Have any of you installed a hid kit with the ballast and had good luck? I seem to hear alot its not good on trucks like mine since they rely on one bulb for both high and low beams?

I was thinking of getting a set but wanted to hear from you first!

 

Typically a HID in a hi/low configuration does not offer the best lighting pattern from a non-HID lamp assembly. Most factory HID set ups use a projection lamp design. Or at least that's what I think/remember.

There are many who run HID lamps in factory lamp assemblies with no troubles. Just be aware that you are throwing an aweful lot of uncontrolled light (glare) at on coming traffic.

I do run a set of DDM HID's on my F150. They work ok, but I think I'm going back to my silverstars. Good amount of light, well controlled and best of all, I'm not blinding on coming traffic.

 

Yes, no HID conversion is legal in the US. Also most HID kits might be brighter than the standard beams, but most all are dimmer than the high beams. So you are aiming for some extra light when you need it, you are actually spending an aweful lot of money on a downgrade.

The single best lighting upgrade is to install a low resistance headlight relay harness. That alone will make the light of the stock bulbs a little brighter. Few people relize that the high resistance of the stock wiring can cost you up to 40% of the bulbs total output, though in most cases it is closer to 25%. The difference is even greater when you use high output bulbs. The best bulbs you can get at the parts stores, the ones I use myself are the Xtravision. They are brighter than Silverstars, but do not glare or blind oncoming traffic. My setup is way brighter than any HID setup on high beams, and on standard, well they don't look as bright as HID but they light up a larger area.

 

I have sold a TON of these kits for Mustangs, and there are some kits to go with, some to avoid. Surprisingly, Xenon was one of the worst kits behind VVME. As long as you don't go with colors you will be fine as far as legally. Be sure to buy 5000K or 6000K only, 5000K is the best as it is a pure white. As far as all being illegal, not sure about that but I do know that any colored lighting is illegal, and if it is a color that can be considered "emergency" i.e. red, blue, or orange, that is asking for a hard ticket! Incidentally, Saleen uses HID conversions in all of their 2005+ Mustangs.

 

Also note that when we install them on customer cars, we almost always have to adjust the headlights. This is because the HIDs are more focused than incandescent bulbs, focusing the light outward more.

 

Good grief are you for real? According the the US DOT it is illegal to converter a halogen equipped headlamp for use with HIDs regardless of color. You claim they are more focused and that you have to dajust them. What that means it that they are out of focus due to the different nature of the light source and its exact placement within the housing. No matter what color HID you use this will always be the case.

Tell me, have you even once dealt with a real upgrade to the stock system? The stock lights can put out a lot more light just by reducing the resistance. This is done by bypassing the high resistance wiring and switch used by the factory. You use relays and heavy gauge wire to deliver more juice with lower resistance directly from the battery.

On the Saleen conversions, Saleen has an HID certification, they are not simply swapping HIDs into a halogen housing, they have a DOT approved HID reflector that has been approved specifically for the Mustang.

 

No need to get insulting, as stated above, I have only had experience on Mustang HIDs, and have sold a ton of them. The HID kits that we sell are the same exact ones that Saleen uses, same manufacturer, same kit. I am not trying to sell anyone anything, just giving my experiences here, and no I have not tried to rewire my vehicles. The only upgrade that I have done to a stock lighting system was Sylvania SilverStars, but I am definitely stating that colored lighting of any kind is highly illegal! I have had customers come to me asking for them, and I will not sell them. As with any lighting modification though, you should check your state for all the laws.

 

I put retro-solutions.com 55w digital slim kit in my 07 F-150 and couldn't be happier....anyone who says they put out less light is just jealous...

And....they definitely need to be re-aimed, however I still see further...and haven't been flashed since I reaimed them......Yes...the high beams are less of a difference than the low-high transition used to be......but the high beam is still brighter than the high beam halogen used to be....

 

I agree! You did kind of overreact Khan... relax! He did say "I have sold a TON of these kits for Mustangs..." and "As far as all being illegal, not sure about that..."