How to improve 2017 Ford 350 head light output? See Update.

[Chuck___]

Update 1-23-20 I wasn't trying to start a battle here by not respecting other drivers. I am 63 and have good eyesight. I don't get a rush or laughs by blinding oncoming traffic. Just thought of getting well aligned head lights with better lighting for country back roads while driving at night. This 2017 F-350 dually truck does have automatic dimmer sense for high beams and works very well and fast, sensing far down the road, for oncoming traffic to low beam. If I wanted to a inconsiderate fool I would put on my truck Air Craft Landing Lights at 1 million candle watt power. I don't plan on using this truck for The Baja One Thousand off road racing at daytime or at night.

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.

[RoyJ]

If you made an LED, of exact shape, position, and LUMEN OUTPUT as a halogen filament, then it could be made 100% DOT legal. But there is no such product I'm aware of.

The reason DOT spec maximum lumen for each halogen bulb, is because a reflector housing for that bulb can only have a max lux (brightness) of scatter light, as well as main beam pattern.

The best housing design still scatter. If you put a 6,000 lumen LED in place of an 1,800 lumen filament, even at the exact position, the scatter would blind people. Projectors have far less scatter, and, within the main beam the lumens is distributed better, so lower lux. That's why you can have a 5000 lm project LED, but not in a reflector housing.

[dodge_guy]

Here is a video that popped up in my recommendations on you tube. He has a very good explanation of how and why LED’s work and don’t work. As I also said, there is a proper bulb for a housing and the LED’s must be positioned on the portion of the board that goes inside the housing.

Definitely worth watching!

LED headlamp bulb video

[ShinerBock]

dodge guy wrote:
I would’ve never thought we’d have headlight police, but I guess I’m always amazed at what pops up!

I don't care what people do as long as it doesn't effect me(although blinding me while I am driving down the road does effect me). I am just telling the OP that it is in fact illegal and may or may not be heavily enforced where he lives.

If someone wants to run these that is there prerogative, but If they come at me with these HID/LED scattered light that blind me then I am turning on my light bar. They just better not get mad at me for doing to them what they are doing to me.

[dodge_guy]

I would’ve never thought we’d have headlight police, but I guess I’m always amazed at what pops up!

[ShinerBock]

drsteve wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:

drsteve wrote:


And no, I did not verify anything, because I am not in the market for these things.

You asked for a link. I posted a link.

Again, where does it say that it is legal in a halogen housing? They are illegal by federal standard regardless of the lies that sight may say. They may be legal in an LED/HID housing though.

Can you read? "Plug and play"... "100% street legal"... if you have a problem with this, I suggest you email the site, or report them to DOT. I'm done.

Plug and play does not mean it is 100% legal in a halogen housing. LED/HID bulbs are 100% legal in a housing made for them. I would suggest reading the federal mandate Scheinweiffermano posted a few posts up. It will give you the actual laws and mandates that make this illegal so you can Google and read them for yourself.

[drsteve]

ShinerBock wrote:

drsteve wrote:


And no, I did not verify anything, because I am not in the market for these things.

You asked for a link. I posted a link.

Again, where does it say that it is legal in a halogen housing? They are illegal by federal standard regardless of the lies that sight may say. They may be legal in an LED/HID housing though.

Can you read? "Plug and play"... "100% street legal"... if you have a problem with this, I suggest you email the site, or report them to DOT. I'm done.

[ShinerBock]

drsteve wrote:


And no, I did not verify anything, because I am not in the market for these things.

You asked for a link. I posted a link.

Again, where does it say that it is legal in a halogen housing? They are illegal by federal standard regardless of the lies that sight may say. They may be legal in an LED/HID housing though.

[drsteve]

ShinerBock wrote:

drsteve wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:

drsteve wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:

drsteve wrote:
https://www.xenonpro.com/45-watts-led-headlights-kit

That is just an LED kit. Where does it say that it alters the beam pattern of the halogen housing?

I don't think some of here know how a halogen housing works. The reason why it is scattered the way it is in a halogen housing is due to the low light output of a halogen bulb therefore it is able to reflect upward without blinding people. If you put a brighter bulb ,such as an HID or LED bulb, then the reflector in the housing that are pointing upward will cause the light to scatter upward blinding oncoming drivers. It has nothing to do with the beam pattern of the bulb because it is the beam pattern of the reflectors in the halogen housing that cause this issue. Hence the reason why it is illegal to put a brighter bulb such as an HID or LED bulb in a halogen housing.

You asked for a link to a street legal LED kit. This one says it is street legal.

But that is not street legal to be put in a halogen housing. Maybe in a projector housing made for HID/LED bulbs, but not a halogen housing. In fact, the picture of the different colors shows a projector style housing, not a halogen housing.

Send that link to your local state highway department and tell them you are putting it in a halogen housing and see what they say.

They say it is legal in a halogen housing.

Upgrade your halogen headlight and fog light bulbs to the latest-generation, premium LED headlights bulb kits backed by our lifetime warranty.

Increase the brightness of your headlights and improve visibility on the road so you can see farther, see better and drive safer.

Our premium LED headlight bulbs are manufactured with the highest quality standard, made of premium parts, assembled in the U.S. and Canada, and calibrated to your exact vehicle for the ultimate nighttime driving experience.

Extremely simple and quick Plug & Play installation.

Where does it say it is legal? And did you verify it with your state DPS?

Right here.

