Where to buy HID headlights

[AlexExpy]

Don't like the headlights that come with the car too weak, can't see too well at night specially when the road is wet.

Is there a good reputable company that make HID with projectors for our cars? And sorry but I don't mean them Chinese made knock offs Fleabay. TIA.

 

[ELVATO]

You'll have to do a retrofit if you want OEM quality. This usually entails retrofitting OEM projectors from other cars, though there are other retrofit aftermarket options that are reputable (Morimoto). These usually require D2S bulbs/ballasts. Forums like HIDplanet should help.

Everything will usually be "Chinese made knock offs". FWIW, mine have been running strong for +2 years. Either way, for the price you'd pay for "name brand" you could easily do a retrofit.

 

[AlexExpy]

You'll have to do a retrofit if you want OEM quality. This usually entails retrofitting OEM projectors from other cars, though there are other retrofit aftermarket options that are reputable (Morimoto). These usually require D2S bulbs/ballasts. Forums like HIDplanet should help.

Everything will usually be "Chinese made knock offs". FWIW, mine have been running strong for +2 years. Either way, for the price you'd pay for "name brand" you could easily do a retrofit.

Thank you for the quick reply Elvato. I will check out HIDplanet to see what they've got.

I'm a very good retrofitting type of guy as long as all the parts are available.

 

[tallsville]

depending on what gen you have you can buy a new set of housings of ebay and put HIDs in something
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-97-03-...on&vxp=mtr&hash=item5d3272f950#ht_5463wt_1139

and HID kits from http://ddmtuning.com/

or do as elvato says do a retrofit. check out

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/

 

[sgtowing]

I got the Xentec kits for both headlights and fogs from ebay for $75 shipped. I would recomend the 5k color. I got the 6k and just a little to blue for me, I would have prefered the whiter light of the 5k but i'm not going to spend more and change them cause they are just fine. Major difference in the amount of light. I don't even use the brights anymore.

 

[AlexExpy]

Thanks folks but here is my problem. All of the items I see so far are just the bulbs and ballasts. What about projectors? Don't you guys feel sorry to blind the approaching traffics? Or they aren't that bad?

 

[ELVATO]

Depends who you ask. You ask the folks on HIDplanet, and anything HID in a reflector housing is a big no. Unless, of course, you have a car that came with reflector housing HIDs (the Navi), and even then, I'm sure plenty of them won't like them for the lack of a sharp cutoff.

Us second gen guys are lucky that we use a single beam bulb. The main reflector is meant only for low beam, so sticking an HID bulb in there isn't as bad as, say, the 1st or 3rd gens, which use one bulb for high and low. With that style, a small change from the focal point can be the difference between high and low beam output. Of course, I'm not saying us 2nd gen folk aren't blinding oncoming traffic, just that I'm sure it's to a lesser extent than 1st or 3rd gen Expys.

If you have a 1st gen, it'll help to get clear headlights as well, since the Fresnel lights will just disperse a lot of the light. The optics aren't as good on the aftermarkets, but that won't matter if you retrofit projectors. Just be sure to seal them up well.

I've heard from people that my lights are bright though not blinding. I still do pull up to the occasional car where my lights shine right into their side mirrors, and you see them hold out their hand, but then again that also happened when I had halogens. And it still would probably happen if I had a retrofit. It's just a matter of our trucks being taller than cars. I do believe I've seen some hate for SUVs on that forum for that reason (also that SUVs and truck drivers are the ones who tend to throw kits blue kits in all their lights.)

I used to have HIDs in my fogs, but all I was doing was blinding oncoming traffic. Those don't really have a shield, so they just splatter light everywhere. I now have some halogens in there, and only turn them on when there is actual fog.

I did lower my headlight aiming a little bit to try to reduce some of the glare, though that's not perfect. I also have 4300k since it gives you the most light as well as not being that obnoxious blue color.

Do some reading on HIDplanet and F150online (the F150 headlights are pretty similar to ours) for some how tos and a parts list.

 

[AlexExpy]

Elvato, thank you for taking the time to explain, that was very nice of you and I appreciated very much.

