Best LED headlights upgrade for Chevy Tahoe?

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2008 Tahoe here... There is a gazillion + 1 LED upgrades but what are some good ones that

* Won't get me flashed
* Are a significant improvement over stock lumens wise 12,000 lumens or such
* Won't burn out
* A a bonus, neutral, not blue tint
 
Won't get a neutral tint, they're all ~6000k with that blue tint to them. "Good" LED's aren't cheap, cheap LED's are horrific. I ended up removing my diode dynamics SL1 LED's and going back to halogen, and those are regarded as some of the best LED's in the market.

I think those use an H11 low beam and 9005 high beam. You can to the H11 to H9 upgrade for ~$20, and do the 9005 to 9011 upgrade for ~$40-$50.

9005: 1,860lm, 9011: 2,500lm

H11: 1,350lm, H9: 2,100lm

https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/fo...ns/1409801-ryan-s-guide-to-halogen-bulbs
 
The LED conversion style bulbs that you stick into the original halogen headlight housing are generally not great to put it politely. The beam pattern is always messed up because the LED's are very directional compared to a halogen bulb which puts out light in 360 degree arc, so there's no way the LED conversion bulbs can replicate the original beam pattern. With that you'll get a messed up beam cutoff, and a beam that's very bright in some places and dim in others. The other problem is the cooling fins in the back of the bulbs stick out so in some cars it's impossible to get them to fit. They're cheap enough to try, just don't expect them to be an ideal solution.
 
If you are wanting to add LED bulbs to a reflector style housing then I have nothing nice to say about this idea. They cause horrible glare to oncoming drivers and most of the time it cannot be corrected via headlight aiming. Just don't do it. LED conversion kits are getting more common by the day and it's out of control. They are even health consequences for those that are blinded by them.
 
I have this idea, I think I will install just the high beam (9005) in the Tahoe and then see if I like it, will install the low mode also.

Since I use the high beam less frequently and when I encounter other vehicles, click to low anyway.

Any recommendations for the best 9005 LED? Same criteria - no blinding if possible, good tint, great lumens.

Does this package deal make sense?

https://www.amazon.com/SEALIGHT-Hea...+LED+9005&qid=1587387953&sr=8-12
 
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For questions about automotive headlights, I find Daniel stern lighting.com to be a good resource.

I have never converted to LED headlights before, so I can't speak from experience. I have ridden in and have had all kinds of poor headlights shone in my eyes with a poor lighting pattern from those LED bulbs installed in place of halogen bulbs.

I do think the upgraded halogen bulbs (H11 to H9) sounds like a neat option.

I find that my 2003 Dodge Ram headlights don't seem to be very bright. I need to try and improve them.
 
Before messing with Bulbs ...make sure the lens is Crystal clear. Ive seen some of these old vehicles with Yellow, pitted, frosted appearance. Adding more light wont do a thing in this situation as the lens will refract/block it getting out.
 
Originally Posted by buddylpal
If you are wanting to add LED bulbs to a reflector style housing then I have nothing nice to say about this idea. They cause horrible glare to oncoming drivers and most of the time it cannot be corrected via headlight aiming. Just don't do it. LED conversion kits are getting more common by the day and it's out of control. They are even health consequences for those that are blinded by them.

+2

I'm fully in support of tickets issued, vehicles towed and impounded when either LED retrofits or add-on LED modules are used on public roads, including white fog lights. If you can't see to drive with your stock vehicle headlights in good condition, that shouldn't become someone else's problem.
 
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Originally Posted by Jake_J
The LED conversion style bulbs that you stick into the original halogen headlight housing are generally not great to put it politely. The beam pattern is always messed up because the LED's are very directional compared to a halogen bulb which puts out light in 360 degree arc, so there's no way the LED conversion bulbs can replicate the original beam pattern. With that you'll get a messed up beam cutoff, and a beam that's very bright in some places and dim in others. The other problem is the cooling fins in the back of the bulbs stick out so in some cars it's impossible to get them to fit. They're cheap enough to try, just don't expect them to be an ideal solution.

Five years ago I would agree. But today the makers have figured out how to position the LEDs in the same focal point as the halogen's filament.
That's more important than shining light in a 360 degree pattern.
The better LEDs have just as sharp a cutoff and even coverage as halogen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnD_sDWNjEw
 
Quote

Five years ago I would agree. But today the makers have figured out how to position the LEDs in the same focal point as the halogen's filament.
That's more important than shining light in a 360 degree pattern.
The better LEDs have just as sharp a cutoff and even coverage as halogen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnD_sDWNjEw


Not to throw shade at the guy, but he is in the business of selling the things, so he's not going to say just keep your halogens.
 
