LED headlights

[Nickp_]

What brands of LED bulbs are you guys running for regular headlights and high beam? There are many options, but I want to match the 6000k of my fog lights and I'd like to stay away from HIDs
http://s38.photobucket.com/user/npiotrowski98/media/image_zpsix9q08y9.jpeg.html?sort=3&o=6

 

[TechGuru]

Stick with Sylvania XtraVision.

LED's won't melt the ice/snow off of the lenses.

You don't want blue tinted or even white in snow country. It just causes glare on the white snow and reduces visibility. 4300K is the max.

Those are fog lights not driving lights at the bottom AFAIK. You should put YELLOW bulbs in them. Wish my exp had them.

Low Beam Bulbs:
https://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-XtraVision-Halogen-Headlight-Contains/dp/B0031HEIDY/

High Beam Bulbs:
https://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-XtraVision-Halogen-Headlight-Contains/dp/B0031HI0HY/

Yellow Fog Bulbs:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O9EVJIK/

 

[extra-medium]

LED lights don't work the best in the housings made for halogen bulbs. They rely on the projectors. Same goes for HID bulbs. They make the retro kits for them, I bought an HID kit from Innovated through amazon, cost $60. It was nice for me, but blinded everyone else no matter how I angled my lights. I ended up going through 2 ballasts for the driver side and once the second ballast blew, I scrapped it and put the stock bulbs back in.

 

[TechGuru]

Rather than make a new thread I thought I'd just add to this one.

I realize I am about to pull a Trump here (flip flopping on the issue / my opinion).

My view above still stands for the low beams but I am wanting brighter high beams.

HID's are too slow to get bright for high beams when you need nearly instant on to light up something moving on the side of the road ahead before you get too close to it.

So I am between 3 options.

Upgrade to 9011 HIR Bulbs.

Upgrade to 100 watt 9005 bulbs.

Upgrade to LED.

Does anyone know if the LED would even fit with the heat sink sticking out?

 

[Black Dynomite]

I got these for low beam and they fit ok. Not sure on high beams.
An issue you may find is one or both will blink after use. Its residual charge dissipation and you'll need to also get something like this as well if your choice of product doesnt include the necessary resistors to deal with the residual charge.

 

[TechGuru]

The ones I posted mention CANBUS compatibility so I assume they create a proper load even though that is not required on these vehicles. Also unlike the low beams (which have separate fuses/circuits for each) the high beams are on a single circuit and fuse for both so only one load resistor would be needed.

 

[Black Dynomite]

Only one load resistor needed for low beams, but i installed both anyway.

Personally, I kinda regret buying these for low beams. (ie agree with you about them)

 

[TechGuru]

I went ahead and ordered the above pictured LED's, they offer "60 days money back or replacement, free return shipping " so if I don't like them I'll just send them back and get the HIR's. The 9011 HIR's are 2350 lumens vs a standard 9005 only having 1700 lumens. I'm hoping these LED's are 4000 lumens.

 

[Black Dynomite]

Sweet. let us know how they go.

 

[TechGuru]

Well they arrived...

and they fit...

 

[Black Dynomite]

and...

 

[TechGuru]

 

[TechGuru]

After driving at night with them twice I have decided to return the LED's and will be trying HIR's instead. The LED's make the already too flood and not enough spot fixture even more flood...

 

[Black Dynomite]

Yeah I'm going to get rid of my 9006's too. The beam pattern is massive and did some testing last night, its quite intense for oncoming drivers. Sure they light up the road more, but in this country they are probably illegal. Even if they are legal, Im not going to be that a-hole blinding everyone with poorly designed lights.

 

[TechGuru]

Low beams I say 9006 Sylvania XtraVision or Philips VisionPlus only. You could do the HIR 9012 in the low beam but keep in mind you are going from 1000 lumens to 1870 lumens but since the bulb and filament are the same config the beam pattern should be the same except a lot more intense.

I've gotten flashed with the 9006 XtraVision's in the lows before so I dunno if I would want to make them more intense or not, I don't remember if I had a load of groceries in the back loading the rear down making the lights point higher or not.

As for high beams I want the brightest and most throw I can get. A 9005 high beam is 1700 lumens and a 9011 HIR high beam is 2350 lumens so between the pair that's a +1300 lumen upgrade.

If that still ain't enough I guess I'll just need to get a set of 5 (3 flood + 2 spot) 130-watt KC Hi-Lites for my roof, lol.

 

[Mr. Truckles]

I tried the LEDs and switched back after one night of using them. If the goal is throw more light down a dark empty road the best bet is to jump the relay that turns off the lows and fogs when the high beams are on. 3rd gens have some of the best factory headlights I have ever seen and with all 6 bulbs burning you'll have tons of light in the right places.

Check your state laws and definitions if you wan't to do it by the book though. Some states only allow 4 forward lights to be on at one time. I've never been bothered but it could be worth a check.

 

[TechGuru]

I tried the LEDs and switched back after one night of using them. If the goal is throw more light down a dark empty road the best bet is to jump the relay that turns off the lows and fogs when the high beams are on. 3rd gens have some of the best factory headlights I have ever seen and with all 6 bulbs burning you'll have tons of light in the right places.

Check your state laws and definitions if you wan't to do it by the book though. Some states only allow 4 forward lights to be on at one time. I've never been bothered but it could be worth a check.

Hmmm, I don't have fogs and my lows stay on with my highs...

 

[CarlosHRNYC]

I'm hopping on this thread kinda late. Has anyone tried the retrofit projectors? I bought a set off of amazon but have yet to install them. I've seen decent results on YouTube from people who installed them.

 

[TechGuru]

I'm hopping on this thread kinda late. Has anyone tried the retrofit projectors? I bought a set off of amazon but have yet to install them. I've seen decent results on YouTube from people who installed them.

I looked for alternative headlight fixtures on ebay and didn't see any... got a link?

 

[CarlosHRNYC]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-2-5-LHD-...ash=item5696ee3076:g:YrMAAOSwEfBZtit7&vxp=mtr

YouTube how-to video:

I also picked up these Morimoto switchback LED halos to go around the shroud: https://hidkitpros.com/shop/morimoto-xsb-switchback-led-halos/

I was going to go on RockAuto and pick up another pair of headlight assemblies to do it on that way I will always have my stock on hand in case I had problems with the projectors.