Dodge Cummins Diesel Forum banner
1 - 18 of 18 Posts

· Registered
Joined
·
296 Posts
Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I want to upgrade my headlights to some new HID/LED headlights. I don't know which one to buy or the first step.
What is needed to upgrade the headlights? Do I need to replace the entire unit, or can I just buy the bulbs? Do I need some type of upgrade kit to go along with the lights to make them work on older model trucks?
Also which brands do you recommend?
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
6,309 Posts
If you truly want to upgrade them, the best option is to do a retrofit. Put a projector (LED or HID) in your headlight housing and get great output. Just throwing LEDs or HIDs in a halogen housing doesn't work. Those reflector housings are designed for halogen bulbs. Even though HIDs and LEDs are brighter they are not better when put in a reflector housing. They tend to scatter light, have glare which blinds on coming drivers, had less useable light and have too much foreground. Because of the foreground, it makes it hard to see farther and wider since the light is so bright right in front of you. It's like trying to look through a window into your house when it's bright outside.

Lightwerkz and the retrofit source sell all the parts you need for a retrofit. Or you can Google "Ryan's guide to halogen bulbs" to find a halogen upgrade.
 
  • Like
Reactions: walterjn

· Premium Member
Joined
·
6,309 Posts
I put LED bulbs in my 2007 stock housing and they work just fine. Make sure you get "Error Free" bulbs or you are going to have to install the Canbus or resistors to keep them from flickering.
I tried LEDs before i started doing research and learning about this stuff. They are worse then halogen bulbs in the stock housings. There is too much foreground and less useable light. I took them out after using them twice.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

· Registered
Joined
·
296 Posts
Discussion Starter · #5 ·
Is there a company that sells the complete package? LED/HID with a brand-new projector housing?
 

· Registered
Joined
·
382 Posts
Is there a company that sells the complete package? LED/HID with a brand-new projector housing?

https://www.theretrofitsource.com

While I have only looked & dreamt of full new housings & LED projectors. I learned of this site from this forum & have heard of nothing but amazing things about them. When I can finally afford what I want I WILL be going through this site.
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
6,309 Posts
https://www.theretrofitsource.com

While I have only looked & dreamt of full new housings & LED projectors. I learned of this site from this forum & have heard of nothing but amazing things about them. When I can finally afford what I want I WILL be going through this site.
Although LED has come a looking way, they still aren't as good HIDs, but LED projectors will still be better then the stock headlights.


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: walterjn

· Premium Member
Joined
·
6,309 Posts
If you just Google dodge ram retrofit headlights, you'll find a number of them. There are also 4 builders in Florida approved by the retrofit source. I can get you the names of them if you're interested. There are many stories out about people using cheap builders and receiving bad builds, so be careful if you choose someone to build them for you.


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

· COAL,GUNS,FREEDOM
Joined
·
2,555 Posts
the real question is why? HID's have terrible projection issues and blind oncoming traffic, Poor Quality LED's do not put out the lumens of standard halogens, and Good quality LED's far outway the cost per benefit of good quality Halogens as well and blinding on coming drivers creating a safety issue.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
14,059 Posts
the real question is why? HID's have terrible projection issues and blind oncoming traffic, Poor Quality LED's do not put out the lumens of standard halogens, and Good quality LED's far outway the cost per benefit of good quality Halogens as well and blinding on coming drivers creating a safety issue.
HID's are GREAT if you put them in a setup that was designed for HID's. Halogen housings are made for halogen bulbs, not HID's. Hid's need to be put into a projector setup that was made for HID's.

trying to mix and match technology to save a buck is what causes the issues. don't be cheap and do it right.

I want to upgrade my headlights to some new HID/LED headlights. I don't know which one to buy or the first step.
What is needed to upgrade the headlights? Do I need to replace the entire unit, or can I just buy the bulbs? Do I need some type of upgrade kit to go along with the lights to make them work on older model trucks?
Also which brands do you recommend?

You need to answer a few questions,

1. what is your budget
2. do you want to retrofit yourself or have them built?
3. do you want hte move light possible or easier install?


You NEED install the right parts with the right technology, you CANNOT just slap in some LED bulbs or HID's into a halogen housing and expect good results. Do it right or don't do it at all.
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
6,309 Posts
the real question is why? HID's have terrible projection issues and blind oncoming traffic, Poor Quality LED's do not put out the lumens of standard halogens, and Good quality LED's far outway the cost per benefit of good quality Halogens as well and blinding on coming drivers creating a safety issue.
Like stated, HIDs need to be in a housings designed for HIDs. If they are put in the proper housing, they are great.


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

· Registered
Joined
·
239 Posts
Not only did I put LEDs into my stock Dodge housing, I also put them in my wife's 2015 Ford Escape, my daughter's Honda and my 2015 Kenworth T880, both high and low beam.
They work just fine and light up two lane roads from fence to fence. A big plus out here where the deer and the antelope, along with cattle, play. Sometimes, rarely, I get people flipping their highbeams at me, but some new cars (and pickups, that sit higher) with stock, dazzling low beams are more annoying than mine.

My advice would be to do whatever the hell you want with your truck. I do. But try the cheaper route first before you invest big bucks into a total refit.

