How are those new 2013 Laramie Head lights ?

[rrl989]

Not the look, but for driving at night? I'd like to hear how they compare to the current Quad Head light setup.



Thanks

 

[Don]

I think they need to be replaced and would have already done it, but I find that I don't drive that much at night anymore and am to cheap to spend the money on something I seldom use.
Don

 

[Hoefler]

The Rams get the HID lights like in the Durango. I have a 2012 Durango, those headlights are awesome, so I would expect them to perform very similar. They are self adjusting, when starting it up in the garage, I noticed they will come on, and you can watch them dip and then come back up. Pretty neat, and they work very well around our neck of the woods, since every where you go there is a hill or curve to go through.

 

[firefighter_2000]

Mine has the HIDs, but uses a halogen high beam. Does very well at night. No complaints here.
Craig

 

[kkelley]

I'd really like to know if they would fit into a 2010 front end. I absolutely love xenon HID lighting. Had it in a BMW and it was like driving with the sun strapped to the front bumper. (Yes that was a little sarcastic, but you get the idea. )
As for the leveling, all cars with projector HID lights are required by law to have self levelers. These light bulbs put out a rediculous amount of light and when aimed wrong, can seriously blind oncoming drivers (like getting a glimpse of someone welding). This is so if you load up a trunk or bed, the rear squat of the vehicle won't be shining the lights up farther than they should be. You will see most cars run a self-diagnostic of the leveling motors every time you turn on the lights.
As for the drop-in kits... Worst idea ever! In a projector lense, the fish eye ones, they aren't bad. However in the standard reflector housings, you are doing harm to your light output and blindng other drivers at the same time. Reason is that the filiment in Halogen bulbs is placed in a standard location to be reflected by the housing and focus the light forward. The Xenon bulbs are like the flourescet bulbs in your shop, its a glowing tube of gas. While you will have a brighter bulb, there is no focused point of light, and the housing gets light from more angles and therefore spreads the bright beam wider (into oncoming cars).
(Climbing down from soap box now)
Anyways, if there is anyone in the know or has access to the new lights, could you try and see if the new lights would fit in the old location. It would be pretty expensive but for a much safer light, it could be worth it. These stock base model halogens are downright scary at night, the turn signals are brigher...

 

[JHumphries]

I'd really like to know if they would fit into a 2010 front end. I absolutely love xenon HID lighting. Had it in a BMW and it was like driving with the sun strapped to the front bumper. (Yes that was a little sarcastic, but you get the idea. )
As for the leveling, all cars with projector HID lights are required by law to have self levelers. These light bulbs put out a rediculous amount of light and when aimed wrong, can seriously blind oncoming drivers (like getting a glimpse of someone welding). This is so if you load up a trunk or bed, the rear squat of the vehicle won't be shining the lights up farther than they should be. You will see most cars run a self-diagnostic of the leveling motors every time you turn on the lights.
As for the drop-in kits... Worst idea ever! In a projector lense, the fish eye ones, they aren't bad. However in the standard reflector housings, you are doing harm to your light output and blindng other drivers at the same time. Reason is that the filiment in Halogen bulbs is placed in a standard location to be reflected by the housing and focus the light forward. The Xenon bulbs are like the flourescet bulbs in your shop, its a glowing tube of gas. While you will have a brighter bulb, there is no focused point of light, and the housing gets light from more angles and therefore spreads the bright beam wider (into oncoming cars).
(Climbing down from soap box now)
Anyways, if there is anyone in the know or has access to the new lights, could you try and see if the new lights would fit in the old location. It would be pretty expensive but for a much safer light, it could be worth it. These stock base model halogens are downright scary at night, the turn signals are brigher...

I would imagine the self-leveling feature is part for the vehicle computer, so, retrofitting would likely result in no auto-leveling function.

 

[kkelley]

Yes, it's one componant that needs to be swapped over. At leas in the VW/Audi world, many parts that can be bolted on, require just a quick setting change in the ECU with a diagnostic computer. Including HID lighting. Just put in the hardware; light assemblies, balasts, leveling link on the control arm, and wire it up. Then you just go into the electronics part of the coding and check the box with HID lighting, uncheck the Halogen box and your done.

Sooo... ... This leaves the question, who here works at a Ram dealer with a little extra time on there hands after hours?

 

[firefighter_2000]

So I was doing more reading and the new headlights aren't HIDs, but actually bi-halogen projectors.

Would those be able to accept the xenon HIDs?

 

[kkelley]

Better than the standard reflector housing, but it's not going to be the same as lights designed to accept the xenons.