Unfortunately my 2016 XLT 302a package truck did not have the option to add LED headlights or taillights, which are nice but are expensive doing it aftermarket. I am not really mechanically inclined for complicated modifications. The OEM Halogens are pretty good, but is there a "better" halogen headlight which can replace the factory ones that are installed and can you change the bulbs without removing the whole housing?

Wondering if there are any suggestions on this.




2016, V8 5.0, XLT FX4, z series ARE Topper, Shadow Black, sprayed in Line-X bedliner, Bushwacker Fender Flares, Weathertech floor mats, Tailgate step wheel well liners, etc. Waiting on my BFG KO2's and bedrug.

 

Hello StevieB,

Sylvania makes some higher end halogen bulbs you can try that are a bit brighter and will be the same color 4,300K (off-white) if you're looking for something a little brighter that is cheap and simple. If you want to upgrade to HID or LED and want simple you'll want to go with LED which are about the same effort as replacing with a halogen bulb, HID's are little more work. There are lots of options for LEDs from very inexpensive to high end options. We view headlights in the same safety category as brakes and only use the highest grade components so we're on the high end if that's what you're looking for... the only thing I would caution you about are LED's with fans because they are mechanical and will break down before your LED which may cause heat issues(based on my experience). If you have any other questions about headlights even if ours aren't what you're looking for ask away and we'll do our best to help out any way we can.

 

Hey BFXenon, thank you for getting back to me. I will have to do some more research but I like the suggestions you offered. I know that LED's may be an issue for me since we have DRL's here in Canada and from what I have seen on the forum, getting it right may be costly. I'll try your suggestion with the Sylvania bulbs. Do they have a "name" or model number for my truck?

 

Your low beams should be H11 so I've included their link to that specific bulb. From what I read on their site the SilverStar Ultra is their brightest halogen bulb. I also attached a link with the specs from their different options if you want the whitest. Based on the specs they are all 1345 lumens so I'm not sure why they say the Ultra is the brightest. I also noticed they only last 125 hours so you'll be replacing them a lot.

http://www.sylvania.com/en-us/applic...n.aspx#fldYear

http://www.sylvania.com/en-us/applic...partnumber=H11

 

Please dont put led or hid bulbs in halogen housings. You wont have good beam pattern and youll be causing lots of glare to oncoming traffic. Go with a quality halogen bulb for halogen housings.

 

Yah, thanks,BF Xenon and eyecandynsx from what I was reading you can't put the led's in the halogen housings since they don't fit as well unless you modify the end caps, which I really do not want to do. So I'll stick with the Halogen bulbs.

 

That's correct StevieB you'll get water leakage if you try and cut the boot to fit the LED bulb/fan and/or remove the boot all together.

There are some LED kits that do fit. One of the cheaper models (Around $60 or so on amazon) has these bendable fins that act as heatsinks, so you can stuff them into the housing.

Then there are the bulbs that are just bulbs only, no fans and not big heatsinks. Those are more around $40-$50 but arn't really much of an upgrade over Sylvania's white halogen bulbs.

Then there are kits like I sell, where you get a new deeper boot to cover the LED/fan and a small ballast that can fit inside the housing.

LOTS Of options on the market. Don't let people scare you who think you can't/should not install LED's in a halogen housing. It's true that LEDs and HID's will not have a clear cut-off like your halogen or a projection kit... but if the right proudct is used and you make sure your headlights are aligned after replacing the bulbs, you can enjoy the quality of LED while not blinding people.

The kits I sell are adjustable. By default the LED bulbs are on the sides, but there is a set screw on the base of the bulb that lets you loosen it up and move the led's so they are on the top/bottom. You can go in the middle as well on an angle/etc... it's really adjustable.

If you are interested:

2004-2014 Vehicles: http://www.4x4truckleds.com/ford/2004-20014-f-150/
2015-2016 Vehicles: http://www.4x4truckleds.com/vehicle-...rd/f-150-2015/

On the 2015+ I include a free pair of boots for the low-beam (not necessary on the high-beam).

You may want to upgrade your fogs as well, those utilize an H10/9005 bulb as an equivalent.

 

This is false info!

You are a vendor trying to sell your products of cheap LED drop ins.

Halogen housings are designed just for that reason, anything else will have light scatter and dead spots. You will offend oncoming traffic with them unless you lower them so low that you then lose distance.

The studies and science are out there to back this up.

 

I disagree RES4CUE and others will also (who are not vendors). Remember I first joined this forum looking for LED products and trying out a few of them. I also worked in the lighting industry for many years back in the day (back when HID first was mainstream where it was so illegal that as a manufacturer we were forced to BUY BACK the HID kits).

Now adays things have changed a bit. LED is not as harsh as HID.

Yes, projection housings ARE the best way to go. But ya know what... it's not against the law to put LED bulbs in a halogen housing.

It's about using the RIGHT product. A product that you can align.

A halogen bulb and an LED bulb both put light out. One is a filment that burns up and puts out 360 degrees of light. The other are diodes that glow, so because it's a diode, it does have a direction. That's why good bulbs have diodes on both sides. A good bulb also lets you TURN the diodes to face either left/right or up/down to work within your housing.

LED bulbs do NOT work in ALL housings, I will admit to that and always have. But in our trucks they work great. I've compared the "cut-off" of the stock halogen bulbs to the LED, they are very VERY similar. In fact there is no true CUT-OFF with the halogens like on a projection system. The F-150's stock halogens just SUCK.

Upgrading to a quality LED kit will fix that.

I havn't had a single person who's bought my kits tell me "ya know what, the light output isn't good" or "the cut-off is bad" or "it's blinding drivers"

I've had the kit in my truck a month now. I've not had a SINGLE person flash me or lead me to believe I am blinding them.

I know people are against HID/LED, that's fine, everybody is entitled to give their opinion/advise. But telling people "that's wrong" isn't really advise, that's just an unbiased opinion. I have my own, just like you, but I don't just shout out "you are wrong" i'm providing data/real world photos/etc... to back up my claims that the LED kits DO NOT blind people.

 

So Id love to see some output shots against a wall from 25' back. People say how great they are, but never post a real output shot. The one I saw where the guy put led's in said it was "great"... Maybe it looked good to Stevie Wonder? The wall shot was absolutely horrible. No cutoff, tons of glare that would blind oncoming traffic, ridiculous hot spots...