f150coyote1

I just bought a new 16 f150 and want to install HIDs which ones are best ? I have heard horror stories of some brands where one turns on and then minutes later the other comes on

eyecandynsx

Dont be a douche and put hid's in a halogen housing...

karlmag

If you want HIDs, retrofit is your option. I know raptorretrofit offers this kind of service.

230748

Raptor Retrofit offers LED's I thought? The Ford OEM ones. I prefer LED over HID as they are more durable and last longer... as for HID brands though I couldn't tell you. I've been out of the HID business for a while and the companies I used to work with who sourced HID... switched over to LED.

Diode Dynamics has HID Conversion Kits however. They are $140 and if you want to buy those, PM me. I sell the complete Diode Dynamics line.

The Diode Dynamic Conversion kits come with a ballast/bulb and are offered in a few color temperatures... 3000K, 4300K, 5000K, 6000K and 8000K

Again, I'd recommend LED kits, a good one, over HID. As eye said, a lot (and almost ALL) HID kits will cause blindess to oncoming drivers due to their design. LED kits do the same, unless you use a kit that's designed to work properly.

Diode Dynamics

iTrader: (1)

Hello everyone,

Just posting some quick info on the HID vs. LED question again. We constantly have customers ask about using LED bulbs in low-beam headlight applications, like the FR-S. I just took these shots for a customer, to show them why the LED bulbs on the market are still not a good option, even when using a halogen projector, like that found on the FR-S. Just thought some of you may appreciate this comparison!


Cutoff doesn't matter. Many companies justify that the output of their LEDs is OK, just because there is a cutoff line. Sure, you don't want light sprayed everywhere, but more importantly, you need light focused properly. As you can see, the factory halogen light is focused into a very tight beam, with a hotspot right at the center, which shines light far down the road. This is key to performance and visibility. You want all of the light focused right in the center, with a small area to the sides also illuminated, and just a bit below.

Total lumen numbers don't matter ...unless it's focused. Many sellers claim high lumen numbers, telling you the output is higher than halogen. In reality, the total output is usually about the same as halogen, and sometimes it's a bit higher. But since it is not being focused where it should be, the end result is that your visibility will decrease. It doesn't matter how much light you have if it isn't going in the right direction. As you can see, if you use an LED bulb for your headlights, you'll get some light output, but it will not shine very far down the road because it is not being focused into a hotspot at the proper location.

Just for comparison, we included a standard HID output. With HID, you get a focused beam, and a lot of light, so there is indeed a significant improvement in visibility. However, you do add quite a bit of light everywhere as well, including some on the top end. The main problem with HID is when it is installed into reflector housings, and the factory optic cannot direct this extra light properly. However, the projectors in the FR-S are quite good.

Summary: when you're looking at your low beams, an upgrade to OEM HID headlights or OEM LED headlights is currently the best option, but an HID conversion is still a much better choice in terms of output and visibility compared to the LED bulbs on the market.

Of course, these LED bulbs are still a great option when you don't need focused light- such as high beams or fog lights. But there is still a long way to go before they are suitable for low beams.

Paul
Product Development
Diode Dynamics

Kommander

How can you say "I've been out of the HID business for a while" and then offer to sell them a set of HID drop ins?

OP, do a retrofit. HID's need to be focused properly to avoid blinding oncoming traffic. Don't take a shortcut. These vendors offering to sell you stuff are out to make money, they don't care if you get good light output or blind other drivers.

230748

We're not just out to make money Kommander... anybody who knows me on here knows I stand behind anything I sell. And I don't recommend garbage just to make money. If I sold garbage, people would tell their friends and I'd have no clients... ask any of my customers "are you satisfied" and every single one will tell you "yes". The LED's I sell are top notch. The HID's I sell (if people want them, who am I to turn away a customer) are top notch.

While I may prefer LED over HID (because of many reasons) if a customer wants HID I'll sell him HID... but it'll be a QUALITY HID system.

Kommander

I don't doubt you have a loyal following or that you are a decent seller who stands behind what you sell, but you are not a manufacturer of these products so you make money off all brands you sell. You hope to get a sale. I do the same thing with my business, and it's perfectly acceptable.

However, it is my opinion that merchants give biased reviews. If you went car shopping at a Ford dealership, you think they are going to recommend Chevy? You have yet to recommend any retrofit solutions, you argue against them actually and I can only guess that is because you don't sell them. That is a biased recommendation.

Not bashing your ethics or company by any means. I was actually shopping your site earlier for something I was looking for. I just think the customers should listen to unbiased reviews.

230748

You seem to be bashing the products I sell... out of the blue... yet anybody who's used my product will tell you it's a quality system.

Why would customers say that if it was garbage im just trying to make a quick buck off.

I'm just not following your reasoning here...

I don't sell crap, why would I. SO naturally anything I sell I'll tell you what's good and bad about it. If it was a bad product, I wouldn't sell it. So yeah... not a lot to say about the products I sell because... again... i don't sell crap

Kommander

I never said you sell crap. I said drop in HID's are crap and they are. Period. I don't care what brand it is. They cause road glare really bad, even DD admits it in their image they posted. Yet, you sell them. I don't doubt they make quality LED products. I would not be contemplating purchasing them from you or other sellers if I did. You pushed another brand awhile back called Auxbeam, again, I am contemplating purchasing something of theirs as well. But not based on your opinions or anything on Auxbeams site.

My point was you don't endorse products you don't sell and that is how it goes with business. I can't be a reseller of Benelli products but it doesn't mean they don't make a top notch weapon. I sell the brands I can and I endorse those brands. It's business, you push what you sell. It has nothing to do with other brands being junk.

I'll give you an example. You pushed drop in LED headlight bulbs awhile back and you might still but I haven't been on this site in awhile. You said they don't glare. I don't buy that. Now, the more people who buy them and say they don't might convince me to try them on a future vehicle because they have no vested interest in your business. It's the average Joe review that I think carries the most weight. The guy who is putting out the money and not making money will give the most honest review of any product, not just lighting, that is all I am saying.