HID headlight conversion questions

I am completely in the dark ( no pun intended ) about HID lighting.

I am interested in converting my 9007 lights ( in diamond clear housing ) to HID.

What I would like to know:

(1) what is the best way to do this?
(2) What are the costs that I am looking forward to?
(3) What is involved in this project?
(4) Do I have to modify the headlight housing?
(5) What is the best color temperature?

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

 

[Bill Kemp]

1. I dont know that there is a consensus on what is best. You can either add/retrofit projector headlights to your present housings or just replace your headlight bulb w/a HID bulb (connected to a ballast ect.)(Conversion kit)
There are pros & cons to each. First question to you is: Do you want to have High beams as well as the HID low beams? Answer that & we'll go from there.

2. Projectors=$400 to 600?? Bullb conversion kits $150 to 300 Name brand (Phillips, Hella ect.) are more $ but usually better quality.

3. Not much if doing the conversion kit since you already have a harness. You plug the connectors that now plug into your headlight bulbs into the ballasts. Ballasts are connected to the new HID headlights bulbs & you just change bulbs. It gets a little more involved if you have HID high beams also but, not much.

4. Just depends on the type of lights you use. Projector=yes. Conversing kit=no.

5. 4300K It is what ALL OEM put in their lights and IMO the best to see with.

Heres a link that explains some HID http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31997 Also a pretty good site.

 

[hunterdan]

If I were to do it all over again, I would go with a quality BiXenon kit, preferably from a reputable dealer. I would not go with the cheap ebay kits again, though some may be better than others. If your just doing a plug and play kit, its easy, just replace the bulbs and hook the connectors up accordingly, no harder than installing the upgraded harness that you have. As Bill mentioned, 4300K seems to be the best for pure light output. You can clearly tell that I have HIDs and not halogens, but they are white with a tiny tint of blue. This color really seems to relect off of road signs really well. I recently aimed my lights a bit higher than what they were with regular halogens and it made a world of a difference in what I could see, and I have not been flashed yet. I am happy with them, but I would spend the extra money on a quality set and I would go with a Bixenon kit to gain the highbeam back. I am not too familiar with the projector assemblies, so I can not comment on them. Good luck with your decision, and if you get a quality kit, you will not be disappointed.

Dan

 

[aldive]

Thanks guys.

Bill, yes, I want both low and hi beam.

 

[Bill Kemp]

Sorry I couldnt get back to you sooner. I dont know of any reliable high/low 9007 HID system other than going with a projector retrofit.
There may and probably are some good 9007 type but I have never heard of one. Probably why I dont have HID on the Merc.
I do have HID projectors on the Cadillac and prefer the lights on the Merc to the Cads. Projectors do limit your field of vision.

 

[aldive]

I would like opinions on what HID conversion kit to purchase.

Thanks ....

 

[shortstack]

theirs not too many good ones that do the bi-xenons

 

[Mr. Logger]

http://www.xlsperformance.com/truck_hid_kitB.htm

This is the kit I have. Made a world of difference. 4300K is the way to go. Brightest by far.

 

[shortstack]

^^^^ you can get that same kit off ebay for like $150 but anyways........
i like the 6000k when you look at it it has a slight blue tint but on the road looks white, theirs only a 300 lumen difference between 4300k and 6000k.
here are some pics of Bi-xenon in clear diamond headlights
hi

low

just pics

here's a good thread to look at
http://explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199156

 

[Mr. Logger]

That's where I got mine, was eBay.

 

[Bill Kemp]

i like the 6000k when you look at it it has a slight blue tint but on the road looks white, theirs only a 300 lumen difference between 4300k and 6000k.

Dont want to start a pissen match but, in the rain on a dark night there is a big difference between 4300K & 6000k.
Plus the older you are the less your eyes can pick up blue light. That has something to do with the amount and time your eyes have been exposed to sun light. All of which may be why ALL Oem is 4300K.

 

[shortstack]

mine do pretty good in the ran i can actually see the light on the road a little bit as compared to stock i couldn't see nothing

 

[aldive]

Bill is right on about the 43oo k.

What kit would you recommend, Bill?

 

[Bill Kemp]

I would not recomend any HID set.
Reasons being: Loss of high beams. 9007 bulb conversion is one of, if not the worst "glare monster" bulbs. Very unfriendly to oncomming drivers. No "name brand" kits for hi/low 9007 bulbs.
The HID conversion is best done with the projector type retrofit.
With projector beams I think you need really good fog type lamps to illuminate the areas that the projectors dont illuminate. And driving lights to fill in the high beams.
After you upgrade your fogs & driving/hi beams lights you will find that the HIDs do little for your on the road visibility.
The areas that they, HIDs , light up are much brighter but because of the brightness, those areas are smaller.
Yes, I'm ready to hear a lot about IMO but there it is.....

 

[aldive]

I did ask for your opinion .....

How do you suggest upgrading the fog lamps? What about the driving lights?

Thanks, your opinion is always welcomed by me.

 

[Bill Kemp]

A bull/push/what ever you call it type bar with driving lights (PIAA80) on top and Fog (PIAA80) on botton would be a dream IMO.
I have large openings for fogs on the Merc (that I trimed even larger) and a grill that allowed me to put the PIAA 80s behind it. For fogs I have Catz Lights (discontinued in US) that do an amazing job lighting the sides & foreground.
If I had your bumper style I would consider enlarging the fog openings to accept a much larger light. 5 or 6 In. Diam. And put some PIAAA 1500 driving lights in the grill. You could also put some Hella FF style fog lights in your lower grill opening.

 

[shortstack]

I would not recomend any HID set.
Reasons being: Loss of high beams. 9007 bulb conversion is one of, if not the worst "glare monster" bulbs. Very unfriendly to oncomming drivers. No "name brand" kits for hi/low 9007 bulbs.
The HID conversion is best done with the projector type retrofit.
With projector beams I think you need really good fog type lamps to illuminate the areas that the projectors dont illuminate. And driving lights to fill in the high beams.
After you upgrade your fogs & driving/hi beams lights you will find that the HIDs do little for your on the road visibility.
The areas that they, HIDs , light up are much brighter but because of the brightness, those areas are smaller.
Yes, I'm ready to hear a lot about IMO but there it is.....

i have the "no name brand" HIDS and they are way better then stock bulbs in clears and stock housing mine are the 9007 bi-xenon i have never been flashed when they were correctly aimed in stock housing and diamonds, the only problem i ahve with them is the cut off line but thats not that big of a deal

 

[mechjames]

is there a difference between the 9007 and the 9004 kits? I'd like to convert my explorer to HID

 

[aldive]

Installed my 9007 conversion HIDs today ( http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210647 ).

 

[Mr. Logger]

You'll love them. Greatest thing since sliced bread.