Need Opinions/Advisement
11-02-2021, 12:12 AM
#1
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Need Opinions/Advisement
Hello all,
This is my first post and I've been looking at replacement headlamp assemblies for my 2005 F150 as mine are yellowing and going bye bye soon. I looked and came across a question I had. I was wondering if reflector or projector headlights would be better or not for our model years and why? Would the choice change based on the additional want of LED headlights?
Thanks to everyone who comments and nice to meet you!
This is my first post and I've been looking at replacement headlamp assemblies for my 2005 F150 as mine are yellowing and going bye bye soon. I looked and came across a question I had. I was wondering if reflector or projector headlights would be better or not for our model years and why? Would the choice change based on the additional want of LED headlights?
Thanks to everyone who comments and nice to meet you!
11-02-2021, 08:54 AM
#2
TOTM 8/2019
Really depends on your budget and what you want. Here are some options:
1)Buy some EBAY lights for cheap, they are copies of the OEM housings but do have a tendency for moisture intrusion. If you go this economical way suggest sealing the new lights at the seams with RTV to prevent this. THese lights come in OEM chrome or you can get the Harley Davidson black versions(but they are matte inside vs. gloss of a real HD headlight assy). THese are also reflector housings but you can use a LED in them if you select ones that are 1:1 with halogen lights, sealight makes descent ones. Also you can spend more and get diode dynamics or whatever up to you.
2)You can buy spyder projector assemblies. I don't care for the look of them but if you do that's an option. Probably work descent with good LED's as well.
3)Buy OEM Harley Davidson assemblies and use a quality LED bulb(that's what I did). To me looks the best and will last the longest.
4)Buy any of the assemblies above and to a custom HID retrofit. check out retrofit source is a good website. If you retrofitted a set of OEM HD lights that to me would be the king setup but of course most expensive and time consuming.
Anything I missed?
1)Buy some EBAY lights for cheap, they are copies of the OEM housings but do have a tendency for moisture intrusion. If you go this economical way suggest sealing the new lights at the seams with RTV to prevent this. THese lights come in OEM chrome or you can get the Harley Davidson black versions(but they are matte inside vs. gloss of a real HD headlight assy). THese are also reflector housings but you can use a LED in them if you select ones that are 1:1 with halogen lights, sealight makes descent ones. Also you can spend more and get diode dynamics or whatever up to you.
2)You can buy spyder projector assemblies. I don't care for the look of them but if you do that's an option. Probably work descent with good LED's as well.
3)Buy OEM Harley Davidson assemblies and use a quality LED bulb(that's what I did). To me looks the best and will last the longest.
4)Buy any of the assemblies above and to a custom HID retrofit. check out retrofit source is a good website. If you retrofitted a set of OEM HD lights that to me would be the king setup but of course most expensive and time consuming.
Anything I missed?
11-02-2021, 08:56 AM
#3
Hello all,
This is my first post and I've been looking at replacement headlamp assemblies for my 2005 F150 as mine are yellowing and going bye bye soon. I looked and came across a question I had. I was wondering if reflector or projector headlights would be better or not for our model years and why? Would the choice change based on the additional want of LED headlights?
Thanks to everyone who comments and nice to meet you!
This is my first post and I've been looking at replacement headlamp assemblies for my 2005 F150 as mine are yellowing and going bye bye soon. I looked and came across a question I had. I was wondering if reflector or projector headlights would be better or not for our model years and why? Would the choice change based on the additional want of LED headlights?
Thanks to everyone who comments and nice to meet you!
I've replaced my 2008 F150's headlights a couple of times this year. I went with the stock OEM-style halogen units just because they look more natural on the truck than the LED projector units do. The latter are definitely a better choice for night driving, especially out in the country (I live in west Texas, where I can drive hours at night without seeing a streetlight or another vehicle, and the LEDs are great for seeing animals in time to avoid them). But I wanted to keep my truck's look as close to factory as possible. I did move from the OEM dark lens and reflector background to the clear lens with chrome background. They are cleaner-looking and provide better night visibility, I believe.
