Headlight bulbs? LED?
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2018
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Headlight bulbs? LED?
Ive got another question for y’all. I’ve got this 1997 F250 HD, and I’m looking to replace all the bulbs in my headlight with LED’s, and I mean all four in each headlight. The main headlight, blinker, and daytime running lights. Am I going to need to Install a resistor or anything along the lines of that to not draw to much powers or anything?
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 735
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From: NC
You can change the front blinkers ( anything that requires orange bulb) out but may need an electronic blinker relay , LED's as far as head light replacements is as stated, you will blind the crap out of other drivers as the housings are not made for LEDS and will not focus the light correctly.
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11,958
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LEDs are great if they are quality ones, Unfortunately that doesn't make a a great deal of difference when it comes to halogen reflector housings. Maybe one day they'll be able to correctly recreate the position, size, and shape if the illuminated halogen filament with HID or LED. Currently that isn't the case. Actully all either will do in a halogen assembly is create glare and unfocused wasted light. It will seem brighter but the beam pattern is poor.
Temporarily Deactivated
Joined: Aug 2003
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Flat world lights
The world ain't flat and modern lights are designed for a flat world. When the vehicle is nose-up on a rise it seriously blinds oncoming drivers. LEDs and HIDs are one of the stupidest things they have done on vehicles in decades.
Get some new housings and stock bulbs. If you can't see, get your eyes checked.
There's a lot of advertising on lights. Internet forums are no exception. Most of it is ignorant and greedy. People will say anything to get your money. They don't care who gets hurt.
Get some new housings and stock bulbs. If you can't see, get your eyes checked.
There's a lot of advertising on lights. Internet forums are no exception. Most of it is ignorant and greedy. People will say anything to get your money. They don't care who gets hurt.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2018
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Sheesh. Rough crowd.
The 4runner guys all put LEDS in their trucks. I also have an 01 4Runner and put in some LED bulbs. But, as stated, they can blind on coming traffic and I never wanted to do that.
So I took the extra few steps to aim them correctly with the help of a few friends, one being a traffic cop. Figured if he thought they were safe, all is good.
There are a few good quality LED bulbs out there that have aiming potential built in. I have yet to find something for my truck, but I will continue looking.
The 4runner guys all put LEDS in their trucks. I also have an 01 4Runner and put in some LED bulbs. But, as stated, they can blind on coming traffic and I never wanted to do that.
So I took the extra few steps to aim them correctly with the help of a few friends, one being a traffic cop. Figured if he thought they were safe, all is good.
There are a few good quality LED bulbs out there that have aiming potential built in. I have yet to find something for my truck, but I will continue looking.
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 338
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The world ain't flat and modern lights are designed for a flat world. When the vehicle is nose-up on a rise it seriously blinds oncoming drivers. LEDs and HIDs are one of the stupidest things they have done on vehicles in decades.
Get some new housings and stock bulbs. If you can't see, get your eyes checked.
There's a lot of advertising on lights. Internet forums are no exception. Most of it is ignorant and greedy. People will say anything to get your money. They don't care who gets hurt.
Get some new housings and stock bulbs. If you can't see, get your eyes checked.
There's a lot of advertising on lights. Internet forums are no exception. Most of it is ignorant and greedy. People will say anything to get your money. They don't care who gets hurt.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
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My wife has a new Subaru with LED headlights, and they are 100% aimed correctly... people routinely flash their brights at me when we're driving at night. I now keep the brights on at night (even when not really necessary) so that oncoming traffic can see me dim them as soon as their in view. Not an issue with my truck! And now I am a little hesitant to flash oncoming traffic that I think has their brights on because they might be in the same boat as my wife.
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2015
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That is exactly the point that others were making. Putting these bulbs in a housing designed for halogen bulbs will blind others. You reinforced the point made by HardScrabble concerning how modern headlights are terrible for other drivers. So you are one of those people that doesn’t care about blinding oncoming traffic and the people behind you? No I can’t adjust my side swing away mirrors so you aren’t blinding the ___ out of me.
Temporarily Deactivated
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The cutoff doesn't work when the vehicle is nose up. Any rise in the road makes the beams blind oncoming traffic. Even the OE equipped, engineered lights are horrible for other drivers. Hit a bump, rise in the road, anything. They only work in a theoretical, flat world, like on paper. Doesn't work on the road.
Traffic cops don't enforce headlight laws. They wouldn't know how to enforce them, even if they had time. They don't have time.
Traffic cops don't enforce headlight laws. They wouldn't know how to enforce them, even if they had time. They don't have time.
Temporarily Deactivated
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,859
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Once again. When you hit the rise, the lights are in their eyes. All the aiming in the world won't help when the nose goes up.
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
The cutoff doesn't work when the vehicle is nose up. Any rise in the road makes the beams blind oncoming traffic. Even the OE equipped, engineered lights are horrible for other drivers. Hit a bump, rise in the road, anything. They only work in a theoretical, flat world, like on paper. Doesn't work on the road.
Traffic cops don't enforce headlight laws. They wouldn't know how to enforce them, even if they had time. They don't have time.
Traffic cops don't enforce headlight laws. They wouldn't know how to enforce them, even if they had time. They don't have time.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 735
Likes: 8
From: NC
I tinted the rear window of my truck because of lifted,jacked up trucks with either improperly aimed headlights and or using retrofit LED's. The glare from behind was so bad I couldn't hardly see the road in front of me and the interior of the cab was lit up like a stadium. That coupled with LED's coming from the front does not make for a pleasant drive at night.
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11,958
Likes: 228
Typically vehicle mods dont really bother me and I enjoy doing it myself, but this head light issue is really one that is a true safety hazard. None of it is legal. Just because it isn't enforced doesn't mean it is alright. The parts stores really need to stop selling LED light bars. I bet 80% of those aren't used for off road. Anyway, I wish there was a way to have a little bit brighter headlights, but fresh lenses and relays is really all there is. Please read this link.
https://www.danielsternlighting.com/...nversions.html
I actually do like a select few factory HID headlight setups but not most. I have not seen an LED headlight setup I thought worked right. So far they've missed the mark there.
https://www.danielsternlighting.com/...nversions.html
I actually do like a select few factory HID headlight setups but not most. I have not seen an LED headlight setup I thought worked right. So far they've missed the mark there.
Temporarily Deactivated
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,859
Likes: 2
I tinted the rear window of my truck because of lifted,jacked up trucks with either improperly aimed headlights and or using retrofit LED's. The glare from behind was so bad I couldn't hardly see the road in front of me and the interior of the cab was lit up like a stadium. That coupled with LED's coming from the front does not make for a pleasant drive at night.