Headlight Upgrade
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 102
Likes: 19
Headlight Upgrade
I’ve been reading that the regular OEM headlights are terrible. I didn’t do a fancy enough build to have the LEDs as a factory option. What did you do to upgrade? How has it worked out?
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 372
Likes: 149
I have morimotos on my 2020 and they have been flawless and the output is great on them. I had led bulbs in the factory housing for 6 months before the morimotos were released and the output was good but scattered from the headlights and the fog lights were almost unusable with oncoming traffic.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 132
Likes: 98
I don't know that I would say the OEM halogens are terrible. It probably depends on what you are used to. My wife's 2015 Explorer compared to my 2017 F150... the Explorer lights are worse. My 22 F250 halogens compared to my F150 and the Explorer are wayy better.
Would LEDs be brighter and likely better? Sure. Do they look cooler? Sure, subjectively of course. Are the OEM halogens horrible? I would say no. Most of my driving is on dark country roads and my truck lights up everything just fine as is.
Would LEDs be brighter and likely better? Sure. Do they look cooler? Sure, subjectively of course. Are the OEM halogens horrible? I would say no. Most of my driving is on dark country roads and my truck lights up everything just fine as is.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 2,844
Likes: 1,197
From: Southeast MO
I had Morimotos, they were horrible and I sent them back. China made overhyped junk in my opinion. I bought GTR Ultra LED's for my stock lights and they are awesome. Great beam pattern and I don't get flashed.
Cue the headlight police.......
Cue the headlight police.......
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 5,945
Likes: 1,359
From: NY/Canada border
I got some good headlight adjustment tips from Headlight Revolution here:
Trending Topics
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 372
Likes: 149
We’re your morimotos the XB’s or the hybrids? I’ve been happy with the XB’s but heard a lot of complaints bout the hybrids.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 2,844
Likes: 1,197
From: Southeast MO
Mine were the hybrids, I should have specified that.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 131
Likes: 77
I would give second thought before replacing halogen bulbs with plug and play LEDs. Aside from the colder and brighter 6000K frequency white/blue light (especially annoying), the LEDs themselves do not replicate the exact positioning and light projection characteristics of the OEM halogen bulb with a filament within the headlamp assembly. This means that the light beam pattern reflected and projected is now outside of the OEM engineered design. Illumination of the pavement ahead is only one part of the beam design. The aftermarket LEDs (linked to Amazon) emit light from 2 flat planes where the halogen bulb has both radial and frontal light emission pattern. The aftermarket plug and play LEDs may be a brighter light, but may not necessarily be a better light when paired to an OEM headlamp assembly. It would be like wearing someone else's eye glass prescription. The OEM LEDs of course are a different story because the LED lamp and housing are designed together as a system.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,197
Likes: 558
From: Central Wisconsin
I would actually view the stock halogen lights before making up your mind that they must be garbage. I also assumed they would be the equivalent of one tea candle after reading so many posts on this forum about them, but they are far brighter than any other halogen headlight assembly I've ever had. I had initially planned on swapping to the Morimoto Hybrids but after actually using the stock halogens, I have changed my mind.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 2,844
Likes: 1,197
From: Southeast MO
I would give second thought before replacing halogen bulbs with plug and play LEDs. Aside from the colder and brighter 6000K frequency white/blue light (especially annoying), the LEDs themselves do not replicate the exact positioning and light projection characteristics of the OEM halogen bulb with a filament within the headlamp assembly. This means that the light beam pattern reflected and projected is now outside of the OEM engineered design. Illumination of the pavement ahead is only one part of the beam design. The aftermarket LEDs (linked to Amazon) emit light from 2 flat planes where the halogen bulb has both radial and frontal light emission pattern. The aftermarket plug and play LEDs may be a brighter light, but may not necessarily be a better light when paired to an OEM headlamp assembly. It would be like wearing someone else's eye glass prescription. The OEM LEDs of course are a different story because the LED lamp and housing are designed together as a system.
Right on cue😂
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 131
Likes: 77
Well someone just had to jump in and be the headlight police. 
I figured it could be me, and I learned something too out of doing some research on the subject and I thought I would share it.
I figured it could be me, and I learned something too out of doing some research on the subject and I thought I would share it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 5,945
Likes: 1,359
From: NY/Canada border
I would actually view the stock halogen lights before making up your mind that they must be garbage. I also assumed they would be the equivalent of one tea candle after reading so many posts on this forum about them, but they are far brighter than any other halogen headlight assembly I've ever had. I had initially planned on swapping to the Morimoto Hybrids but after actually using the stock halogens, I have changed my mind.
But if you're OK with them that's all that matters. Having had LED replacements in several trucks, to me it literally is night and day. Again, it's all in the eye of the beholder.
As far as arguing with the self appointed headlight cops, that ship sailed for me a long time ago. They have their side of the street and I have mine. No one is changing anyone's mind so the discussion is pointless.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 507
Likes: 233
Lol.
I am going to take one for the team and install the Torchbeam T2 lights I got off Amazon based on another thread here where a couple people had these. One posted a pic that showed a nice cutoff of the light. If they don't work well and cause me to get flashed I will go back to halogen lights but will get the brighter versions like Sylvania Silverstars.
I don't see how anyone can be happy with halogen lights unless they have never had good LED headlights. I put KC Hilites on my Jeep Wrangler and they are awesome. Never want to use halogens again, even on a truck with 4 of them.
I am going to take one for the team and install the Torchbeam T2 lights I got off Amazon based on another thread here where a couple people had these. One posted a pic that showed a nice cutoff of the light. If they don't work well and cause me to get flashed I will go back to halogen lights but will get the brighter versions like Sylvania Silverstars.
I don't see how anyone can be happy with halogen lights unless they have never had good LED headlights. I put KC Hilites on my Jeep Wrangler and they are awesome. Never want to use halogens again, even on a truck with 4 of them.