I can warn you (no one warned me) that you MUST fully seal ALL the seams on any aftermarket headlamp units, regardless of price or brand. Also, be sure the bulb socket gaskets seal tight when the bulbs are installed. Otherwise, you'll be replacing the new set soon because of moisture that floods into the unit from the seams and bulb seals. My first aftermarket set was made in China, and they filled with soapy water during the first run through a car wash. They were also noticeably lighter weight than the OEMs and seemed to have thinner lenses. My second replacements came from RockAuto.com and were manufactured in the USA. They were much more like the OEM units and only about $25 higher. I still sealed them well with black silicone the day before installing them. It's been a couple of months and they've endured many car washes and rain storms without leaks. As clear and clean as they look, I still secretly wish for the LED projectors (my wife's 2020 Armada came with them, and they're awesome) when I'm out on country roads at night.
Again, welcome to the group! Enjoy!
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ReaperHWK (11-02-2021)
11-02-2021, 02:27 PM
#4
Really depends on your budget and what you want. Here are some options:
1)Buy some EBAY lights for cheap, they are copies of the OEM housings but do have a tendency for moisture intrusion. If you go this economical way suggest sealing the new lights at the seams with RTV to prevent this. THese lights come in OEM chrome or you can get the Harley Davidson black versions(but they are matte inside vs. gloss of a real HD headlight assy). These are also reflector housings but you can use a LED in them if you select ones that are 1:1 with halogen lights, sealight makes descent ones. Also you can spend more and get diode dynamics or whatever up to you.
2)You can buy spyder projector assemblies. I don't care for the look of them but if you do that's an option. Probably work descent with good LED's as well.
3)Buy OEM Harley Davidson assemblies and use a quality LED bulb(that's what I did). To me looks the best and will last the longest.
4)Buy any of the assemblies above and to a custom HID retrofit. check out retrofit source is a good website. If you retrofitted a set of OEM HD lights that to me would be the king setup but of course most expensive and time consuming.
Anything I missed?
1)Buy some EBAY lights for cheap, they are copies of the OEM housings but do have a tendency for moisture intrusion. If you go this economical way suggest sealing the new lights at the seams with RTV to prevent this. THese lights come in OEM chrome or you can get the Harley Davidson black versions(but they are matte inside vs. gloss of a real HD headlight assy). These are also reflector housings but you can use a LED in them if you select ones that are 1:1 with halogen lights, sealight makes descent ones. Also you can spend more and get diode dynamics or whatever up to you.
2)You can buy spyder projector assemblies. I don't care for the look of them but if you do that's an option. Probably work descent with good LED's as well.
3)Buy OEM Harley Davidson assemblies and use a quality LED bulb(that's what I did). To me looks the best and will last the longest.
4)Buy any of the assemblies above and to a custom HID retrofit. check out retrofit source is a good website. If you retrofitted a set of OEM HD lights that to me would be the king setup but of course most expensive and time consuming.
Anything I missed?
Hi, mjc019! Welcome to the group.
I've replaced my 2008 F150's headlights a couple of times this year. I went with the stock OEM-style halogen units just because they look more natural on the truck than the LED projector units do. The latter are definitely a better choice for night driving, especially out in the country (I live in west Texas, where I can drive hours at night without seeing a streetlight or another vehicle, and the LEDs are great for seeing animals in time to avoid them). But I wanted to keep my truck's look as close to factory as possible. I did move from the OEM dark lens and reflector background to the clear lens with chrome background. They are cleaner-looking and provide better night visibility, I believe.
I can warn you (no one warned me) that you MUST fully seal ALL the seams on any aftermarket headlamp units, regardless of price or brand. Also, be sure the bulb socket gaskets seal tight when the bulbs are installed. Otherwise, you'll be replacing the new set soon because of moisture that floods into the unit from the seams and bulb seals. My first aftermarket set was made in China, and they filled with soapy water during the first run through a car wash. They were also noticeably lighter weight than the OEMs and seemed to have thinner lenses. My second replacements came from RockAuto.com and were manufactured in the USA. They were much more like the OEM units and only about $25 higher. I still sealed them well with black silicone the day before installing them. It's been a couple of months and they've endured many car washes and rain storms without leaks. As clear and clean as they look, I still secretly wish for the LED projectors (my wife's 2020 Armada came with them, and they're awesome) when I'm out on country roads at night.
