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TurnThePage
Explorer
Oct 03, 2023

Looking for LED headlight upgrade options

My old 2015 Ram 1500 runs great, and I'm not interested in mortgaging the house for a new truck. So a few select upgrades might be worthwhile. I'm not interested in sticking an LED bulb in my halogen projector housing. I think I would rather replace the entire assembly. At the moment, the only units I see with good reviews are Morimoto XB, and Alpharex Nova. Since I don't follow this stuff very closely, I'm hoping for some enlightenment as it were.
  • TurnThePage wrote:
    I have projectors. I've perused all the Ram websites thoroughly and virtually nobody has had great success using LEDs in projectors. The light scatters. Getting an LED to recreate the halogen filament location is apparently much trickier in a projector.


    I have a 16 with the projector and LEDs and the light does not scatter. The reflector housings will scatter the light. The LED has to be mounted so the the LED chip is on the sides at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions. The bulbs are adjustable so this can be accomplished. It also need the right LED bulb. It has to be the kind with just the 2 chips on either side. If it’s the ones that have about 10 LEDs all over it then the light will be everywhere!
  • I know you said you’re looking for new housings too, but fwiw, consider just bulbs….maybe you want a new “look” though or something, idk.
    I’ve been real impressed with Auxbeam bulbs. There’s a plethora of cheap chit Amazonian ones out there.
    These are onthe upper end of the cheapo ones and IMO they’re well worth what they cost.
    Got the ole brodozer with them and thought maybe they were expensive ones. When one burned out a couple years later figured out that’s what they were. The (same) replacement has been in for a good year or so now. And idk how old the original one is. I’d say 4 years at least.
    Way brighter and not blinding enough to get flashed by oncoming traffic if adjusted right.
    Have made a huge difference in other old junkers we run. And hard to beat for only $40-50 a pair.
    The difference is literally day and night. Makes the stock bulbs output look like an old yellowed photograph!
  • I have projectors. I've perused all the Ram websites thoroughly and virtually nobody has had great success using LEDs in projectors. The light scatters. Getting an LED to recreate the halogen filament location is apparently much trickier in a projector.
  • TurnThePage wrote:
    I have projector housings unfortunately. They don't enjoy the same characteristics. LEDs don't seem to work well in them. HID might be an option, but I would like something totally reliable.

    Do you mean reflector housing? Because projector housing are exactly what you want to install an LED bulb.
  • For a serious headlight replacement, check out AlpharexUSA. These are high quality assemblies that out perform the stock units by a wide margin. Because they work well and are a high quality part, they aren't inexpensive but if you want good, they're the best IMO.
  • I have projector housings unfortunately. They don't enjoy the same characteristics. LEDs don't seem to work well in them. HID might be an option, but I would like something totally reliable.
  • For what it's worth, there are some great videos out there showing how different LED bulbs work in different truck housings. I have the quad headlights in my 2500 and have LED bulbs that were highly rated. They fit and project with the exact same cutoff as the halogen bulb, but they are whiter and brighter. I don't get flashed at night, it's not blinding to oncoming traffic, but they are WAY better then halogen.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9POvAfxNLc4

    I have these bulbs, I highly recommend them. https://www.headlightrevolution.com/2009-2018-dodge-ram-reflector-single-beam-led-h11-low-beam-bulbs-upgrade-v-4-0917RAM-REF.H11.V4-LOW_?quantity=1

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