My Raptor's lights lack umph. On a previous vehicle, an old Scout, I put in Hella housings with 80/100 halogens in it. They were amazing and negated any more lights. I think the Raptor looks awesome and don't want external light housings junking up the truck's lines so that's what I'd like to do.

I already know to power the big bulbs from the battery and use the factory wiring to run relays because the extra current is too much for the factory wiring and switches, but will the factory housings take the heat?

 

I think they'll handle the heat. I baked my last trucks headlights for 20 minutes at 200 degrees. I did melt the orange reflector
but I doubt you'll get close to that much heat.

 

That has been my biggest complaint on ford trucks I've been in or owned for years. I don't understand the R&D they do and leave the headlights to suck.

That being said, try the sylvania ultras first.

OSRAM SYLVANIA - SilverStar ULTRA

 

I'll give them a shot. It really helped to adjust them up some too. Perhaps I won't need to blow cash where it's not needed. Thanks

 

Of course, they aren't street legal, can lead to you receiving a citation, and can lead to people flashing their bright lights at you... they restrict the output power of headlights for a reason. You may be able to see better, but if you blind the guy coming head-on at you at 140mph closure (70MPH * 2) on the dark two-lane road and he can't see the center line and strikes you head on, you're going to die (most likely)... your ultra-bright headlights didn't do you much good.

 

I wouldn't bother. I tried them in my 05 SD. Made no difference. I still have the bulbs but haven't bothered to install them in my F150 yet. I did install some Acura hid projectors in my SD and they were awesome and I never
got flashed. After I leveled my F150 I got flashed non stop. So you can safely increase your trucks light output as long as it is properly directed.

 

The Hella housings that I had 80/100s in had an awesome division on the low beam. Properly adjusted, they didn't get into oncoming traffic's eyes.

 

You installed the ultra's and noticed no difference? Huh, funny, I've got two co works w/ 08 F-350 Lariats and they swapped to the Ultras and noticed a huge difference. The color difference alone adds to night visibility. Ford does need to get their headlight program on track. EVERY ford SUV / Truck I've driven has had crappy lights. I don't understand why they can't get something as simple as a headlight right. From this thread and many others I'd say I'm not alone on that statment.

 

Save your money on silverstars and get philips ultra crystals instead from bulbs.com.....way better....and i've had both.


That said....i put a set of hid's in my families honda accord a few weeks ago and they're frickin amazing....no glare...and properly aimed they never get flashed for being too bright.....i'm about to get a set for my truck.... retro-solutions.com

 

Do you have any pictures of your projector swap....also any info on where you got the projectors...price....ect?

 

Well, I have no experience with the newer half ton lights but I'll stick up for ford in that I have been very happy with their lights in many trucks. I used to even say ford had the best headlights on the road back in the 90's... the mid 90's models were incredible compared to everything else. My dad even said he would rarely ever use his high beams because the lows were so

 

The housings would maybe be fine, it is the connectors to and on the bulb that are for sure a problem. The 9008 bulbs have tiny terminals that will overheat fairly easily. Even upping the voltage on stock wattage bulbs (with a relay system and pulling power straight from the battery) has been known to melt the connector.

I am running the 9008 Silvania Xtravisions, they are a bit brighter than stock, but not too much. I recommend staying away from the blue tinted (even lightly tinted like the silverstars) bulbs as they tend to be terrible in the wet IMO.

 

I just realized my last post got chopped off somehow. I wrote like 3 long paragraphs! Oh well, I aint gonna bother trying to remember it all now.

 

I paid $500 for used bulbs, projectors, and ballasts on eBay. They were from an Acura tl. I followed laxplaya21s thread on the install in the super duty section. I posted some over there with pics.

Check out hidplanet. It's a site like this one but lights only.

 

It's possible that my truck already had upgraded bulbs as I bought it with 44k on it. The ultras may have been a slight improvement, but my expectations were high. The lights just didn't meet my needs. I drive over a curvy, critter-filled, mountain road regularly. There is little traffic, but elk, moose, and deer are common.