Here are the things that I have done headlight wise on my Ex. For those of you that want the 05 headlight BUT don't want to do any cutting you can go with these.
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Here is a pic with them installed


I also did HID bulbs and went with this set up

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I like the 4300 color temp. Very bright. The down side of these are the high beam is not bright. But the HID low beam to me is bright enuff that I do not use the high beam.

Now the non-cutting headlight setup is very nice. But since I like modding and CAN'T leave my truck alone I did the 05 headlight conversion
Here's a pic after I cut the header panel


and a pic with the 05 headlight installed


Now with the 05 headlight I had to get new HID's and this time I went with 5000 color temp. Nice N Bright But I think 4300 is a little brighter.
I will post a pic with the 5000 temp HID's soon

 

just for looks or did it actually make you see better at night? Most of the aftermarket HID conversions I've seen had really terrible light patterns and didn't actually help.

 

they may of had a terrible light pattern but i can say as a hid user there is a ton more light ... you can even ask the people who used my truck when there's dyed lol

 

And with a terrible light pattern and HIDs you are blinding oncoming traffic.

 

yeah but i also dont care as i would rather be seen and see .. vs not being seen and cant seeing.... call it motorcycle mentality ... but because i care a little i aimed then down a hair

 

You'll care a lot if you blind an oncoming car and they hit you head on...

 

I get so sick of people whining about other people using HID's. You are not going to blind people, they work great. You don't need projector housings, or anything else special. They work great in the factory housings. They don't have a terrible light pattern. Having put them in stock housing and seen before and after I do know. I bet most here regurgitating the same old crap have not even seen HID installed in our trucks.

If that bothers you then don't get them and stick with your dimmer factory spec bulbs, keep sucking the baby bottle, and well you get the idea... To some the earth will always be flat.

Flame away sissys!!!!

 

thank you! and btw the 02-04 SD/excursion headlights do a great job of directing the light with a decent cutoff(i've seen MUCH worse)

i run HIDs in all my trucks. i take alot of time in aiming each of them to not cause extra glare but keep my vision as good as i can get it. there are ALOT of people around here doing the same but not taking as much time to aim them(none at all) but they honestly dont bother me much? even when driving a car i dont have much of a issue. maybe its my young eyes or being used to it i'm not sure. but i know for the fact i have not been flashed in years.

 

What light bar and lights are you using on front? They look great. Thanks

 

Hid bulbs go in the same opening as the oem bulb and sit's in the same spot. The head light doesn't all of the sudden change the way it reflects the light. It's the same light that you had before you installed a HID. If you didn't like the light pattern of the HID in a factory headlight you shouldn't like the light pattern of oem bulb. It's just a more intense, brighter light. And as for blinding people....Look I have a excursion with 7" of lift. I drive it every day and have had HID's in it for about 2 years and since I have had them I may of been flashed a handful of times. If your BLINDING people, THERES a little thing on the back of the head light called a headlight adjustment screw....... That adjust the AIM of the light .... WOW

 

The HID FAQ Thread - Read before posting your questions - NASIOC

Please read this thread regarding the use of HID lighting. We were doing HID retrofits long before most people even knew what they were. Some of the posts in that thread can answer your questions and disspell some of the myths of HID usage. I, for one, do not support the use of plug-in-play kits that install into factory reflector beam housings for many of the same reasons mentioned above...but that's my opinion. Just don't blind me while i'm working because i will pull you over and give you a "coupon" for that illegal mod. hehe

 

Thanks for the info bigwhitetruck. I will stand behind my findings with my setup tho. I will try to get some pic up soon. And will do my best to stay away from your coupons.. heehee

 

I'd probably let you slide since you're part of the brotherhood and all... Haha!

 

FTE brotherhood is a good thing..

 

The mod looks great. Did you have to add a conversion harness to the headlights? I saw the one 05 headlight kit on ebay also included a harness change.