Osram Nightbreaker Plus install - pics

Bing

Bing

The Legend
 Exiled Scot in Maidstone
Finally got round to ordering a new set of Osram NIghtbreaker Plus headlight bulbs last week from eBay, which arrived today, intact - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220905427192?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I got two sets so I could change all 4 halogen bulbs. Considering Halfrauds will charge you upwards of £15/£20 for a single bulb similar to this I reckoned they were a bargain.

Since I was in the neighbourhood I also got these LED sidelights - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z4-02...arParts_SM&hash=item20bdd8b6d0#ht_2065wt_1195

I figured a few people might be interested to see some pics comparing these to the OEM bulbs fitted as I went through the changes. I've decided to spare you the muck all the way up my arms and the scrapes on my hands / wrists as many have been there I'm sure...

So here's what I found installed in my 06 roadster :

Removed%20bulb%20side%20on%201.jpg


Removed%20bulb%20side%20on%202.jpg


Seems these are the original bulbs... the 'burn' on the side makes me think they were on the way out. You'll see a few black specks on the paper above which have flaked off the tip. Looking at the pics below it's no wonder that the headlights were like candles, as much of the light must have been leaking straight out the front of the bulbs, so not being reflected and magnified :

Removed%20bulb%20end%20on%201.jpg


Removed%20bulb%20end%20on%202.jpg


So, in progress shots. Pics aren't perfect as they were taken on my Berry and I've made them smaller so the thread is not too heavy. I wasn't quite square on to the car for a couple (which someone will note :oops:) ... However the differences are still visible.

Old bulbs :

Old%20bulbs%20left.jpg


New dipped bulb and LED sidelight :

New%20bulb%20%26%20LED.jpg


Full frontal, dipped, old lights on left, new lights on right (left this one big deliberately so you can see the difference) :

Full%20front%20dipped%20old%20left%20new%20right.jpg


Full frontal, high beam, old bulbs on left, new on the right :

High%20beam%20old%20left%20new%20right.jpg


LED side light close up :

LED%20only%20close.jpg


Full frontal LEDs only :

Full%20front%20LED%20only.jpg


Full frontal, dipped, all new lights :

Full%20front%20dipped%20all%20new.jpg


Verdict ? Well, I went out for a drive later on when it was dark and the dipped headlights are definitely brighter. They deliver a cleaner, whiter beam, and light up more of the road - though I think I need to tweak the lights up a teeny touch to get a bit more out of them, being mindful of not blinding on-coming traffic. I need to be honest though, if you're looking for xenon-like brightness then you'll be disappointed. They are not xenons, and if you fit boy-racer 5zillion lumen fake-xenons you'll just blind everyone on the road, because of course they don't work like real xenons which block the high part of the beam to prevent just that (I think... :? ) Talking of which, high beam now rocks :thumbsup: The old bulbs had almost as much distance, but these ones light everything up just that bit more clearly. So, overall - very happy with the improvement, glad I changed them when I did, but I do still miss the xenons on my last car.

As for the LEDs... hmmm. I liked the bright white light, but I wasn't taken with what they looked like switched off as you could see the yellow LED faces and they looked a bit chav because of that. As it turns out, one of them was faulty and one of the five LED faces on it started flickering (the other side light was fine, no bulb warnings, steady light) so I had to go through changing the old bulbs back in. Which was fun. However, I like the clean look so I'll get some more - probably more 'bulby' with 4 forward facing LEDs or one big one

:thumbsup:
 
Looking good :thumbsup:

Funnily enough I also changed my dipped beams tonight for Osram Nightbreakers I bought off of eBay. £12 for the two, free P+P and a free keyring torch - bargain!
 
JimmyPop said:
Looking good :thumbsup:

Funnily enough I also changed my dipped beams tonight for Osram Nightbreakers I bought off of eBay. £12 for the two, free P+P and a free keyring torch - bargain!
Click to expand...

Darn it - they were £14 when I saw them, and I already have too many torches... Though 2 more would have been fine for that price :roll:
 
They are a great bulb. I've fitted them 2 weeks ago on main beam on my XF. (Amazing xenon is on dipped only on such a car...)

Great improvement with a whiter light and better pool of light.
Cheap as chips too. :thumbsup:
 
Nighbreaker Plus' are superb. I had them on my e46 for less than 2 months before I sold her.

I have the bulbs in their original box in the boot of my Zed.

