i just used the 3m kit on my 99 f250 to clean off the yellow foggy plastic. they look good now. i just want some brighter lights. i hear about hid's a lot. i dnt want to upgrade my whole lamp, just bulbs and maybe harness if it is necessary. what is the best combination and what do u guys recommend me going with??? im not really interested in blue light, i want white light.

 

I have the Silvania Ultra Silverstars. They are usually $40 at any auto parts store. I think it was the cheapest alternative, and I am very happy with mine. I have no desire to use anything else. I also clean my lenses about every year because of the yellowing.

 

Most brand name XENON bulbs will be a suitable improvement for most people.

I am currently running Hella XENON bulbs that I got for free from autoshepherd.com. They are a good improvement over my last bulbs with were very dim when I took them out. They usually run about $35. The Sylvania Silverstar ULTRAs are $49.99 here at Autozone and everywhere else I've looked.

 

I have HID's from Retro Solutions and love them.
BIG difference.

 

I'm interested in upgrading my lamps also... The Sylvania Silverstar Ultras aren't those obnoxious blue hued headlights, are they? They are a non-tinted bulb?

 

My HID's are a pure white 5000k.

 

so i think i will be going with 5000k or 6000k hids. i like how they are white. now which ones will go into my headlamp? is there a certain # that id's them? also, what will i need to switch over to 5000k or 6000k's and have everything work right?

 

Upgrading to the clear '02-'04 lenses would help too.

 

This is all you'd need to upgrade to HID's: HID Kits, BMW Aftermarket Bumpers & Lighting, DEPO - DDM Tuning

The bulb type you need is 9007. Just use the drop down menus to the right on that page to select the options you want in the kit. Keep in mind it's the holiday season, and DDMtuning is a popular place. I just ordered new bulbs from them at the beginning of the month, and they neglected to tell me they would be shipped directly from China instead of their store in California. Took about 3 and a half weeks to get my stuff.

 

I did an HID conversion in my 2003 Tacoma using a Hi/Lo beam combo bulb. The bulb had a servo that moved the bulb into the high beam position. They put out an incredible amount of light but the solenoids were noisy--you actually heard a thunk when you selected high beams. Also, the high beam indicator on the dash wasn't used in the conversion so you had to verify the position of the switch stalk to see if you were using high beams.

Does the F250 HID conversions solve these problems?

 

I believe if you opt for the Hi/Low beam 9007 HID bulbs, they have a dual filament like a regular halogen (which doesn't work very good according to what I've read) And some have one bulb that is moved by magnet when highs are switched on. Then there are the ones like you mention, a projector with a solenoid and a block plate that moves. This article explains the difference between some of the different types:Difference Between Single Beam, Hi/Low and Bi-Xenon HID : VVME.COM, Tattoo Kit, Xenon HID Kit, DVR Surveillance System & Projector

 

For the record, HID conversions are illegal.
For HID's to be safe, they have to be used in a reflector (headlamp assembly) designed for HID's.
US DOT legal reflectors designed for incandescent bulbs aim as much as 3% of the light output up into oncoming drivers eyes. This is a requirement so the headlights will light up overhead signs. Put an HID element in them, and that 3% is enough to seriously blind drivers. Blind drivers are far more likely to drift into your lane...

Reflectors designed for HID aim MUCH less upward. Something like 1%.

Another way to minimize is to use European reflectors. European standards strictly limit how much light is aimed up - to less than 1%, even for incandescent. Still technically illegal to convert, but not nearly as dangerous.

 

I just did the same thing with my '01 and I put in the Sylvania ULTRAS- (not the Silver stars) and it is really improved. There a was a $10 rebate for a 2 pack so the cost was $40. It was definately worth it. Also, mine were way out of adjustment so I really made some improvements.

 

There's always one who has to chime in with the "it's illegal" stuff. It's actually a pretty gray area. If you get pulled over for it, chances are, the officer is doing nothing more than fishing for something bigger. I've never been "blinded" by anyone using HID's in a halogen housing. I don't know about you guys, but when I see bright lights coming my way, I DON'T stare into them and blind myself, And they are only close enough to "blind" for a few seconds before they go by and are out of my vision. And in those few seconds, I can still see the lines on the road and not go drifting like an idiot into other lanes. If you do, then maybe you shouldn't be driving. And while you're taking a break from driving like an idiot, then take that opportunity to peruse through your states statutes and traffic code, then come tell me it's "illegal" According to the CRS (Colorado Revised Statutes) it simply states headlamps are required to be certain heights, and adjusted properly. There is no can't use this bulb in this housing crap! It also states that no more than 2 foglights are to be mounted on the front of a vehicle, but you don't see people busting ***** about the guy who has 4 mounted to his bumper or bull bar or wherever else do you?? No. Maybe in California it is illegal and the statute specifically states that, but in most others, it does not. Everytime someone posts about HID's, someone always has to come in and try to burst the poster's bubble. I'm quite frankly tired of it.


OP, if you get HID's, simply adjust them down a bit so as to minimize any light thrown upward, problem solved.

 

Last time I checked, federal laws still supercede state. Some LEO's may not be aware, but that does not change the technical legality.

NHTSA Cracks Down on Aftermarket HID Conversion Kits

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is targeting high-intensity discharge (HID) conversion kits for enforcement actions. NHTSA has concluded that it is impossible to produce HID conversion kits (converting a halogen system to HID) that would be compliant with the federal lighting standard, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108. The noncompliant kits frequently include a HID bulb, a ballast, an igniter, a relay and wiring harness adapters. The NHTSA believes this equipment presents a safety risk to the public since the kits can be expected to produce excessive glare to oncoming motorists. In one investigation, the NHTSA found that an HID conversion headlamp exceeded the maximum allowable candlepower by over 800%.

Under FMVSS No. 108 Section S7.7 (replaceable light sources), each replaceable light source for headlamps must be designed to conform to the dimensions and electrical specifications for the headlamp source it is intended to replace. For example, if an HID kit is marketed as replacing an H1 light source, then it must match the H1's wire coil filament size and location, the electrical connector size and location and the ballast design for use with an H1 light source (which is impossible since there is no ballast). Consequently, companies that are manufacturing HID light sources (e.g., D1S, D1R, D2S, D2R, 9500, etc�) with incandescent light source bases (e.g., H1, H3, H7, H8, H9, H11, H13, HB1, HB2, HB3, HB4, HB5, etc�) should be aware that this light source design would not be one that conforms to FMVSS No. 108, and could not be imported and sold in the United States without violating Federal law. (The importer is treated as the manufacturer and subject to the same fines and penalties that apply to a domestic manufacturer.)

NHTSA has also determined that a commonly used disclaimer "for off-road use only" has no legal meaning and is not recognized by the agency as the manufacturer, importer and retailer are not in a position to control use once a product has been sold. Any equipment offered for sale which is covered by FMVSS No. 108 (headlamps, taillamps, side markers, etc.) must comply with the standard.