HID lights
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,094
Likes: 5
From: Central Illinois
There is one bulb in each side. You can choose between a 35 or 55 watt for brightness. I use 55 watts in my vehicles, 35 watts in my smaller ATV's and Polaris RZR. The 55 watt bulbs produce enough heat that you need a large headlamp housing to accommodate it. The Super Duty housing works great. DDM Tuning offers a Hi/Low relay that you add to the wiring harness that switches the single bulb between focused beam and broad/hi beam.
For the headlights, here's what you need. Two bulbs, the hi/low relay harness, and the wiring harness. I chose the Slim Ballast model instead of the Apex Cone because the ballasts are cooler. The bulbs are the same regardless which ballast you choose.
I like the lower frequency (5K) because I don't care for the blue tint. At 5K, only a tiny bit of blue and very white, at 6K more blue and at 8K lots of blue. Regardless of what you chose, you will see the deer a long way off or REALLY well just as they jump into your grille.
For the headlights, here's what you need. Two bulbs, the hi/low relay harness, and the wiring harness. I chose the Slim Ballast model instead of the Apex Cone because the ballasts are cooler. The bulbs are the same regardless which ballast you choose.
I like the lower frequency (5K) because I don't care for the blue tint. At 5K, only a tiny bit of blue and very white, at 6K more blue and at 8K lots of blue. Regardless of what you chose, you will see the deer a long way off or REALLY well just as they jump into your grille.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 664
Likes: 0
From my personal experence. Do NOT buy oracle brand.
If you want something to last a long time buy a phillips kit. You would prob be looking around $1500 installed or around $1200 for the complete kit.
But you can expect the duribility out of it as a new factory HID system vs a aftermarket cheapo that gives every year or 2.
If you want something to last a long time buy a phillips kit. You would prob be looking around $1500 installed or around $1200 for the complete kit.
But you can expect the duribility out of it as a new factory HID system vs a aftermarket cheapo that gives every year or 2.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 35
From: North of Salt Lake City
From my personal experence. Do NOT buy oracle brand.
If you want something to last a long time buy a phillips kit. You would prob be looking around $1500 installed or around $1200 for the complete kit.
But you can expect the duribility out of it as a new factory HID system vs a aftermarket cheapo that gives every year or 2.
If you want something to last a long time buy a phillips kit. You would prob be looking around $1500 installed or around $1200 for the complete kit.
But you can expect the duribility out of it as a new factory HID system vs a aftermarket cheapo that gives every year or 2.
One thing that really convinced me was the severe duty they get in my Polaris RZR. Those things have been beat, sunk, crashed and abused in just about every possible way and they outshine the factory stuff by oh, about a 1000 percent. Never had a failure. Putting them in the Super Duty is pretty light duty in comparison. These things are truly a break-through technology in both materials and manufacturing and have changed the HID landscape. I don't see the need for the old HID systems anymore.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 664
Likes: 0
I dont know what DDM tuning uses but ive seen alot of garbage systems on the cheap. A good quality bulb will run you around $80 on its own.
Its like comparing those cheap ebay headlight bulbs to regular auto parts name brand. They cheap ebay ones that are just normal headlight replacements dont even last as long as name brands.
Its like comparing those cheap ebay headlight bulbs to regular auto parts name brand. They cheap ebay ones that are just normal headlight replacements dont even last as long as name brands.
Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
So when you install the high low relay how do you trigger the switch between high and low beam, do you splice into the truck wiring harness so you use the turnsignal stalk like normal or run a seperate toggle switch. Also do you simply pluck in the OEM wiring harness to the balast harness for the on/off? I am clueless when it comes to this install and would like to now more before I upgrade. Thanks for the info!
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 35
From: North of Salt Lake City
The hi/low relay harness plugs directly into supplied wiring harness which plugs into the HID bulbs and ballasts. The only thing that is weird is that you plug the whole setup into only one side of the Ford headlight source. The other side just hangs free and isn't plugged into anything. To say it another way, you plug the HID headlight system all together and then it plugs into only one headlight plug on the truck. That is the source the the HID system uses to know that the headlights are on or on hi/low. Everything is normal inside the truck and there are no extra switches. There are no splices, just plug-ins that can only go one way. Just follow the installation instructions on the website and you'll figure it out.
Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
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Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,591
Likes: 14
From: Pflugerville, tx
mine should be here today..
received and installed.. hardest part was routing the wires from one side to the other. .. ran it behind the horns, and hood latch, using the latch cable as the anchor.
(this is on an 08 mind you) they did a nice job of making sure you can't plug things in wrong.. I may have to fiddle with holding the ballast... we'll see
they turn on, and go hi/low.. so now.. wait til dark!!..
