If you want the highest quality HID kits, go with the Phillips HID kits. If you want the purest white light and not the weird blue or other colors, stay around 4200k or 4300k. Most other brands aren't made nearly as well and will break on you a whole lot sooner.

 

I've had HID kits in both my previous 2005 FX4 and most recently in my 2011 FX2. I had them both in each truck for barely a month before removing them. I now have REAL projectors in my 2011 FX2 and the difference is absolutely unbelievable and I don't think anyone should be allowed to run HID in a halogen housing. These are just my own personal observations.

1. Anyone who says there is no glare from HID's in their halogen housings has never had to face their own truck in oncoming traffic. And those that have are lying to you that it wasn't blinding to oncoming drivers. There is NO WAY you can't have glare in halogen housings. You are arguing with physics and mechanics of light. There is ALWAYS going to be glare.

2. The glare on the 05 truck was much worse than my 11 truck. I also had a level and 35's on the 2005 so the light was shining right into most cars rear view mirrors when I was behind them so that only aplified the issue.

3. I had read on here from several owners on here that they had very little glare on their 09+ trucks. I drank the Kool-Aid and tried it and like I said, they lasted less than a month before I was absolutely tired of the glare and issues I obviously was causing other drivers. I removed them for the factory bulbs until I could get my retrofit kit in.

4. I did tests myself when I had the HID kit in my 11 truck and did it on "one lane each way" roads here near my house with a 50mph speed limit. I did various tests at dusk, dawn, and in full dark in the middle of the night. I checked when the truck was sitting still and I was driving my wifes car towards it and passed it and then again the same test with the truck coming at me as it would normally. Sure I could look down to the right of the truck and be ok and be able to see ok, but the glare and light was ridiculous at best. It just looked like a ball of light coming at you with no definition whatsoever.

5. Note that my 11 is lowered 2" in the rear and I purposely lowered the headlights and aimed them DOWN when I installed the HID's. I have also noted other 09+ around with HID kits and their results are no different than mine.

I'll probably get flamed for saying any of this, but it's of course your vehicle and you are free to do what you want. But please keep in mind that just because you don't forsee or think there is an abundance of glare in your lights, doesn't mean it isn't there. A friend of mine is an EMT here in Austin and has been for almost 15 years. He has told me of quite a few, more than 20, incidents ONLY here in the Austin area where issues or accidents happened as a result of an HID kit in a halogen housing.

Regardless of what those of you think and believe, there is plenty of glare in our lights and really should not be put in halogen housings. I am no one to tell anyone what to do, but please keep that in mind before putting these in your vehicle.

 

^couldn't have said it better, thank you. finally someone with some sense.

 

Projectors with HID bulbs = awesome.

But if your like me you don't like that look. I honestly don't think projectors look good on trucks.

My dad had silverstars for a month then he took them out. He said everyone kept flashing him, they were deft. brighter than stock tho.

My friend has a silverado and put HIDs in his fogs and actual housings. I must say they look fantastic, sure their is some glare but probably some from SS to, or any non-stock bulb. But his really aren't bad, I love the color and the light output is great. So good that I just ordered some.

Sure they would light up the road better and produce no glare with projectors but they cost more and I really don't like the look of projectors in day time on our trucks.