H4 Headlight Bulb vs 9003

[bd43]

I ran in to a dilemma tonight and I thought this was a little bit of useless information I'd pass on for anyone who can't sleep tonight. Earlier this evening, one of the headlights on our Vibe (cage) went out again. It seems a bulb goes out in it in under a year. So I go into my toolbox of parts and pull out a brand new pack of Nighthawk 9003's and a loose bulb labeled H4. The Vibe calls for a 9003 bulb but when I compared the bulb I just pulled out of the Vibe and compared it to the H4, they looked identical. Deciding not to open the Nighthawk pack just yet, I put the H4 into the Vibe to use it up. I know the FZ6 uses an H4 and maybe I was saving this bulb as a spare, but the stock FZ6 H4 has over 30,000km on it and still going strong.

After I installed the H4 in the Vibe, cleaned up and came inside, I thought I'd better Google it to see if the H4 is different than the 9003. I came across this document...

http://candlepowerinc.com/pdfs/H4_9003.pdf

What do you know, they are for the most part the same bulb. Hmmm, if the H4 lasts so long on the FZ6, maybe I better think about changing the 9003's in the Vibe for H4's!

Has anyone used a 9003 in their FZ6?

 

[Motogiro]

Well you know I'd bite! :rockon: I'm printing it out hitting the rain locker and reading it in bed!!!

 

[HPTuner]

Interesting info...thanks for posting.

 

[ChevyFazer]

If I remember right the mounting tabs are a little different between the two the h4 will work in place of a 9003 but not vice versa, when I used to be a diesel mech the drivers would do it and ruin their entire headlight assembly trying to make the later fit....unless im thinking of a 9004

Sent from my R800x using Tapatalk

 

[FinalImpact]

^^
You might be thinking of 9011 to HB3/9005 or 9012 to HB4/9006. On these bulbs having a resin base, the hi can be put into the low by trimming the center tab and vice vrs.

In my cage i run Toshiba HIR bulbs and nearly double the lumen's output on 55watts w/out any mods to the cage. No HID and NO cr@ppy blue light!
See link: HIR Headlights 9011 9012 bulbs


The 9011/HR1 and 9012/HR2 bulbs are manufactured by Toshiba of Japan. With the exception of their spherical bulb glass and infrared-reflective coating, they are practically identical to the 9055 and 9066 in all dimensions. The 9011 and 9012 do, however, have a plastic base tab which can easily be filed down so it may fit the 9005 and 9006. ( See Http://shnu.us/HIR Trimming Stock.htm for instructions.) After this tab is filed, the overall length of the Toshiba 9011 and 9012 is identical to that of the 9005 and 9006.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I ran in to a dilemma tonight and I thought this was a little bit of useless information I'd pass on for anyone who can't sleep tonight. Earlier this evening, one of the headlights on our Vibe (cage) went out again. It seems a bulb goes out in it in under a year. So I go into my toolbox of parts and pull out a brand new pack of Nighthawk 9003's and a loose bulb labeled H4. The Vibe calls for a 9003 bulb but when I compared the bulb I just pulled out of the Vibe and compared it to the H4, they looked identical. Deciding not to open the Nighthawk pack just yet, I put the H4 into the Vibe to use it up. I know the FZ6 uses an H4 and maybe I was saving this bulb as a spare, but the stock FZ6 H4 has over 30,000km on it and still going strong.

After I installed the H4 in the Vibe, cleaned up and came inside, I thought I'd better Google it to see if the H4 is different than the 9003. I came across this document...

http://candlepowerinc.com/pdfs/H4_9003.pdf

What do you know, they are for the most part the same bulb. Hmmm, if the H4 lasts so long on the FZ6, maybe I better think about changing the 9003's in the Vibe for H4's!

Has anyone used a 9003 in their FZ6?

Interesting. Per the article, the H4 puts out more light.....

 

[foracco]

So can I use these ([ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UXBELY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER]Amazon.com: GE H7-55NHP/BP2 Nighthawk PLATINUM Headlight Bulbs, Pack of 2: Automotive[/ame]) in my stock 2004 FZ6 low beam socket?

My low beam H7(??) has burned out. Looking to replace the set with decent replacement before my high beam burns out too.

Sylavania vs. GE vs. Yamaha ???? Any suggestions. I will go for the angel eyes mod later. Just need to get other priorities straightened out.

 

[fb40dash5]

So can I use these (Amazon.com: GE H7-55NHP/BP2 Nighthawk PLATINUM Headlight Bulbs, Pack of 2: Automotive) in my stock 2004 FZ6 low beam socket?

My low beam H7(??) has burned out. Looking to replace the set with decent replacement before my high beam burns out too.

Sylavania vs. GE vs. Yamaha ???? Any suggestions. I will go for the angel eyes mod later. Just need to get other priorities straightened out.

Yep. I like Nighthawks for the money. I use PIAA bulbs these days, but Nighthawks are a little cheaper, and I always liked the light output vs. Silverstars and other "cheap" performance bulbs.

I don't think anyone's going to be checking headlight bulbs to see if they're 9003 or H4... I'm tossing some of the PIAA vibration-resistant H4s in my truck next time I burn a headlight out. :thumbup: