2005 headlights
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From: 3rd Rock
2005 headlights
I have contacted PIAA about their 9008 release date for that bulb....no answer at all (great customer relations) ...has anyone heard a good rumor about a bright headlight for the 05 SD.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: SE PA
Tim...I went through this last Winter with my '05 Excursion.
The new lamps, 9008 or H13 (same thing, different name) are a newer bulb. They supposedly offer better light output. The problem is...DOT when certifying these lamps...wrote that they cannot be a coated bulb. Silverstars, PIAA white bulbs, etc, are coated with a color tint. So, unless PIAA comes up with a "regular" 9008, there won;t be much in the way of the aftermarket here in the USA. I guess there could be somethhing overseas you could import, but I did not find anything for mine.
All is not lost, however. Sylvania makes an upgrade to the 9008 as an Xtravision bulb. I mail ordered mine. My understanding was that they are as bright as a Silverstar, but the "standard" color of light. If memory serves me, 20% or something like that. (Probably worded "up to 20%) I installed these and they are a bit of an improvement.
The biggest lighting improvement I saw was to switch the fogs to 9005s. They plugged right in and made a dramatic difference. The slight increase in power usage does not seem to be an issue.
The new lamps, 9008 or H13 (same thing, different name) are a newer bulb. They supposedly offer better light output. The problem is...DOT when certifying these lamps...wrote that they cannot be a coated bulb. Silverstars, PIAA white bulbs, etc, are coated with a color tint. So, unless PIAA comes up with a "regular" 9008, there won;t be much in the way of the aftermarket here in the USA. I guess there could be somethhing overseas you could import, but I did not find anything for mine.
All is not lost, however. Sylvania makes an upgrade to the 9008 as an Xtravision bulb. I mail ordered mine. My understanding was that they are as bright as a Silverstar, but the "standard" color of light. If memory serves me, 20% or something like that. (Probably worded "up to 20%) I installed these and they are a bit of an improvement.
The biggest lighting improvement I saw was to switch the fogs to 9005s. They plugged right in and made a dramatic difference. The slight increase in power usage does not seem to be an issue.
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From: Mackville,VT
Originally Posted by Matt M, PA
All is not lost, however. Sylvania makes an upgrade to the 9008 as an Xtravision bulb. I mail ordered mine. My understanding was that they are as bright as a Silverstar, but the "standard" color of light. If memory serves me, 20% or something like that. (Probably worded "up to 20%) I installed these and they are a bit of an improvement.
Last edited by labwillow; Nov 4, 2005 at 07:43 PM. Reason: spelling
Fleet Mechanic
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From: SE PA
labwillow...sorry to say, I can't remember. I do know that after I spoke to customer service, I had a couple dealers to try. You may want to call Sylvania customer service. I found their number on their website.
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From: Best place on earth-Maine
Matt,
You said that you put the 9005 bulbs in your fog lamps. You didn't upgrade the wiring or fuse or anything like that, right? Have you had any problems with overheating or burning? Do the lenses get hot? How is it in the summertime?
Also, would you recommend the Xtravision bulbs? Are they worth spending the money on? I saw on the Sylvania website that the lifespan of the Xtravision isn't that of the stock bulbs, but much better than the Silverstars. Have you had any issues with that?
You said that you put the 9005 bulbs in your fog lamps. You didn't upgrade the wiring or fuse or anything like that, right? Have you had any problems with overheating or burning? Do the lenses get hot? How is it in the summertime?
Also, would you recommend the Xtravision bulbs? Are they worth spending the money on? I saw on the Sylvania website that the lifespan of the Xtravision isn't that of the stock bulbs, but much better than the Silverstars. Have you had any issues with that?
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From: Utopia
Do you guys know if the XL trucks (sunken headlights) changed the bulbs as well?
Last edited by Customz; Nov 11, 2005 at 08:00 PM.
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Fleet Mechanic
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From: SE PA
MattamisscontisME...first, the 9005s. I have had them in for almost a year, with no ill effects noticed. I also installed them in my '03 Cobra. (The bulbs needed a slight trim on a tab, but on the Ex they went right in.) I installed them on a summer day, and left the lights on for quite a while. I checked with an infrared thermometer at the lenses, connectors and wiring. I noticed no difference except a slight increase on the lense. Not a huge difference.
To figure the amount of power required by them, you divide the watts by the volts. A 9005 would use 5A, a 9145, 3.75. Even when doubled as there are two bulbs on the car, you are still only seeing a difference in used power of 2.5A. I talked to a lighting designer friend who thought it unlikely for this power increase to cause trouble.
A Rep at Sylvania said that the Xtravisions were the same brightness as a Silverstar, but the same color as a regular halogen. It all has to do with the placement of the filament on the bulb. I did not notice a big improvement with the Xtravisions. The best bang for your buck is a set of generic 9005s for the fogs.
To figure the amount of power required by them, you divide the watts by the volts. A 9005 would use 5A, a 9145, 3.75. Even when doubled as there are two bulbs on the car, you are still only seeing a difference in used power of 2.5A. I talked to a lighting designer friend who thought it unlikely for this power increase to cause trouble.
A Rep at Sylvania said that the Xtravisions were the same brightness as a Silverstar, but the same color as a regular halogen. It all has to do with the placement of the filament on the bulb. I did not notice a big improvement with the Xtravisions. The best bang for your buck is a set of generic 9005s for the fogs.
