I agree. Proper aiming and alignment do wonders for not creating issues with LED replacements, not to mention need to be done just for OE lamps to be safe and fuctional. Despite the archaic laws that the US has on headlamp usage and systems these lamps can greatly improve lighting safety for the DRIVER as well as the ONCOMING TRAFFIC ! USA needs to update new car lighting laws to allow better tech anyway - as they use in other countries currently.
OEM Headlights upgrade to LED White Bright Headlights
- Thread starter Escape08
- Start date
This is 100% correct. I am not suggesting we start removing Cat Converters or removing Diesel emission controls here, but people get so defensive as " Well, it isn't legal ! " Just because Uncle Sam hasn't blessed it it can't POSSIBLY have any merit in their eyes ! This is the point I have tried to make with some naysayers as well. I have also noted that modern OE LEGAL headlamps that are LED or newer HID tech dazzle very badly " almost ring " in fog conditions and on uphill and downhill descents at oncoming traffic much worse than any modern LED upgraded halogen housing bulbs put in with any attention to aiming and bulb position. To that end I find these arguments moot. YMMV
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The issue being depending on the application (the housing in the vehicle) nothing you can do with LED retrofits make them shine correctly. That's the problem.
Get the best Euro-spec halogens, polish or replace housings with OE or do a OE HID/LED retrofit with all stock parts before installing those forsaken drop-in LED bulbs. Halogen housings aren’t meant for solid-state or arc-discharge lighting.
I think a lot of people (especially the old timers on this board) have uncorrected astigmatism lol between that and the fact pretty much nobody bothers to adjust their headlights they just assume everything is LED bulbs fault
I also think most people complaining about their stock halogen set ups just need better wiring and cleaned up housings
I did it on my kid's 99 camry, that has one bulb for both low and high. Needless to say the factory reflector is a compromise, and with halogens, was dimmer than anything on the road.
I know the LED "pellet" is not and cannot be in the same focal plane as the little bit of tungsten hanging in an incandescent bulb. I did re-aim mine, down, to partially compensate.
So I read reviews on Amazon until I found a reviewer that said a particular bulb worked in their 99 camry, LOL.
My bulbs are indexable, so the flat "pucks" can be rotated to use the best part of the reflector. Wound up with a low, wide pattern without much vertical flare. How much is not much? Really not much, LOL. You're supposed to get a little to light overhead road signs. I have a nice dead spot where oncoming traffic gets a reprieve.
I hated doing this, philosophically, because it's submitting to an arms race. But I'm the last one to the party.
I know the LED "pellet" is not and cannot be in the same focal plane as the little bit of tungsten hanging in an incandescent bulb. I did re-aim mine, down, to partially compensate.
So I read reviews on Amazon until I found a reviewer that said a particular bulb worked in their 99 camry, LOL.
My bulbs are indexable, so the flat "pucks" can be rotated to use the best part of the reflector. Wound up with a low, wide pattern without much vertical flare. How much is not much? Really not much, LOL. You're supposed to get a little to light overhead road signs. I have a nice dead spot where oncoming traffic gets a reprieve.
I hated doing this, philosophically, because it's submitting to an arms race. But I'm the last one to the party.
The SYLVANIA Extra Vision do improve visibility . It has clear glass to give more white light to help with distinguishing objects at night . Can be bought under $25 for a pair . Also have fairly long life . My experience is close to 3 years and the FIT bulbs are easy to change . The FIT has daytime running lights that may shorten life of the bulb(s) .
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The halogens in the F150's are notoriously poor right from the factory. Spend any time on the Ford truck Forums and see it's a top complaint. In 2024 Ford put LEDs in all trim levels of the F150 trucks.
haven't worked on a modern Ford aside from a 2003 Focus ("modern" kek) so I cannot speak on the F-150 but can tell you I've seen a fair bit of stock headlights barely getting 13 volts at the connector which drastically cuts the output on halogen bulbs. They probably use 16 awg wire with not quite enough ampacity when new let alone what happens as wires and connections age it just gets worse.
Vehicles in general leave the factory with undersized wiring (and relays) in a lot of spots. Copper is expensive and shaving 20 to 50 bucks per unit by using 'just enough' wire adds up fast. This often leads to downstream effects in seemingly unrelated areas let alone all the obvious electrical gremlins caused by iffy grounds
a common problem on high compression V-twin motorcycles is sprag clutches wearing out fast. A lot of people think its because the clutch isn't beefy enough (or even what type and grade oil used) but in reality its solved by using a thicker starter cable (sometimes beefier relay too) and having a charging system that sends a full 14.4v to the battery.