And remember, a lot of the stuff you read here is personal opinion or rumors, not solid fact. I got a huge laugh out of the guy who stated with absolute certainty that you had to let your oil drain for "Two or three hours" or the big controversy elsewhere on this forum about the oil capacity of the 6.7L Dodge Cummins engine. Some swore it was no more than 2.5 gallons, because that was all they could get out of it....changing it cold. Then they added three gallons "Like the book says," and are confused because it's over full. That "Proves" (to them) the oil capacity is really 2.5 gallons and Cummins is lying or Dodge is trying to cause damage in order to sell parts. Or the guys that stridently argue about using 15W-40 in the summer and switching to 5W-40 for winter, not knowing the viscosity of both is the same at operating temps. Or the guy who told me that my statement that taking the sulfur out of diesel fuel reduced the lubricity of the fuel had been, "Largely disproved." Took me about 30 seconds to find a study by Penn State University that proved my assertion. Never heard from him again after I posted the study.
There's no end to the nonsense.

Proceed with caution.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
34 Posts
Not only did I put LEDs into my stock Dodge housing, I also put them in my wife's 2015 Ford Escape, my daughter's Honda and my 2015 Kenworth T880, both high and low beam.

They work just fine and light up two lane roads from fence to fence. A big plus out here where the deer and the antelope, along with cattle, play. Sometimes, rarely, I get people flipping their highbeams at me, but some new cars (and pickups, that sit higher) with stock, dazzling low beams are more annoying than mine.



My advice would be to do whatever the hell you want with your truck. I do. But try the cheaper route first before you invest big bucks into a total refit.



And remember, a lot of the stuff you read here is personal opinion or rumors, not solid fact. I got a huge laugh out of the guy who stated with absolute certainty that you had to let your oil drain for "Two or three hours" or the big controversy elsewhere on this forum about the oil capacity of the 6.7L Dodge Cummins engine. Some swore it was no more than 2.5 gallons, because that was all they could get out of it....changing it cold. Then they added three gallons "Like the book says," and are confused because it's over full. That "Proves" (to them) the oil capacity is really 2.5 gallons and Cummins is lying or Dodge is trying to cause damage in order to sell parts. Or the guys that stridently argue about using 15W-40 in the summer and switching to 5W-40 for winter, not knowing the viscosity of both is the same at operating temps. Or the guy who told me that my statement that taking the sulfur out of diesel fuel reduced the lubricity of the fuel had been, "Largely disproved." Took me about 30 seconds to find a study by Penn State University that proved my assertion. Never heard from him again after I posted the study.

There's no end to the nonsense.



Proceed with caution.


Which LEDs did you use may I ask? I tried a $35 set off amazon and they were terrible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

· Registered
Joined
·
938 Posts
Which LEDs did you use may I ask? I tried a $35 set off amazon and they were terrible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


With LED bulbs you get what you pay for. I’ve tried a bunch and none of them were worth a flip under $100. They got really good at $200 and above.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
6,309 Posts
And remember, a lot of the stuff you read here is personal opinion or rumors, not solid fact.
What your saying is your personal opinion. I've researched this stuff and learned the facts about upgrading headlights. Most people think LEDs are better just cause they are brighter causing lots of foreground. Yes you get rare housing that LEDs work in, but the majority of them are not compatible with LEDs and these 3rd gen housings are not compatible. If people would take the time and do a good amount of research on this stuff, they'd learn throwing LEDs into their reflector housing is not an upgrade.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
144 Posts
retro

I went the retrofit route of installing projector lights in my stock housings. This is from the retrofit source in Florida. What a pain in the butt and still have one screwed up light that was my fault. The projector unit wasn't a direct bolt in and I had to do a bunch of grinding to make them fit. You have to heat up the housings in an oven so you can get the lenses removed from the housings which is a pain in itself. Then you get to do the grinding to get the projector housing to fit. Then when it's all said and done you get to heat the housing up again to reinstall the outer lens. Then when you do a crappy job like I did you get moisture inside the lens when it's wet out. The second one I did I got the housing too close to the upper heating elements and melted a hole in the lens. It's riding around with some clear tape protecting the innerds. Now the lighting is far superior to what was in the truck(08) but if you can get someone competent(not me for sure) it would be a good upgrade but pretty expensive. It takes installing lots of electrical:| hardware and finding a place to put such hardware. I'm still in the process of getting the low beams adjusted but the high beams are awesome.
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
6,309 Posts
I went the retrofit route of installing projector lights in my stock housings. This is from the retrofit source in Florida. What a pain in the butt and still have one screwed up light that was my fault. The projector unit wasn't a direct bolt in and I had to do a bunch of grinding to make them fit. You have to heat up the housings in an oven so you can get the lenses removed from the housings which is a pain in itself. Then you get to do the grinding to get the projector housing to fit. Then when it's all said and done you get to heat the housing up again to reinstall the outer lens. Then when you do a crappy job like I did you get moisture inside the lens when it's wet out. The second one I did I got the housing too close to the upper heating elements and melted a hole in the lens. It's riding around with some clear tape protecting the innerds. Now the lighting is far superior to what was in the truck(08) but if you can get someone competent(not me for sure) it would be a good upgrade but pretty expensive. It takes installing lots of electrical:| hardware and finding a place to put such hardware. I'm still in the process of getting the low beams adjusted but the high beams are awesome.
You make it sound a lot worse then it really is haha.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
1 - 18 of 18 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top