Dim headlights!
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 192
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Hold on: 99-01 headlights are different from 02-04 headlights?
It is true that I went from sealed beams to 01 headlights and the improvement was MUCH less than I hoped. Next step, LED 9007s, putatively 15k lumens (right, it'll be 3k on a good day).
It is true that I went from sealed beams to 01 headlights and the improvement was MUCH less than I hoped. Next step, LED 9007s, putatively 15k lumens (right, it'll be 3k on a good day).
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,782
Likes: 2,142
From: N.GA Mountains
Drop in LED’s mostly SUCK for actually putting light down the road. They scatter the light annoying other drivers and sacrificing your safety by not projecting as far as a good halogen in a good lens.
The best light is ‘02-04 lenses with a relay harness and HELLA or Optilux 100/80 watt bulbs. This is about a $200 upgrade that will make you smile every time you drive after dark.
www.rallylights.com builds a nice relay harness.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 192
Likes: 6
Understood ref. headlights, thank you.
Regarding actual bulbs, I'll try a few things. High beams are all about the amount of light you can put out, low beams are supposed to have a cutoff which.. well. Isn't even currently NECESSARY because the amount of light that is coming out but that otherwise should be defined enough to keep other drivers from swearing too much (though with US spec headlights this is never the case no matter what, unfortunately). It is true that there are a lot of crappy LED lights out there.
As far as annoying other drivers furthermore, as someone who usually drives cars that see the brake calipers of Super Dutys out the side window, rest assured that the annoyance is entirely independent of what bulb you actually have in your lights
Regarding actual bulbs, I'll try a few things. High beams are all about the amount of light you can put out, low beams are supposed to have a cutoff which.. well. Isn't even currently NECESSARY because the amount of light that is coming out but that otherwise should be defined enough to keep other drivers from swearing too much (though with US spec headlights this is never the case no matter what, unfortunately). It is true that there are a lot of crappy LED lights out there.
As far as annoying other drivers furthermore, as someone who usually drives cars that see the brake calipers of Super Dutys out the side window, rest assured that the annoyance is entirely independent of what bulb you actually have in your lights
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,782
Likes: 2,142
From: N.GA Mountains
No, it is straight up rude to run ‘most’ drop in LED bulbs. They are *more* annoying than just being below the cutoff line of DOT spec bulbs and lenses. They also fail to project light as far down the road.
I strongly encourage you not to be one of those *******s and have provided choices that provide more usable light for you without being a dick to everyone else on the road.
You can find lenses like I posted above for under $50/pair - this with the bulbs you have now is a significant improvement. Add Silverstars or relay harness and higher wattage bulbs for all the light you need - without being an *******.
I strongly encourage you not to be one of those *******s and have provided choices that provide more usable light for you without being a dick to everyone else on the road.
You can find lenses like I posted above for under $50/pair - this with the bulbs you have now is a significant improvement. Add Silverstars or relay harness and higher wattage bulbs for all the light you need - without being an *******.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 192
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Jason,
thank you for the advice. Not being a complete idiot, I will make sure that the beam pattern makes sense before venturing out on the road. I will add more emphatically, just so that you're aware, that the 80/100W bulbs indeed put out more light - including right into the face of oncoming drivers, which is unavoidable with DOT-cutoff headlights. I have been on the opposite side of this more times than I care to remember, as I mentioned.
Will report back with results. In the meantime, I did secure a pair of 'updated' headlights and I'm playing with a scope to figure out voltages.
Les, you do have a point, but if the rear sags, the headlights would point further out. Shocks, BTW, do not affect ride height in static terms, though you do make a very good point that I should check the geometry of the headlights anyways, possibly with the diagram that (used to?) be on Daniel Stern's site. As I said, this is going to be a work in progress - I have driven this truck 500 miles last weekend by happenstance, but 99.95% of trips will be in a 10 mile radius to the lumber distributor, Home Depot, etc.
thank you for the advice. Not being a complete idiot, I will make sure that the beam pattern makes sense before venturing out on the road. I will add more emphatically, just so that you're aware, that the 80/100W bulbs indeed put out more light - including right into the face of oncoming drivers, which is unavoidable with DOT-cutoff headlights. I have been on the opposite side of this more times than I care to remember, as I mentioned.
Will report back with results. In the meantime, I did secure a pair of 'updated' headlights and I'm playing with a scope to figure out voltages.
Les, you do have a point, but if the rear sags, the headlights would point further out. Shocks, BTW, do not affect ride height in static terms, though you do make a very good point that I should check the geometry of the headlights anyways, possibly with the diagram that (used to?) be on Daniel Stern's site. As I said, this is going to be a work in progress - I have driven this truck 500 miles last weekend by happenstance, but 99.95% of trips will be in a 10 mile radius to the lumber distributor, Home Depot, etc.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,712
Likes: 107
From: BoCoMo
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