14 awg at the connectors with a 10 awg wire connected to the battery feeding the relay with good grounds will get the lights full system voltage and like magic those crappy stock "yellow" lights suddenly turn a good bit brighter
HID are better than halogen but a solid halogen setup is far from dangerous
MolaKule
Staff member
Agreed on updating the standards! We need to consider two factors here:
1 ) Color temperature of light source,
color temperature of light sources - Bing
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2) Intensity of light source or brightness
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In my view, the NHTS board needs to do an updated and scientific study on the needed color temperature of automotive headlamps and the required intensity of headlamps for safe driving.
My suggested standards are for a maximum color temperature of 3,500k and an intensity of 60,000 candela per lamp for high beam and 20,000 candela per lamp for low beams.
I do not see it necessary for vehicles to have blue-white or highly intense white lights with color temperatures above 4,000k.
If you need more light intensity than this then you need to have your vision checked by an ophthalmologist and or have your headlight aiming adjusted.
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The recent f150 optics are garbage. Sloppy reflector housing doesn’t control light at all, and the aiming mechanism is vertical only, but the housing doesn’t move purely vertical - it goes outbound as the light lowers. New, mine were easily 20 degrees above horizontal. As I adjusted them down to the road, the hotspots left the pavement and went into the ditches. I kid you not they were that bad.
I cut the fronts off and installed HID projectors. And yes, cut them, because the housings had a lower melting temperature than the glue holding them together. The moment that was discovered, I was committed. I kept working the temperature as I’d pull them out, pry a bit, stick them back in, until I pulled one out and my mitt just sank into the housing while the lens wouldn’t budge. This was an awful HID projector retrofit, just a disaster. The end results are what they should be light-wise, but the workmanship looks junior high. If I ever sell the truck, I’ll probably have to install some TYC housings or something. In the meantime, I enjoy seeing the road and having true cutoffs and quite decent near/far distribution.
On topic - with the oem reflectors as bad as they are, an LED lamp source would be a disaster.
I cut the fronts off and installed HID projectors. And yes, cut them, because the housings had a lower melting temperature than the glue holding them together. The moment that was discovered, I was committed. I kept working the temperature as I’d pull them out, pry a bit, stick them back in, until I pulled one out and my mitt just sank into the housing while the lens wouldn’t budge. This was an awful HID projector retrofit, just a disaster. The end results are what they should be light-wise, but the workmanship looks junior high. If I ever sell the truck, I’ll probably have to install some TYC housings or something. In the meantime, I enjoy seeing the road and having true cutoffs and quite decent near/far distribution.
On topic - with the oem reflectors as bad as they are, an LED lamp source would be a disaster.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2022
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I’m sick and tired of getting blinded every single night; keep the OEMs
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
The entry level Super Duty have great flood lights when you needed long range narrow beams … driving towards them is worst than some aftermarket lights …
I love the orange glow through the trees of standard bulbs driving through quiet wooded roads with my Rodeo, but feel safer, & see everything with the Luxter Punisher LED bulbs I installed in my Civic for my daily 2-3AM commute. The 1st 15mi through rural, tree lined, unlit, 2 lane roads & highway with lots of deer & other critters. They are like the eyes of Megatron, & when properly adjusted don't create strain to oncoming traffic or those in front of you. LED is very bold & assertive compared to standard halogen for both ends on the road. Proper adjustment to not blind oncoming or through the mirrors of those in front of you is key.
My guess is Left is the retrofit. The glow on the right above is the "factory" overhead sign squirrel spotter.
I remember dad getting the "new" GE Halogen 5 1/4" round sealed lights to put in the '75 Ford LTD. Huge upgrade. They were not listed as "legal" in many states yet. Once they became more standard he went to Hella H4 lows and Hella H1 highs. Much better beam pattern than the GE then DOT approved blobs of light.
Been upgrading ever since, trying new. LED tech was not there yet for brightness and pattern for many years.
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4WD
$50 site donor 2024
Yep - they put out more east and west when the driver needs north
There are some visible artifacts on the right side. Almost a mirror image over the cutoff. It might not seem like much from the drivers seat, but that right side light might present as glare to oncoming traffic.
Left side has some interesting vertical artifacts as well towards the center of the beam. The vehicle is so close to the garage door that I’m not sure the artifacts are proper to consider - funny things happen up close.
But. Here’s what always surprised me.. look at the trim above the garage door. Why is it so bright? How’s the light getting up there? Is it leakage from the assembly, or is it simply just scatter from the lit surfaces?
Imma guess that left side is oem?
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