Going From Stock Halogen Lights to HID
01-17-2015, 12:40 PM
#1
Going From Stock Halogen Lights to HID
I just got a new 2014 F150 Stx and has the halogen lights. I really Want to upgrade from them to HID or Projection light. I am new to this and really don't know how to do this. I don't know what I need to buy either. I have a black truck and just want some cool headlights. Can someone tell me or suggest what to buy and what I need please. I am a noob so explain it simply please. Thanks for the help.
01-17-2015, 04:24 PM
#3
Welcome to the F150 forum!
I'm in the process of changing my '13 XLT from halogen to HID because I want the better night lighting. It's not cheap. HID lights are fundamentally different. All the light is "projected" - none is bounced off a reflector like our Halogens work.
That means you'll need to swap or modify the housings. The lower cost but more technically complex route is to "retrofit" your own halogen housings by prying off the clear part (the "lens") and mounting the HID stuff inside. TRS (The Retrofit Source) seems to be a popular place to get quality parts to do that. Prices this route may run $200 - $500 depending on parts quality and luck.
The easier but more expensive route is to buy the factory projector housings and lights, or have someone like Bilvinic or "Tux" do the retrofit for you. This route will cost $1000 - $1400 or so, depending on customization and luck.
The worst thing you can do is buy a cheap kit from Amazon or ebay and just slap HID bulbs into your Halogen housings. Don't do that! Your effective lighting won't be better and you'll be a menace to others at night.
The long thread at the top of this page is a bit tedious but very informative.
I'm in the process of changing my '13 XLT from halogen to HID because I want the better night lighting. It's not cheap. HID lights are fundamentally different. All the light is "projected" - none is bounced off a reflector like our Halogens work.
That means you'll need to swap or modify the housings. The lower cost but more technically complex route is to "retrofit" your own halogen housings by prying off the clear part (the "lens") and mounting the HID stuff inside. TRS (The Retrofit Source) seems to be a popular place to get quality parts to do that. Prices this route may run $200 - $500 depending on parts quality and luck.
The easier but more expensive route is to buy the factory projector housings and lights, or have someone like Bilvinic or "Tux" do the retrofit for you. This route will cost $1000 - $1400 or so, depending on customization and luck.
The worst thing you can do is buy a cheap kit from Amazon or ebay and just slap HID bulbs into your Halogen housings. Don't do that! Your effective lighting won't be better and you'll be a menace to others at night.
The long thread at the top of this page is a bit tedious but very informative.
Last edited by tamnalan; 01-17-2015 at 04:29 PM.
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Mrace3030 (01-18-2015)
01-17-2015, 05:03 PM
#4
Senior Member
So worth the upgrade to OEM HIDs, the light output difference is amazing.
Just added a '14 Limited Taurus to our stable and the halogen lights in the projector housing is terrible. Second day we owned this car I ordered the Taurus SHO HIDs, just waiting for them to arrive, hope they are as big of an improvement as the F150s is.
Just added a '14 Limited Taurus to our stable and the halogen lights in the projector housing is terrible. Second day we owned this car I ordered the Taurus SHO HIDs, just waiting for them to arrive, hope they are as big of an improvement as the F150s is.
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Twinkies (01-17-2015)
01-17-2015, 07:56 PM
#6
One Clean Machine
iTrader: (5)
So worth the upgrade to OEM HIDs, the light output difference is amazing.
Just added a '14 Limited Taurus to our stable and the halogen lights in the projector housing is terrible. Second day we owned this car I ordered the Taurus SHO HIDs, just waiting for them to arrive, hope they are as big of an improvement as the F150s is.
Just added a '14 Limited Taurus to our stable and the halogen lights in the projector housing is terrible. Second day we owned this car I ordered the Taurus SHO HIDs, just waiting for them to arrive, hope they are as big of an improvement as the F150s is.
01-17-2015, 07:57 PM
#7
One Clean Machine
iTrader: (5)
I added the oem hid to my 12 xlt 2 yrs ago and love the **** outta them...
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01-18-2015, 08:45 AM
#8
Welcome to the F150 forum!
I'm in the process of changing my '13 XLT from halogen to HID because I want the better night lighting. It's not cheap. HID lights are fundamentally different. All the light is "projected" - none is bounced off a reflector like our Halogens work.
That means you'll need to swap or modify the housings. The lower cost but more technically complex route is to "retrofit" your own halogen housings by prying off the clear part (the "lens") and mounting the HID stuff inside. TRS (The Retrofit Source) seems to be a popular place to get quality parts to do that. Prices this route may run $200 - $500 depending on parts quality and luck.
The easier but more expensive route is to buy the factory projector housings and lights, or have someone like Bilvinic or "Tux" do the retrofit for you. This route will cost $1000 - $1400 or so, depending on customization and luck.
The worst thing you can do is buy a cheap kit from Amazon or ebay and just slap HID bulbs into your Halogen housings. Don't do that! Your effective lighting won't be better and you'll be a menace to others at night.
The long thread at the top of this page is a bit tedious but very informative.
I'm in the process of changing my '13 XLT from halogen to HID because I want the better night lighting. It's not cheap. HID lights are fundamentally different. All the light is "projected" - none is bounced off a reflector like our Halogens work.
That means you'll need to swap or modify the housings. The lower cost but more technically complex route is to "retrofit" your own halogen housings by prying off the clear part (the "lens") and mounting the HID stuff inside. TRS (The Retrofit Source) seems to be a popular place to get quality parts to do that. Prices this route may run $200 - $500 depending on parts quality and luck.
The easier but more expensive route is to buy the factory projector housings and lights, or have someone like Bilvinic or "Tux" do the retrofit for you. This route will cost $1000 - $1400 or so, depending on customization and luck.
The worst thing you can do is buy a cheap kit from Amazon or ebay and just slap HID bulbs into your Halogen housings. Don't do that! Your effective lighting won't be better and you'll be a menace to others at night.
The long thread at the top of this page is a bit tedious but very informative.
Thanks for you comments, So I really like these but you said don't get cheap ones off amazon lol. If I were to get these what would I need to do? Would I need to by projection Bulbs to put in them? Would they just be plug and play?
01-18-2015, 08:51 AM
#9
Chive So Hard
Thanks for you comments, So I really like these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 but you said don't get cheap ones off amazon lol. If I were to get these what would I need to do? Would I need to by projection Bulbs to put in them? Would they just be plug and play?
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Mrace3030 (01-18-2015)
01-18-2015, 11:54 AM
#10
If all you really want is the cool look for urban or suburban driving then those Amazon units might be fine. Most of the Spyder reviews I've read are mixed. Reliability/longevity doesn't get high marks.
I'm an older guy - don't need the cool look anymore, but I do a fair amount of night driving on quiet rural roads and I want the best lighting I can get. I want OEM reliability too, so I went with OEM projector housings with Osram ballasts and CBI bulbs. I don't have them installed yet.
I'm an older guy - don't need the cool look anymore, but I do a fair amount of night driving on quiet rural roads and I want the best lighting I can get. I want OEM reliability too, so I went with OEM projector housings with Osram ballasts and CBI bulbs. I don't have them installed yet.
