bought new headlamps

[Prairie Dog]

It's my recollection that the force behind the 06 redesign was for better lighting.

Yes, I remember them saying the new headlights have 20% more light output.

 

[motox40]

Appreciate the review. On our way home in the new-to-us 07 the one thing I was not thrilled with was the lo beam on the headlights. This gives me some options, will purchase a set of the Phillips
Extremes, probably the newer ones, and give them a try. Helpful information for sure.

I have a 07' also never changed a bulb on it yet. The lights are super bright on it, in fact I'm always getting flashed with my low beams on . [emoji35]. My son on the other hand has a 02' and his lights suck so bad, a bulb change may be in order.

 

[verk]

I have not tried this myself, but an experienced person who "Fluid Film"s my truck annually said that you need to clear-coat lenses after using the polish kit. I think this provides a barrier lengthening the time before oxidation returns. As an interesting bit of trivia, he used Off Deep Woods mosquito repellent sprayed to rag then wiped on lenses to quicly remove some of the oxidation. It helped and I could see it be useful with minimal oxidation. Anything more, not worth trying.

 

[TGVET]

I was going to do a post (Headlights Again). Now, 11 years running (Time warp) I was hoping by now, there's a serious improvement on an aftermarket replacement out there perfectly compatible with the can-bus. Has anyone with 04.5-05 tried Brite Box Bulbzilla ? I've been using SilverStar Ultra's for several years and still, there's just not enough down range illumination. Lately, I've been considering going with LED auxiliary units, but would really like to keep to the OE cartridges with the best lamp available. So many options out there. Don't really care for the Halo either.

 

[seafish]

I was going to do a post (Headlights Again). Now, 11 years running (Time warp) I was hoping by now, there's a serious improvement on an aftermarket replacement out there perfectly compatible with the can-bus. Has anyone with 04.5-05 tried Brite Box Bulbzilla ? I've been using SilverStar Ultra's for several years and still, there's just not enough down range illumination. Lately, I've been considering going with LED auxiliary units, but would really like to keep to the OE cartridges with the best lamp available. So many options out there. Don't really care for the Halo either.

IMO the best lamps available are very likely the Phillips Xtreme Vision or Xtreme Power bulbs in a 9007 style. Daniel Stern at SternLighting consultany confirms this.
Since using them on my truck to try to correct for the terrible headlights, I have since started using them on all my vehicles. I other words, they WORK.

That being said, I also have done the "poormans Britebox" mod to the multifuncion switch (MFS) on my truck. It is not difficult to do if you are slightly mechanically inclined and lets you run high AND low AND fog with the MFS switch in the high beam position and foglight switch in the on position and then automatically return to low and fog in the low beam position. It does this without any additional wiring or relays and has worked very well with ZERO problems on my truck for years. This is even with the oem headlight wiring in place, although it IS a good idea to upgrade the factory wiring to a relay harness to allow higher voltage to get to the headlights on the firat place. Higher voltage means brighter bulbs!!! Stern does sell high quality wire harness kits or prefab harnesses for our trucks.

I decided to use the MFS switch mod instead of the Britebox because for awhile Britebox was having having overheating/melting issues with could and did strand people with out ANY forward lighting when they failed. I do believe that they have since fixed their problem, but the MFS mod avoids it altogether,

Here is a link as to HOW to do the MFS mod--

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...on-(high-beam)-Switch?highlight=BOM*%20switch

and also first how to easily remove and clean and repair the MFS--

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/225054-Multifuction-Switch-Repair

 

[seafish]

OK, all that being said, I would be lying if I didn;t tell you that in order to achieve extensive and aircraft grade forward lighting on my truck, I ALSO modified and installed Warn DUAL beam fog/driving lights into the oem fog location as well as added two KC Highlighter 130w driving lights and a third (in the center) KC Highlighter 130w Pencil beam on my bull bar. But the Phillips bulbs and MFS mod work for 99.9% of my on road driving. I use the other lights ONLY when there is no oncoming traffic on my twisty, curvy, hilly country roads that are fraught with suicidal deer during much of the year. You won;t be dissapointed with the Phillips bulbs and the MFS mod if you do it!!!

 

[Shelby Griggs]

I did the sport upgrade on my 2nd gen, I used Depo brand the same as Geno's sells, they last 5 years or so, on my 2nd set, next time I may buy OEM at greater cost (assuming they can still be bought). I run Philips NightGuide bulbs, I believe those are no longer made (can't find them in local sources), BUT Amazon still has them. I like the bulb, but do seem to have shorter life, YMMV. As far as restoring the lens, next time I may give this kit a try https://www.griotsgarage.com/produc...n+kit.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=Search, only kit I have seen with the UV coating spray, detail shops want $200 to do the restotre, might as well just buy the Depo's...

