MCDavis

iTrader: (1)

I put this in another thread where a member was talking about a retrofit with another product from GTR. I love my factory HIDs, but I have always been unimpressed with the outer cutoff (lack of width) from the stock HID projector housing. I tried the Putco bulbs, and that was a 3 week experiment where I then sold them to another member. I might have come across a decent, albeit pricey, solution.

Here's that post:
I was hunting around on GTR's website and came across these:
http://www.gtrlighting.com/led-headl...0-lumen-bulbs/

They are designed to work in reflector housings and are rated at 2200 lumens a piece (skeptical on that output rating) and would be a direct bolt on and hopefully plug in for the factory fog bulbs. Meaning, no retrofit. If this is all true, then this would be over double the output of a halogen bulb with the same beam pattern. There is NO LED in the end cap of these, like a Putco bulb.

They are a bit spendy @ $179 for the pair, but that's between Putco (and their horrible output) and a retro from Bil (which are pretty awesome, but not the pattern I'm after)

Thinking out loud. Thoughts?


I have since emailed the folks @ GTR for some more info on their product. Here's that chain of emails:
My question:
LED Headlight 9005 Conversion Kit: 2,200 Lumen Bulbs
SKU:
7010268

Hello, I'm curious about this LED conversion. I have a 2013 F150 with HID headlights and halogen fogs. I've been looking to improve the fogs since the day I bought the truck. Those fogs are a 9140/9145 bulb type.
It's my understanding that these 9005 bulbs will fit. My question is, will these LEDs perform well in the stock fog reflector bucket? I need more light down and out like the halogens provide...I just need more light.

Thank you,

GTR Response:
Chandler,

Thanks for contacting us with your questions. You are in luck we are updating our 9005 LED Conversion Kits. The updates include easier to open packaging, making the fan & heat sink smaller so they will fit more applications, adjustable LED base so the LED's reflect better in different types of housings and they will also be brighter too. We should have the new kits ready to ship in the next 1-2 weeks. Because of the adjustable base I think they should work great in the fog lights of your F150. If you want to preorder the new LED Kits just order the one we have listed now as we don't have any of the old ones left. You would get the new ones the day they arrive to us. We would ship them out the same day. Let me know if you have any more questions I would be glad to help.

http://www.gtrlighting.com/led-headl...0-lumen-bulbs/

Thanks again
-Jamie
GTR Lighting

My second question:
Explain the adjustable base please.
Also, are these provisioned to plug directly into my oem harness?

GTR second response:
For the adjustable base you would be able to turn the LED so that it either points up and down in your housing or you can set it so it points left and right in the housing. So depending on how the reflector in the housing is set up, you can dial it in so that it produces the correct light output for your vehicles headlights or fog lights. The harness will plug right into your vehicles factory connector.

-Jamie



Like I said they are a bit spendy, but if these have a beam pattern similar to the halogen bulbs but with twice the output then these could be a very good solution to those of us looking to fill the outer edges of the factory HIDs.

I'm still doing research to see if I should be the guinea pig @ $180, but please throw your thoughts at this.

MGD

Hi.

I suspect you already know what I am going to say - but I'm going to say it anyway: I'd pass.

Especially at that price, for what is basically a overpriced, overdriven, under-engineered device generic offshore product with zero QC. My experience testing with these types of devices is what prompts me to say this. This is the same class of effluvia I commented on previously.

Perhaps if it was ~$50, and came with a money-back guarantee if you were not satisfied ....

Arbitrary swiveling/aiming mechanisms are a poor substitute for engineered precision. Just a gimmick. There is ZERO control over matching the emitter location to your specific reflector (no depth control for one thing). There is ZERO regard to beam pattern, width, cutoff, or any other optical design consideration save producing a glaring blob of uncontrolled light.

The diagrams - and the gibberish captioning them - are meaningless marketing BS, and a very large Red Flag to me. 'Rocket Reflector'? Pu'leeze. It's the same planar emitter type - but all of a sudden this magically changes the focal point, angle of incidence versus reflection in the housing? That's simply ridiculous, but is only one example of junk science posing as fact when in reality it is clearly subterfuge designed to obfuscate the truth from the layman. Example - look at the incidence/reflection lines in those drawings - same incidence, same reflector, but different reflection path? The so-called 'Rocket' isn't even involved! Who the fek are they fooling with this nonsense? Apparently, more than a few.... lol.

As is the case with most of the horrible, generic, cheaply made ( but heavily marked up ) automotive lighting products being peddled by outfits like these.

The output? Overrated. The heatsinking? A bad joke for the purported rated output. It's total, unadulterated bunk .... but it fools enough folks to continue to support the production of same.

They are pushing the usual (cheap) products found all over the web - no regard for quality or actual performance. GTR is just like a thousand other 'storefronts' in this regard.

The proper way to 'fill' for factory HID shortcomings is to upgrade the factory projector, lens, and bulb. You may have seen [MENTION=173391]il_duce[/MENTION]'s beam pattern comparison shots - if not, you should, as they purty much explain it all.

You asked for input - I gave my personal viewpoint based upon hands-on. Yer call - yer $180. However, I fully support yer desire to discover all of this for yerself. Best of luck to you - sincerely.

For myself, that $180 would go into an OEM > Evox-R upgrade piggybank.

Regards;
MGD

President, CEO, Founding member and sole employee of Bipolar Bubba's Cornsumer Protection Agency

MCDavis

iTrader: (1)

MGD, just the response I was after. Much appreciative of your time and thoughts. Researching still, but I'm leaning more towards the retro'd piggybank for sure each and every day.

il_duce

Thanks for the mention, MGD. Here ya go OP (in case you haven't seen it elsewhere).

The first shot is the stock OEM HID headlights portraying the awful side to side lighting:



Next is after the EVoX-R projector upgrade and Osram 66240 Nightrbreaker bulbs. The side to side lighting is probably the best upgrade:



And I wish I would have taken some wall shots with the OEM heads, but I skipped out. Here are some wall shots with the upgrades:







I don't know whether the option you are considering is any good or not. But I can say that this projector upgrade is worth every penny in my mind.

MCDavis

iTrader: (1)

I wish it were possible to give more than a "thanks" as it just doesn't seem appropriate. [MENTION=171624]MGD[/MENTION] thanks for the kind and informative input. [MENTION=173391]il_duce[/MENTION] that's EXACTLY what I needed to see. I'll likely send you a PM here shortly about your experience with your purchase.

Thanks fellas!

il_duce

No problem. Be ready to have your bank account take a hit. It's not cheap unless you want to tackle the retrofit yourself.

MGD

Thank you, sir.

I wish more folks were as level-headed as you

Some folks simply don't want to hear it, lol.

And to my good colleague il_duce, once again... thankee fer the support!

Best Regards;
MGD

MCDavis

iTrader: (1)

Oh I'm WELL aware of that, and that's part of the reason I haven't done it yet. I'm all for having a professional do it, not to mention the CFO will chit a brick if I put my headlights in the oven.

MCDavis

iTrader: (1)

Isn't a part of any research to gain feedback, response, and experience amongst other things? I'm just glad to have finally found a crowd that's as curious as I am to make things perfect and right. We need an OCD thread.

MGD

LMAO !!!!

Now that sounds farm-iliar! Good Ol' Duce has a story to tell!

Cheers!

MGD