Bongo Fury

Hi all,

I have a couple of questions that someone maybe able to help with.

1) The lenses to my headlights are very yellowed / dull so I've cleaned them up as best I can with glass polish. This has helped quite a lot but the range and brighness of the headlights is still pretty poor when driving at night on unlit roads. I'd like to upgrade the bulbs and wondered if anyone can point me towards some that will improve matters?

2) Never bought any oil for the bongo yet - what would you recommend? I know, simple question!!!

3) My central locking wasn't working when I bought the Bongo but whilst at Allans undergoing other works it was fixed (broken wire near the door hinge). However, its stopped working again and from inspecting the bunch of wires in the hinge area that they are all fairly brittle and fragile. Has anyone else had this problem and can suggest a solution. I guess its either trying to obtain a wiring loom for this area (are they available) or chopping out the wires that pass through the hinge and 'grafting in new ones that aren't brittle and hence shouldn't fracture for the forseeable future. The latter does sound like a pain job though.

Any suggestions welcome!!

Thanks.

umbongoumbongo wrote:Hi all,

I have a couple of questions that someone maybe able to help with.

1) The lenses to my headlights are very yellowed / dull so I've cleaned them up as best I can with glass polish. This has helped quite a lot but the range and brighness of the headlights is still pretty poor when driving at night on unlit roads. I'd like to upgrade the bulbs and wondered if anyone can point me towards some that will improve matters?

2) Never bought any oil for the bongo yet - what would you recommend? I know, simple question!!!

3) My central locking wasn't working when I bought the Bongo but whilst at Allans undergoing other works it was fixed (broken wire near the door hinge). However, its stopped working again and from inspecting the bunch of wires in the hinge area that they are all fairly brittle and fragile. Has anyone else had this problem and can suggest a solution. I guess its either trying to obtain a wiring loom for this area (are they available) or chopping out the wires that pass through the hinge and 'grafting in new ones that aren't brittle and hence shouldn't fracture for the forseeable future. The latter does sound like a pain job though.

Any suggestions welcome!!

Thanks.

On (1) there has been a lot of discussion (most of it old I think but have a search). The covers on Bongo lamps are plastic and you must avoid a situation where bulbs generate excessive heat I think. Some of the recommended bulbs did not (in the opinion of some) create as good an improvement as claimed by their supporters. Personally, and since I have a Fender Defender Bar (sometimes commonly and wrongly called a bullbar ) I chose to mount 100W spots and wire them in to work with main beam, as Bongo headlamps (early models) are not stunning anyway. I can assure you that WILL solve your problem. They work really great.

On (2) gosh I keep fogetting but I think I use Halfords 5W/30 as I prefer a lower viscosity for less engine drag when cold (I do a lot of short runs to work). But peeps happily use 10W/40 I think. The ideal would be 5W/40 I reckon but I've never seen it cheap anywhere.

Be careful when putting in higher wattage bulbs. Technically illegal, but more importantly, the headlight lenses are plastic - they may burn / melt or otherwise misbehave if you add very high power bulbs. The wiring might also misbehave.

You can get neat little spotlights which fit into the bumper recesses which help the main beams.


Clicky for the link

Philips extreme bulbs are legal and do make a difference.

You will find some information on how to clean your headlamps without damaging them form these old posts. Not all Bongos came with the Yellow Film on the headlamps, mine were clean.

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... mit=Search

Tony

dave_aber wrote:Be careful when putting in higher wattage bulbs. Technically illegal, but more importantly, the headlight lenses are plastic - they may burn / melt or otherwise misbehave if you add very high power bulbs. The wiring might also misbehave.

You can get neat little spotlights which fit into the bumper recesses which help the main beams.


Clicky for the link

Philips extreme bulbs are legal and do make a difference.

Well said Dave - I had meant to say some peeps have put spots in their grille slots, but lost the plot before posting, as usual