E-Code headlights can be installed in place of the aero headlights, but only by downgrading (in my opinion, its UPgrading) to the rectangular headlight buckets of the XL model. Replace the standard 6054 sealed beams with H4 bulb enclosures from Cibie or Bosch, upgrade the stock wiring with a harness kit (APC makes 'em or you can brew your own) and you can run 80/100 watt headlights with tight beam and strict cutoff. Far better, safer, more controlled beam projection, and no one ever flashes you on low-beam (ie less glare for oncoming drivers).
If yor talking about the APC lights........there was a thread some months ago about them....from what I remember, not to many had good things to say about them.
Lots of places to get the APCs from, but they take some hacking of the support area to make fit. Might try to update to the 2002 up clear headlights and add some Silverstars and a harness. IF you are going for looks, there are alot better choices out there in my opinion then the APCs. IF you are wanting to change the look, do some searches for the 05 front end updates.
The APC wiring harness will work. Its a good harness. I just now got one from suvlights.com. Its also a good piece to take a look at. They are simple to install and work great. Plus add a diode and you can have your highs and lows on at the same time. You can also do a search for Brite Box.
E-Code headlights can be installed in place of the aero headlights, but only by downgrading (in my opinion, its UPgrading) to the rectangular headlight buckets of the XL model. Replace the standard 6054 sealed beams with H4 bulb enclosures from Cibie or Bosch, upgrade the stock wiring with a harness kit (APC makes 'em or you can brew your own) and you can run 80/100 watt headlights with tight beam and strict cutoff. Far better, safer, more controlled beam projection, and no one ever flashes you on low-beam (ie less glare for oncoming drivers).
The stock Ford headlights dearly suck.
Alabamatoy....do you have the part numbers for the XL conversion? Do you like Cibie & Bosh better than Hella? Have you done the conversion?
My stock lights suck in my 99.5 F350 CC. I was thinking of changing to the 03-04 style but I don't think they can match the light output and beam cutoff of the Hella h4 style light. I have Hella h4 90/100s in my 1956 GMC that I drove everyday for over 10 years and the light output is truly awesome.
I am a little worried about the look though. I might paint the bezels white. Does anyone have any pictures with the XL lights and a chrome grill?
Alabamatoy....do you have the part numbers for the XL conversion?
No. I did mine by swapping off with another truck. There are a bunch of peculiar little screws, and clips and springs that you gotta have to make it work.
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Originally Posted by StoneTower
Do you like Cibie & Bosh better than Hella?
Yes....well....let me qualify that....I have the Hellas on my off-road rig and I *had* the Bosch on my 2000 SD (which I have sold). I havent had the Cibie. Daniel Stern has good info on both of these.
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Originally Posted by StoneTower
Have you done the conversion?
Yes. I did it on my 2000 F250 SD.
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Originally Posted by StoneTower
Does anyone have any pictures with the XL lights and a chrome grill?
Thanks for the link Floorshow.....never seen a right hand drive F350 before.
Alabamatoy....I have a few more questions.
I have experience with the hella lights.
1. Why would you choose the Cibie or Bosch over the Hella? The Hella headlights I have in my 1956 have glass lenses and metal backs. Some of the other brands I have seen are plastic. Hella has a nice cutoff also (but I have not seen the Bosch or the Cibie). Hella does cost more than some of the others.
2. I have a friend (the one who encouraged me to put the Hella lights in my 1956 so many years ago) (who also happens to work for Ford) and he tells me that the 200mm headlight design is very poor and that even with a Hella unit, I would not get the light output of a 2003/2004 composite headlight with Silverstar bulbs. He says that the size of the reflector is smaller in the 200mm units. Do you have any opinion? Personally, I find it hard to believe that a Hella type unit (glass lenses & metal reflector) would not put out more controlled light especially of I was to put in 80/100 bulbs.
3. I have now found the parts online to do the swap. Did you need to change the plastic pannel that everyting screws into? Are the parking lights the same as with the composite headlights?
I was considering doing the same type of swap on my 03 SD XL cause the lights suck. My old 92 has excellent headlights. I was considering going with pilot motorsports lamps with 55/100 (white) bulbs. ANy problems with running stock wiring, as I do not want to change it.
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2003 F250 SD 4X4 5.4L 4:10 Arizona Beige
1987 Mustang GT
09 Challenger RT
A bunch of motorcycles, other cars, and a Quad.
1. Why would you choose the Cibie or Bosch over the Hella?
My main reason is just poor construction of the Hellas. The sealing mechanism on the back of the Hellas is really lousy - there is dried mud inside the enclosures of my Hellas. The Bosch had a much more positive sealing design. Also, the beam pattern on the Bosch seemed much better to me.
Daniel Stern told me in an email that Hella used to be good quality stuff, now its all chinese made and generally poor quality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StoneTower
2. I have a friend (the one who encouraged me to put the Hella lights in my 1956 so many years ago) (who also happens to work for Ford) and he tells me that the 200mm headlight design is very poor and that even with a Hella unit, I would not get the light output of a 2003/2004 composite headlight with Silverstar bulbs. He says that the size of the reflector is smaller in the 200mm units. Do you have any opinion?
I dont know - I have no experience with new ones. I do know that Mr. Stern will probably have run detailed technical tests on these things or else his company was probably involved in the design of them. I keep mentioning this guy - here's his website: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/
Excellent source of info and debunking of hype from the manufacturers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StoneTower
Personally, I find it hard to believe that a Hella type unit (glass lenses & metal reflector) would not put out more controlled light especially of I was to put in 80/100 bulbs.
I may be misunderstanding your point....but...If the enclosure is not designed for the higher wattage, you are going to have some kind of failure or fire. And YOU MUST upgrade the wiring harness to support the higher wattage bulbs. The problem with the non-H4 bulb design (eg the stock Ford XLT+ headlight) is that the connectors simply wont handle the higher current required by the higher wattage. Despite what PIAA and some other companies are saying, you CANNOT improve the light output of incandescent bulbs without increasing the current draw.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StoneTower
I have now found the parts online to do the swap. Did you need to change the plastic pannel that everyting screws into? Are the parking lights the same as with the composite headlights?
The plastic bucket must be swapped as part of the changeout, along with all the adjusters, springs, catches, clips and snap-in threaded nut fastener dooo-hickeys. There are three main parts (if I recall correctly) - the bucket, the shroud around the light, and the sealed beam encosure itself - and then about a dozen little odds and ends pieces like I said. The parking lights are the same.
I was considering doing the same type of swap on my 03 SD XL cause the lights suck. My old 92 has excellent headlights. I was considering going with pilot motorsports lamps with 55/100 (white) bulbs. ANy problems with running stock wiring, as I do not want to change it.
Bear in mind that you dont CHANGE the stock wiring, you just use it to throw relays, which power the headlights through stouter (lower guage) wiring which runs directly off the battery. The H4 harness is $30 from Summit Racing, and is nearly a direct plug-in. Upgrading the stock wiring this way, even keeping the bulbs the same, will result in better lighting because the headlights are seeing a higher amperage (less loss than through the itty-bitty stock wiring).
I dont know what type enclosures/bulbs or sealed beams the 92 has.
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Euro Headlights for F250
