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LED 7" Round Headlights - 1992 Sambar Detailed Guide

Discussion in 'Subaru Sambar' started by Drain, Jul 4, 2022.

  1. Drain

    Drain Supporting Moderator Supporting Moderator Supporting Member

    Ok, so I searched around these forums and FB for a really clear guide on installing those cool, round LED headlights. I found a few details but nothing comprehensive. So I took a bunch of pictures of my installation and decided to do a write-up.

    My Headlights - Torchbeam 7" Round (didn't go expensive in case it didn't work)
    My Harness - H4 LED Wiring Harness (the same one a few other folks have used)

    A note on the harness:
    As I was installing it I realized it's not reversing polarity or inverting signals in the stock wiring. It's a whole separate 12V harness straight from the battery that just mimics what your light controls tell your stock lighting system to do. That's why you need to plug one headlight, both running lights and both blinkers into that harness.

    For example: you turn your running lights "on" with the normal circuit, this harness just sees that and turns its running light circuit on too. Honestly this is a pretty clean solution since you get to leave your existing running lights and blinkers in place and not worry about overloading anything.

    Installation Steps:
    0. Disconnect your battery.

    1. Remove the headlight bezels, headlight back panels, center console and the glove box. You don't have to, but I removed my bumper since I didn't know what I was doing and wasn't sure where this harness was going to live yet.

    2. Remove the old headlights completely, including the metal mounting rings with the three screws.

    3. Run a 12 or 14 gauge wire from your battery up to behind your glovebox. The harness uses 14 gauge but I had 12 lying around in the length I needed, about 15' for the routing I took.
    [​IMG]

    Ring terminal crimped on the new 12 gauge wire, attached to the positive battery terminal.
    [​IMG]

    Snaked around the gas tank, along the central cable bundle and up through the back of cab.
    [​IMG]

    There's an existing hole between the seatbelt mounts covered by a black sticker, I put a rubber grommet in there and it fit perfectly. No new holes were drilled for this installation.
    [​IMG]

    4. To mount the relays, I made a bracket from a flat piece of aluminum and used an existing chassis hole above my left headlight socket. A self drilling No. 12 screw went right in.
    [​IMG]

    5. Feed the other headlight's section of the harness up and around the air/heater box. Ziptie and Velcro to your heart's content. Make sure you really cover and insulate this active 12V wire since it's not switched and will always be live.
    [​IMG]

    6. Install your LED bulbs in the metal mounting rings, they will fit.

    7. Use these T-Tap Terminals to tap into your blinker and running light circuits on both sides (thanks Mr. Subaru!). Plug in your old headlight socket to the new harness and install both headlights.
    [​IMG]

    8. Reinstall the bezels and align your headlights against a wall. These specific headlights have a very noticeable "cut" out of the top left of the illumination to avoid blinding oncoming drivers.
    [​IMG]

    9. Drive around in style!
    [​IMG]

    I'm really pleased with how this turned out. Having round headlights was the whole reason I wanted a 1992 or earlier. Hopefully this writeup helps future installers.

    Thanks & credit to these other threads/posts:
    SpikeFiend - https://minitrucktalk.com/threads/sambar-headlight-replacement.14007/
    Jigs-n-Fixtures - https://minitrucktalk.com/threads/aftermarket-headlights.20200/#post-114788
    6.0 in Idaho - https://minitrucktalk.com/threads/1990-subaru-sambar-led-headlights.19767/
    And anyone else I forgot.
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2022
  2. Tyler Madia

    Tyler Madia Member

    Looks great! I also like the look of round headlights better.
     
    Drain and fmartin_gila like this.
  3. Dirkdiggler420

    Dirkdiggler420 New Member

    I have a question. I am doing the led headlight thing right now. I swapped the pins in what seemed to be 4656 config to h4 style. That made me have low beam. Still no high beam. I have now ordered the relay kit to convert negative switching. Is it necessary to go to the battery for the power or can I go to the fuse block and possible just use the headlight power? Also I see the grounds, did you just hit local metal? Thank you for your help if you reply, I know this is old
     
  4. Drain

    Drain Supporting Moderator Supporting Moderator Supporting Member

    I guess you could go to the fuse for raw 12v power. I wouldn't tie into the headlight 12v though since the relay plugs into that circuit to mimic it for the new headlights. It was cleaner to just run a new wire to the battery. If I remember correctly there's a ground in the conversion harness itself.
     

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