LED Headlights

[SnowBlazer]

I know this has been covered in other threads but the information is very sporadic around the site...

So I'm looking into getting new headlight housings for my Trailblazer and was wondering if the capacitor mod would be beneficiary to LEDs. I know it's a a must for HIDs.

Also, these are all the items I'm looking to get...

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=291459149884

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=301196651508

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=251654626106

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=281655192824

If you have any suggestions on different products, let me know!

 

[djthumper]

Actually those of us that run the LEDs do the capacitor mod as well. If you do not the drivers will go out.

 

[Mounce]

First link is fine.

Second is okay but there are better. Search for 5630 switchback.

Third link, big no. Dim as hell. Made for appearance only, not output for headlights.

Fourth link, refer to previous statement about third link.

Give me a few minutes and I'll have decent links you throw at you.

 

[dmanns67]

Those PnP LED 9006 "headlights" are garbage. They are only for looks IMO unless you are not planning on driving at night. The lumen output is horrible at 720 lumens. That is LESS than a standard halogen bulb which is around 1000 lumens.

Also, if you read the descriptions, the 9005 and 9005 LEDs are being sold as DRLs and NOT headlights. They might be ok for DRLs, but as you know our low beam headlight is our DRLs. If you want LED headlights, contact DFWWIZ and get a set of his. Very bright and worth the money.

Like Larry said with HIDs or LEDs (with drivers) you will need to do the cap mod or DRL killer.

 

[djthumper]

As far as LED headlights I think you really need to go with DFWWIZ, Kevin, really supports his products.

 

[SnowBlazer]

Thanks all! What price point is DFWWIZ at?

 

[Mounce]

They mostly got you lined out on the headlight bulbs. What you're looking for is for it to have an external box which is a driver, and a heat-sink with a fan. That's the type that are actually decent. As said, dfwwiz is the resident LED headlight bulb supplier here. Keep in mind, his new, and the brightest bulbs so far, require cutting on the back of the headlight to allow their massive heat-sink to fit.

For switchbacks, these will be much brighter than the ones you linked.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=331183639871&alt=web


And, search for his sale thread yo.

 

[djthumper]

The lights you are posting had a line in there...



With his pricing you get the drivers and he will assist you. He owns a TB and always willing to help, even if you need a lot of assistance.

 

[SnowBlazer]

Thanks guys for the input!

DJ, I don't know how but that warming got looked over. Thanks for pointing that out.

I'll need to think about it. I want to do it right the first time but I can't really shell out $300 for a new set up. The sets are $110 and I would like to do my high beams as well. But, that's double my budget, unfortunately.

 

[djthumper]

Just do your lows for now and then your highs later. It is funny seeing the highs not as bright as the lows but if you have the quad light mod it compliments fairly well.

 

[Sib]

I know this has been covered in other threads but the information is very sporadic around the site...

So I'm looking into getting new headlight housings for my Trailblazer and was wondering if the capacitor mod would be beneficiary to LEDs. I know it's a a must for HIDs.

Also, these are all the items I'm looking to get...

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=291459149884

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=301196651508

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=251654626106

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=281655192824

If you have any suggestions on different products, let me know!

First link is fine.

Second is okay but there are better. Search for 5630 switchback.

Third link, big no. Dim as hell. Made for appearance only, not output for headlights.

Fourth link, refer to previous statement about third link.

Give me a few minutes and I'll have decent links you throw at you.

Those PnP LED 9006 "headlights" are garbage. They are only for looks IMO unless you are not planning on driving at night. The lumen output is horrible at 720 lumens. That is LESS than a standard halogen bulb which is around 1000 lumens.

Also, if you read the descriptions, the 9005 and 9005 LEDs are being sold as DRLs and NOT headlights. They might be ok for DRLs, but as you know our low beam headlight is our DRLs. If you want LED headlights, contact DFWWIZ and get a set of his. Very bright and worth the money.

Like Larry said with HIDs or LEDs (with drivers) you will need to do the cap mod or DRL killer.

