Need Brighter Headlights

[Claw231]

I am looking to upgrade the headlights on my 2000 Ram 2500 to make them brighter. I am only wanting to replace the bulbs. What kind of bulb would be the best to replace them with?

Thanks

 

[illflem]

I like the Sylvania Silver Stars, but almost anything besides the stockers is better.

Moving this to products

 

[Duluth Diesel]

I am running PIAA bulbs in my factory housings and love them. Much brighter, and very whiter light. I will continue to run these and never buy a standard halogen bulb again. I've had these in for 1. 5 years and no burn outs.



http://www.piaa.com/Bulbs/Bulbs-H4.html



I run the Super Xtremes, but there are many PIAA bulb choices.

I've run some other aftermarket bulbs, but the look cheesey (odd colors) and don't really perform much better than stock, and they seem to burn out in months rather than years.



Get what you pay for. I don't like wasting time with cheap junk that belongs in slammed Hondas with stupid ground effects and coffee can exhaust tips.

 

[rmrc]

illflem & Duluth Diesel.



Do either of you run your after market bulds with a Brite Box?

 

[Duluth Diesel]

Bright Box?

Although we are getting into an area of temperature problems. Aftermarket bulbs tend to run hotter, and with the Box installed, it will at least shorten the life of the bulbs, and MAY melt the factory housing.

I think I will skip the Bright Box, keep my PIAA bulbs, and get my additional light needs with some PIAA aftermarket lamps on my brush guard.



Is there any information on bulb surface temperatures at low beam and high beam? How much hotter do some aftermarket bulbs run? How much hotters do bulbs run with the Bright Box activated?



Stuff to consider.

 

[illflem]

No Brite Box for me either. I have some pretty strong foglites and have found with just them and low beams I have plenty of light.



Surprised more folks haven't responded to this thread, there have been other threads on lamp bulbs that have gone on for pages in the past.

You may want to do a search.

 

[Cummins4Life]

My Silverstars were a big improvement over stock. No bright box though. I think you can buy them with higher than factory wattages but that entails adding heavier duty hot lines to handle the increased load. Also they might melt the headlight casing.

 

[WDaniels]

I want to put the sport headlight fixtures in my 97. This install will necessitate the installation of a bright box. Are you saying that with all 4 bulbs on it will melt the housing?

WD

 

[Cummins4Life]

Originally posted by WDaniels

I want to put the sport headlight fixtures in my 97. This install will necessitate the installation of a bright box. Are you saying that with all 4 bulbs on it will melt the housing?

WD

No. I'm saying that if you install higher than stock wattage bulbs in the stock fixtures they may melt. The sport headlight casings should be designed to handle the heat of 4 bulbs but I dont know how the brite box would effect the heat though.

 

[hammersley]

Help on PIAA site....

All the bulbs on this page http://www.piaa.com/Bulbs/Bulbs-H4.html are confusing..... Help on the different types.

 

[tntway]

another option... and yes i did see that all you want to do is bulbs... . but re-wiring the stock harness that you have with larger wire will help.

 

[Doubleclutch]

Bright box

Guys, I've been running the bright box and sport headlights for over 5 years now, and haven't made plastic shapes out of the lenses. WD- put those sports on your AK cruiser. All our trucks should have come from the factory with this outfit. TNTWAY- good point. I believe I've seen kits out there to do that, I just haven't felt the need yet. In the Brightbox kit that I bought, the 9004 element is used for the high beam, and I wouldn't be surprised if all 6 filaments are hot in HB. If you guys REALLY want to get light, look into sport headlights and HID.

Greg

 

[illflem]

Re: Help on PIAA site....

Originally posted by hammersley

All the bulbs on this page http://www.piaa.com/Bulbs/Bulbs-H4.html are confusing..... Help on the different types.

The rating number is what you need to look at to determine brightness, the numbers are in the 4000K range, bigger number is brighter. What would help me on that page is if prices were included.

 

[Thomas]

My homebrew wiring harness lights all eight filaments in my transplant Sport lamps on high beam—that's 230 watts per lamp. No meltdown here.

 

[tntway]

same here thomas... . sport transplants, all filaments AND 14 and 16 ga wire... ... no heat problems yet