Aftermarket Lighting

[hu_u]

So I've stumbled upon this forum awhile ago and have been trying to figure out what kind of setup I should run on my 2nd gen Explorer. I'm deciding on whether getting a retrofit HID kit to fit into a euro spec set of headlights, or buying the halogen projectors and swapping an HID kit in them. I've scanned over a lot of threads on here trying to decide on which would give me the most light output. Or if there are any other options that you can suggest to me I'd appreciate it.
thanks

Just a few pictures to show what I'm running

http://puu.sh/167B9

http://puu.sh/167BF

http://puu.sh/167Bl

http://puu.sh/167BN

http://puu.sh/167AP

Edit: There are a lot of different set ups that people have on their Ex's that I really like, but I'm not sure if there is one in preticular that I should look into to produce the most light output.

 

[Peck]

i am ordering a whole set that is projector and HID

 

[66427]

Gotta link?

 

[Peck]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400372737778?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

 

[hu_u]

Those look pretty nice, post pictures of them on when you get them please


Edit: still open for suggestions

 

[pbnj22]

Any update?.. i am in the same boat as you here.. i got hid bulbs 6000k in stock housings and i wish i would have done more research before.. i think i am gonna get a projector for hids like your picture... is that what you got? are you happy?

 

[J_Train]

Black non projector headlamp assemblies, sorry mine are dirty in the pic

 

[Jason c]

I'm not sure if there is one in preticular that I should look into to produce the most light output.

This will produce way better light then the one piece headlights:
Morimoto Mini H1 4.1 Bi-xenon Projectors from http://www.theretrofitsource.com/ and Crystal Headlights from ebay.
Had the one piece and then went to retro fit set.

One piece light:

And the retro fit:

Here is mine:

 

[J_Train]

That's what i want to do, how much did it cost?

 

[Jason c]

That's what i want to do, how much did it cost?

I bought them on their black friday sale about a year ago and got 20 percent off.

The full kit: Dead Link Removed

or just the projector: Dead Link Removed

It looks like you already have the right headlights for the install.

Here is my build thread when I did mine: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=342516

 

[J_Train]

cool thanks.

 

[pbnj22]

jASON_C i am a little confused, in your pictures it looks like the one piece is brighter and puts out more light but in your post you state that the retrofit is better and has more light output. the top pic is the one piece correct? the more blue looking lights...
to me that is a more desireable light, i dont care much for that color but it seams to have way more light.

 

[FIND]

jASON_C i am a little confused, in your pictures it looks like the one piece is brighter and puts out more light but in your post you state that the retrofit is better and has more light output. the top pic is the one piece correct? the more blue looking lights...
to me that is a more desireable light, i dont care much for that color but it seams to have way more light.

No, those just make a hot spot in the middle and have a little stray light above the cutoff that is standard on US spec halogen lighting and most HID lights to light signs above the road.

The retrofit makes a better filled light. If you were looking at anything other than a picture of the lights a couple feet from a garage door, you would understand what he is talking about. They are also not exactly the same distance from the door. He was just trying to illustrate the inadequacies of the beam pattern. They should both be roughly equally bright, since the morimoto projector has a slightly better polished bowl and a slightly better lens, but they are both basically using the same bulb.

 

[Jason c]

No, those just make a hot spot in the middle and have a little stray light above the cutoff that is standard on US spec halogen lighting and most HID lights to light signs above the road.

The retrofit makes a better filled light. If you were looking at anything other than a picture of the lights a couple feet from a garage door, you would understand what he is talking about. They are also not exactly the same distance from the door. He was just trying to illustrate the inadequacies of the beam pattern. They should both be roughly equally bright, since the morimoto projector has a slightly better polished bowl and a slightly better lens, but they are both basically using the same bulb.

Yes, thank you. The one piece have a lot of glare above the cut-off line that make them look brighter. That is light that will never see the road, just the eyes of on coming drivers. They are also blotchy leaving a lot of dark spots on the road. The bottom retro fit is way brighter and more consistent light. They also look darker because they have no glare above the cut-off.

 

[J_Train]

if your going to use H.I.D.s please save your money and retrofit them. Jason C pic shows how much the light scatters and it is dangerous.

 

[FIND]

And his pics are from halogen projectors. Stock or even stock style halogen reflectors are WAY worse.

 

[blueka]

We have 2 Explorers at our house... both have aftermarket headlights and both run HID kits... however... I would like to say that the headlights on my truck are much better than the ones on the gf's truck...

Mine

Hers

Si

 

[pbnj22]

i really like your gfs grill and sideways ford emblem

 

[66427]

Let me ask, is there two lights on each side, a high and low beam?

In all these pictures, only the outer light is ever illuminated. Except the inner halo of course.

 

[blueka]

yeah, outers are low, inners are high...

I'm about to run a relay triggered by the high switch to keep the lows on....

Si