufactor builds a unit to suit there requirements and unless there is a LHD made with the same body you are up the creek. When it goes in for the required inspection they will check to see that they have the correct markings specific to LHD headlights. If desparation has set in [no correct headlight available or not willing to pay the price] then you have two options: a) Rework the sheet metal to suit a standard sealed beam or the closest composite that you can find. b) Breakout the jigsaw and cut a round or rectangle hole in the composite light for a standard headlight, make up some kinda mounting bracket for aiming it. Shazam - one "franken light" to get you legal! This is another reason I went with a unit that had a standard headlight over something like a Honda Acty that only came with a composite headlight.
it wasn't until i got my truck home that i realized that the lights are wrong. i don't do much night driving so it hasn't been a problem yet, but i felt like a dousche the couple times i did drive at night. "fluted lenses" were all the rage with the old pre 67 VW's when i ran a shop. i finally got my hands on some but was really pissed when i found out they were NOS from england. all the "flutes" (beam patterns) were for RHD cars... there was no correction for this.
Boy, that would suck. The one bit of bright news on headlight's is that they accept "E4" coded headlights from Europe so I installed a set of Bosch 7" round H4 units and nothing was said since they have "E4" stamped right into the lenses. Really didn't want to go sealed beam due to the fact that you have remove the bezel and muck with it a bit because of the mounting system. The Sambar has a little plastic "hat" on the inside that is held on with 2 bolts making bulb changes from the inside a snap.
Yeah, What you Americans dont realize is up here in Canada we need the lenses to be marked with compliant DOT, SAE or E-coded markings to pass inspection. This isnt as simple as aiming. The lights Sooke is talking about are composit lamps, not sealed beams. (Older Daihatsu's have sealed beams, as do all of the "round eye" trucks) Sooke, what you need to do is add auxiallry lights to the truck that are compliant, then disconnect the OEM assembly. Using plow lights mounted securly to the truck will suffice as they are DOT compliant. http://www.levineautoparts.com/snowplowlamps.html
Here are somoe photos of one of our first conversions. This one uses the 6" round housing and a sealed beam. Brackets are welded to the truck behind the bumper. Factory headlights disconnected. Customer built the grill guard himself. We determined that the 6" lights arent that great for actual light output (Although legal) and now we do the medium sized rectangular jobbies.
New info: Subaru produced a version of the Sambar Dias Van for Germany who use LHD vehicles So what you need to look for is a 93-97 Subaru Libero Van [E10 or E12] headlights these should be Euro "E" coded and comply with Canadian/ Provincial requirements
tirpper: what are the lights on your rig in your profile pic? I have a 91 sambar and wouldnt mind figurin what I'll need once they go.
Actually those are the stock JDM unit's that came with it. I now have a set of Bosch 7" unit's in their place with H4 halogen bulb's. [They are Euro "E" coded] After a bit of research I found that the newer 9003 bulbs also work in the H4 unit's. The 9003 bulb is a higher precision unit than the H4 but fit's the same mount. So basically you can go from mild [7" sealed beam] to wild [7" HID conversion], that is the beauty of the older 7" round light.
Do you not need high and low beam?I like the aux light on a push bar idea,but are those only one brightness? Cancel above stupid,look at light before responding answer.....
Hey timetripper, I just went to replace the bulb on my Sambar, but couldn't figure out how to get the bulb out. I got the "hat" off and disconnected the wiring harness, but can't figure out how the bulb is held in. Any insight would be appreciated!
Sealed beam re/re tutorial for 91 Sambar Hi, My references to bulb changes were for the H4 halogen bulbs that I now have installed. To replace the stock [or any] sealed beam you have to work from the outside of the truck. 1. Carefully remove the black plastic trim from around the headlight [it has the turn signal bulb in it as well] This is held on with plastic round heade pins that snap into sockets on the truck. It must be pulled straight out or risk breaking the remaining pins. 2. With black trim loose in your hand now disconnect the wiring to the turn signal bulb. Remove to a safe place. 3. The headlight adjustment ring [for aiming] also searves as the mount for the seal beam. If you just start cranking on the mount bolts to loosen - your alignment for headlights is gone for good. You need to work on the mounting bolts one at a time. There is a spring behind each screw that keeps the headlight from rattling and provides the movment for aiming. Push in on the seal beam while rotating to get the screw head into the bigger "hole" to release the screw from the assembly - note that there is a bump to keep the screw from doing this on it's own that will fight you tooth and nail. Repeat for all three screws. 4. Headlight mounting assembly should now be loose, remove wiring to sealed beam and remove from truck. The sealed beam is held to mount with three small phillips screws - make sure you have a screw driver that fits snuggly and is in good shape. Other wise you will strip the heads and be really fubarred. 5. Reverse process with new sealed beam. 6. Patience is required to to do this without breaking any parts:frustration: 7. That's why I installed the Bosch 7" H4's - better light and way way easier to change the bulb from the inside.
I just ordered a 93 Sambar truck from VI Custom Car Importers in Parksville, and they informed me that they have made up a kit for the headlights. They install large rectangular lights and a black painted cover over the original opening. This will allow me to install Bosc lights with the HID bulb system.
sweden to i hear ghostpineimports said they are looking into it and trying to get some brought in meet dot
i heard they have sambars in sweden and drive on our side of the road ghost pine imports is looking into getting lights they are a sponsor here oppps first post would not load now got two grrrr stupid puter
Does anyone know which years/sub-models of Sambar have the composite vs. sealed (and round vs. rectangular) headlights?
I think 1992 started the intro of composite lights. I have seen listings of units as old as '90 with them but it might be typo on year or more likely a "stock" picture. Sambars never had a rectangular light from factory. They came with 7" round or the newer composite style. Later model units still had the round light available with the "Classic" or VW combi package.
If those are the stock JDM headlight units then you got extremely lucky as they are strickly illegal in Canada. There is no way they would miss that in BC and pass it. Also from a safety point of view you are increasing your odds of a accident at night because you headlights are going right into the oncoming drivers eyes.
Got aiming covered,and they work as a LH drive vehicle does. Most inspections are quite vague,and I have argued and won due to interpretation of how it is worded.
Heh, not unlike all those new HID Super Bright "Safety" lights every new car and SUV seems to come with.
