New Headlights for Big Blue

[Mopar1973Man]

When you figure out the upgrade to D2S lens and the D2S shroud then the rush shipping you can see the increased price I paid. Still in all the Morimoto lighting is awesome. 

[LorenS]

If you already have housings, wish to upgrade to D2S Projectors, own a Dremel, and have time to complete this task, I recommend purchasing the kit shown in the photo (pick your own options for shrouds and bulb color).  I bought my "IRIS" shrouds for $7 $15 because they were factory seconds or blemished.  I couldn't see how they were blemished, so that was money saved.  You may be able to get away with not using the glue; it's WAY more than you need.  The seconds aren't listed in the "closeout" section of the website, you have to go to the HID Systems dropdown menu, then click on the Shrouds page.  Some shrouds have an option of a "B" grade, some don't.

Also, follow the Retrofit Source advice to preheat oven to 275 and "cook" for 7 minutes.  They will come apart much easier than the 170 degrees and 30 minutes advice which kicked my butt even after cooking longer and a little hotter.  I bought the lockring tool, it's not worth the price.

 

I had to trim off the old bulb mounting plastic (used 100 grit on an orbital sander to go slow and steady), then enlarged the hole with a drum sander on my Dremel.

Edited February 12, 2020 by LorenS

[Evan]

337 is every thing needed minus lenses?

[LorenS]

Sure is. Pretty darn good deal if someone already has clear lenses!

[Mopar1973Man]

Just remember you have all the oven baking the lens off, setting up and testing, putting the new leans on and hope they are water tight. If there is a screw up you'll have to bake them off again to fix. Kind of the reason I went my direction I didn't have the time for all this and needed them promptly to keep driving back and forth. So it adds the assemble and shipping (2nd day). Hence why my price was 750 for the set. 

[Evan]

I can somehow make it work with some 7018  rod. ;)

 

I need lenses bad. I may just do them and upgrade kater

[LiveOak]

I just want to buy a kit or at least the items that I can plug and play on my 2001 & 2002 2nd gen 24 valve.  I don't want to get into any complicated issues of repinning plugs or fabricating harnesses or anything like that.  Is there such a thing.  I just want to SIMPLY install a set of clean lense headlights with LED bulbs on our trucks.  Is there such a thing and if so, a link would be great.  Thanks.  

[Mopar1973Man]

Just what I did to the 1996 Dodge Ram 1500. I bought a brand set of clear headlight housings. Then went out and picked up a set of 4,000 lumen LED bulbs (same as the HID's bulbs). This is all directly plug and play no messing with wiring and re-pinning plugs. I highly suggest you do a clear lens headlight housing. Then the LED's for 9004 are listed in the store I've just not ordered any being I've not sold any of the smaller bulbs yet. 

[LiveOak]

Can you put up the links to what you purchased for your truck?

[Mopar1973Man]

42 minutes ago, LiveOak said:

Can you put up the links to what you purchased for your truck?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FJVPWYF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/miniature-and-subminiature-bulbs/9004-led-fanless-headlight-conversion-kit-with-internal-drivers-4000-lumensset/3910/8027/

[LiveOak]

Is there a difference in performance/value of the fanless LED light vs fan cooled LED lights.  I went ahead and got the LED lights that were paired with the headlight assemblies you linked me to just to make sure I got what would definitely work.  

 

VoRock8 R2 COB 9004 HB1 8000 Lumens Led Headlight Conversion Kit, High Low Beam Headlamp, Dual Beam Head Light, Halogen Head Light Replacement, 6500K Xenon White

 

While reading the information and comparisons of this LED light to others, I noticed this LED light

 

Torchbeam T2 9004/HB1 LED Headlight Bulbs, 12,000 LM 6500K Cool White, 400% Brightness, Compact Size, Replacement Bulbs

 

Bigger, brighter, hotter, etc. is NOT always better and having fans to cool the lights raised some questions and doubts about reliability and longevity so I stuck with what was recommended to work.  12,000 lumens is pretty darn bright but I wonder about real world performance and usability, not to mention blinding oncoming drivers even if properly adjusted.  

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

That's why I went with the 4,000 lumens which is the same level of light as my Morimoto HID's. They are not blinding bright and you can adjust the headlight to get you pattern correct. The bulb I listed is the ones I've got in my 1996 Dodge Ram 1500. Had them nearly a year now and worked great on the highway and plenty of light. 

 

Your on your own going above 4,000 lumens. I will not suggest anyone buying a brighter bulb than 4,000 lumens. 

