2004 F250 Super duty crew cab lariat, 6.0. Headlights are basically useless due to yellowing of plastic. I really want to upgrade to LED and my understanding is it has factory sealed beam headlights so I will need to replace whole unit. I don't mind but I'm looking for recommendations on what to get. I'm clueless
Thanks

 

Check out this thread; https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...eadlights.html Russ

 

Tony makes some really nice headlights and work really well.

 

Lariat with sealed beam? Those are the glass lights. Interesting that they’ve yellowed. Are you sure that’s what you meant?

 

If they have yellowed, then they are plastic. The plastic were not sealed beam.
You can replace the lamp from the back side. Tony has a lot of options.
HID or LED

 

I just received these: https://alpharexusa.com/product/05-0...s-alpha-black/
Can't offer much of an opinion as I have only opened the box. At first glance I am happy.

I have tried several of the LED replacement bulbs installed in the stock housing. Doing so will get you "more" light as the newer LED bulbs are better at producing lumens however they have never made me happy due to the complications LED bulbs have with casting the light against the reflective portion of the housing. I have yet to find an LED replacement bulb that offered a favorable spread of light. For that reason I decided to throw some money at the problem and bought the full headlight assembly in the link above. When the headlight assembly is designed for LED (not a retrofit 'bulb only upgrade') you can expect better results.

I thought LED lights were going to be the best thing to happen to the automotive world but im backing off that opinion. If you are looking for a solution to improve an indicator type light (such as a turn signal or side marker), then you might find an LED to be perfect. If you are looking to replace a bulb used to cast light evenly across an area (headlights, reverse lights), then you might consider avoiding the LED style.

I purchased a set of Morimoto xB white bulbs to swap with reverse lights and im not satisfied because the light generated from the LED bulb is not reflecting off the internal housing and casting a smooth pattern behind the truck. There is a lot of light in some areas and very poor light in others. looks a little like a zebra pattern. Im going back with incandescent bulbs.

Hopefully i will get the new Alpharex LED Housings installed this weekend and have more to say. I might even get organized enough to snap some before and after pictures of the light output.

 

Likely you could have gotten some good lights from Tony. He builds them with a good projector and stock style housings
for the basic lights and goes up with other options from there. I went with HID projectors as I did not like the color of the LEDs.

Here is a link to the thread. I think Tony is still using the Morimoto projectors in his builds.
But you may want to ask him. He does options and other things.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...eadlights.html

 

You say it so well. I have tried HID in different headlamps, but found that too many times it just throws the light wrong.

As for the yellowing of lens, I have had good success with cleaning them up in steps using sand paper. Start off with a 400 grit, and wet sand until it's clear and the pitting is cleaned up. Then step it up to a 600, to smooth out the cuts of the 400. Then take it up to an 800. After this, it's still not clear, but now apply a high quality automotive clear coat in several coats. I did this to two of my vehicles nearly three years ago, that they still look near-new. I have also tried going up to 1500 sand paper and then clearing it off with a plastic polish and the result looks great.. for 10 months or so. Then it clouds up again and then the yellowing sets in as well.
The point is clearing it up, and then coat it with something that can handle the UV rays.

 

You hit that nail right on the head. The problem is the UV rays that hit the plastic
and turns it yellow. The clear coat is also what protects your paint color. Reds being
the come that tend to still get damaged by the UV and other crap in the air.
You can also use a good wax on them to help protect the finish.

Mothers makes a good glass cleaner that might work on the plastic.