So, I'm doing a little study on LED headlights
10-12-2014, 06:33 PM
#51
I actually ordered the same kit that you got, but it came in a completely different box with the descriptions and stuff on it written like it was translated to English from another language and no one bothered to grammar-check it. Really hilarious though. I have a 13 stx.
Here's my honest review: I'll reluctantly keep them until I can afford some projector lamps and an HID kit. As far as output, these are a huge upgrade over halogens. At least 2x brighter. Before getting into my gripes, I will say that I have mine aimed down considerably compared to where I had them with halogens. That should be required right out of the box.
The one problem these have is the cutoff. It's sharp enough, but the real issue is that the cutoff curves upward on the sides. THIS causes the glare. A proper cutoff dips on the drivers side. This cutoff gradually rises an equal amount on both sides. Not cool. This also means that when you have these aimed properly and safely, the throw of light in the middle only reaches about 45 feet. Beyond that, there's nothing in the middle. Frankly I'd be alittle worried to go driving on a winding highway in the foothills at night at 55mph with these things aimed down. And the high beams suck. They give you like an extra few lumens, that's it.
Aiming them up corrects the 'dark-spot-in-the-far-middle' problem but that also means more glare for oncoming drivers. So you're kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place.
When you have them aimed all the way down, the glare from out front is negligible. It's a non issue. When you start aiming them up you gradually create more glare on the sides. I'm still undecided on whether I will return them but I'm still tweaking the aim. Right now I have them aimed just a little higher than "all the way down" and will drive around some more and do some more tests over the next few nights. Like I said it's really too bad they don't have a proper cutoff slope. These would be amazing if they did.
Here are output shots comparing my halogens (Philips Crystal Vision Ultra H13) to the LED kit. Sorry for the bad cell pics. The halogen pic has messed up white balance. It should be alittle yellower than that. The pic of the LED kit shows them aimed all the way down. That's NOT where you'd ideally want them for freeway driving at night in the country at 75mph. They need to be aimed up more but not too much, because then you'll be "that" guy. It's a sticky compromise. The pic also doesn't show all the light you get at the sides. I need to get out there with a good camera.
On my Ranger I had a Mini D2S retrofit from theretrofitsource.com and Osram CBI bulbs. The cutoff was as sharp as a piece of paper and they easily threw light 80+ feet down the middle. The highbeams turned night to day. This LED kit equals that kit in output, but gets destroyed by it in cutoff/distance and high beam output. So I STILL want projectors for my F150 and I still plan to buy them down the road.
These LED kits may be much better in the new Silverados/Sierras that have halogen projectors.
Here's my honest review: I'll reluctantly keep them until I can afford some projector lamps and an HID kit. As far as output, these are a huge upgrade over halogens. At least 2x brighter. Before getting into my gripes, I will say that I have mine aimed down considerably compared to where I had them with halogens. That should be required right out of the box.
The one problem these have is the cutoff. It's sharp enough, but the real issue is that the cutoff curves upward on the sides. THIS causes the glare. A proper cutoff dips on the drivers side. This cutoff gradually rises an equal amount on both sides. Not cool. This also means that when you have these aimed properly and safely, the throw of light in the middle only reaches about 45 feet. Beyond that, there's nothing in the middle. Frankly I'd be alittle worried to go driving on a winding highway in the foothills at night at 55mph with these things aimed down. And the high beams suck. They give you like an extra few lumens, that's it.
Aiming them up corrects the 'dark-spot-in-the-far-middle' problem but that also means more glare for oncoming drivers. So you're kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place.
When you have them aimed all the way down, the glare from out front is negligible. It's a non issue. When you start aiming them up you gradually create more glare on the sides. I'm still undecided on whether I will return them but I'm still tweaking the aim. Right now I have them aimed just a little higher than "all the way down" and will drive around some more and do some more tests over the next few nights. Like I said it's really too bad they don't have a proper cutoff slope. These would be amazing if they did.