Again, welcome to the group! Enjoy!
I've replaced my 2008 F150's headlights a couple of times this year. I went with the stock OEM-style halogen units just because they look more natural on the truck than the LED projector units do. The latter are definitely a better choice for night driving, especially out in the country (I live in west Texas, where I can drive hours at night without seeing a streetlight or another vehicle, and the LEDs are great for seeing animals in time to avoid them). But I wanted to keep my truck's look as close to factory as possible. I did move from the OEM dark lens and reflector background to the clear lens with chrome background. They are cleaner-looking and provide better night visibility, I believe.
I can warn you (no one warned me) that you MUST fully seal ALL the seams on any aftermarket headlamp units, regardless of price or brand. Also, be sure the bulb socket gaskets seal tight when the bulbs are installed. Otherwise, you'll be replacing the new set soon because of moisture that floods into the unit from the seams and bulb seals. My first aftermarket set was made in China, and they filled with soapy water during the first run through a car wash. They were also noticeably lighter weight than the OEMs and seemed to have thinner lenses. My second replacements came from RockAuto.com and were manufactured in the USA. They were much more like the OEM units and only about $25 higher. I still sealed them well with black silicone the day before installing them. It's been a couple of months and they've endured many car washes and rain storms without leaks. As clear and clean as they look, I still secretly wish for the LED projectors (my wife's 2020 Armada came with them, and they're awesome) when I'm out on country roads at night.
Again, welcome to the group! Enjoy!
Hello nice to meet you! I have spent a few of the past days looking for the OEM Harley lights, but I struggled to find any apart from configuring 2006 F150 instead of 2005 in rockauto.com (and I think the two options I found were Dorman and "Various Mfr"? I have no clue what the second company means/is.) I am with you on the spyder assemblies, they have too much going on to be appealing to me but thank you anyways for the suggestion.
I found these two options by the same company on Amazon yesterday and was wondering if I could get someones opinion on either of them.
(I hope the links work, I struggled hyperlinking them)Option 1: Chrome back and reflector
Option 2: Black back and projector
As always and again, thank you so much and its been nice to meet the both of you!
11-02-2021, 03:12 PM
#5
Just some basic advice from someone who has learned from experience:
1) Never buy anything that has not yet been reviewed, preferably by 100s of verified customers. (i.e. Don't be a guinea pig.)
(One of the choices has zero reviews. It is also made in China, which means the warranty and customer service, returns, etc., may be horrible or non-existent).
2) Always check the country of origin / manufacture in the details. Sometimes you have to dig deep through various links to get to this info. Generally a sign that it is something they prefer you didn't know. Remember, Chinese companies have zero obligations to North American or EU customers. Some are honest, some are not.
3) Note whether or not your final choice includes the bulbs. Bulbs can get really expensive. Some don't even include the bulb unit--they just have the holes. Bad mojo.
4) Look online (Google images) for photos of trucks like yours with lights like you're going to buy. YouTube videos sometimes have reviews of brands, as well.
Good luck!
1) Never buy anything that has not yet been reviewed, preferably by 100s of verified customers. (i.e. Don't be a guinea pig.)
(One of the choices has zero reviews. It is also made in China, which means the warranty and customer service, returns, etc., may be horrible or non-existent).
2) Always check the country of origin / manufacture in the details. Sometimes you have to dig deep through various links to get to this info. Generally a sign that it is something they prefer you didn't know. Remember, Chinese companies have zero obligations to North American or EU customers. Some are honest, some are not.
3) Note whether or not your final choice includes the bulbs. Bulbs can get really expensive. Some don't even include the bulb unit--they just have the holes. Bad mojo.
4) Look online (Google images) for photos of trucks like yours with lights like you're going to buy. YouTube videos sometimes have reviews of brands, as well.
