Headlight bulbs too fat

[Mavensis]

Hi there. Frequent forum stalker here, but this is my first actual post.

Just bought replacement bulbs for my 2007 Avensis, looking to up the brightness of the dipped beam a bit. I've read much of what everyone has complained about when fitting them, but I have small hands and certainly had no problem at all getting at the driver's side one. However, the glass part of the replacement bulb is too fat/broad to go through the opening where the spring clip is.

Since I can't find a single other report of this anywhere, I must be doing something wrong. Can someone enlighten me please? Thanks in advance.

[FROSTYBALLS]

What bulb fitment have you bought - H11, H7, etc?

[Mavensis]

12 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

What bulb fitment have you bought - H11, H7, etc?

The box says H4, but that was what I was directed to by the Halfords system.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Assuming you have halogen bulbs and not HID's, according to Autobulbsdirect and Powerbulbs the fitting for low/dipped beam is H7.

Do you have an owners manual, and if you do, have you checked that?

[yossarian247]

Halfords website suggests its an H7 too.

[Mavensis]

Nope, but it doesn't surprise me if Halfords have it wrong. I'll look into it. Can anyone confirm whether H7 bulbs are narrower, though?

[Mavensis]

3 minutes ago, yossarian247 said:

Halfords website suggests its an H7 too.

Sadly, their in-store system didn't. Or if it did, I missed it altogether. It's really the size issue that I'm trying to get to the bottom of, though. I'm looking for an explanation as to whether the bulbs have to be a narrow type, because the aperture through which the bulb goes is very narrow.

[yossarian247]

2 minutes ago, Mavensis said:

Sadly, their in-store system didn't. Or if it did, I missed it altogether. It's really the size issue that I'm trying to get to the bottom of, though. I'm looking for an explanation as to whether the bulbs have to be a narrow type, because the aperture through which the bulb goes is very narrow.

Yes, according to this the dimensions of an H7 are smaller than an H4:

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

The H4's are dual filament bulbs - giving both high and low beam - whereas the H7's are single filament. So I suppose the glass capsule of the H4's will be fatter to accommodate the two filaments.

[Mavensis]

Well, after going to swap the H4s for the H7s I discovered that I'm still useless at car stuff. Previously I'd been trying to put the dip bulb into the main beam reflector. Utterly hopeless. I'm going to bugger off and go back to not asking questions, because I'm a tool. Sorry for wasting your time.

[FROSTYBALLS]

You're not wasting anyone's time, and any questions are appreciated.

[yossarian247]

41 minutes ago, Mavensis said:

Well, after going to swap the H4s for the H7s I discovered that I'm still useless at car stuff. Previously I'd been trying to put the dip bulb into the main beam reflector. Utterly hopeless. I'm going to bugger off and go back to not asking questions, because I'm a tool. Sorry for wasting your time.

I've known a few garages cram the wrong bulbs into fittings and end up breaking something. You certainly aren't the first to try fitting an incorrect bulb! At least you realised it was not going to fit and didn't force or damage anything. Don't give up just because of one set back 

[Konrad C]

Can I add, that being a single filament bulb, the head lamps for dipped and main beam should be more optimised for their particular function. 

I have made mistakes and learnt from them too.

[Greydog]

Don't walk away asking "Dumb" questions is how we learn (lost count of mine over the years) The really dumb question is the one you don't ask.