Here are output shots comparing my halogens (Philips Crystal Vision Ultra H13) to the LED kit. Sorry for the bad cell pics. The halogen pic has messed up white balance. It should be alittle yellower than that. The pic of the LED kit shows them aimed all the way down. That's NOT where you'd ideally want them for freeway driving at night in the country at 75mph. They need to be aimed up more but not too much, because then you'll be "that" guy. It's a sticky compromise. The pic also doesn't show all the light you get at the sides. I need to get out there with a good camera.
On my Ranger I had a Mini D2S retrofit from theretrofitsource.com and Osram CBI bulbs. The cutoff was as sharp as a piece of paper and they easily threw light 80+ feet down the middle. The highbeams turned night to day. This LED kit equals that kit in output, but gets destroyed by it in cutoff/distance and high beam output. So I STILL want projectors for my F150 and I still plan to buy them down the road.
These LED kits may be much better in the new Silverados/Sierras that have halogen projectors.
Last edited by johndog82; 10-12-2014 at 07:20 PM.
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Marsju (02-02-2015)
10-12-2014, 07:08 PM
#52
Chive So Hard
Thread Starter
I'm glad that you went throught with getting these so that I am not the only one whos testimony is on here. I do have to say that my cutoff on the road is not where yours is, mine do tend more towards the right of center but I am not left with only 50 or so feet of light on the road. I agree that the brights are almost pointless and add much to be desired. For my own use, I just use my flood lights to illuminate the entire area if it really requires that much extra light to navigate (disclaimer, lots of farm roads where I live). Also, what year is yours?
10-25-2014, 02:07 AM
#53
'13.
Tonight I got in a friends car and drove down the street with my truck on the side of the road and the lights on to see how 'bad' the glare really is from an oncoming car's point of view. I wanted to be in a car, not a truck, so I could be low to the ground and check out the worst case scenario. I'm happy to say that glare is very tame with this kit if you have them aimed properly like I do. There is a tiny bit more glare than halogens but its negligible. Its NOWHERE near as bad as PnP HIDs in halogen bowls. Compared to some of the *******s I see on the road with PnP HID's in their halogen lamps, this kit with how I have it aimed doesn't stand out at all. Hell, I see some people with their stock halogens aimed too high and that is more obnoxious than this kit is when its aimed properly.
Tonight I got in a friends car and drove down the street with my truck on the side of the road and the lights on to see how 'bad' the glare really is from an oncoming car's point of view. I wanted to be in a car, not a truck, so I could be low to the ground and check out the worst case scenario. I'm happy to say that glare is very tame with this kit if you have them aimed properly like I do. There is a tiny bit more glare than halogens but its negligible. Its NOWHERE near as bad as PnP HIDs in halogen bowls. Compared to some of the *******s I see on the road with PnP HID's in their halogen lamps, this kit with how I have it aimed doesn't stand out at all. Hell, I see some people with their stock halogens aimed too high and that is more obnoxious than this kit is when its aimed properly.
Last edited by johndog82; 10-25-2014 at 01:48 PM.
11-15-2014, 09:23 AM
#57
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Briteassleds.com
I received and installed a pair of LED headlight bulbs from www.briteassleds.com. I was a little skeptical at first to purchase them due to their price, but they turned out to be WELL worth the money. Not only are they at least 2 times brighter than any other HIDs that i've ever owned, but the install was a plug and play set up. These bulbs also come with a 2 year warranty I believe. Awesome product! MUST SEE!!!!
11-16-2014, 10:47 AM
#58
After several weeks with this kit Im positive its a keeper. I've looked at the truck several times at night from out front and the glare really is negligible when they're aimed right. It just takes some time to get them dialed in. I do wish the drivers side cutoff would go straight across instead of sloping upward, but it doesn't give oncoming cars a problem because the "glare zone" is so far out to the side that as youre approaching the truck, it looks about as bright as halogens until you're at the truck's 10 o clock position, so you only get hit with alittle more glare for the last second before passing me. Its still nowhere near as bad as PnP HIDs. I have not been flashed once.
A few other things: these give off a humming sound when you turn them on. Its not loud but it is noticeable. They also create more radio static. I can live with both because of the huge upgrade they are over halogens.
