2016 - 2018 Explorer Headlight Question

[sxepride]

I have changed my high beams to LED. It is an amazing difference on our 2 lane rural highway. The halogens were useless for trying to see deer and what's up ahead on the road. The LED's are very good don't know if they have quite the distance of my previous HID's but it is real close.

K9Gold,

What did you replace your high beams with? What is the bulb name? Did you just change the bulb or was it a kit? Also does it match the low beam color close, if so what did Kelvin did you end up with 4000K or 5000K? Thanks as I need to do something as I hate the look of it as I am **** to with lights. Just ordered all the bulbs to change our the interior and puddle lights.

 

[peterk9]

I have aftermarket HIDs in my headlights and fog lights for my other three fords ('12 f150, '13 fusion, '08 explorer) and the factory LED in the explorer low beams are fantastic. It looks like it has protectors almost like the '13 fusion the way that the light cuts off. Upon closer inspection, it doesn't - pretty neat.

I am a huge light guy, I've had HIDs on every single car I've owned for ten years. From 1995 explorers and 1998 Taurus to my 2000 Durango, 2003 explorer, 2000 Cadillac Deville, 2003 ranger tremor, and all of the cars in between. I am quite happy with the LEDs. So much so that I would replace my hids with them until I inspected the headlight and now I am curious about how Ford got the light so accurately distributed on the road - I question whether a simple LED bulb would do the trick.

Being OCD and **** about my lighting, I plan to replace the highs with a similar LED bulb at some point but again have my doubts about the light spread - it just has a simple reflector for the high beam. HIDs make poor high beams because of the 10-60 second full charging needed for them to illuminate fully and it is not good to flash HID bulbs on and off because of the high power draw during initial fire up.

From what I've read here, the LED lights use a reflector while the hi beam halogen still uses the projector. Apparently the reflector types are a little more versatile such as being used in the' swiveling' type headlamps.

Peter

 

[4FordFamily]

From what I've read here, the LED lights use a reflector while the hi beam halogen still uses the projector. Apparently the reflector types are a little more versatile such as being used in the' swiveling' type headlamps.

Peter

The high beam on my '16 X sport I bought two weeks ago with 45 miles on it does not have projectors in either. The LED low beams appear on the road as projectors but the bulb enters the housing from the far side of the housing (towards the outside of the car) and it does not look like a projector but rather a unique style of reflector. It would make sense that it would need something different, since LED light scatters very much, much more than HIDs

 

[4FordFamily]

K9Gold,

What did you replace your high beams with? What is the bulb name? Did you just change the bulb or was it a kit? Also does it match the low beam color close, if so what did Kelvin did you end up with 4000K or 5000K? Thanks as I need to do something as I hate the look of it as I am **** to with lights. Just ordered all the bulbs to change our the interior and puddle lights.

I'll be ordering the puddle light assemblies as well I'm just as bad lol

 

[4FordFamily]

Here is a horrible pair of photos trying to illustrate my point but at this time of day the reflection is pretty bad.

The ford reflector is the high beam. The bulb off the the corner in the left of the passenger headlight is the LED regular beam

 

[4FordFamily]

Low beam led "spot"

For some reason it uploaded sideways. The bottom is the far left of the passenger side headlight.

 

[rtsittner]

Replaced the OEM High Beams w/ LEDs

New 2016 Platinum owner here! We just picked up our Ruby Red gem on New Year's eve. Spent New Year's reviewing this site for the latest information. I have to admit - the high beams are a bit lacking the oomph needed for our Whidbey Island rural roads. I had a pair of 9005 LEDs in the garage and swapped them out this afternoon.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2um9klh8m...f=e&n=81190312&preview=9005+LED+Headlight.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yx0jt8780vp358f/IMG_1726.JPG?oref=e&n=81190312&preview=IMG_1726.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ke8e1etgua2uz7/IMG_1728.JPG?oref=e&n=81190312&preview=IMG_1728.JPG

They match the color of the LED low beams perfectly!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jbbkv7jbisbeb53/IMG_1722.JPG?oref=e&n=81190312&preview=IMG_1722.JPG

Not the best picture, but you can see that the color of the Low/High combination are matched and the LED High Beams are REALLY BRIGHT.

The swap took about 30 minutes on each side. Simply because there is barely enough room for my hands to get to the bulbs. The new LEDs have a big heat-sink, but everything fits into the housing with the rubber cover attached - JUST!

I really like the new ride and I am glad to be part of the forum.

 

[4FordFamily]

New 2016 Platinum owner here! We just picked up our Ruby Red gem on New Year's eve. Spent New Year's reviewing this site for the latest information. I have to admit - the high beams are a bit lacking the oomph needed for our Whidbey Island rural roads. I had a pair of 9005 LEDs in the garage and swapped them out this afternoon.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lokdib5uu...f=e&n=81190312&preview=9005+LED+Headlight.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yx0jt8780vp358f/IMG_1726.JPG?oref=e&n=81190312&preview=IMG_1726.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ke8e1etgua2uz7/IMG_1728.JPG?oref=e&n=81190312&preview=IMG_1728.JPG

They match the color of the LED low beams perfectly!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ceetp3slx...=e&n=81190312&preview=2016-01-02+16.50.58.jpg

Not the best picture, but you can see that the color of the Low/High combination are matched and the LED High Beams are REALLY BRIGHT.

