DD and Tow Rig lights

rpf500 · Apr 29, 2015

Is anyone running "upgraded" headlights in their vehicles? Lots of bulbs on the market with bright white, blue, yellow, etc and they are pricey. Just curious if they work as advertised or just gimmicks. I changed my headlights out (yellow and faded) to aftermarket clear style lenses and am not as happy with the brightness as I thought. I thought my old lenses made my lights look Dim. Maybe it's just old bulbs??

Fwiw they are 9006 low beam bulbs.

Thoughts?

Anytimeanytrail · Apr 29, 2015

I know the bulbs like the Sylvania Siverstar Ultra etc. are much brighter than stock bulbs, but burn out quicker due to having a higher wattage. Depending on what type of vehicle it is, look at doing a wiring upgrade for the headlight harness. I know this works on Jeeps due to having small gauge factory headlight wiring. Depending on budget, you can look into a proper HID retrofit also. I DD a TJ and am doing a HID projector retrofit from The Retrofit Source soon for about $400, but that is with their round housings set up for a retrofit. Hopefully somebody else will chime in with more knowledge on the subject.

rpf500 · Apr 29, 2015

It's an obs Chevy. As many of these that are running around I have to believe people can see at night when driving them. I've never seen a bulb lose power but never paid attention either. Maybe not possible. Anyway I've done the 4 high mod and have led fog lights. When no traffic is around I can light up the road. It's just the other 90% of the time I feel they are dim.

mac5005 · Apr 29, 2015

I run hid lights in my hi and low, and fogs. I have leds in the drl.

Also have the lows and fogs stay on with high beams.

All of that has made a hug difference.

I usually run 55w 6k HIDs.

smbroady82 · Apr 30, 2015

I put the Sylvania ZXEs in mine and it made a big difference, they weren't very cheap though, IIRC around $100 for heads and fogs

J/Cope79 · Apr 30, 2015

The biggest difference I made in my Dodge's lighting was putting High Beam bulbs in my factory fog lights. Oh and they are Silverstar Ultra's . I too am waiting to see what kind of performance so to speak that the LED direct replacement bulbs offer.

mac5005 · Apr 30, 2015

rednecklights said:
Hids are terrible unless you have projector lens.

I like silver stars "ok" but geeZe they high.

I want to try the new led headlight bulbs , I think they are going to be awsome

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Details on what you were running HIDs in that was terrible.

I'm running them in 3 different vehicles and are a huge improvement over silver star bulbs. I don't pay more than $35 for a pair for 35w, or $50 for 55w.

Far better output and longevity than typical bulbs and $ilverstars.

Only place I have experienced where they are "terrible" is in a conversion sealed beam housing. The reflectors in these suck.

04 avalanche 2500
94 4runner
97 suburban 2500

I have problems with the h4 conversion for the sealed beams in my yj. They suck.

I've had them in the 4runner since 04, the avalanche since 2013 when I bought it, and the suburban since 2012.

paradisepwoffrd · Apr 30, 2015

rednecklights said:
Hids are terrible unless you have projector lens.

I like silver stars "ok" but geeZe they high.

I want to try the new led headlight bulbs , I think they are going to be awsome

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X2. The GE Nighthawk or Philips Xtreme Power are about the best bulbs you can get for a factory style housing.

From what I have read, the LED replacement bulbs are going to give the same issues are HID replacements, but an LED designed housing will be the ticket.

Shortbus · Apr 30, 2015

mac5005 said:
I run hid lights in my hi and low, and fogs. I have leds in the drl.

Also have the lows and fogs stay on with high beams.

All of that has made a hug difference.

I usually run 55w 6k HIDs.

My problem with the HID in a halogen housing is 99% of the yahoos running them don't aim the lights down. The placement of bulb in housing causes them to spread the light. Yeah, you can see everything in front of and beside you but what about the guy you're meeting that can't see? If you go HID do it right and do full conversion or aim the housing down.

paradisepwoffrd said:
X2. The GE Nighthawk or Philips Xtreme Power are about the best bulbs you can get for a factory style housing.

From what I have read, the LED replacement bulbs are going to give the same issues are HID replacements, but an LED designed housing will be the ticket.

I put some led in fogs to try them. I too thought this could be good as lots of new cars are using led. Factory units have a 2" lens to magnify and direct the beam. Could be ones I bought aren't the best, but to me they are more for looks than use. Bought them because the newer style gm fog bulbs 5202 are higher than alternatives.

I'm thinking of trying the nighthawks... we'll see

rpf500 · Apr 30, 2015

Thanks guys. I'll report back soon.

Brock · Apr 30, 2015

Re:

Projectors are cheap now so there's no reason to stick HID bulbs in halogen housings. The output is the same as a OEM setip and youre not blinding other cars. On my 2004 Silverado 2500hd, I swapped the hi and low beam bulb locations to fit projectors in the hi beam spot with no cutting.

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Brock · May 1, 2015

Re:

The retrofitsource.com. out of atlanta.

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Brock · May 1, 2015

I retrofit the morimoto H1 projectors in every vehicle now. You'll spend a little bit more, but the output is 1000x better with the HID light properly focused in a screw in projector as opposed to sticking them in a stock headlight. Get the 4300-4500k temp bulbs to match the OEM systems out there and you'll never have a problem from the popo since so many new trucks have factory HID projectors now. If you have blue ass bulbs like a teenage dumbass and are blinding people, get ready for a ticket. :tc

2500 (there's no glare, that the angle of the photo)

my old cruiser:

YJ headlights

LandSpeeder · May 1, 2015

John Deere makes HIR lights that are better than stock, I think they go by Toshiba brand as well. A simple swap out makes a noticeable difference even against a new OEM bulb when I had them years ago.
I almost feel like I need to buy some soon myself.

http://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/john-deere-hir-bulbs.122662/

BEATIN35S · May 1, 2015

LED lights are wonderful. Expensive but you can see awesomely. They are pricey but I live in the sticks and they light up the road but are aimed not to kill the other drivers.