Which Headlight HID Kit??? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Which Headlight HID Kit???

Powder09

Elite Explorer
Joined
August 9, 2014
Messages
31
Reaction score
2
City, State
Proctorville
Year, Model & Trim Level
2015 Explorer Sport
I have a 2015 Ford Explorer Sport and having been searching for a good headlight hid kit. Which kit are you guys running and are you satisfied with them?
 



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Diode Dynamics is great. I'd recommend them. I know theres other suggestions in the HID sticky thread.

Note - expect a rash of posters who own a limited with HIDs or paid for a full retrofit to claim that the HID bulb upgrades are satan incarnate. Most have never actually compared in person, and are jealous that you can get headlights on par with theirs for a fraction of the price.
 






The previous poster is right on target in that you are likely going to open up a huge can of discussion here, the vast majority of which has already been posted on another thread. In fact, it's kind of obvious you posted this without really doing a search, so expect people to point you in other directions.

I will tell you from personal experience, I have tried a kit from DDM Tuning, Kensun and most recently, The Retrofit Source.

My opinion is that DDM Tuning is worthless overseas junk. I had major issues with the quality of the bulb and the light pattern.

Kenson I was pleased with, but they, or at least my kit, wired directly from the bulb source and sporadically I would have one light not kick on until I manually turned the knob off and back on.

The Retrofit Source, again, my opinion, is hands down the best of any kit I have seen for this vehicle and/or my last two where I also did HID kits. The entire kit airs on the side of high quality components, wiring, connectors, etc. I liked them so much that I just went back and spent the same money again to get new LED fog lights.

Since I have owned them and daylight savings time is changing, I am getting in more night driving and I have to say I am extremely pleased. It is a night and day difference over previous kits and I would not hesitate recommending them to anyone.
 






The previous poster is right on target in that you are likely going to open up a huge can of discussion here, the vast majority of which has already been posted on another thread. In fact, it's kind of obvious you posted this without really doing a search, so expect people to point you in other directions.

I will tell you from personal experience, I have tried a kit from DDM Tuning, Kensun and most recently, The Retrofit Source.

My opinion is that DDM Tuning is worthless overseas junk. I had major issues with the quality of the bulb and the light pattern.

Kenson I was pleased with, but they, or at least my kit, wired directly from the bulb source and sporadically I would have one light not kick on until I manually turned the knob off and back on.

The Retrofit Source, again, my opinion, is hands down the best of any kit I have seen for this vehicle and/or my last two where I also did HID kits. The entire kit airs on the side of high quality components, wiring, connectors, etc. I liked them so much that I just went back and spent the same money again to get new LED fog lights.

Since I have owned them and daylight savings time is changing, I am getting in more night driving and I have to say I am extremely pleased. It is a night and day difference over previous kits and I would not hesitate recommending them to anyone.

I have done many searches and read a lot of post on here. I was just wanting to know what others were using and if they were happy with them. Thanks for the reply too.
 






I have a 2015 Ford Explorer Sport and having been searching for a good headlight hid kit. Which kit are you guys running and are you satisfied with them?

Just like you I picked up a 2015 Sport, but was immediately disappointed with the headlamp performance. I did a bunch of browsing, and decided to try the php route first as opposed to a complete headlamp retrofit.

I can tell you for $150, I am very satisfied with my purchase. I'm sure the retrofit with new projectors would have given more performance, but I didn't feel like dropping the extra cash.

I went through the retrofit source for my kit. I received the kit quickly, and found the installation to be very simple.
 






Diode Dynamics is great. I'd recommend them. I know theres other suggestions in the HID sticky thread.

+1 for Diode Dynamics! They're super bright, clean, and make a huge difference. My only negative comment is that they take a long time to warm up to full brightness, maybe 10 seconds.
 






Powder09, there are several threads on HID conversions. All conversions will result in brighter lighting but the only proper way to do it involves also changing the internal reflector in the housing since the reflectors are designed for the type of bulb that was installed at the factory.
Good luck.

Peter
 






Let me start with, I pick up my 2015 Sport tomorrow so I only know what I read, but I thought all sports come with HIDs? I am leaving a 2013 SHO to come to the sport but my SHO had the factory HIDs. I didn't like the yellow 4300k look, so I swapped the D3s bulbs for 6000k DDM bulbs. It was really hard to do without removing the whole front bumber cover but I managed to do, and unfortunately became a pro because 3 times the passenger side burned out and I had to replace it. DDM warranties the bulbs, but that doesn't help when your out a headlight driving around. I had a set of cheap ebay bulbs on hand for backup.

I was hoping to change the Sport to 6000k. I have the 401 package and assumed it had HIDs. If it does, has anyone swapped the bulbs and what size bulbs are they? The downside to D3S is they have a built in 35w ballast. I prefer 55w. Ideally I'd like to put LED replacements in the foglights with 6000k headlights.
 












Sports don't have HID. I know, lame.

Ordered up the kits, the money I saved transferring my LMS tuner is going to the HID kit and I went LED for the foglights. Expensive, but it will look damn good!
 






in a few weeks...im going to have these for sale. I am replacing them with a color changing option. I was very pleased with the results.

20140921_093821.jpg


20140920_211552.jpg
 






in a few weeks...im going to have these for sale. I am replacing them with a color changing option. I was very pleased with the results.

20140921_093821.jpg


20140920_211552.jpg

PM sent
Thanks!
 






I have the Retrofit Source kit on my '13 sport. I opted for the morimoto ballasts. They do have a lifetime warranty, which I did have to use since the ballasts would not fire up frequently. I would have to cycle the switch 4-5 times to get them to fire. However, my replacements are working fine. If I were to do it again I recommend spending the little extra and getting an OEM ballast(Denso).

If you really want amazing lights and are handy, go with Hella EVOX-R projectors and D2S bulbs. I have this setup now and it blows away the stock projectors. Night and day comparison comapred to stock with HIDs. The projectors are a bolt in replacement to the stock ones but it is a pain to crack open the headlight and replace them.
 






Chiming in on this thread to bring it alive since 2014, what's everyone running for HID kits now? Are you doing the 55w kit or 35w?
 






502 Performance in Apalachin NY just changed my 15 sport halogens to Diode Dynamics.. AMAZING AMAZING!!!!! Brandon did super clean job, the lights are beyond super.

My beams and cutoffs are CLEAN and tight as they should be and I think better than the OEM lights.. I light up the night. even on the worst rainy nights have been super..

Thanks Brandon.
 






Did you change out the projectors as well?
 






No sir.. despsite all the non-supportive points here we did not change projectors. I elected to have Brandon try the kit first and see if it was needed.. Not changing the projectors!! Its perfect and infact better than halogens..We have solid cutoffs, excellent directional lighting 502 siad he installed the bulbs a specific way which makes the difference for focus.
 






Installed the bulbs a specific way? Can you elaborate?
 






Why HID bulbs should not be put in a housing designed for Halogen.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html
http://www.my-gti.com/734/retrofitting-xenons-hid-lighting-to-reflector-housings
http://www.evolutionm.net/forums/04...-why-hid-s-don-t-belong-halogen-housings.html
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/knowitall/hidprojectors.html/
The 'kits' are also not DOT approved for 'On Road Use' which in itself should say something as well as the fact that they use different OEM housings.

Peter
 



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