Not at all happy with the stock headlights on my '18 STX. I've watched countless review and how-to videos on upgrading to LED's, but still have not come to a conclusion. I don't think I want to upgrade to a bulb that cannot utilize the stock dust cover. I'm leaning toward Ford housings, but wanted to get some input from a group with experience.

• Did you upgrade with just bulbs or bulbs and a housing?
• If housings, what housing did you use?
• If bulbs only, what bulbs?
• Appox cost?
• Happy with your decision?

 

2019 STX.
Started with LED bulbs only. High, low and fog. Beamtech brand I believe.
Output was good. I did have to adjust the low beams down a bit to get the cut off at the correct level. Cut off is actually pretty clean and light is white not gansta blue.

Tip: take the time to remove your grill and take the headlight housings out to put the bulbs in correctly. It's worth the time, trust me. Going up through the wheel well is an exercise in futility.
The extended covers are just a dust boot. the LED bulbs have a thick o-ring to keep the water out of your housings. also makes them sort of a PIA to install. I used diaelectric grease to help them along.

Few months later I got a good deal on the AphaRex lights so I switched to those. They take different sized high/low bubs so I had to start over.

Been happy with the results of both. Just liked the plank turn signals in the AphaRex lights a little better.

 

EASY HEADLIGHT MOD

I settled on sinoparcel with mesh heatsink, at the time they were getting great reviews and every LED thread you would see positive comments on them. Just cut a slit in the oem covers to pass the mesh through, then forced rubber sealant into the mesh and slit.

Only mesh H11's I see now are Putco, and they are not the same, no idea on them. Appears many bulb makers are switching to CSP chips, which produce less heat than SMD's like the Z-ES chips that have been popular for several years. Starting to see headlamp bulbs with fanless, solid heatsinks. Sealight has a that's cheaper than buying both bulbs separately. I've got Sealight (fanless) 9140 bulbs in the aux housings for two years, and some other Sealight bulbs, they've been a good brand, great build quality.

I'm happy with high power led bulbs. The oem housings are pretty ok in aim, but very underlit. Ford should have gone with the H9 (2100lm) instead of H11 (1350lm). Good LED bulbs push it close to HID (3200ish). Ignore the 4000, 6000, 8000, etc claims on bulbs that have only 6 chips. Sealight states 3000lm per bulb, a bit of honesty on their part.

 

I originally did the halogen upgrade...did nothing

I installed Diode Dynamic SL1 and SLF in all 6 lights (lows highs fogs) (cost around $400 for all) and loved it but.....

Got Morimoto XB headlights and foglights for Christmas from myself and my wife, lol, and love it even more. Think it was $1300?

 

Can't speak to the headlights as I have a Lariat 502A with OEM LED headlights but if you decide to get LED fogs Baja Designs makes a phenomenal street legal plug and play LED fog now. I've had them on a couple weeks now and love them.

 

I went with the Morimoto xb led headlights and fog lights. I got them in Black Friday special from stage 3 motorsports for 1100. First mod I would do to a halogen headlight truck.

 

I had the Morimoto fogs for about 8 months, the new Baja street legals are little more expensive but the light output is 1100 lumens vs 4800 lumens. No comparison, made my decision easy.

When paired with their headlights the Morimotos do look cool though.

 

You never posted pics after you aimed them. They look more like driving lights to me, not fogs. I am interested in them but was waiting for your opinion of them.

Do you have pictures of the beam pattern after you aimed them?

 

I aimed them down a little last weekend, didn't take a pic, will work on that. I am still really enjoying them, the Morimotos aren't even in the same league. Baja Designs calls them Foglights so I am just going off of what they say.