Headlights

[kenny61]

I want to replace my old yellow headlights any recommendations on replacements?

 

[Timd32]

If sticking with the OEM style here is what I have.

I have new Keystone assemblies and have some LED conversion bulbs coming soon. Geno's has the stock housings, LMC Truck has a nice break out of the sport headlights vs the standard ones.

www.genosgarage.com/product/dep-3331104lcsu-ns/headlights

With the stock bulbs and new housings it's OK considering the age.

If you go with the sport housing conversions I ran across this thread.

www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/256328-Sport-Headlights-Install-Questions?p=2485731#post2485731

It will be a while till I get the LED bulbs installed. Will do some before and after shots.

 

[kenny61]

Thank you I'll check out the links

 

[petersonj]

I want to replace my old yellow headlights any recommendations on replacements?

I highly recommend that you go to Daniel Sterns lighting website and read up on the sport headlight modification. Also there is good reading on the operation of headlights and fog lights and their intended use.

I am assuming that you have the single bulb headlight system with the 9004 bulb. The bad news about the sport headlight package is that you cannot get OEM headlights any more. The good news is that the a decent aftermarket sport headlight package (both sides) is about $125.00 on Amazon and the headlights perform much, much better than the single bulb headlight system.

If you haven't already done so you will need to relay your headlights for better lighting performance (considerably less voltage drop). Also, if you decide to go this route, wire the headlights as Daniel Sterns recommends and use the bulbs that he recommends.

I have driven the last 30,000 miles with the sport headlight package.

What I like: good coverage down the road on low beam or high beam, excellent coverage on both sides of the road low beam or high beam, easy to adjust, never have been flashed from oncoming traffic.

What I don't like: a couple of small darker areas in the beam pattern, probably because they are not OEM (I am a perfectionist here).

Overall, the performance is far superior to my old single bulb system, even when the truck was new. If you decide to go this way, I don't think you will be disappointed.

- John

 

[Timd32]

Yeah if my LED bulbs are a scam will be sure to update. I did a bunch of research on it, most were dead posts with no updates. So figured might be worth a shot.

I agree with a lot that Daniel Stern has on his site, especially where he goes into how the HID and LED try to put more light closer to the vehicle making it seem like you get more light. Back in the day whenever folks would sit in our race cars they would comment that they could not see past the hood, what they would not understand is you need a much farther field of vision compared to what was 5' in front of you.

I don't agree Dodge got it 1000% correct the first time on the OEM single bulbs like I have. Yes they put in thousands more hours of development and more engineering then the aftermarket stuff, they have to apply that to mass production. But in my case I already have brand new assemblies not a huge loss if I throw the bulbs at it and they are worse off, pop them out and go back to original.

Would suck to swap the entire assembly out and be worse off for sure that would not be any fun.

So of you find a aftermarket housing run it by some folks to see how it performs.

 

[crabman]

The best solution is to put in the sport headlights(2 bulbs/side) which does entail cutting out a section of sheet metal for the install. This will give you better lighting BUT if you also do the wiring mod, heavier wiring with relays directly connected to the battery it will make it at least 200% brighter. You can purchase the wiring harness w/relays for you vehicle which is basically plug & play.
I did this to my 98 and the lights are much better than my 06 with the brite box installed.
Here is a YouTube link for installing the sport headlights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcikbIyGLH0

 

[diesel DOG]

I just buffed mine clear with 3M headlight kit.

 

[The patriot]

I did mine many years ago and used the Depot brand replacements. They were OK, not OEM quality.
Just a few months ago I replaced them with OEM's. Lighting was comparable, but the Mopars just "felt" better. The Depot's always felt a little floppy to me.
For the lights alone you'll need 55077042 and 43. That's NOT the entire assy. Just the headlights.
If you have the non sport light buckets, they can be made to work with sport lights but you'll need to mod it a little. The sport blinkers will NOT work with the non sport buckets w/o extensive mods. They Are secured in an entirely different way.
You can find right side Mopar brand head lights pretty easy, left side is hard to find and generally are $200+.
I'm keeping this truck for the foreseeable future, so the extra expense was well worth it.

 

[petersonj]

You can find right side Mopar brand head lights pretty easy, left side is hard to find and generally are $200+.
I'm keeping this truck for the foreseeable future, so the extra expense was well worth it.

Are you talking about sport headlights here or the single bulb (9004) headlight? I have Headlight Depot's sport headlights on my truck now and they do a fair job, but I really want the OEM sport headlights. I thought they were not being produced anymore. Do you know differently?

- John

 

[The patriot]

The sports

 

[The patriot]

No OEM arent being stocked anywhere anymore, but they CAN be found.

 

[petersonj]

Can you let out the secret and say where they can be found? I would like to get a pair.

My wife is driving a 2014 VW Passat SE, so we are also a full diesel family.

- John

 

[Timd32]

I purchased new battery trays from this site, were real Mopar parts. Shipped correctly. So no reason to doubt this. But as always do your research.

I'm not sure what a AC, AD, AF stands for either. But best price I could easily find.

https://www.quirkparts.com/?p=catalog&mode=search&search_in=all&search_str=55077043

 

[petersonj]

Timd32, thank you for this link.

- John