I agree with Dave and Garth here. I bought a set of those LED fogs just because when I added HIDs in my low beams I hated having the yellow tint of my halogen fogs. They look great if you were looking toward the front of my truck, but they were brutal as far as light output. I ended up just getting a cheap set of HID fogs to give me some light on the ground in front of me.

As far as LED headlights I think you really need to go with DFWWIZ, Kevin, really supports his products.

I have a set of Kevins Cree LEDs in my high beams and they are super bright. They do scatter light a little more than I would like, but that is because they only have LEDs on the sides, not all the way around like a HID or even a halogen.

Not sure how they would be as low beams, but as high beams they work pretty good.


If you are looking to get something bright, IMO I would say just get a set of HIDs from TRS. I have had those in my low beams for a few months now and they are great. Projectors are even better, but just for starters TRS's HIDs work very well. The ballast fire up very quickly and I have not had any issue at all. I also have the capacitor mod so my DRLs run at 100% and I did the 6-hi mod, so when I turn on my high beams, my HID lows stay on. That way I don't have to worry about ruining the ballasts from all the on-off, as well as waiting for them to warm up to optimal brightness either.

Just my

 

[littleblazer]

The retrofit source hids I can agree with as well. Granted it's not fair since I have projectors. If you are okay with stepping it up, I say save for the projectors and have fun. Leds are cool though too.... modding in any way shape or form is fun though. [emoji2]

 

[smitty5150]

Either led or hid options are ok...but they do scatter no matter what when you don't run projectors with them. The benefit of hids is not having to cut. I am the retrofit source vendor here, so I might be a little biased. I support their hid and led line. I also just picked up Diode Dynamics for led goodies.

 

[dmanns67]

I agree 100% that projectors are the way to go. Not everyone has the time or wants to pay to money for a retro. I use to be "that guy" as well running HIDs in reflector housings. It is a huge improvement over halogens, but no comparison to running actual HID projectors.

Now I am "that guy" that flashes every car that comes at me with HIDs in a reflector housing

 

[Sib]

So you went from "that guy" to "that guy"

 

[Mounce]

I can vouch for diode dynamic's awesomeness lol. Great customer service.

Now on topic, you could start out like most of us and get Ebay hid kits. $74 and you have highs, lows, and harnesses for both to protect the tiny stock wires.

(once you go HID, you never go back to halogen, HIDs are awesome.)

 

[Tiggerr]

Either led or hid options are ok...but they do scatter no matter what when you don't run projectors with them. The benefit of hids is not having to cut. I am the retrofit source vendor here, so I might be a little biased. I support their hid and led line. I also just picked up Diode Dynamics for led goodies.

They're the ones I found that have the LED compatible flashers. Cruise compatible too. Gonna pick up one when I get around to doing my LED's.

+1 on TRS too. Nice folks. That's where my retro will come from. When I get to that. lol!

 

[smitty5150]

Be sure to hit me up when you're ready. I can save a few bucks for forum members.

 

[Paul Bell]

I'd like to learn more about LED replacements for the 9006 lamp, there's no stickie or article.

They seem to be advertised with their lumins combined: "6000 lumins" meaning 3000 lumins each. They seem to be advertised up to 9000 lumins (4500 per bulb).

The "better" looking ones seem to have a cooling fan in their base?

How do they work with the stock housing reflector? Decent beam control?

Has anybody done this and can post a review possibly with pictures?

 

[Tiggerr]

Thanks that'll work! Hell I might just send u my lights to do my retro too lol!

 

[littleblazer]

I almost did. Being in the same state was convenient as well. As it turned out, I enjoyed it too much. [emoji2]

 

[Tiggerr]

I almost did. Being in the same state was convenient as well. As it turned out, I enjoyed it too much. [emoji2]

Don't know where everyone is but I don't wanna screw up $300 worth of lights+ another $600 or so in projectors kits lol

Like to do quad FXR's

 

[dmanns67]

Quad FX-Rs is not necessary as the FX-Rs are bi-xenon. Meaning they have a low beam and hi beam function. I have FX-Rs in my low beams and DFWWIZ's LED headlights for my high beams. More than enough light driving down back country roads at night. I went for about a year with nothing in the hi beams because the FX-R does a great job in high beam mode.

