How to improve 2017 Ford 350 head light output? See Update.
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Feb-20-2020 10:44 AM
I have a Ford 2017 350 dually and the headlights and truck at night are not all that great. I am retired 63 and don't do a lot of long night traveling anymore but would like to have better lighting a night. Some of the older LED head light bulbs like "Life Time LED's" cost a lot $150.00 and really do not put out the greatest patter or down the road light. Bought a set of the above brand several years ago and was very disappointed for my 99 dodge 2500.
Think of trying those high output replacement bulb Sylvania Silverstar Ultra at the auto parts store for around $50.00.
Heard that they are 100 percent brighter but have a much shorter life span.
Just maybe they are making newer LED replacement bulbs much better and low cost now days.
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Feb-21-2020 05:09 AM
FishOnOne wrote:
Here's a video from Headlight Revolution on installing LED lights. As you can see later in the video at around 3:47 the quality of the beam pattern is very similar to a standard bulb. If installed and adjusted properly the light quality is excellent while not blinding others.
Link
And yet none of them are and they end up blinding others on the road all because they don't want to spend another $400-$600 on projectors.
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Feb-21-2020 05:03 AM
Link
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Feb-21-2020 04:29 AM
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Feb-21-2020 03:09 AM
I thought it was just me the last few years, being partially blinded by oncoming cars at night. Then in talking to other people turns out I'm not the only one.
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Feb-20-2020 11:45 PM
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Feb-20-2020 09:09 PM
Iraqvet05 wrote:
I'll continue to be that jack ass. I don't get flashed, I don't get pulled over (I imagine because 95 percent of LEOs don't know how to interpret the DOT law you provided). I see far brighter LED lights on factory vehicles that my cheap retrofit. Sorry, but you can't convince me that a halogen bulb that has very little directionality is that much different from an LED. Maybe the lumen output is more of a factor with the brightness than the design of the bulb.
Isn't there something about lack of knowledge about the law is not an excuse...works the same even if the LEOs haven't taken the time to learn the law.
Just because you aren't being flashed doesn't mean you aren't bothering people because you headlights are out of spec.
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Feb-20-2020 05:32 PM
Blinding oncoming traffic is not cool. There are specific vehicle requirements to use HID style bulbs.
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Feb-20-2020 02:48 PM
Iraqvet05 wrote:ShinerBock wrote:Iraqvet05 wrote:ShinerBock wrote:
LED or HID in a housing made for halogen lights are illegal in all states, and enforcement is sporadic. If you want to put these kind of lights on your truck and stay legal then you would need to spend the coin and buy housing made for these types of bulbs(i.e. projectors) that do not scatter the beam.
I'd really like to read this law from a legitimate source, not "the internet said". I work for a police department...it's not enforced at all here. I've also traveled at night in Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Arkansas and passed many police vehicles and I've haven't been pulled over.
As I said, enforcement is sporadic and most new officers do not even know it is illegal. As far as your state, somewhere in the transportation code it will state that a vehicle has to abide by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 49 CFR Part 571 which is what makes putting a HID or LED bulb in a housing made for halogen illegal. You can put an LED bulb in an LED housing or HID bulb in an HID housing, but neither in a halogen only housing.
CFR 49 571.108
Not to mention that it is a j@ckA$$ thing to do. I understand you need to see, but so do others on the road. I don't think they should be blinded just because someone is too cheap to do it right. If someone can afford a $40+k truck, then they can afford to spend the extra coin on the correct housing for the bulbs they want.
I'll continue to be that jack ass. I don't get flashed, I don't get pulled over (I imagine because 95 percent of LEOs don't know how to interpret the DOT law you provided). I see far brighter LED lights on factory vehicles that my cheap retrofit. Sorry, but you can't convince me that a halogen bulb that has very little directionality is that much different from an LED. Maybe the lumen output is more of a factor with the brightness than the design of the bulb.
You answered your own question. The reflectors required for halogens are different than for an effective led light source. Led’s in improper housings can create too focused of a light beam or too disbursed. So if you cannot confirm the housing is led approved all you can do is test with different bulbs to make sure the light is effective for the user and not blinding to other drivers.
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Feb-20-2020 02:21 PM
jfkmk wrote:agesilaus wrote:
As a semi proof I've found that I can keep my headlights on high and drive around and have never ever been flashed by oncoming drivers..