[LiveOak]

6 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

That's why I went with the 4,000 lumens which is the same level of light as my Morimoto HID's. They are not blinding bright and you can adjust the headlight to get you pattern correct. The bulb I listed is the ones I've got in my 1996 Dodge Ram 1500. Had them nearly a year now and worked great on the highway and plenty of light. 

 

Your on your own going above 4,000 lumens. I will not suggest anyone buying a brighter bulb than 4,000 lumens. 

 

I missed the fine print:

 

Quote

SMALLEST Led kit with the brightest light of its size: 4000lm output each.8000LM per Pair.

 

It appears these are 4000 lumen.  

[Mopar1973Man]

Remember factory halogen bulb is about 1,500 lumens. LED and HID's are typically 4,000 lumens. 

[That Guy]

On 1/30/2020 at 8:11 AM, Mopar1973Man said:

There is nothing in the halogen playground that will even come close to a HID lighting period.

 

 

It's not too late to quote this right?

 

I have a set of lights off of a 1916 Pullman office car. They are rated at 1000 watts at 75 volts DC. Having seen a set in action, I would put them against anything anybody has mounted to a car. The housings have an 18 inch mirror as a reflector. The discerning businessman of years past must have been astonished by the amount of light it put out when most people still used kerosene lamps.

 

 

Joking aside, I just bought a set of clear lense headlights for the truck with the sole intent of cramming 2, or maybe 3 (if it will fit) morimoto projectors in each one. I can't remember where I saw it, but I came across someone's signature on one of the HID retrofit forums that had managed to fit 4 bi xenon projectors in each housing for whatever car it was. Total came out to 24,000 lumens. Signature was titled, "Pure Driving Heaven" with an aerial shot of the car illuminating about a 1/4 mile of lit interstate brighter than the street lamps.

 

I don't think these headlight housings have enough real estate to fit 4 sets, but 2 should fit side by side.  

[Alexio Auditore]

If one were to order these headlights pre assembled, what options would you recommend on the headlights? I know some of it is personal taste, like the chrome or black housing, etc,  but stuff like the Kelvin, projector option, so on?

[That Guy]

5 hours ago, Alexio Auditore said:

If one were to order these headlights pre assembled, what options would you recommend on the headlights? I know some of it is personal taste, like the chrome or black housing, etc,  but stuff like the Kelvin, projector option, so on?

 

Much is personal preference, but also budget.

 

The big ball in the sky that converts hydrogen into helium via fission puts out about 5500-6000k normally and about 6500k when overcast. The human eye tends to see best in that range, and really closer to 6000k.

 

In the HID world, 5300k is the most efficient with lumens per watt, 6000k is within 10% but most people seem to like the slightly whiter light. HIDs will be much happier on a relay harness and less likely to burn up the factory in dash switch. They have a warm up period when they first turn on which draws quite a bit more power than a halogen until they are warmed up. They also require separate ballasts. Do not put an HID in the stock housing. Nothing good comes from it. Projector required.

 

LEDs are a bit opposite. The brightest LEDs are actually closer to 8000k but have phosphor (the yellow color you see when looking at an unpowered LED) in the resin/gel over the chip to bring the color temperature down more to daylight but also decreases lumens output. Even still, a good set will meet or beat the output of 35w HIDs in the 5500-6500k range these days. Some LEDs are a not bad on the second gen lights as a plug and play, but need to be re-aimed so as not to blind people. 

 

Projectors are ideal in both cases and make much more even and useful light output and less potential to blind traffic (or yourself in the case of street signs). Clear lenses are also nearly required for good clean light.

 

If I was to have a set built for myself, 6500k/D2S 5.0/black housings and clear lenses.

 

I bought a set of headlight housings off amazon for ~$80 to play with and I think I'm going to try the Morimoto M2.0 LEDs projectors.

[hdpwipmonkey]

On 8/18/2020 at 1:51 PM, Alexio Auditore said:

If one were to order these headlights pre assembled, what options would you recommend on the headlights? I know some of it is personal taste, like the chrome or black housing, etc,  but stuff like the Kelvin, projector option, so on?

I am really happy with my setup.   Its just the basic setup on the Retroshop site.  I got the Mini H1 and mini gatling shroud.  I also got the Morimoto ballast which I see Retroshop don't offer as an option now.  They only have the Hylux 35W.  Going from stock lighting to this setup was like... night and day 

[Mopar1973Man]

Now if you did the D2S lens then it would of been even bigger difference. D2S lens cast more light than the H1 Mini.