HID upgrade.

[turbo elk]

Has any one done the HID headlight upgrade?
How did you like it?
How much did it cost?
Where did you buy it?
And did you need the headlight relay switch upgrade to go along with it?

Thanks.

 

[rhkcommander]

Probably will need the relay upgrade.

Every car in town with HIDs ****** me off. They throw light worse than fog lights. Have you tried better quality lights yet? If you need more light then I've heard the relay job helps out.

 

[Coyote_Red]

I did the relay mod and I plan to do so on four other trucks. The HID conversions are not legal and can glare horribly for other drivers and provide sharp drop offs in light for yourself. I would advise to save the coin and go with the relay mod. Just my $.02

 

[chris142]

Every car in town with HIDs ****** me off. They throw light worse than fog lights.

X2!

 

[jwalterus]

I had a buddy do a real HID conversion on his truck, I believe it cost him around $4k when it was all said and done with the real HID lenses and such
but even so, they are illegal everywhere on any vehicle that did not come with them from the factory

 

[OLDBULL8]

HID headlight's bring out the best in me. Out of my mouth come some foul words I had long forgotten

 

[theguruat12]

I've almost driven off the highway when idiots who do those illegal conversions come around the corner and suddenly I'm blinded. They're awful

 

[yARIC008]

I guess you missed my post a little while ago. I did it and it was about $650. Had to do everything custom as the projectors in the housing for the van were not available anywhere. Please only do this upgrade if you use projectors. Installing an arc source bulb in a normal housing will just blind everyone on the road. They should only be used in projector housings with a cutoff shroud. Even normal halogen housings with a glare shield won't cut it in terms of not blinding people.

For the person that spent 4k on an HID upgrade with projectors, they must have gotten the BEST crap available and had like 4-6 lights total. No way i'd spend 4k on something that could get smashed up in a fender bender. It was hard enough spending $650.

Also, in terms of color temperature. If you want more light go with the lower color temp. Having your headlights look blue doesn't get you much and reduces light output, stay at 5000k or lower.

In order to do this mod correctly you will have a modify wiring going to your headlight switch and high beam switch. The plug and play crap that is made doesn't work. The HIDs require power all the time, and the shroud motor requires 12 volts to engage, then when 12 volts drops the spring pulls it back down. The stock setup on the trucks is such that when you pull the high beam lever you lose low beam power for a split second which makes the arc drop. Also, when you push the lever forward it drops low beam power entirely. The bulbs will need a new constant uninterruptible 12 volt supply to stay on constantly. Then you need new wires run to the high beam lever to actuate the high beam shroud. This is all true of the post 1992 anyway, earlier may be a little different with the high beam lever operation i suppose.

All in all, if you do this mod correctly no one will really even know you have HID head lights. Infact the lighting will out perform the stock lighting by a long shot in terms of visibility and in terms of not blinding people.

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?65912-upgraded-headlights-finally&highlight=

 

[whiteboyslo]

I've yet to find a replacement set of headlights for bricknoses that accommodate HIDs (i.e. they have projector housings). OBS trucks have options, and older trucks can use universal kits since they run the older style lamps where you replace the whole glass assembly.

Please do NOT be one of those guys that puts HIDs into a non-projector housing.

Mike

 

[86SCLB]

I have HID's in my truck and i love them, best upgrade yet and i havent even polished the lenses yet. Cost me 150$ including taxes.

 

[turbo elk]

So I think it will be new bulbs and a relay kit..
Anyone use piaa bulbs?

 

[The Warden]

Please do NOT be one of those guys that puts HIDs into a non-projector housing.

This cannot be stressed enough! HID's are okay in housings that were designed for them (which, unfortunately, don't yet exist for brick-nose trucks)...HID's in housings designed for halogen bulbs won't get you enough light where you need it (even if it looks like it does) and WILL blind every oncoming driver. They are illegal for a reason...

Sorry to come on so strongly, but as a professional driver who spends most of his time on the road at night, this is one of my biggest pet peeves...

{on edit} Sounds like you've decided to stick with quality halogen bulbs...with a brick-nose, that's a good call I'm leaving this post here for others who may find it, though...

I don't know anything about the PIAA bulbs, but polishing or replacing the lenses will work wonders...do that, use a set of quality bulbs, and a relay kit, and you should be good to go

 

[Greg5OH]

I had a buddy do a real HID conversion on his truck, I believe it cost him around $4k when it was all said and done with the real HID lenses and such
but even so, they are illegal everywhere on any vehicle that did not come with them from the factory

4k?!?!?! did he buy brand new porsche lenses form teh dealer?!?!?!?!!
JEEEZUSS, 300$ish, FX45 projectors, shrouds of your choice, cut and glue, done.

 

[Nut Tree]

OK, I'm not trying to hijack this thread, but need some clarification. I just bought two Hella HIP 9007 55/65w bulbs (part #78580). Are these the HID headlights you guys are talking about? I haven't installed them yet. DO I need some special "projectors"? I was intending on using the LMC relay harness and putting these bulbs in my clear factory housings. Is that worng and if so, what should I do?

 

[Leeland]

I have HID's in my truck and i love them, best upgrade yet and i havent even polished the lenses yet. Cost me 150$ including taxes.

The guy with the non-projector housings