LED Headlights Product Benefits

Increase visibility with bright LEDs up to 300%
Lasts up to 10x longer than halogen bulbs
Plug & Play - easy installation
Guaranteed fitment
100% water, shock, dust, and rumble-proof
ISO 9001-2000 certified
100% street legal
Available in: white, blue, yellow & purple
Anti-glare tech - never blind other drivers
Lifetime Warranty

And no, I did not verify anything, because I am not in the market for these things.

You asked for a link. I posted a link.

[ShinerBock]

Scheinweiffermano wrote:

drsteve wrote:
They say it is legal in a halogen housing.

You can't believe everything you read onlineaapexshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NHTSA-Regulations-HID-LED-Kits.pdf.

I remember when that happened a few years ago.

Our product team goes to AAPEX every year to meet vendors and see new products. A few years ago Old World Industries, who just recently bought out PEAK, were going to come out with a new line of LED Bulbs at AAPEX. They had a huge display for these lights. All of the sudden AAPEX and federal officials confronted PEAK about the display. They confiscated all of the LED headlight bulbs and made them cover or remove the display. They were not the only ones this happen to either. Many companies in the Asian market section of the show also had to do the same.

[Scheinweifferma]

drsteve wrote:
They say it is legal in a halogen housing.

You can't believe everything you read onlineaapexshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NHTSA-Regulations-HID-LED-Kits.pdf.

[ShinerBock]

drsteve wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:

drsteve wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:

drsteve wrote:
https://www.xenonpro.com/45-watts-led-headlights-kit

That is just an LED kit. Where does it say that it alters the beam pattern of the halogen housing?

I don't think some of here know how a halogen housing works. The reason why it is scattered the way it is in a halogen housing is due to the low light output of a halogen bulb therefore it is able to reflect upward without blinding people. If you put a brighter bulb ,such as an HID or LED bulb, then the reflector in the housing that are pointing upward will cause the light to scatter upward blinding oncoming drivers. It has nothing to do with the beam pattern of the bulb because it is the beam pattern of the reflectors in the halogen housing that cause this issue. Hence the reason why it is illegal to put a brighter bulb such as an HID or LED bulb in a halogen housing.

You asked for a link to a street legal LED kit. This one says it is street legal.

But that is not street legal to be put in a halogen housing. Maybe in a projector housing made for HID/LED bulbs, but not a halogen housing. In fact, the picture of the different colors shows a projector style housing, not a halogen housing.

Send that link to your local state highway department and tell them you are putting it in a halogen housing and see what they say.

They say it is legal in a halogen housing.

Upgrade your halogen headlight and fog light bulbs to the latest-generation, premium LED headlights bulb kits backed by our lifetime warranty.

Increase the brightness of your headlights and improve visibility on the road so you can see farther, see better and drive safer.

Our premium LED headlight bulbs are manufactured with the highest quality standard, made of premium parts, assembled in the U.S. and Canada, and calibrated to your exact vehicle for the ultimate nighttime driving experience.

Extremely simple and quick Plug & Play installation.

Where does it say it is legal? And did you verify it with your state DPS?

[drsteve]

ShinerBock wrote:

drsteve wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:

drsteve wrote:
https://www.xenonpro.com/45-watts-led-headlights-kit

That is just an LED kit. Where does it say that it alters the beam pattern of the halogen housing?

I don't think some of here know how a halogen housing works. The reason why it is scattered the way it is in a halogen housing is due to the low light output of a halogen bulb therefore it is able to reflect upward without blinding people. If you put a brighter bulb ,such as an HID or LED bulb, then the reflector in the housing that are pointing upward will cause the light to scatter upward blinding oncoming drivers. It has nothing to do with the beam pattern of the bulb because it is the beam pattern of the reflectors in the halogen housing that cause this issue. Hence the reason why it is illegal to put a brighter bulb such as an HID or LED bulb in a halogen housing.

You asked for a link to a street legal LED kit. This one says it is street legal.

But that is not street legal to be put in a halogen housing. Maybe in a projector housing made for HID/LED bulbs, but not a halogen housing. In fact, the picture of the different colors shows a projector style housing, not a halogen housing.

Send that link to your local state highway department and tell them you are putting it in a halogen housing and see what they say.

They say it is legal in a halogen housing.

Upgrade your halogen headlight and fog light bulbs to the latest-generation, premium LED headlights bulb kits backed by our lifetime warranty.

Increase the brightness of your headlights and improve visibility on the road so you can see farther, see better and drive safer.

Our premium LED headlight bulbs are manufactured with the highest quality standard, made of premium parts, assembled in the U.S. and Canada, and calibrated to your exact vehicle for the ultimate nighttime driving experience.

Extremely simple and quick Plug & Play installation.

[Scheinweifferma]

mich800 wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
The new LED headlights the OEMs are offering are just as bad for blinding people. I’ve seen it myself. So if you don’t like LED headlights, then you may want to speed to the manuf and thy government for allowing brighter lights!

OEM too bright.

Except that recall isn't about the "headlights" being too bright per se. It's the fact that the Daytime Running Lights on the truck can be enabled at night with the regular low beam headlights.

That's not the low beam headlight being "too bright." That's a programming screw up by Ford.

Daytime Running Lights are, as the name implies, for daytime use, and therefore they can be a little too bright for safe nighttime use. Every other car disables use of the DRLs with low beam headlights. Ford didn't.

[mich800]

dodge guy wrote:
The new LED headlights the OEMs are offering are just as bad for blinding people. I’ve seen it myself. So if you don’t like LED headlights, then you may want to speed to the manuf and thy government for allowing brighter lights!

OEM too bright.