The swap took about 30 minutes on each side. Simply because there is barely enough room for my hands to get to the bulbs. The new LEDs have a big heat-sink, but everything fits into the housing with the rubber cover attached - JUST!

I really like the new ride and I am glad to be part of the forum.

The photos aren't working

Try attaching them here or instead of posting the url attach them as an image (the yellow button with the mountain and sun on it).

Where did you get the 9005 LEDs you used?

 

[k9gold]

K9Gold,

What did you replace your high beams with? What is the bulb name? Did you just change the bulb or was it a kit? Also does it match the low beam color close, if so what did Kelvin did you end up with 4000K or 5000K? Thanks as I need to do something as I hate the look of it as I am **** to with lights. Just ordered all the bulbs to change our the interior and puddle lights.

I believe they are X16 Turbo brand, they are a cree. I purchased them at a local shop that was doing a hood and front end wrap for me. They were plug and play basically. They fit perfect and the dust cover fit over the fan. That is a problem with some of the LED's the fans are so big the dust cover won't fit over them. They are 5000K. I have never really looked at them to see how close the color is to the low beams. I'll try to remember to do that and let you know. Already changed my puddle lights and wow are they nice.

 

[sxepride]

RTSittner,

Yes please repost your pictures as they are not working.

K9Gold,

Would be great if you advise were you got them.

Through My search with the 9005 LEDS, seems their are several types..Example (http://www.vleds.com/bulb-type/headlights/9005-hb3/9005-lmz.html)

I thought maybe it was just a bulb you replace but what I have attached is the bulb and a transformer box. This correct? If someone could post a link to buy would be great. Thanks

 

[rtsittner]

Sorry about the bad links. I am trying to correct them now. I don't have the pics on-line and don't see a way to upload them to this thread. I am not getting any love from Dropbox...

I purchased my LEDs from VLEDs about 2 years ago. They are similar to the ones that sxepride listed in Post #30 . There is a small interface between the light and the connector, but as I mentioned, all the wiring and the interface all fit within the housing with the dust cover in place.

Randall

 

[rtsittner]

Links should be fixed...

Fingers crossed

 

[DubbsFaris]

Can you share what you replaced it with? I have a 16 platinum, and while I don't use language ever on a forum- there is no other word to describe the high beams but ****. I live out in the country and you can forget getting any illumination from the halogens. The LEDs outperform them, and are so much brighter, your vision can't pick up the wider field of projection over the output of the lows.

 

[HDJulie]

I'm interested as well. We, too, are in a hilly, rural area with winding roads & lots of deer & suicidal squirrels so I'd like to have the best high beams possible.

 

[sxepride]

Go to www.vleds.com and look at 9005 bulbs for headlights as end example. There are a few different types to choose from. Their are a lot of vendors and stores that sell them and VLED may tend to be on the higher price side.

 

[peterk9]

Sorry about the bad links. I am trying to correct them now. I don't have the pics on-line and don't see a way to upload them to this thread. I am not getting any love from Dropbox...

I purchased my LEDs from VLEDs about 2 years ago. They are similar to the ones that sxepride listed in Post #30 . There is a small interface between the light and the connector, but as I mentioned, all the wiring and the interface all fit within the housing with the dust cover in place.

Randall

Have you tried the 'Manage Attachments' function that would be below your post when creating a post? I use that all the time to transfer pics from my computer to my posts. As an 'Elite' member you should not have to use a 3rd party to post pictures.

Peter

 

[sxepride]

Go to www.vleds.com and look at 9005 bulbs for headlights as end example. There are a few different types to choose from. Their are a lot of vendors and stores that sell them and VLED may tend to be on the higher price side.

 

[peterk9]

Go to www.vleds.com and look at 9005 bulbs for headlights as end example. There are a few different types to choose from. Their are a lot of vendors and stores that sell them and VLED may tend to be on the higher price side.

One thing to keep in mind is that while the type of bulb will determine the amount of light that is output, it is the internal projector/reflector that determines how that light is distributed. The internal projector for a Halogen bulb is different from one designed for an HID bulb. While swapping bulbs will give you more light, it is not possible to obtain a precise focus. Never mind that it isn't really legal. A proper conversion exists of changing the internal projector in the housing to match the bulb that is being used. One of the main distributors on this site has even admitted the HID conversion kits are not DOT approved.

Peter

 

[peterk9]

I'm interested as well. We, too, are in a hilly, rural area with winding roads & lots of deer & suicidal squirrels so I'd like to have the best high beams possible.

Have you thought about adding a good set of driving lights for those times you may need them?

Peter

 

[HDJulie]

Have you thought about adding a good set of driving lights for those times you may need them?

Peter

Not sure what that means?