My Expy is an 05, I guess it's a second generation, from your explanation you think it would be okay to stick a HID bulb in there without blinding on coming traffics, is that right? I believe my low beam is 9006 type, so I guess all I have to do is pick the 9006 type HID?

And yes I agree with 4300 color Kevin for optimum Lumens, besides I don't like them blueish looking lights neither, I think they obnoxious.

One last question. What do think of 55W vs 35W HID and their pro and con?

TIA.

 

[rayt]

i've done a lot of reading, between the multiple f150 forums, and hidplanet, and bought tons of hid related stuff, i have a gen 3 expedition

bought plug and play kits, there was a sh*t ton of glare coming from everywhere, and it sure did throw a lot of light out, just not much useful light.

i bought a few retrofit kits from http://www.theretrofitsource.com/
and i believe that retrofiting will be the way to go. they have a few kits that are pretty easy to install, but still requires opening up the headlight enclosure. You get the nice cutoff that you would expect from cars with projector headlights, and you get a lot less glare.

35w is more then enough, especially if you are not retrofitting.

i've had sedans behind me, with the glare and all coming from plug and play kits, i could swear they were highbeaming me, my whole cabin would light up.

please retrofit if that is a option for you!

So far i've retrofitted projectors into my fog lights, and they improve light output quite a bit without blinding anyone.

 

[AlexExpy]

RayT, thanks for chiming in. I would also definitely want to retrofit. I'm a believer in HID with projectors. Yours is gen3 so obviously two different animal here. But If I ever knew of a projector kit that will fit gen2 there will be no hesitation.

I would love hear from someone who have done it on their gen2 I will jump on it in a heart beat.

 

[rayt]

RayT, thanks for chiming in. I would also definitely want to retrofit. I'm a believer in HID with projectors. Yours is gen3 so obviously two different animal here. But If I ever knew of a projector kit that will fit gen2 there will be no hesitation.

I would love hear from someone who have done it on their gen2 I will jump on it in a heart beat.

could always email theretrofitsource and see what they say, but for the most part, its the mini h1 kits that people use, they are part of the easy to install ones. different animals indeed, the plug and play kit didn't look half bad because of the reflector design in the gen3. You can lookout on hidplanet for when some other car forum is doing a groupbuy as well, 25% off the projector retrofit kits when thats happening.

 

[tallsville]

retrofits

http://expeditionforum.com/showthread.php?t=11509&highlight=retrofit

http://expeditionforum.com/showthread.php?t=14315&highlight=retrofit

http://www.f150forum.com/f4/projectors-95054/index8/

 

[WHOISMOOTOO]

man I'm late as usual but look into DDMtuning.com! $70 lows and fogs shipped! got em and love em!

 

[GAINMOB]

i see ppl all the time with HID in their vehicles without projectors and doesnt bother me on bit regardless of me being in my truck or my wifes car...i dont have a prob with it whatsoever so i cant imagine it being such a big deal for other ppl unless you have a serious medical condition....the only time i see ppl reacting to my HIDs before and after projectors is when im off center behind them and my light hits their sideview mirror...other than that i have yet to observe and probs for other ppl...

and i find myself pull up behing cops all the time before and after projectors and they have yet to do or say anything...i pass them all the time and nothing is said or done....my $.02

 

[AlexExpy]

Thank you all for chiming in, I appreciated your inputs. So, to make the story short, I've got some HID from DDMtuning. I will try to aim it down a little so people won't be pissed at me.

I wish Depot projector make our HID headlights. I have them in my BMW E46 and love it.

 

[WHOISMOOTOO]

Thank you all for chiming in, I appreciated your inputs. So, to make the story short, I've got some HID from DDMtuning. I will try to aim it down a little so people won't be pissed at me.

I wish Depot projector make our HID headlights. I have them in my BMW E46 and love it.

word! make sure you use like a garage door or a wall so your lights are level and not one higher than the other. that the thing ppl usually notice more

 

[AlexExpy]

It's done!

Just completed this MOD. Can't wait to check it out tonight.

Enjoy some pics!

 

[AlexExpy]

More pics.