Replacing stock headlights with LED?
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 380
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They are that’s why his out put isn’t right if the the leds he got had the led “chips” in the same place that the halogen light would which is critical to them functioning properly and not blinding other drivers.
This is what I would recommend you do is decide which headlight housing you want if you want to upgrade to the 05-07 this would be the time and get one of these 2 lights that I’m going to link below.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 94
We have a 2004 with similar yellowed lenses. When you purchase new headlamps, they will come with halogen bulbs, perhaps some will have halogen running lights for cosmetic purposes. The new headlamps can use a single bulb for both high and low, or some can use one bulb for high, a different one for low.
Some headlamps use a projector style housing, some use a reflector style housing, some have both.
During research I was told (by the retailer) that LED bulbs are not a good option for projector type housings. The light source is not in the same location as th filament of a halogen bulb and the light pattern will be poor. LED bulbs work better in a reflector housing.
They recommended HID bulbs if you have a projector type housing.
In fitting new headlamps find the ones that have the style you like. Then figure out what type of reflectors they have. From there order bulbs in the size that fits the new housing. Wiring is next, instructions are usually poor but can be figured out, may need to purchase some additional adapters, unless you want to cut into a wiring harness.
Our housing has a projector for low beams, reflector for high beams, H1 bulbs in all locations.
We added Hid bulbs to the low beams, 6000k 55w, huge difference, nice beam pattern, good cut off. Very happy.
Some headlamps use a projector style housing, some use a reflector style housing, some have both.
During research I was told (by the retailer) that LED bulbs are not a good option for projector type housings. The light source is not in the same location as th filament of a halogen bulb and the light pattern will be poor. LED bulbs work better in a reflector housing.
They recommended HID bulbs if you have a projector type housing.
In fitting new headlamps find the ones that have the style you like. Then figure out what type of reflectors they have. From there order bulbs in the size that fits the new housing. Wiring is next, instructions are usually poor but can be figured out, may need to purchase some additional adapters, unless you want to cut into a wiring harness.
Our housing has a projector for low beams, reflector for high beams, H1 bulbs in all locations.
We added Hid bulbs to the low beams, 6000k 55w, huge difference, nice beam pattern, good cut off. Very happy.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,321
Likes: 250
From: North Texas
I am currently going through this process right now as well with my 02-04 lenses in hopes of gaining more light output. From what I have gathered, our reflective housings were made for halogens and throwing LEDs in a reflective housing scatters the light - as said above - like a flood light. The brightness appears impressive at first but LEDs in the older stock housings do not direct the light where you need it. I do not wish to upgrade housings, so it appears Philips X-treme Vision bulbs come highly recommended and may be what I end up trying. Those that run LEDs seem to like the higher end brand - Lifetime. I was tempted to try the slightly cheaper but well-reviewed Firewire sold by cpaddict.com or LasFit on Amazon but with the general complaints with LEDs of undesired light patterns, inferior performance in rain/snow, radio interference, and being bright-ed by oncoming traffic, I have been shying more and more away from LED.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 134
Likes: 6
From: Ohio
Boateguy,
“I used my factory housings, ordered a direct match up to stock bulb number from a company called opt-7, on amazon.
These lights utilize 2 large led elements instead of a bunch of little ones. You have to make sure they are oriented correctly on install, i.e. low beam on bottom. The only adjustment is you will have to adjust the factory housing up a little using the adjustment screws.
These lights take a little getting used to since you wont get the 2 pronounced beams that you are used to. More like a flood, but after a few night drives, you'll be glad you did it.”
Do you have the part number?
“I used my factory housings, ordered a direct match up to stock bulb number from a company called opt-7, on amazon.
These lights utilize 2 large led elements instead of a bunch of little ones. You have to make sure they are oriented correctly on install, i.e. low beam on bottom. The only adjustment is you will have to adjust the factory housing up a little using the adjustment screws.
These lights take a little getting used to since you wont get the 2 pronounced beams that you are used to. More like a flood, but after a few night drives, you'll be glad you did it.”
Do you have the part number?
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,389
Likes: 23
From: Central Texas
Not to hijack, but can i ask this question another way? ok 2...
1 What bulbs will work with the 99-04 housing, and are they better than stock?
2 which direction do they need clocked, or do they even need to be? i've never seen an LED bulb so have no idea if there's adjustment or not.
I've tried to follow a few threads on these and they always get into newer housings, etc, would love to hear from those that have successfully done it , rather than the hypothetical.
1 What bulbs will work with the 99-04 housing, and are they better than stock?
2 which direction do they need clocked, or do they even need to be? i've never seen an LED bulb so have no idea if there's adjustment or not.
I've tried to follow a few threads on these and they always get into newer housings, etc, would love to hear from those that have successfully done it , rather than the hypothetical.
2. The back of the bulb has alignment slots that only allow the bulb to go in one way. If any bulb doesn't have that, don't use it.
The reason the threads you've followed often get into new housings is because that's the only workable solution. And it costs a lot. Maybe an LED lightbar wired in parallel with your high beams would be a good $100 compromise. I have that on one of our trucks and it's a big improvement for small expenditure. I tried some expensive Sylvania halogen bulbs and whoops they are barely any better than the normal ones. They cost twice as much so are not worth it.
