okc lube man

Steve83

(phone app link)

Slowbrick

My old eyes were having problems seeing at night in my '92. I sanded & polished the exterior of the housings and it was much better but nowhere near what was needed. Searched out and read all of the threads I could find about headlights available for our trucks. Ended up with new OEM housings. Literally a night and day difference. The new OEM housings provide plenty of light at night and I know that they will hold up well for years. Not the cheapest option but I would go this route again in a heartbeat. I don't have much faith in the aftermarket headlight suppliers.

Jonathan

Steve83

What brand are you calling "OEM"? Where did you get them, and for how much? The ones I linked are DOT-approved, and a vastly-better design, using modern materials.

Slowbrick

Ordered from Tasca Ford Parts. OEM as in Original Equipment Manufacturer - same as what was originally installed on the truck and DOT approved before the truck was built by Ford. All parts arrived in Ford parts boxes with Ford part #'s. As a matter of fact, I ordered the complete assemblies with all the hardware as it was an option. Each part was compared carefully to the original that was removed and found to be identical.

Does this fit the definition of OEM? If not, what is your definition of OEM?

https://www.tascaparts.com/auto-part...omponents-scat

I'm not a fan of aftermarket lights, including the ones in your link, although they do look better than most of the choices.

Your choice is a vastly better design than OEM? I think not!

Jonathan

Steve83

The definition of OEM in this context is "original equipment manufacturer"; the company that had the contract to supply the Ford assembly line in when your truck was built.

So no, what you bought probably isn't OEM. But it's as close as you can get to OE quality because it's licensed by Ford to bear its logos & PNs. But it probably wasn't made by the same company that made them 22 years ago.

Yes, modern projector headlights are a vastly better design than the OE prismatic lenses (which were no better than the older glass sealed beams). That's why most modern vehicles use projector headlights; it's an inherently-better design because it puts more of the bulb's light onto the road, where you can use it.

Slowbrick

All the parts even had the numbers stamped in the same place, the same way as the originals. This was checked closely. They appeared to be from the same molds and from the same materials. Perhaps not made by the same company, but, definitely closer to OEM than any aftermarket projector lens. It seems like you are discounting the Ford parts to make your aftermarket parts look better. Normally you choose the other side of this argument and defend OEM parts to the bitter end vs aftermarket. I can assure you that the new OEM headlights provide very good lighting at night. At best I am highly skeptical of any of the aftermarket headlights for quality of manufacture, light beam, and durability.

Steve83

You're confusing the issues. One is quality. A part licensed by Ford to bear its logo is typically HIGHER QUALITY than an interchangeable aftermarket part. I've never "discounted" that in any way. But that doesn't mean there's not a BETTER DESIGN - particularly a NEWER design, used by Ford. If Ford was still designing parts for these trucks, they'd be designing projector headlights for them. They're not, but at least one company is - and they're good enough to be DOT-certified, which says a lot about the quality. Since I've been using them for a few years, I can also say that the quality is reasonably good - at least good enough for their superior design to offset my preference for OE parts. And I know several local people who use the same headlights, and they all seem to like them. So if you still have the truck when those Ford housings need to be replaced again, you should at least consider these projectors.

sdmartin65

I'd really not agree that most aftermarket headlights, dot approved or not, are a better design. On an otherwise stock truck the aftermarket units look completely out of place. Like you're trying to convert to a Fast and Furious theme and started with the headlights.

Steve83

I don't think anyone said that most aftermarket headlights are a better design. I only said that projector headlights (whether OE or aftermarket) are a better design than scatter lenses (OE on these trucks). Their appearance is a matter of taste. But since I can't see them when I'm driving, I don't really care what they look like - I care how well I can see using them, and it's substantially better than with stock or direct-replacement headlights. That's what the OP asked.