Hi - wondering if anyone has a favorite direct replacement headlight for a 73 F100. I'm really looking to be just plug and play but want the brightest light setup I can. I know I can do a whole bunch of conversion crap to put on the latest technology but I dont really have to time to engineer all that. Anything that is better/brighter technology that I can replace the bulb and be good to go. Ive looked at it and there are a tone of halogen/led and on and on...not all versed on all of the tech so my eyes roll a bit. This is just a daily driver that Im building but I need good lighting.

Thanks for any assistance

 

it has to be a low/high beam in one bulb

 

Back a few years ago I pulled into work at a post retirement part time job, it was a dark winter morning. Coworker said the radiator was lit up. I looked closely, much of the reflective material in the head lamps was in dust like pieces inside the seal beam. I bought two new Sylvania H6024 Xtravision Sealed Beam Headlights, and after work that day. I put them in at home. Next day he commented on the change, I told him I felt like I was setting the grass along side the road on fire, was so much brighter. I gave him the old lamps, he wired them to hang up at a camp sight, said they lit the area up good just hanging from a tree.

They are great. You can convert to others, but that costs too. I was just gonna add a pair of relays and go that route to reduce load on the switch, but I so seldom drive it at night that I forget to do it.

I hate LED headlights. Have them on our new Forester, even road sign reflections are a major annoyance.

 

@tbear853 Super - thanks for the intel. I saw those and put them on my list just wasn't sure if they were bright enough, well thats a relative answer but ...if they work and are good brightness, then thats what I'm after

 

The relay kits that are out there are not that high-tech, and not hard to install.
Simple, plug, and play…
And no matter what kind of light you end up using, they ensure that you get full voltage to the light.
The way your system works currently, as you probably figured, is that power goes from the battery first, up into the cabin to the headlight switch, and then back out to the headlights and running lights. All on the same 50-year-old wiring, that was undersized for updating lamps to begin with.
So you might still consider one of the relay updates.

 

I used these based on suggestions from this forum.

https://www.npdlink.com/product/bulb...1973&year=1973

I also used this power supply harness that takes the load off the switch and provides your lights with direct battery voltage via two relays. You can build your own, but for less than $50 why bother?

https://www.npdlink.com/product/head...1973&year=1973

 

Be aware that halogen headlamps draw more current than incandescent lamps. Vintage Ford vehicles have a circuit breaker built into the headlight switch rather than a fuse. Frequently the new lamps run right on the ragged edge of the breaker's limit, and your headlights start blinking off and on, especially if high beams are selected. To get around this, you will need to insert relays in the wiring. It's easy. I just installed a commercially-made relay wiring harness in my '72 Ford Mustang. It was made by Redline Lumtronix (their p/n EH-001). I bought it from CJ Pony Parts for $45.99 plus tax and shipping. It's a nicely made harness that looks like it will last a good long time. It was literally plug 'n play. The whole job took less than an hour. Actuating the headlight switch causes the relays to pull in, which in turn activates the headlights. Below is a link to a post I created on the 7173Mustangs forum showing the installation. Should be a piece o' cake in a Dentside, too.

https://7173mustangs.com/threads/wha...98#post-455513

EDIT: I guess I should add that this harness is generic. It's not Mustang-specific.

 

i would go with this on an old schoole Ford before LED headlights just looks and reliability and what if you pay 150 for a pair of LED blbs and they last 2 yrs?

 

It is what I use in my 81 F100 as I was doing a lot of darkness driving to work and wanted bright head lights.

I also hate LED head lights. I dont think they put the light out far enough and look like crap

I also installed the relay kit with the above sealed beams.
I like the light out put with the bulbs and relays over my 02 Durango and I have higher out put bulbs and new lights.

I got my relay kit from LMC years ago for a different project but you can find kits on Ebay & Amazon too.

Yep the relay kit fixes the light switch breaker tripping and gives oyu brighter lights.
Dave ----

edit:
On the relay kits you have to watch how and were the relays are mounted.
If they fill with water they will stop working. Good thing is you can unplug the relays and plug the factory harness back in and motor on.
Dont ask how I know this (got wet from washing engine bay)

Thing is the relays (at least mine) are not the normal relays you can find anywhere like auto parts stores.
My fix was to buy 2 normal relays and 2 pig tails to fit them.
I then pushed out the electrical pins from the new pig tails leaving just the hard part of the plug.
I then pushed out the electrical pins from the small relays and put them into the new hard part.
I now have normal relays and if I have a issue I can get them anywhere as the others (small) you cant.
I have heard some were able to find the small relays on line after looking but I felt the larger relays you can find anywhere was the better way to go.
Yes I turned the relays so they dont fill with water again.

 

Thanks for the guidance @1TonBasecamp

 

@Viper Pilot Thanks, I'll do some research on those items

 

@73explorer The truck is wireless at the moment so I can do anything. I have a new wiring kit from Kwik-Wire, which actually happens to be 1/2 hour from me so I went up to talk with them before I got the kit. The wiring is great, its the electrician (me) I'm worried about

 

@Viper Pilot I looked at that kit - crazy easy - I think I'll grab one. Looking at the pictures for the kit, looks like you only plug in one headlight connector. I get it then it disperses out to two connectors at the headlights - just want to make sure I have that detail right