I know one guy who has good LED lamps, the whole assemblies, in his 05 X. When I see him again, I'll get the exact info and post it here. They were about $300.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,841
Likes: 6
^^^ not true the led will work and work well if you get the right ones that mimick the location of the halogen fiaments are they excat I don’t know but they are close enough to produce real world results. NOT the ones like boater guy used but the one last I linked in the first page of this thread or you will get a beam pattern basically identical to the factory pattern I and plenty of other guys on here are getting the same results. While the headlight housings in these trucks were made for halogen it is possible to get good results with led with out spending 300 bucks on bulbs. I’d be curious to know what they were though.
If you were to take I ride in my truck at night I think you’d be changing your tune, my results aren’t isolated either lots of us here are having awesome results with leds.
Not my experience at all with the beamtech/ auxbeam lights that I linked unless you consider the lights with the halogen bulb to be more of a flood pattern. I have a beam pattern that is virtually indentical to stock but brighter and whiter and it sounds like yours doesn’t match the halogen pattern. Do your high beams work like they should and did you use the beamtechs in the link on page 1 I know they make another style that doesn’t work well in our housings. I’m wondering if maybe yours are upside down if you used the ones I’m taking about which is possible since they are clockable.
If you were to take I ride in my truck at night I think you’d be changing your tune, my results aren’t isolated either lots of us here are having awesome results with leds.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,841
Likes: 6
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Senior User
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^^^ not true the led will work and work well if you get the right ones that mimick the location of the halogen fiaments are they excat I don’t know but they are close enough to produce real world results. NOT the ones like boater guy used but the one last I linked in the first page of this thread or you will get a beam pattern basically identical to the factory pattern I and plenty of other guys on here are getting the same results. While the headlight housings in these trucks were made for halogen it is possible to get good results with led with out spending 300 bucks on bulbs. I’d be curious to know what they were though.
If you were to take I ride in my truck at night I think you’d be changing your tune, my results aren’t isolated either lots of us here are having awesome results with leds.
Not my experience at all with the beamtech/ auxbeam lights that I linked unless you consider the lights with the halogen bulb to be more of a flood pattern. I have a beam pattern that is virtually indentical to stock but brighter and whiter and it sounds like yours doesn’t match the halogen pattern. Do your high beams work like they should and did you use the beamtechs in the link on page 1 I know they make another style that doesn’t work well in our housings. I’m wondering if maybe yours are upside down if you used the ones I’m taking about which is possible since they are clockable.
If you were to take I ride in my truck at night I think you’d be changing your tune, my results aren’t isolated either lots of us here are having awesome results with leds.
Not my experience at all with the beamtech/ auxbeam lights that I linked unless you consider the lights with the halogen bulb to be more of a flood pattern. I have a beam pattern that is virtually indentical to stock but brighter and whiter and it sounds like yours doesn’t match the halogen pattern. Do your high beams work like they should and did you use the beamtechs in the link on page 1 I know they make another style that doesn’t work well in our housings. I’m wondering if maybe yours are upside down if you used the ones I’m taking about which is possible since they are clockable.
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
2004 f250 super duty. I hate the old yellow lights and the plastic housing is so fogged up its almost like not having lights. I want to replace with LED and replace the housing also but driving myself crazy trying to find them. I found one set my mechanic said was good but the reviews on the company were really bad. Mostly I'm finding just the led "trim" with regular headlights. Suggestions?
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
I think you misunderstood what you quoted above I didn’t mean that there is no led bulb that fit into a super duty headlight housing, I meant I’ve never seen a aftermarket head light housing that had a built in led for the headlight like how the new super duty is configured with the oem led headlights which was what I thought the op was asking about. I can see which way the leds are facing in your lights and that’s why you posted the above statement, and I hate to tell you this but they are facing the wrong way the housing is not supposed to reflect light that way it is supposed to be done mainly off of the left and right side of the housing just look at the reflector that’s why you don’t have the same light patten as you do stock with the bulb. If that’s the only way they will fit that doesn’t mean it’s right it means you need to get leds that fit the right way. When the leds are positioned facing 3 and 9 o’clocck you would have much better results and you would also have better results if with an led that had the chips in the positioned like the filaments for the halogen bulbs would be like the ones I linked. If you don’t want to listen to me that’s fine I’m not trying to or going to argue with you I’m just giving you the facts and trying to help. I’ve done far more research than most on the subject. I was one of the first on here to try led headlights and have had several different sets to test out and helped other members on here with them including one guy with the same 11-16 truck with the same headlight housing as as yours to get the lights facing the right way and improve not just his low beam but actually give him a functional high beam. If you get different leds like the ones I linked you will have far better results than what you have now.
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 29
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The Morimoto 2Stroke 2.0 has Hi and Low on both sides. They recommend that the bulbs be at the 3 and 9 o'clock position for the correct beam pattern. I'm installing them this weekend (hopefully) I'll try to post on this thread when I'm done. (I also and putting in the '05-'07 conversion headlight.
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Not to hijack, but can i ask this question another way? ok 2...
1 What bulbs will work with the 99-04 housing, and are they better than stock?
2 which direction do they need clocked, or do they even need to be? i've never seen an LED bulb so have no idea if there's adjustment or not.
I've tried to follow a few threads on these and they always get into newer housings, etc, would love to hear from those that have successfully done it , rather than the hypothetical.
1 What bulbs will work with the 99-04 housing, and are they better than stock?
2 which direction do they need clocked, or do they even need to be? i've never seen an LED bulb so have no idea if there's adjustment or not.
I've tried to follow a few threads on these and they always get into newer housings, etc, would love to hear from those that have successfully done it , rather than the hypothetical.