 

[TGVET]

Thanks SF, good info. Yes, I do remember early issues with BB. I like the MOD idea so will check that.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Lately, I've been considering going with LED auxiliary units, but would really like to keep to the OE cartridges with the best lamp available.

From what I have seen, unless you have a completely designed from the ground up LED forward lighting, it ends up just being bright and blinding for everyone else AND really doesn't have much downrange penetration, if I thought I could legally just add a LED bulb to my headlight housing that would actually be good for me and other drivers it would of already been done.

 

[TGVET]

From what I have seen, unless you have a completely designed from the ground up LED forward lighting, it ends up just being bright and blinding for everyone else AND really doesn't have much downrange penetration, if I thought I could legally just add a LED bulb to my headlight housing that would actually be good for me and other drivers it would of already been done.

I looked various LED bulbs to swap but haven't made a decision as yet. As far as I know, there's nothing indicating illegal to do so.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

I looked various LED bulbs to swap but haven't made a decision as yet. As far as I know, there's nothing indicating illegal to do so.

Nothing illegal about LED per se, but if the light "elements" as they were are not positioned the same as the incandescent bulbs the reflectors are designed for it blinds oncoming traffic. I believe that most if not all reputable resellers will tell you the LED headlight bulbs are for off road use only. There are no mainstream OEM bulb companies like Sylvania, etc. selling LED replacement bulbs and I suspect for good reason.

 

[seafish]

There IS one other way to safely and effectively, though NOT necessarily legally, upgrade the headlights on these trucks, which is to do, or have an experienced retrofitter do, a COMPLETE HID projector insertion and retrofit into the oem headlight housing. When properly done, the projector and bulb, which is mounted inside the oem headlight, along with the HID ballast which is mounted somwhere in the engine comaprtment, brilliantly and effectievly projects bright HID light onto the road EXACTLY where it belongs WITHOUT scattering it into the eyes of oncoming traffic or rearview mirrors of traffic in front of you. Websites like hidplanet.com and supply houses like The Retrofit Source, which sponsors hidplanet, have a wealth of information regarding these HID mods and I know for a fact that even a handful of TDR members have done so. Again, while this mod is SAFE when correctly done, it is likely NNOT legal as the retrofitted headlight is no longer DOT certified even though its individual parts may well be.

 

[TGVET]

There IS one other way to safely and effectively, though NOT necessarily legally, upgrade the headlights on these trucks, which is to do, or have an experienced retrofitter do, a COMPLETE HID projector insertion and retrofit into the oem headlight housing. When properly done, the projector and bulb, which is mounted inside the oem headlight, along with the HID ballast which is mounted somwhere in the engine comaprtment, brilliantly and effectievly projects bright HID light onto the road EXACTLY where it belongs WITHOUT scattering it into the eyes of oncoming traffic or rearview mirrors of traffic in front of you. Websites like hidplanet.com and supply houses like The Retrofit Source, which sponsors hidplanet, have a wealth of information regarding these HID mods and I know for a fact that even a handful of TDR members have done so. Again, while this mod is SAFE when correctly done, it is likely NNOT legal as the retrofitted headlight is no longer DOT certified even though its individual parts may well be.

Yes, I was looking at one yesterday and have seen it before a while back as well. Not an inexpensive mod by any means.

 

[seafish]

Yes, I was looking at one yesterday and have seen it before a while back as well. Not an inexpensive mod by any means.

Yup Phillips Xtreme bulbs, the MFS modification and possibly a new wiring harness utilizing relays to deliver higher voltage to the new bulbs, are much less expensive then a quality HID retrofit. If I was going to do a retrofit and NOT do it myself, and likely would ONLY use these guys-- Lightwerkz -- as they have been doing retroifits for almost the longest and seem to be VERY much committed to proper installas well as customer service follow through!!!

 

[TGVET]

Yup Phillips bulbs, the MFS modification and possibly a new wiring harness utilizing relays to deliver higher voltage to the new bulbs, are much less expensive then a quality HID retrofit. If I was going to do a retrofit and NOT do it myself, and likely would ONLY use these guys-- Lightwerkz -- as they have been doing retroifits for almost the longest and seem to be VERY much committed to proper installas well as customer service follow through!!!

Yes, they are the ones I was looking at. MFS will be the way for now. Thanks again.