Cracked your factory fog light on your 1999-2003 Impreza 2.5RS or WRX? Want to have long range driving beams instead of just fog lamps? The all Lexan*Lightforce 170 with low mount is a smart, economical replacement for the factory fog lamps.
Installing the tough, lightweight LightFORCE RMDL170 driving light is pretty simple on a 2002-'03 Subaru WRX, 2.5RS or Outback Sport (it's the same for 1998-'01 2.5RS as well). The advantages are a replaceable Lexan shield over the lens that is extremely durable, and you can twist the entire light to adjust the beam pattern just like a MagLight flashlight. That allows for a wide fog pattern or a focused driving beam depending upon circumstances. The size is a near perfect fit into the Subarus.
First remove
your factory foglights with a long phillips screwdriver or a 10mm socket
on an extension (or better yet, use both!) Use care disconnecting the
electrical connection, sometimes it is hard to push down and pull apart
at the same time, and often dirt is blocking the lever mechanism.
Working under
the front edge of the car, remove the plastic "push-plug" fasteners holding
the black plastic undershielding in place. It is easiest if car is safely
on jackstands or on garage ramps. You will need to remove enough of the
fasteners to pull the whole front section down and out of the way on each
side (under the fog lights). With the shielding down and out of the way,
you will see the large push-plug securing the bumper skin directly under
the now-empty foglight bucket. Remove this with the aid of a couple of
small screwdrivers (can you say Leatherman?) and a little patience.
Find a drill
bit the same size as the mounting bolt provided in the kit (or just a
touch larger). You will be using this newly exposed hole in the metal
(where the large push plug was) as a guide to help drill directly upwards
through the black plastic of the bottom of foglight bucket above. It's
easy going since you should not be drilling through any metal! Now take
the 50mm long bolt (longer than the stock bolt provided with the kit)
and put it into the LOW MOUNT bracket as shown in the picture. You will
need to install light loosely with bolt dangling through the hole, set
angles for proper aim of light, remove entire light assembly carefully,
and then retighten all joints firmly before your final install.
You will
need to decide on wiring method before performing the final install. The
easiest is to cut off the factory connector and splice to the Lightforce
light wires, but you can also create a whole new connector for both sides
or use Lightforce's wiring kit if you do not have the factory wiring.
The wiring is hidden but present in Imprezas without factory foglights,
and you will need to add the switch and a relay inside the cabin. After
the connections are made and the lights tested, perform the final install
and tighten the mounting bolt with a nut and washer under the bumper.
Replace the folded back plastic shielding and put all the little black
fastener back in place. You will have those 2 large push plugs as souvenirs.
Now you have
impact resistant lights that can have their beam adjusted. And the HID
version is even brighter than the standard halogen version (which is darn
bright as it is). Go forth and repel the gloom of night and fog. Please
be responsible about dimming your lights on highways and keep them aimed
low. Follow this link to get a set of the RMDL 170's with all the proper
mounting bits for your Subaru from the good folks at Primitive Racing: