Headlight upgrade-- tips and gauging interest

[dieselautopower]

I know my OEM headlights may be brighter then my ideas, but I can't see very well at night. Lots of us have poor lighting on our trucks, we spend hundreds and thousands modifying the truck, but most have stock OEM lights.Estimating cost at under $340 shipped for new sport headlights with a new set of bulbs and wiring harness. Would there be much interest in a plug and play kit with the sport lighting which uses a 9004 &9007 bulb at the same time in each headlight instead of just the 9004?Tipsto get better light you can:1. can use rubbing compound or degreaser on your yellowing lights to clear obstructed lenses2. do not use blue tinted lights or the "WHITE"' lights as the blue light mostly scatters. It looks lighter, but its mostly because it hurts your eyes.3. If you have relays set up correctly your voltage drop will be less leading to a brighter light.4. if you have lifted or modified your truck height re-adjust your headlights to be the correct angle.any other ideas...

[Mopar1973Man]

Hmmm... I did a mod that I feel in love with because of such problems... So I made a set of 4 100w fog llamps that are 2 low beams and 2 high beams.... controlled by 2 relay... http://mopar.mopar1973man.com/personal/2002/fog-lights/fog-lights.htm As for my stock head lights they are about worthless... The light path is scattered all over and beam is too wide (I think). There is no defined hot spot on the highway in front of you... As ofr aftermarket lighting I look at several but man you can spend a bunch on light, bulb housings, etc..:$:

[dieselautopower]

what type of cost was it to get the fog lights? I know 100watt bulbs are no good out here in CA.

[Wild and Free]

I'd Like to see something for 03-05 3rd gens, the lights on those are even worse than regular second gens. 2nd gen high beams where livable but lows beams sucked, 3rd gens have good low beams but highs shine out no further but just widen the low beam pattrern a bit. Can see better with a full

[dieselautopower]

my 3rd gen had much better lights than the 2nd gen. My 3rd gen also had oem fog lights. When they were both on I felt I had nothing to complain about.

[Wild and Free]

I have factory fogs on my 05 also, I would like to see OUT in front of me and not RIGHT in front of me which is all my 05 does. What year was/is your 3rd gen? The 06 style and newer seems to have cured all lighting problems.

[dieselautopower]

mine was an 04.5, great truck, too nice for me really. MPG was not so good. I could only get 16.5mpg driving easier than my 2001 where I could get 21+MPGI sold it to help fund and grow my diesel business. I started it at the bottom of the economy...

[Mopar1973Man]

what type of cost was it to get the fog lights? I know 100watt bulbs are no good out here in CA.

They are roughly $15 bucks a piece seal beam bulbs. They are actually aircraft langing light to be exact. But here in Idaho they are sold at every NAPA around.

So far I've mounted them on both Mom's truck and my own... Taz has a pair of 100w on the front of his too. Then I add a pair of 100w bulb to my rear axle!

[ISX]

I coulda sworn someone had a writeup on making the brights and normal lights both be on at the same time. You can see how much brighter it is when you have the brights on and pull the turn signal level back to turn them off, but hold it back and both are on.

[dieselautopower]

ISX there is the bright box that modifies the existing head lights, but the reflectors are supposed to be not so good on stock lights, + its not legal in CA to drive with high beams on.Moparman, what did you use for mounts on your aircraft lights?

[Wild and Free]

Those aircraft lights draw some serious amperage also, At the coal mines I work at they used to run a lot of them on equipment but 24 volt systems and they really taxed the electrical system especially if the grounds were bad or dirty. They have all long since upgraded to HID lighting now. Most new equipment only comes with HID lights now.

[Mopar1973Man]

ISX there is the bright box that modifies the existing head lights, but the reflectors are supposed to be not so good on stock lights, + its not legal in CA to drive with high beams on. Moparman, what did you use for mounts on your aircraft lights?

Actually there rubber tractor buckets... As for the current draw I've got a 20 Amp fuse running my light and the only fuse problems I've had was the fuse holder rotten away from corrosion... (Got wet a few times...)

[flagmanruss]

I think there is a "kit?" to keep low elements on with the high beam elements. On low the high element is off. I forget where I saw it.Russ

Edited December 17, 2009 by flagmanruss

[Wild and Free]

ISX there is the bright box that modifies the existing head lights.

I think there is a "kit?" to keep low elements on with the high beam elements. On low the high element is off. I forget where I saw it.

Russ

I high lighted the answer in the post above yours, If you click on it there is a link to the brite box products.

[Howie67]

Jacob put me down for a light upgrade!!

[LT smoke]

has anyone figured out if there is a true hid upgrade for the 2nd gen yet....i belive for true hid to work with out the light just scattering everywhere and truely blinding on comeing traffic you have to change the light buckets them selves..true?

[Wild and Free]

has anyone figured out if there is a true hid upgrade for the 2nd gen yet....i belive for true hid to work with out the light just scattering everywhere and truely blinding on comeing traffic you have to change the light buckets them selves..true?

There have been people on other sites trying the plug and play HID kits and You are correct on scattered lite with the stock lenses. But they all claim the light is super otherwise. Some are ordering up the clear lenses to try.

[dracozny]

has anyone figured out if there is a true hid upgrade for the 2nd gen yet....i belive for true hid to work with out the light just scattering everywhere and truely blinding on comeing traffic you have to change the light buckets them selves..true?

no and there will never be one, google "dot approved hid upgrade" for a multitude of info regarding this.

now if you want a true hid system in your truck your best bet is to look at hidplanet or similar sites for info on how to convert various headlight assemblies to utilize existing hid projectors from other vehicles.

but for everyones sake:

DO NOT PUT HIDS IN HALOGEN BASED HOUSINGS AND PROJECTORS!!!!!!!

every single 2nd gen projector you see on ebay is halogen only!

if you do this anyways you risk blinding other drivers and potentially killing someone.

[dracozny]

I think there is a "kit?" to keep low elements on with the high beam elements. On low the high element is off. I forget where I saw it. Russ

several exist britebox commonly referred to. google "H4 highbeam kit" you can also make your own just takes a few relays splices and wires.

[Racer Dan]

I used the white rubbing compound on my headlights and it helped a little. I always put the factory fog lights on with my low beams.