 

[Mounce]

Or you could do quads anyways and reap in the benefit of 4 low beam projectors and 4 high beam projectors.

Idk if fxr would fit in the high beam bucket though.

 

[littleblazer]

Don't know where everyone is but I don't wanna screw up $300 worth of lights+ another $600 or so in projectors kits lol

Like to do quad FXR's

So you have the lt headlights I guess?

 

[Tiggerr]

Or you could do quads anyways and reap in the benefit of 4 low beam projectors and 4 high beam projectors.

Idk if fxr would fit in the high beam bucket though.

That's the plan anyway lol. Only issue I may have is the depth of the bowls..

Littleblazer I have a rainier not a TB. Lights are way different lol.

And pricey

 

[SnowBlazer]

Guys...lets get back on topic. :thubsup:

So from what I've learned today I have 4 options:

Member's LED in halogen housing
HID in halogen housing
Halogen in protector housing
HID in projectors (which seem to be the best case)

Is this correct?


Also, thanks for helping me out. If it wasn't for you guys I would be running eBay LED's, that are meant for fogs. Thank you!!

 

[littleblazer]

Hid in projector is ideal, not for everyone though. The leds that were reccomended may be better or worse than hids, depends how much they scatter. No reason for halogens in projectors.

Sorry I'm on tapa and it is annoying to find vehicle information.

 

[Mounce]

Any Ebay projector housings are made for halogens. Just throwing that out there for whom it may concern. Your results may vary if you put HIDs in them.


I'd say go with HIDs. Easy plug-n-play upgrade.

Make sure you aim the headlights loooow though or you'll get real used to other peoples high beams.

Aaand, 4300-6000k is where it's at. Anything bluer and you're losing output. 4300 is the brightest. Also, 35w. 55w isn't acceptable for reflectors.

 

[littleblazer]

Just to give you an idea, my projectors have 4300k hids, here they are next to the highs which are halogens:

Yellow halogens and mostly white from the projectors. The camera washed it and makes it look bluer than it is.

 

[Mounce]

So, what are you gonna do?

 

[SnowBlazer]

Waiting to get paid week after next to fully decide. Just got paid yesterday and she needs alignment, tire rotation and oil change.

Parts come before cosmetics, unfortunately.

 

[Mounce]

SURELY you don't pay someone to rotate your tires.......

Only saying that because its super easy and I myself would never pay someone to do it.

 

[littleblazer]

The firestone we use rotates for free with an alignment.... sometimes.

Still haven't decided yet I guess?

 

[Mounce]

Well he added that to the list of monetary repairs needed so I'm assuming he pays for it. Oh well lol.

If you do decide to go with HIDs and want cheap ones from Ebay, hmu or post in here. I've bought four kits from the same seller and they work flawlessly. Won't be as high quality as Mori, but they work and never misfire.

 

[SnowBlazer]

Haha. I'll do the alignment at a buddy's house (I don't have a garage), but everything else will go to a shop (Probably Chevy).

Post up the link, Mounce...that way I can get a grocery list going and others can see what you're recommending.

 

[Mounce]

You're gonna do the alignment?

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=251599286130&alt=web

$29.99 a set unless you buy more than one, then it's $26.99 a set. Free 2-day shipping.

If you're putting them in your lows and highs you'll want the quad/4-hi mod so that you won't have a dark period of them warming up when switching between hi and low beams. Easy and costs less than $2.

 

[SnowBlazer]

Thanks Garth. I meant the tire rotation at my buddy's...got sidetracked playing Skyrim

And I can put those in a halogen housing until I can get projectors right?

 

[Mounce]

I was gonna say you might not have good results with that alignment lol.

And yeah, you can, just get the correct bulb sizes. 9006 and 9005. I'd also recommend 4300k, they're the brightest and also you won't look like everyone else with blue headlights.

Also, don't forget you'll need to do the cap mod or drl killer.

 

[SnowBlazer]

Update, while cruising last night, my buddy said he has a set of HID's from his old cavalier. He said he'd give me if they'd fit in my housings. Time to do more research.