If anyone would like to take them off my hands at the London meet in March, let me know...

Best,
Si
 
I have nightbreaker plus on my Zed... better than stock but still feel the amount of light is shockingly bad, but then again my last car was a TT with xenons, so I was spoilt!
 
I've put nightbreakers on mine - dipped only.
And I have to say I'm quite disappointed. (Or maybe I got it wrong & did high-beam????) :?

Anyway - I have also raised the headlight level, which improved matters somewhat - but I now find my main beam is too high.
Is there any way to adjust main beam alone down a bit?

Thanks
 
Not easily. The 2 bulbs are mounted in the same unit that pivots them together.
That said it is in theory possible to adjust the mounting if the reflector on the dipped. You'd need lifts out and some level I skill to align things.
As an aside if your main is too high them so are your dipped and likely to be dazzling.
 
Im a complete technotard when it comes to this sort of thing.

If I order 2 sets that will be correct to change all 4 bulbs?

Also how easy is it change the bulbs? Does it need any tools and technical ability?

On my old Honda Civic you had to remove half the engine bay to change the light bulbs.

I realise that by asking this I lose all credibility as a man and will hand my balls in at the door on the way out :D
 
richtea78 said:
Im a complete technotard when it comes to this sort of thing.

If I order 2 sets that will be correct to change all 4 bulbs?

Also how easy is it change the bulbs? Does it need any tools and technical ability?

On my old Honda Civic you had to remove half the engine bay to change the light bulbs.

I realise that by asking this I lose all credibility as a man and will hand my balls in at the door on the way out :D
Click to expand...

You'll be tripping over everyone else's balls on the way in then... :D

2 sets equals all 4 bulbs.

You need thick skin on your knuckles as you will scrape them, but the only tool you will need is a 2p piece to turn the fixings holding the cover on inside the wheel arch.

Turn the wheels so the side you are changing faces out, not in - I put full lock on then turned the ignition off and took the key out before letting the wheel go as the steering lock then holds the wheel in position, rather than turning back in slightly when you let go.

Undo the fixings on the top cover - the bottom is for the fogs IIRC. You'll see the back of the light unit and a wire clipped over the top. Bit of effort pulls this out of the slots and down. You can then prise the back of the light unit off - one of mine had obviously never been off and took quite some effort.

Look in, you can see the bulb holders - twist and pull out, remove the old bulb. Need a good wiggle and tug as the metal holder is tight.

Importantly, put a latex glove on to handle the new bulb so you don't get any dirt on it, or oils from your skin - if you do it will heat up and damage the bulb very quickly. Probably before your skin grows back.

Carefully put back in and twist/fiddle till it's securely clipped in.

Repeat for second bulb, cover back on (found this a real faff as there is not much room), clip the wire back over, making sure it is secure, then put the arch cover back on. I found this was easiest done by putting it all behind the shell, putting the 'lugs' in the slots then pulling over the hole. Tighten fixings, one down !

Turn wheels the other way and repeat above, job done :thumbsup:
 
Thanks for the instructions, I will give it a go when they come through. Hopefully I wont balls it up!

Im going to go for these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250957294703?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_3827wt_1270

The philips seem to do slightly better in the reviews and although they are more expensive I think they will be good unless anyone says otherwise?
 
cj10jeeper said:
Not easily. The 2 bulbs are mounted in the same unit that pivots them together.
That said it is in theory possible to adjust the mounting if the reflector on the dipped. You'd need lifts out and some level I skill to align things.
As an aside if your main is too high them so are your dipped and likely to be dazzling.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that - that's what I thought.
No the dipped aren't dazzling oncoming drovers - leastways no-ones flashed me in complaint.
I'm wondering if the element is in the correct position.

I'll get another pair - only this time I'll get Phillips as I had very good results with these on the Lotus. If it makes no difference then at least I'll have some spares. :thumbsup:
 
Fitted a pair as my dipped beam during the week, much better, though the nearside unit is angled down a bit compared to the offside. Close up (like the back of another car in stationary traffic) there's a clear line where the brightness drops off, so pretty easy to check the alignment that way. My existing bulbs were like the OP's too.
 
I've tried LED sidelights in the past and they have all started flashing within months.

Has anyone got LED sidelights that have worked for any decent period of time? As it looks like a right pain to keep on swapping them.
 
I never got round to fitting them again. Too much hassle trying to find a set that a) look good in the lights, and b) have the resistor built in :(
 
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