I am sure this has been brought up 1k times but I'm not finding much information. I can't decide wether to convert my halogens to hid's or to buy an off brand projector style headlamp. Any info would be awesome. Thanks. 2014 stx screw.

 

Are you planning on DIY or paying someone for a retrofit?
The OEM HIDs will blow away the output of your halogens. A retrofit will take that output and spread it like crazy...in a good way.

Retrofitting is not inexpensive, but it's worth every dime.

If you retrofit your halogen housings then you can go to a FX-R projector which has stellar low beam performance. If you retro to a OEM HID housing then the EvoX-R is a direct bolt in for the factory projector.

Cannot go wrong with either really.
Personally, it's worth the extra $$$ over the aftermarket projector housings. Afterall these are headlights we're talking about and if they go out at the wrong time then things can go bad in a hurry.

 

My suggestion, if you don't want to mess with busting open your headlights and hoping everything is right and functioning when you put them back together, is to buy a set of OEM HIDs and a wire harness to make them function. All I hear about aftermarket projector headlight assemblies is that they are all junk.

Pros:
OEM - no hassle, just swap housings and install harness. If you can change a stock bulb, you can swap them in well under an hour, including the harness.
Retrofit - better performance than OEM and better selection of bulbs. OEM D3S is very limited regarding options. Most good aftermarket projectors used for retrofits are D2S which offers a wide variety.

Cons:
OEM - again, limited options for bulbs. I am perfectly happy with my OEM Osram 4300k. I wanted the best useable light output, which is what you get with 4300k. As the color temp goes up, useable light goes down.
Retrofits - it's a lot of work. You have to bust your headlights open, modify them to accept the projectors, install them, put the assemblies in the truck and turn them on to align them, find a way to match mark them or secure them, take the assemblies back out, finalize the installation (and hope they didn't move in the process), reseal them, then reinstall. Too much work for me personally, and if it didn't all go right, I couldn't afford to be without a vehicle for a couple of days while I tried to fix it.

 

It will Definitly be a DIY project. Have to decide if I wanna risk doing them as this truck is my daily driver. Need to figure out what setup I want if I do retro. The kit I was looking at was a morimoto and looks to be around 300 . That's doable.

 

The only issue I have with oem projectors is the fact that they cost anywhere between 700 and 1300 and that's with no bulbs or ballasts. I'm not looking to spend quite that much. Great info and thanks for responding. You guys are a huge help.

 

I was looking at HID conversion kits that are around $80 and that will do heads and fogs at 5000. Comes with bulbs and ballasts

 

You're welcome.
One thing to remember...you get what you pay for with HIDs. They are pricey for a reason. $80 kits are as you would expect them to be...less expensive for a reason.

The Morimoto kits from TRS are a good start for sure. I honestly wouldn't spend less than what their kit is. If you wanted OEM HID then you just need to look harder. You can find take offs, with ballasts and bulbs in the $800 range and you'll just need a harness. Buying decontented sets off eBay and the like usually mean you're getting lights that have been on a vehicle that was damaged.

 

this is something of what I was looking at. Just to be clear I don't have projectors now. I have the old school style lamps with halogens in them.

 

Please don't put HID bulbs in your reflector housings. HIDs are in projectors because of the needs for cutoffs and containment of light. Reflector housings just scatter all of that bright light into the eyes of oncoming traffic, regardless of how much you point them down, it still scatters light.

In my opinion, put HIDs in projectors, or don't do HID at all.

 

Probably good advice. Thanks for the honesty. I drive at night as I'm on third shift and just looking for a little better visibility. I'll just "borrow" my father in laws projectors out of his brand new xlt