Best headlights?

[BigPapa]

https://www.jegs.com/i/Dorman+Produ...=4579740809610620&utm_content=Dorman Products

 

[SAndreasen]

How bad of an idea would it be to find some oem housings and put some depot or Forman lenses in the housings

 

[Shelby Griggs]

How bad of an idea would it be to find some oem housings and put some depot or Forman lenses in the housings

Might work, if I ever find a set of OEM sport lights in the boneyard, I will buy them and have the lens professionally restored, that is likely the best you will do on a 2nd gen.

 

[SAndreasen]

Might work, if I ever find a set of OEM sport lights in the boneyard, I will buy them and have the lens professionally restored, that is likely the best you will do on a 2nd gen.

i would go for that if I could find them . Wish I hadn’t thrown all oem brackets out I’ve changed 6 or 7 sets over the trucks I’ve owned . I had no idea that anyone could with a straight face sell the junk they are selling now

 

[BigPapa]

I resealed my factory headlight lenses back in ‘16.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/headlight-lens-reseal.254357/

 

[SAndreasen]

Might have to start looking for some at the junk yards

 

[Thomas]

Depo brand sport lamps doing well at close to twenty years.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

I am on my 2nd set and about ready for a 3rd, mine sits outside 100% of time when not driving, maybe that is the difference?

 

[Thomas]

I am on my 2nd set and about ready for a 3rd, mine sits outside 100% of time when not driving, maybe that is the difference?

Likely so. Mine lives out of the ultraviolet & snow in my shop building.

 

[BigPapa]

Try the Cerakote kit. They’re on Amazon for less than $20. Supposed to be a one time application that will keep them from yellowing. I’ve redone the headlights with it on all my cars. Still looking good. I started a thread here about it.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Try the Cerakote kit. They’re on Amazon for less than $20. Supposed to be a one time application that will keep them from yellowing. I’ve redone the headlights with it on all my cars. Still looking good. I started a thread here about it.

Might give that a try next round, my issue with Depo is they tend to leak, some sooner than others, plus the UV protection isn't good, BUT the Cerakote might fix that. The rubber welts they come with fall apart in the sun too, lots to not like about cheap imported headlights, but at this point, not much other choices.

 

[BigPapa]

I don’t know if the Depot assemblies are the same as the OE assemblies, but I also had a thread on resealing the headlight lenses.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/headlight-lens-reseal.254357/

This is the thread on the Cerakote.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/cerakote-headlight-restoration.272473/

I put the Cerakote on some new Dorman Sport assemblies last year before selling my truck in February, so I’ll never know how it holds up. You’ll still need to do the wet sand on new assemblies before applying.

 

[Walker111]

I bought a modified set from Retroshop. The quality of work is great, however the figment sucks. Looks like typical aftermarket crap. Light output is great though.

https://retroshop.us/collections/2nd-gen-ram/products/2g-ram-hid-projector-retrofitted-headlights

 

[jltcasper3]

well i just made a post about the sport lights, more info on this post below: still comeing
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/sport-conversion-wiring.273389/

my plan is this, my truck is a 98 quad 12 valve with the normal lights. i plan on running depo sports with running relays direct from battey with genos relay kit :
https://www.genosgarage.com/product/dodge-ram-hd-brite-box-hlh-90049007-12-s-tb/accessories-lighting

will be running morimoto led 2stroke 3.0 9007 in both holes in each light. still configuring how to wire them as in post above.

also trying to figure out what bulbs i can make fit the fog lights that are morimoto 2 stroke3.0 bulbs, they dont make a fog light 896(800) series in the 3.0 version. maybe i can retrofit something, still figuring this out.

 

[BigPapa]

I’ll stand by what John and I posted in your original thread.

As to your Fog Lights, you need a lamp with the PGJ13 base. These aren’t the brand you mentioned, but they should work.

Amazon product ASIN B098G52LB8

 

[Topzide]

Check out, https://www.superbrightleds.com/
They have lots of flavors! Have used them on quite a few projects. Have converted my buddies car, his wife's 2 cars and my DW's car. The LED bulbs were a direct fit with no CANBUS issues. Like the fact that the resistor pack wasn't right on the back of the bulb. This allows it to fit in tighter spots! When the 3500 needs bulbs, going with LED replacements! Like the nice white light output! They do offer a yellow hue if that's what you want.

Edit: Also added a red interior bulb in dome light. Really helps at night if you need to find something without loosing your night vision.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

I just ordered these: Replacement 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Base 6 Cyl 5.9L - Driver and Passenger Side Headlights, without bulb SET-D100125 (carparts.com)

They are made in Tawain and cheap, but if these are treated as throwaway after a few years, seem to be a good deal. I honestly don't think there is a whole lot of difference in quality of any of the imported replacements.

Changing my Depo's became a necessity as my truck recently had an encounter with the fire hydrant in my driveway, sucks to have 1st damage to body after 22 years and 332K, stuff happens, I guess. Almost $5k in damages for the truck rolling about one truck length and hitting that hydrant. All new bumper parts, new right fender, new headlight, new grill and that is if there isn't any hidden damage once parts start coming off. I wasn't even in the truck for the ride!

 

[petersonj]

Maybe the good news is that the fire hydrant was there?

- John

 

[BigPapa]

I went with the Dorman assemblies. I had no fitment issues and they had full adjustments just like the factory.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Maybe the good news is that the fire hydrant was there?

- John

Well probably not, I live in a cul de sac. The good news is I didn't break the hydrant off with the impact!

Truck is manual transmission and i either only put parking brake on lightly or not at all. I hadn't started in over two weeks so was going to take the truck on some errands and and was warming up while I was checking lights and was going to clean the windshield when out of corner of my eye saw it start to roll (it is level where I park, but front wheels are only a few inches behind where the drive starts sloping down to the street level). I got my hand on wheel while chasing it a few feet to the hydrant, just needed another couple seconds to get it turned, as it was I was only into the hydrant maybe 6-12", right front outside edge of tire left a mark just 2-3" onto the hydrant.

I think if it had of missed the hydrant I would of been able to stay with it and get it stopped, but really would of probably just coasted into the cul de sac and stopped. After this happened I sat in truck, took brake off and waited a minute or two and truck slowly creeped to the sloped concrete and then started picking up speed, might of been doing 1-2 MPH by the speedo by the time I passed the hydrant. I have lived in same house for 16 years and parked my truck in same spot hundreds of times, just one careless setting the parking brake and bang.

I always set the brake, so I think I might of put it on only lightly since it was very cold and I had run in wet roads for three hours prior to parking a couple weeks before the incident. Having a frozen parking brake after running in rain and snow and parking in cold temps isn't fun. Another possibility is some loss of brake cable tension over the two weeks? Not sure if that can happen or not, but whatever the reason, obviously the parking brake wasn't on tight enough and it rolled, definitely one disadvantage of a manual transmission, and big lesson learned to always check brake before leaving the driver seat when truck is out of gear.