Good luck!
11-02-2021, 03:31 PM
#6
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Just some basic advice from someone who has learned from experience:
1) Never buy anything that has not yet been reviewed, preferably by 100s of verified customers. (i.e. Don't be a guinea pig.)
(One of the choices has zero reviews. It is also made in China, which means the warranty and customer service, returns, etc., may be horrible or non-existent).
2) Always check the country of origin / manufacture in the details. Sometimes you have to dig deep through various links to get to this info. Generally a sign that it is something they prefer you didn't know. Remember, Chinese companies have zero obligations to North American or EU customers. Some are honest, some are not.
3) Note whether or not your final choice includes the bulbs. Bulbs can get really expensive. Some don't even include the bulb unit--they just have the holes. Bad mojo.
4) Look online (Google images) for photos of trucks like yours with lights like you're going to buy. YouTube videos sometimes have reviews of brands, as well.
Good luck!
1) Never buy anything that has not yet been reviewed, preferably by 100s of verified customers. (i.e. Don't be a guinea pig.)
(One of the choices has zero reviews. It is also made in China, which means the warranty and customer service, returns, etc., may be horrible or non-existent).
2) Always check the country of origin / manufacture in the details. Sometimes you have to dig deep through various links to get to this info. Generally a sign that it is something they prefer you didn't know. Remember, Chinese companies have zero obligations to North American or EU customers. Some are honest, some are not.
3) Note whether or not your final choice includes the bulbs. Bulbs can get really expensive. Some don't even include the bulb unit--they just have the holes. Bad mojo.
4) Look online (Google images) for photos of trucks like yours with lights like you're going to buy. YouTube videos sometimes have reviews of brands, as well.
Good luck!
I really like the white C shaped leds on our headlights and am searching for that kind that fits the stock h13/9008 bulbs
11-03-2021, 09:09 AM
#7
I looked further and both headlights have the amazon prime check mark and are shipped from Amazon, so does that mean I would be okay as far as returns/most things going wrong? I will definitely look for more info and pictures of the lights.
I really like the white C shaped leds on our headlights and am searching for that kind that fits the stock h13/9008 bulbs
I really like the white C shaped leds on our headlights and am searching for that kind that fits the stock h13/9008 bulbs
BTW, I didn't mention earlier that the cheap units often have really crappy headlight adjustment screws that either get loose and have to be adjusted frequently or are too long to fit the truck without snipping off the screw, which is also a modification that voids the warranty.
I'd go for the good lights to begin with. Then, you won't likely need the warranty anyway.
Incidentally, Dorman is a solid manufacturer for almost all parts. I'd definitely go with them, if they have what you like.
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11-03-2021, 10:24 AM
#8
Senior Member
I might suggest just refinishing the original lights by sanding down and clear coating. I think the original style looks the best and there are no issues with them being sealed up correctly or having poor fit/finish.
I'm not sure if there's any upgrades you can do to the originals though if that's your main interest.
I'm not sure if there's any upgrades you can do to the originals though if that's your main interest.
11-03-2021, 10:49 AM
#9
05 5.4l 3v s.crew lariat
I went thru a lot of led lights on my 05 lariat , I used all kinds ,expensive ones etc . They just won't take the Florida heat in these housings . after about $400 I went back to stock bulbs .
11-03-2021, 04:51 PM
#10
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I found these by OEDRO?:
They have 157 reviews, with an average of 4.3 stars out of 5. The only concern I have is it says they are low/high beam H7 bulbs, which I am not sure if my H13/9008's will fit into that or not? Or if I can simply unplug the H13 to H7 harness that comes with it, take out the H7 bulb and simply put the stock bulbs in and plug the stock harness into the bulb?
They have 157 reviews, with an average of 4.3 stars out of 5. The only concern I have is it says they are low/high beam H7 bulbs, which I am not sure if my H13/9008's will fit into that or not? Or if I can simply unplug the H13 to H7 harness that comes with it, take out the H7 bulb and simply put the stock bulbs in and plug the stock harness into the bulb?