I have a 2020 F-150 XLT with the criminally dim light output. I know there are 3rd-party solutions like Morimoto. But can anyone point me to an inexpensive, effective solution like a specific brighter, whiter bulb? Preferably from your own first-hand experience. Not the kind that eliminates the dust boot, or has to come with a little built-in fan. I don't trust those. I'm leasing so I don't want to get into 4-figures, and don't want to be changing wiring. Thanks in advance.

 

Plenty of threads on this. What you seek doesn't exist. You can:
- Go to "cool blue" type bulbs. This makes things worse.
- Go to high wattage bulbs. This makes things marginally better, blinds everyone else (looks like your brights are on), and is illegal. Also may burn up wiring, as the wiring/switching isn't designed for the higher wattage bulbs.
- Put LED conversions in your halogen housings. Same as above... makes it better, lack of a cutoff blinds everyone else, and is illegal.
- Put LED conversions into projector headlights like Anzos. Still technically illegal, but at least you can get a clean cutoff.
- Go to proper LED or HID lamps - Morimoto, Alpharex, or OEM.

If you want to do it right, going to housings designed to be LED (or HID, if that's your jam) are the right way to go. Pull them when you turn the lease in and sell them aftermarket to recover some of your expense.

 

I appreciate the insight into each option. At the end of the day, I do want to "do it right". Thank you!
Follow-up question: Can you install the factory Lariat LEDs, it is there a lot of wiring modification required?

 

Wiring modification is required. There are plenty of threads on this if you search; however, if you want to go OEM, harnesses from @2016BoostedGreyGoose (Google Boosted Grey Goose for his website, currently offline, and his Facebook) are a plug-and-play option.

The quality aftermarkets like Morimoto and Alpharex are plug and play as well, and worthy of consideration.

 

Simply upgrade to Sealight S2 LED bulbs. Takes about 30 minutes, they are vastly improved over stock bulbs. Plug and play, dustboots retained and no annoying fan. retains the cutoff and does not blind anyone since the chips are in the same location as the filament on halogens. Not 4 figures, not the cheap garbage either, but its a win all around.

 

Respectfully disagree, but completely wrong on your opinion with the blinding. Not with a correctly designed LED bulb. Not all are created equal. HIDs will do what you are saying though. Actual experience for me switching from stock, to Phillips and now Sealight S2 LEDs in halogen housing. Cutoff is identical (yes, measured before and after), light output is brighter, but not aimed in any blinding fashion. I don't get flashed either. LED chips are placed in same location as stock filament (measured by me) and engage the reflector exactly like a OEM bulb. I can't say anything about any other bulb than what I have actual experience with...but as with anything, bulbs vary, and the cheap ones are usually the ones that suck. But you can get accurate LED performance in a halogen housing, not opinion, not myth. Actual experience.

 

The S2s may be less bad... but I suspect some testing with a luminance meter will reveal that the "sharp" cutoff isn't as sharp as you think.

 

with the LED it's actually a much more defined cutoff...but hey...I've only measured it and drive it daily. If the light source is in correct placement in housing...it will only reflect it as designed. Does not matter what the source is...

 

Why are we still jamming LEDs into halogen housings when there are options for oem LEDs from factory?

Want a better brighter bulb for the halogen light housings?
Choose a PIAA halogen bulb.
About the best there is for halogens.

 

Simple...they have designed much better LEDs that work in halogen housings. Not all do. You have to do your research. PIAA makes great halogens...but no where near a good LED these days.