Wanted HELP! Looking for halo/projector or HID headlights.

Hey, Name's Jonathan and I'm brand new to this site and I have a 2004 ford explorer xlt. I want to change my front headlights. I was thinking that I want halo/projector lights, but just an actual kit that I can buy (I'm not car savy at all). Does anyone know if I can buy a pair of halo/projector/angel eyes headlights that are all clear/chrome housing and have blue or light blue lights? Or should I just buy some HID headlights? I'm not sure if I'm even posting this in the right direction for people to help me, but I'm hoping I am. Any help would be appreciated and info or input would be appreciated too. I have about a 200 dollar budget to spend on my lighting. PLEASE HELP!!!! Thank you so much for reading this and helping me, I truly appreciate it! Have a great day and good luck with all your explorer's! -Jonathan

 

[FIND]

No one makes an aftermarket projector headlight for your gen. Don't put HIDs in your stock housings, they suck, and they blind other drivers. If you want HIDs or projectors, save up your pennies and retrofit your headlights with HID projectors. There are several threads here, among other places, about doing that swap. If you shop around enough, you can even possibly find the pieces to do that retrofit within your budget, but you can buy retrofit kits in the $300-400 range.

 

[datdude727]

thanks for your response!

i found these on e-bay...is this something that I want more than HID kit? And is this a complete headlight set or just the rings or something like that? lol, sorry for being such a "noob" to this situation, I work as a nurse and literally know nothing about cars, im lucky i can pump my gas, lol. But anyways, i was thinking that these are what I want, but I'm not sure if they include housing or just the rings. And If i got these, would I need to upgrade my lighting (bulbs) to get the blue lights, or do they come with them? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!!!!! I TRULY APPRECIATE IT!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/02-05-Ford-...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item1c0827bec6

 

[FIND]

Those are just the rings. You need to take apart and modify your headlight housing to install those rings. Also, you wouldn't be upgrading your headlights by putting in blue lights. With normal vision, the most visible light is available to you in the 5000-6500k color temperature range, which is pretty much just a little above neutral to slightly blue white light. As your vision becomes more adapted to dark, the receptors in your eyes are less sensitive to light on the blue end of the spectrum, and therefore you want a lower color temperature of light for the best vision. Generally, it is agreed upon that 4200k is the best color temperature for those conditions, which is almost a neutral white. This is why OEM HID headlights use 4200 or 4500 k lights. They provide you with the most useable light and cause the least eye strain.

But, once again, let me stress that putting HID bulbs in your stock housings are a bad idea. The reflector optics are not designed for an HID bulb. The light source is in the wrong position, and the intensity is much higher than what they are designed for. This means that there is usually quite a bit of glare and scatter, which blinds other drivers, and creates artifacts of light in your field of vision that reduce your ability to see as far. The intensity of the foreground lighting will also hinder your ability to see, since your eyes have to adjust for bright lights. Worst of all, you do an extreme discourtesy to other drivers, who get to be blinded by the glare and scatter from your headlights.

I really wish I could help you more, and I am glad to hear you want to learn more about your vehicle. Please take time to view the third gen forums. They may give you ideas for other modifications or things you can do to personalize your car that may be more economical and more satisfying to you than overpriced modifications to your headlights. Good luck.

If you do still find yourself wanting to do the halo modification to your headlights, this thread offers a much lower cost way of doing it, and a walkthrough that you can follow so you can do it yourself, or at least make an informed decision whether or not it is a project you want to try yourself.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=374812

I know looking at that kind of thing, it looks kind of bad if you can see each led, but I assure you that unless you are close, you won't be able to. They will appear more like a continuous ring of light.