LED headlights

IAFF78

Original poster
Member
Dec 29, 2011
205
I have a 04 TB and was wondering if they make the LED headlight bulbs yet? I noticed that audi is using them and was wondering how brite they are compared to HID lights. I currently have 4500k HID's in my truck now and if the LED's are equal to or better than the HID's then i would be willing to make the switch. Anyone have experience using the LED headlights yet?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Kevin
 

kardain

Member
Dec 16, 2011
557
LED headlights have not been made mainstream yet. To achieve remotely the same road lighting output as halogen/hid, it would be highly unsafe to other drivers.... More so than using hid in reflector housings designed for halogen.
 

Ghost

Member
Jun 1, 2012
932
kardain said:
LED headlights have not been made mainstream yet. To achieve remotely the same road lighting output as halogen/hid, it would be highly unsafe to other drivers.... More so than using hid in reflector housings designed for halogen.

On trailvoy I was blasted for not recommending hid in stock reflector tb headlights...hmm
 

kardain

Member
Dec 16, 2011
557
I will never recommend a modification that can pose a hazard to other drivers. HID in stock housings without a projector to focus the beam is unsafe. For your own personal vehicle? Probably not. You can see more of the road. However, that extra light output has to go somewhere. Even aiming them low, glare remains which can cause issues with other drivers especially at night.

The worst offenders are the drivers that have the "riced out" imports with 9007 bulbs in stock housings... Once you see one, you'll know what I mean.

This is proper:

5HgLA.jpg


This isn't.

rE6In.jpg


Nor is this...

CGkni.jpg
 

ItsOnVoy

Member
Nov 21, 2011
2,401
Yeah LEDs vs hid is a day and night. LEDs are bright but for a short distance and small area like the inside of the car or license plate etc. hids would be your best bet to sticking to them since they are made for headlight use and emit light at a much longer distance. so a led can appear bright in a housing but will not give you hardly any of the light your looking for in the end vs the hids you have in right now
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
ItsOnVoy said:
Yeah LEDs vs hid is a day and night. LEDs are bright but for a short distance and small area like the inside of the car or license plate etc. hids would be your best bet to sticking to them since they are made for headlight use and emit light at a much longer distance. so a led can appear bright in a housing but will not give you hardly any of the light your looking for in the end vs the hids you have in right now

You need to do some more research before spouting off mis-information like this. Some of the best long-range lights are LED. Many offroaders use them. Esp for high-speed long range desert lights. These are fanastic lights

https://www.rigidindustries.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=136

Seeing them firsthand, they put many HID's to shame. I wish I could afford a 36 inch light bar.

They ones linked are not headlights and I understand the dialogue above about putting HID or LED in a stock housing not designed for it. FYI--There are Jeep LED headlights, designed as LED headlights and they are quite nice. I think it possible for them to slowly become more mainstream.
 

ItsOnVoy

Member
Nov 21, 2011
2,401
HARDTRAILZ said:
You need to do some more research before spouting off mis-information like this. Some of the best long-range lights are LED. Many offroaders use them. Esp for high-speed long range desert lights. These are fanastic lights

https://www.rigidindustries.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=136

Seeing them firsthand, they put many HID's to shame. I wish I could afford a 36 inch light bar.

They ones linked are not headlights and I understand the dialogue above about putting HID or LED in a stock housing not designed for it. FYI--There are Jeep LED headlights, designed as LED headlights and they are quite nice. I think it possible for them to slowly become more mainstream.

LED headlight bulbs yet?

I think you need to read what he is asking for which is if he puts a led BULB into our housing will it be better then a HID's lighting.

What your talking about and what I am talking about are different...yes I am sure if you buy a special made led with the housing and everything made for itself and spend a pretty penny then yes sure you can say they are good for it...but to take a 9006 led bulb (which is what he is asking) and use that in your housing...I do not recommend...!! But thats just me :smile:

Here are some bulbs if you want

[EBAY]140626347288[/EBAY]

[EBAY]251047778353[/EBAY]

Those bars are really expensive damn!!
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
Half tempted to buy a set of those and see how poorly they do. I did not even realize you could buy them. Might look good for shows....
 

ItsOnVoy

Member
Nov 21, 2011
2,401
HARDTRAILZ said:
Half tempted to buy a set of those and see how poorly they do. I did not even realize you could buy them. Might look good for shows....

That is pretty much there main aim with those kinds of bulbs which is for looks but why would anyone switch out what they have for them no idea lol
 

kardain

Member
Dec 16, 2011
557
HARDTRAILZ said:
You need to do some more research before spouting off mis-information like this. Some of the best long-range lights are LED. Many offroaders use them. Esp for high-speed long range desert lights. These are fanastic lights

https://www.rigidindustries.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=136

Seeing them firsthand, they put many HID's to shame. I wish I could afford a 36 inch light bar.

They ones linked are not headlights and I understand the dialogue above about putting HID or LED in a stock housing not designed for it. FYI--There are Jeep LED headlights, designed as LED headlights and they are quite nice. I think it possible for them to slowly become more mainstream.

I agree with the off road aspect of those lights. Instant on, little to no heat, low current draw... The 4 I have on the front (27W each) use a combined 5.4a +/- a point or 3. But.... Using them on road is the concern (at least the individual capsules). I only use them on road in Montana, at night, on the backroads where there is no traffic.

Now, I had no idea about the jeep headlights... And dot approved even.

http://www.4wd.com/Jeep-Lighting-Je...p.aspx?t_c=14&t_s=67&t_pt=4730&t_pn=POI27250C

It probably won't be for several more years until there are more options available, at which point they more than likely won't be for our vehicles....
 

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