dapert

Bought my son a 97 F150 with a build date of January 1, 1997. He wants the 1 piece Halo projector lights but they all say they won't fit 97's build before July.

So my next step was to look at something similar in the 2 piece designs and they say the same thing.

Does anybody know what the specific issue is with the 97 and the build date? Is it something I can make fit with a littler elbow grease or is there a major difference?

Would doing a bumper/grill swap to a 99-03 help?

Tys 4x4

From what I've read in other posts here I think it has something to do with the header panel? Don't know for sure though. I'm sure others that do will chime in.

BrowningSCrew

Just replace the header panel behind the grille to a 98 one and you can run any of the newer lights. But, don't get those one piece halos, most of them fit terrible, don't put out great light, and the ricer LED's at the bottom burn out. He'll be much better off with some Harley Davidson or Lightning style lights, they have a clear lens which makes for better light output, especially with some sylvania silverstar ultra bulbs. Also, since they're a factory style light they fit perfectly, and if he wants black they come in black too.




Harley


Lightning

f150driver44

^X2 just replace the header panel and like browning said , don't go with the one piece halos. I ordered my housings off eBay with the clear lens and the put out great light with my 8k HIDs

dapert

I hate the look of the halos too but you know how teenagers are. I told him they won't fit and steered him towards the two piece styles you guys have shown so I think I've got him off that halos. Now just need to replace this header panel.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fe/full.aspx?Page=21

Is it item #7 Grill Reinforcement Panel that I'm looking to replace?

BrowningSCrew

Well I'm 18 and I hate them hahaha when i first got mine i wanted them, but after seeing a bunch running around hanging out the side with burnt out LED's I was over it.

I ran the Lightning ones with silverstars for a year with no trouble. Now I've retrofitted them with projectors do I have great projector HID performance but they fit great and don't look ricey.

97' F250-LD

iTrader: (1)

According to LMC the build date that it affects is pre-7/96 so being 1/97 you should be in the clear. My '97 was built in 9/96 and has the 2 piece set. idk, just a thought

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fe/full.aspx?Page=53

97' F250-LD

iTrader: (1)

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fe/full.aspx?Page=63

Have you taken the stock ones out to check which set it has?

dapert

Well good or bad he wanted the Halo lights as a birthday gift. I told him ok I'll get them for you but they won't fit and we'll have to return them.

Sure enough I pop out the factory signal housing. Take off the grill. Pop out the headlight housing. Pop in the new one piece halo unit. Fits perfect. Go to put the grill back on and ut oh. It doesn't go on because part of it tucks behind where the turn signal unit was. So I take the halos out and pop the grill back on and ut oh. The mounting points for where the factory headlight was are behind the grill so that won't work. Now I'm beginning to see why you need the newer panel and new grill. I looked up on youtube and on those you can take both pieces out without removing the grill and on this '97 that just isn't possible.

Now I'm the son of an engineer, pretty smart, and certainly to stubborn to be beaten by this. It was sort of a pain in the rear but I got it too work and they fit perfectly and even allow those slider bars to lock the housing in just like factory. The key was leaving the grill loose so that I could put it behind the housing where it needs to be and still have room to get the unit to slide into the factory guides.

So to anybody who reads this with an early build '97 you too can have a one piece unit if you wish.

And to my son's credit they do look really good. Hopefully they don't burn out too quickly.