Brilliant.
I mean as a test and even then they aren't that bright.
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Feb-20-2020 02:16 PM
agesilaus wrote:
As a semi proof I've found that I can keep my headlights on high and drive around and have never ever been flashed by oncoming drivers..
Brilliant.
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Feb-20-2020 02:13 PM
Iraqvet05 wrote:
.....and I had to turn my bucket adjusters down to keep from getting flashed all the time.
This is the problem with the cheap a$$ led bulbs in a housing not designed for them. Not getting flashed is a very poor indicator for proper headlight aiming. I’ve been blinded by idiots with crappy led bulbs before and haven’t flashed my lights. I was too busy concentrating on staying in my lane while being blinded and, besides, blinding them too is a bad decision.
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Feb-20-2020 02:13 PM
As a semi proof I've found that I can keep my headlights on high and drive around and have never ever been flashed by oncoming drivers.
As for changing the lamps out, I thought it was a major PITA on my 2012 F350 where you have to partly dissemble the front of the truck to get the light housing out where you can work on it. I had one burn out and replaced it with another HID.
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Feb-20-2020 01:48 PM
ShinerBock wrote:Iraqvet05 wrote:ShinerBock wrote:
LED or HID in a housing made for halogen lights are illegal in all states, and enforcement is sporadic. If you want to put these kind of lights on your truck and stay legal then you would need to spend the coin and buy housing made for these types of bulbs(i.e. projectors) that do not scatter the beam.
I'd really like to read this law from a legitimate source, not "the internet said". I work for a police department...it's not enforced at all here. I've also traveled at night in Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Arkansas and passed many police vehicles and I've haven't been pulled over.
As I said, enforcement is sporadic and most new officers do not even know it is illegal. As far as your state, somewhere in the transportation code it will state that a vehicle has to abide by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 49 CFR Part 571 which is what makes putting a HID or LED bulb in a housing made for halogen illegal. You can put an LED bulb in an LED housing or HID bulb in an HID housing, but neither in a halogen only housing.
CFR 49 571.108
Not to mention that it is a j@ckA$$ thing to do. I understand you need to see, but so do others on the road. I don't think they should be blinded just because someone is too cheap to do it right. If someone can afford a $40+k truck, then they can afford to spend the extra coin on the correct housing for the bulbs they want.
I'll continue to be that jack ass. I don't get flashed, I don't get pulled over (I imagine because 95 percent of LEOs don't know how to interpret the DOT law you provided). I see far brighter LED lights on factory vehicles that my cheap retrofit. Sorry, but you can't convince me that a halogen bulb that has very little directionality is that much different from an LED. Maybe the lumen output is more of a factor with the brightness than the design of the bulb.
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Feb-20-2020 01:11 PM
file:///C:%5CDocuments%20and%20Settings%5Cjoshi%5CLocal%20Settings%5CTemp%5CWindowsLiveWriter586806914%5Csupfiles2204EC%5Cclip_image9643.jpg
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...
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Feb-20-2020 01:06 PM
Iraqvet05 wrote:ShinerBock wrote:
LED or HID in a housing made for halogen lights are illegal in all states, and enforcement is sporadic. If you want to put these kind of lights on your truck and stay legal then you would need to spend the coin and buy housing made for these types of bulbs(i.e. projectors) that do not scatter the beam.
I'd really like to read this law from a legitimate source, not "the internet said". I work for a police department...it's not enforced at all here. I've also traveled at night in Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Arkansas and passed many police vehicles and I've haven't been pulled over.
As I said, enforcement is sporadic and most new officers do not even know it is illegal. As far as your state, somewhere in the transportation code it will state that a vehicle has to abide by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 49 CFR Part 571 which is what makes putting a HID or LED bulb in a housing made for halogen illegal. You can put an LED bulb in an LED housing or HID bulb in an HID housing, but neither in a halogen only housing.
CFR 49 571.108
Not to mention that it is a j@ckA$$ thing to do. I understand you need to see, but so do others on the road. I don't think they should be blinded just because someone is too cheap to do it right. If someone can afford a $40+k truck, then they can afford to spend the extra coin on the correct housing for the bulbs they want.
2016 BMW 2.0L diesel (work and back car)
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 3.0L Ecodiesel
Highland Ridge Silverstar 378RBS