I did not need the extra relay driven harness.. they are taking it back.. (its nicely built tho, hm.. I should keep and use it on one of my hotrods.. nice clean harness)..
| pretty darn bright.. 5000 color lamps are a little more blue than expected.. may change to a lower number (warmer?) color .. LOTS of light tho..
| around the 2 mile block, picked up about 20 deer I wouldn't have seen before..both distance and off the shoulder..
| need to find a place to secure the ballasts.. the double stick tape didn't..
| didn't encounter any other vehicles, so don't know what the reaction is yet..
Sam
received and installed.. hardest part was routing the wires from one side to the other. .. ran it behind the horns, and hood latch, using the latch cable as the anchor.
(this is on an 08 mind you) they did a nice job of making sure you can't plug things in wrong.. I may have to fiddle with holding the ballast... we'll see
they turn on, and go hi/low.. so now.. wait til dark!!..
I did not need the extra relay driven harness.. they are taking it back.. (its nicely built tho, hm.. I should keep and use it on one of my hotrods.. nice clean harness)..
| pretty darn bright.. 5000 color lamps are a little more blue than expected.. may change to a lower number (warmer?) color .. LOTS of light tho..
| around the 2 mile block, picked up about 20 deer I wouldn't have seen before..both distance and off the shoulder..
| need to find a place to secure the ballasts.. the double stick tape didn't..
| didn't encounter any other vehicles, so don't know what the reaction is yet..
Sam
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 249
Likes: 14
From: California
Recon
Good advice on DDM Tuning. Sounds like this is a good lower cost alternative to replacing the entire headlight assembly.
Does anyone have any experience with Recon (www.gorecon.com)?
If you want that projector look, they seem to have good products, but I don't have any first hand experience, and only came across their site doing a random search.
Although more expensive than just replacing bulbs, their products do change the headlight look significantly, especially with the LED rings around the projector lenses like you see on some BMWs.
They don't have the 2011 F series version out yet that I can tell, but they all prior years covered, and they look pretty good IMHO. They also offer a range of bulbs/colors.
Curious if anyone looked into Recon before purchasing DDM Tuning.
Does anyone have any experience with Recon (www.gorecon.com)?
If you want that projector look, they seem to have good products, but I don't have any first hand experience, and only came across their site doing a random search.
Although more expensive than just replacing bulbs, their products do change the headlight look significantly, especially with the LED rings around the projector lenses like you see on some BMWs.
They don't have the 2011 F series version out yet that I can tell, but they all prior years covered, and they look pretty good IMHO. They also offer a range of bulbs/colors.
Curious if anyone looked into Recon before purchasing DDM Tuning.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,094
Likes: 5
From: Central Illinois
What I would like to find is a replacement reflector that swaps the turn
signal and headlight positions so the headlights are back where they used
to be in the '99-'07 trucks.
I really don't care if my headlights are the same height as a prius rear windshield.
signal and headlight positions so the headlights are back where they used
to be in the '99-'07 trucks.
I really don't care if my headlights are the same height as a prius rear windshield.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 35
From: North of Salt Lake City
Cool. What was your thoughts on the whole grille removal requirement? Did you think it is a pain or a good idea the way Ford made it?
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 35
From: North of Salt Lake City
mine should be here today..
received and installed.. hardest part was routing the wires from one side to the other. .. ran it behind the horns, and hood latch, using the latch cable as the anchor.
(this is on an 08 mind you) they did a nice job of making sure you can't plug things in wrong.. I may have to fiddle with holding the ballast... we'll see
they turn on, and go hi/low.. so now.. wait til dark!!..
I did not need the extra relay driven harness.. they are taking it back.. (its nicely built tho, hm.. I should keep and use it on one of my hotrods.. nice clean harness)..
| pretty darn bright.. 5000 color lamps are a little more blue than expected.. may change to a lower number (warmer?) color .. LOTS of light tho..
| around the 2 mile block, picked up about 20 deer I wouldn't have seen before..both distance and off the shoulder..
| need to find a place to secure the ballasts.. the double stick tape didn't..
| didn't encounter any other vehicles, so don't know what the reaction is yet..
Sam
received and installed.. hardest part was routing the wires from one side to the other. .. ran it behind the horns, and hood latch, using the latch cable as the anchor.
(this is on an 08 mind you) they did a nice job of making sure you can't plug things in wrong.. I may have to fiddle with holding the ballast... we'll see
they turn on, and go hi/low.. so now.. wait til dark!!..
I did not need the extra relay driven harness.. they are taking it back.. (its nicely built tho, hm.. I should keep and use it on one of my hotrods.. nice clean harness)..
| pretty darn bright.. 5000 color lamps are a little more blue than expected.. may change to a lower number (warmer?) color .. LOTS of light tho..
| around the 2 mile block, picked up about 20 deer I wouldn't have seen before..both distance and off the shoulder..
| need to find a place to secure the ballasts.. the double stick tape didn't..
| didn't encounter any other vehicles, so don't know what the reaction is yet..
Sam