XL Headlight question
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2004
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XL Headlight question
A question regarding the headlights on the XL version of 2017+ Super Duty...it appears that ALL FOUR quadrants light-up low under low beam operation, and from what I saw today, it appears that ALL FOUR quadrants light up high under high beam operation, is this so? Are there really four low/high halogen bulbs on these vehicles?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2004
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Thanks, Troverman, maybe the vehicle I saw was weighed-down as all four appeared to be piercing. It was a utility truck straddling the yellow line facing traffic, all lights were serving as a warning, they all appeared to be on high...thanks again.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 10,118
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From: NH
I think it gives a unique look to these Fords. On trucks that came with LED headlights, only the top pair operate on low, and all 4 operate on high. But the halogen trucks always have the 4 beams lit, albeit only one pair operating on high beam filament on high. These lights perform better than the previous gen Super Duty lights, but could still be better.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2004
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Not sure if they do this, and not sure what Federal guidelines dictate, but four low beams could be put to good use lighting the shoulder and 'deer-watching' ( on the right side) ahead while still having the two others performing 'regular' low beam duty.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2013
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From: NH
Federal automotive safety regulations (DMVSS) allow for only four forward facing beams on low and two on high. This left many of us scratching our heads as to how Ford got approval for this design, since fog lamps count. On low beam, you would have 6 forward facing beams with fogs on. On high beam, that is why the fogs always go out on all vehicles. Of course, using the magic of the FORScan tool, many of us have (illegally) changed the coding to allow the fogs to remain on while high beam is operating.
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Laughing Gas
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Tuned
Joined: May 2017
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From: Mount Arlington, NJ
From what I read when this lighting scheme was announced, the halogen setup uses the same bulbs in all 4 positions but different lenses for throw. The lower two lamps have a short wide pattern and the upper two have a narrower distant throw. When combined, they provide more thorough illumination for both close and farther distances - like a more traditional 2-unit low beam but brighter to all areas. That was supposedly the loophole used to allow 4 low beams.
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Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2013
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From: NH
The thing is, all are illuminated at once. So you'd have high beams at all times if that was the case. When you switch to high beam, you can see a noticeable difference in one set of lenses (can't remember if upper or lower) while the other set just remain illuminated. So that means a high beam filament is lighting up. I agree all the bulbs may be the same dual filament design, but one set does not use the high beam filament.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2004
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That's interesting, KCJackson1...maybe it is all in the nomenclature, maybe the lensed left light bucket and the lensed right light bucket are considered to be TWO lights regardless of the number of bulbs...I looked up what troverman mentioned about the total number of lights allowed, perhaps the complete set of 'headlights' illuminated with all lows and half as many highs is considered to be two headlights...
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2017
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From: Wisconsin
Yep, mine does the same........and always has.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2004
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Thanks for the testing, it must be pretty impressive driving at night. I hope they don’t change it...as an aside, back in 1980 when I first had halogen sealed besns on a full size Ford wagon the ‘inner bulbs’ were 100% clear glass, they did not have the frosted metallic dip to block and reflect. They were very nice, that changed quickly, though, I never saw the clear inner bulbs again.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2018
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Federal automotive safety regulations (DMVSS) allow for only four forward facing beams on low and two on high. This left many of us scratching our heads as to how Ford got approval for this design, since fog lamps count. On low beam, you would have 6 forward facing beams with fogs on. On high beam, that is why the fogs always go out on all vehicles. Of course, using the magic of the FORScan tool, many of us have (illegally) changed the coding to allow the fogs to remain on while high beam is operating.