The kit changes the look of the headlight bowls from out front due to the low beams emitting light from only 1 side of the bulb. Only the outer part of the reflector bowls appear to be illuminated, but in a good way. It looks meaner. I really like the look. (This is only for 09-14 lamps. I can't comment on earlier models)
A few other things: these give off a humming sound when you turn them on. Its not loud but it is noticeable. They also create more radio static. I can live with both because of the huge upgrade they are over halogens.
The kit changes the look of the headlight bowls from out front due to the low beams emitting light from only 1 side of the bulb. Only the outer part of the reflector bowls appear to be illuminated, but in a good way. It looks meaner. I really like the look. (This is only for 09-14 lamps. I can't comment on earlier models)
Last edited by johndog82; 11-16-2014 at 10:59 AM.
11-21-2014, 08:36 AM
#59
Chive So Hard
Thread Starter
After several weeks with this kit Im positive its a keeper. I've looked at the truck several times at night from out front and the glare really is negligible when they're aimed right. It just takes some time to get them dialed in. I do wish the drivers side cutoff would go straight across instead of sloping upward, but it doesn't give oncoming cars a problem because the "glare zone" is so far out to the side that as youre approaching the truck, it looks about as bright as halogens until you're at the truck's 10 o clock position, so you only get hit with alittle more glare for the last second before passing me. Its still nowhere near as bad as PnP HIDs. I have not been flashed once.
A few other things: these give off a humming sound when you turn them on. Its not loud but it is noticeable. They also create more radio static. I can live with both because of the huge upgrade they are over halogens.
The kit changes the look of the headlight bowls from out front due to the low beams emitting light from only 1 side of the bulb. Only the outer part of the reflector bowls appear to be illuminated, but in a good way. It looks meaner. I really like the look. (This is only for 09-14 lamps. I can't comment on earlier models)
A few other things: these give off a humming sound when you turn them on. Its not loud but it is noticeable. They also create more radio static. I can live with both because of the huge upgrade they are over halogens.
The kit changes the look of the headlight bowls from out front due to the low beams emitting light from only 1 side of the bulb. Only the outer part of the reflector bowls appear to be illuminated, but in a good way. It looks meaner. I really like the look. (This is only for 09-14 lamps. I can't comment on earlier models)
12-05-2014, 02:06 PM
#60
Junior Member
After several weeks with this kit Im positive its a keeper. I've looked at the truck several times at night from out front and the glare really is negligible when they're aimed right. It just takes some time to get them dialed in. I do wish the drivers side cutoff would go straight across instead of sloping upward, but it doesn't give oncoming cars a problem because the "glare zone" is so far out to the side that as youre approaching the truck, it looks about as bright as halogens until you're at the truck's 10 o clock position, so you only get hit with alittle more glare for the last second before passing me. Its still nowhere near as bad as PnP HIDs. I have not been flashed once.
A few other things: these give off a humming sound when you turn them on. Its not loud but it is noticeable. They also create more radio static. I can live with both because of the huge upgrade they are over halogens.
The kit changes the look of the headlight bowls from out front due to the low beams emitting light from only 1 side of the bulb. Only the outer part of the reflector bowls appear to be illuminated, but in a good way. It looks meaner. I really like the look. (This is only for 09-14 lamps. I can't comment on earlier models)
A few other things: these give off a humming sound when you turn them on. Its not loud but it is noticeable. They also create more radio static. I can live with both because of the huge upgrade they are over halogens.
The kit changes the look of the headlight bowls from out front due to the low beams emitting light from only 1 side of the bulb. Only the outer part of the reflector bowls appear to be illuminated, but in a good way. It looks meaner. I really like the look. (This is only for 09-14 lamps. I can't comment on earlier models)
I know what you mean about the slight humming sound. I can only here it when the lights are on, truck is off, and I'm right next to the lamp. On the 04-08 models the look is really cool with only having half of the reflector bowl illuminated as well. I'm also really glad to hear that these are gaining some interest amongst other members because I feel that these area much better alternative to HIDs in a stock housing.
On a whim, I called www.brightassleds.com to check on fitment and they told me that because of the "cone" that goes over the H13 bulb in my 2013 XLT, I "would be very disappointed" in the light output. I appreciate the honesty but am wondering if that is an issue with the kits that your guys installed?
