Unique Modifications

[ComatoseLlama]

It wasn't put on by me, although I've never seen another one. The fold up step on the passenger's side of the front bumper on my truck was on there back in late 98 or early 99. It's how I realized that I had installed an engine into this truck.

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My truck has a front license plate holder that functions similarly. Never seen another one

 

[Philip1]

Wait...where are these "other than aussie kit headlights" to be found for the bricks? One of the plastic housings on my brick had recently cracked, and now that headlight is flopping around like a ****** on a 60 year old ******...

I got the headlight off of ebay. The led bulbs im currently running is from headlightrevolution and is the gtr lighting ultra 2.0 bulbs. They are spendy however they blow the stock halogen bulbs out of the water in terms of brightness and still retains an impressive beam pattern. Led bulbs have come a long way but there are still many cheap crappy options that damage the reputation of the good ones.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

They are spendy however they blow the stock halogen bulbs out of the water in terms of brightness and still retains an impressive beam pattern. Led bulbs have come a long way but there are still many cheap crappy options that damage the reputation of the good ones.

We've all come to expect this kind of thing by dealing with pumps/injectors in the past. Sadly, it's just the way things are these days. If LEDs are all bad, I doubt that the manufacturers would put them in their new vehicles.

 

[nelstomlinson]

BUT WAIT!!!!
...thats not all

I'm not quite sure what

If LEDs are all bad, I doubt that the manufacturers would put them in their new vehicles.

LEDs are great, but manufacturers are putting them in purpose-built assemblies in new vehicles, definitely NOT putting them in old assemblies designed around 9004 bulbs.

I'm not sure it would be possible to build an LED bulb replacement which could duplicate the emission pattern of a 9004. I've definitely never seen one which comes close.

 

[IDIoit]

I'm not quite sure what.

there are many different modifications in that pic

 

[Detroit80]

If LEDs are all bad, I doubt that the manufacturers would put them in their new vehicles.

No one is saying all LEDs are bad. Like nelstrom said, OEMs are using purpose built housings, not LED bulbs stuffed into the same housings as they use for halogens. The light emissions from a LED bulb itself is completely different than a halogen or HID (and HID is different than halogen too).

To put it in very simple terms, LED light is very directional, whereas halogen light is omnidirectional. All the flutes in a halogen reflector and lens is designed to collect and focus that light into a specific beam pattern.

Putting LEDs into that same housing results in lots of light scatter, and a poorly defined beam, even though it may appear brighter.

Far too many people have a misguided notion that brighter is always better, and it's simply not true. Brighter also means increased glare and reflections, along with increased blinding of oncoming drivers. This all is greatly increased when coupled with a poor beam pattern, and all results in decreased useful light and less visibility for you.

Many people also don't realize that bulbs degrade over time, and reduced output compared to new. A lot of people complaining of crappy stock lights would see huge gains just by using new clean housings and a new set of basic halogen bulbs fed with proper voltage. Usually with a relay kit, as the 30 year old wiring in your truck has also degraded over time, no longer supplying the full 14 volts to the headlights.

 

[Detroit80]

Oops... Double post

 

[IDIBRONCO]

No one is saying all LEDs are bad.

I also didn't say that. I was talking about the cheap, crappy LEDs that give them all a bad reputation. If the OEMs are using them they can't all be as bad as their reputation. I was also comparing the pricey LEDs with out pumps and injectors. If you go cheap, what you are buying won't last very long with both.

 

[Clb]

there are many different modifications in that pic

What???
Just everything in front of the rear bumper...

 

[IDIoit]

What???
Just everything in front of the rear bumper...

bold of you to assume i run the rear bumper...lol i still dont have one lol

 

[chillman88]

bold of you to assume i run the rear bumper...lol i still dont have one lol

So it's got a custom rear bumper delete too!

 

[nelstomlinson]

Far too many people have a misguided notion that brighter is always better, and it's simply not true. Brighter also means increased glare and reflections, along with increased blinding of oncoming drivers. This all is greatly increased when coupled with a poor beam pattern, and all results in decreased useful light and less visibility for you.

I agree.
The LED bulbs in the stock-style headlight assemblies for my '87-'91s give way more lumens, but they scatter the light everywhere. They light up the road up close, which gives a bright patch which is hard to see past. They light up the ditches on both sides of the road, which blinds the oncoming traffic and again makes the near-field bright and hard to see past. In short, brighter is actually worse for my ability to see moose down the road, and worse for safety.

 

[Selahdoor]

So it's got a custom rear bumper delete too!

In other words...

"Just everything in front of the custom rear bumper delete."

 

[hesutton]

Heath, do you have a build thread for that mod?

Way way back in the somewhere. Did it in 2006 or 2007 I think.

Heath

 

[CADHOWDY]

I've been finding ways of adding gauges and other custom functions in and around the dash so as not having to sacrifice any other functions.

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All of my factory gauges work but I wanted real measurement values and I didn't want to modify the factory cluster too fit other gauges.

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This mini cluster fits quite well in this spot with out interfering access or being in the way. It gives me exactly the information I want to see.