Originally Posted by Jake_J
Quote

Five years ago I would agree. But today the makers have figured out how to position the LEDs in the same focal point as the halogen's filament.
That's more important than shining light in a 360 degree pattern.
The better LEDs have just as sharp a cutoff and even coverage as halogen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnD_sDWNjEw


Not to throw shade at the guy, but he is in the business of selling the things, so he's not going to say just keep your halogens.


+1
There was a post on here recently where someone pointed out that lux meters read different temperatures of light differently (some more than others) and that the meter used by "Headlight Revolution" (the company in the linked youtube video) was particularly bad for exaggerating the lux readings for white LEDs and wasn't even available in the US so they appear to have basically special ordered a lux meter from overseas specifically to give higher readings for the products they sell.

At the very least that suggests a certain level of dishonesty.

They also neglect to mention anywhere in their videos that none of the LED bulbs they sell are road legal in Halogen housings.
 
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Originally Posted by Jake_J
Not to throw shade at the guy, but he is in the business of selling the things, so he's not going to say just keep your halogens.

I'll add a caveat that I only posted that link for what he says about positioning the LEDs for focusing.
All the other stuff about brightness of particular models etc. I am not endorsing.
 
My dad has a 13 0r 14 Taho and has been asking me about better headlights. I learned my lesson many years ago about the fancy Chinese housings that are awful. The only thing I can think to do that may not be a complete waste of money might be Morimoto projectors. Not sure.
His housings are nice and clear and I did put some Philips bulbs in it that claimed to be brighter.
I have an 09 and my brother has an 07. Id be interested in an upgrade as well but I travel a lot and I dont really want some goofy aftermarket upgrade that will be impossible to deal with if I suddenly have no lights in the middle of nowhere. I also just keep my housings nice and clear and change the bulbs every other year.

Ive done the Daniel Stern relay upgrade on a few cars with sealed beam headlights and it is nothing short of spectacular. I wish an upgrade like that would work on newer lights.
 
Originally Posted by NYEngineer
My dad has a 13 0r 14 Taho and has been asking me about better headlights. I learned my lesson many years ago about the fancy Chinese housings that are awful. The only thing I can think to do that may not be a complete waste of money might be Morimoto projectors. Not sure.
His housings are nice and clear and I did put some Philips bulbs in it that claimed to be brighter.
I have an 09 and my brother has an 07. Id be interested in an upgrade as well but I travel a lot and I dont really want some goofy aftermarket upgrade that will be impossible to deal with if I suddenly have no lights in the middle of nowhere. I also just keep my housings nice and clear and change the bulbs every other year.

Ive done the Daniel Stern relay upgrade on a few cars with sealed beam headlights and it is nothing short of spectacular. I wish an upgrade like that would work on newer lights.

Originally Posted by NYEngineer
My dad has a 13 0r 14 Taho and has been asking me about better headlights. I learned my lesson many years ago about the fancy Chinese housings that are awful. The only thing I can think to do that may not be a complete waste of money might be Morimoto projectors. Not sure.
His housings are nice and clear and I did put some Philips bulbs in it that claimed to be brighter.
I have an 09 and my brother has an 07. Id be interested in an upgrade as well but I travel a lot and I dont really want some goofy aftermarket upgrade that will be impossible to deal with if I suddenly have no lights in the middle of nowhere. I also just keep my housings nice and clear and change the bulbs every other year.

Ive done the Daniel Stern relay upgrade on a few cars with sealed beam headlights and it is nothing short of spectacular. I wish an upgrade like that would work on newer lights.


On the current generation Tahoe/Suburban there is a TSB regarding poor headlight performance. I believe the repair involves new bulbs and a reflash to the BCM to accommodate more power to the upgraded bulbs. If he drives a current generation Tahoe have him check it out.
 
I appreciate the heads up but his is the same as my 09. Earlier gen. I have a friend with a newer one. Ill tell him. Thanks.
 
I have to check what we use on our work vehicles. We run LED high beams coupled with light bars. Works great. We could even get by without the light bars even. We keep the factory halogen low beams for oncoming traffic.

The drop in bulbs work great in the newer F150's and Tahoe's. We have had them for several years now and they still seem to work but who knows how long they last.
 
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