Better headlights available??

[Pod People]

I recently purchased a used 2012 Expedition EL. So far, I love the truck----except the headlights. It is a CPO vehicle, so I assume the headlights are aimed properly.They seem dim and have a very short distance illuminated when night driving(low or high ). I looked at the units carefully-they are quite large and I'm assuming they are special for Ford Expeditions-thus expensive.

Has anyone found a better headlight assembly?? Who, where and how much? Is it a project I can undertake with plenty of tools and moderate skills?

Any other ideas?

Thanks
Vann

 

[CJ0920]

I'd recommend adding an HID kit. You can find them on sites such as ddmtuning.com etc. I've personally added a kit to my fogs, lows+highs and have much better light output, and have not been flashed by other drivers.

In the long run, I'd suggest a projector retrofit. There are a few ppl here that have customized their headlights the proper way and have some nice results. This is my next project...

 

[GAINMOB]

+1 on HID kit...theres also a bolt that should be seen on the back side of the headlight...with pliers...you can move the beam up/down depending on which way u turn...did it on my 04 when i had them retrofitted...someone dropped that secret on here

 

[BIGRED03]

I too like what others on here have done with modifying there headlights. The HID upgrade seems like a way to go. That being said I keep looking at the headlights for sale on Ebay and the web. My mechanical skills do not go as far as to be able to retrofit the housing with LED, Halo, Projector and what else are they called. There is a post on here that someone did and looks great after modifying the housing unit. Does anyone know how hard ii is to remove the whole lamp unit from the left or right side? How much would a body shop charge to do this and replace with a aftermarket unit? So many cars and trucks have those great looking led's around the light that I would like to find an easy solution that is within reason.

 

[CJ0920]

I too like what others on here have done with modifying there headlights. The HID upgrade seems like a way to go. That being said I keep looking at the headlights for sale on Ebay and the web. My mechanical skills do not go as far as to be able to retrofit the housing with LED, Halo, Projector and what else are they called. There is a post on here that someone did and looks great after modifying the housing unit. Does anyone know how hard ii is to remove the whole lamp unit from the left or right side? How much would a body shop charge to do this and replace with a aftermarket unit? So many cars and trucks have those great looking led's around the light that I would like to find an easy solution that is within reason.

The headlights are actually REALLY easy to remove and replace. When you open the hood, on top of each headlight you will see plastic brackets with a bolt on them. Get a 10mm wrench or ratchet and remove the two bolts. From there simply grab hold of the headlight and pull. You can put one hand on the side closest to the fender and the other by the grill and work it side to side while pulling. It will pop right off. Then unplug the bulbs.

 

[BIGRED03]

The headlights are actually REALLY easy to remove and replace. When you open the hood, on top of each headlight you will see plastic brackets with a bolt on them. Get a 10mm wrench or ratchet and remove the two bolts. From there simply grab hold of the headlight and pull. You can put one hand on the side closest to the fender and the other by the grill and work it side to side while pulling. It will pop right off. Then unplug the bulbs.

Thanks, I am glad to know they come off that easy. I thinking now even harder on this since I feel that I can do it myself. There are three brands that fit 3rd gens. out there that I have seen on Ebay and Amazon. Anso and Spyder and RXMOTOR brand. Someone on here has to have done this mod to a third generation, let's see them.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Thanks, I am glad to know they come off that easy. I thinking now even harder on this since I feel that I can do it myself. There are three brands that fit 3rd gens. out there that I have seen on Ebay and Amazon. Anso and Spyder and RXMOTOR brand. Someone on here has to have done this mod to a third generation, let's see them.

Have you done this mod yet? I did it a couple of weeks ago on my 05 Eddie Bauer Explorer. I bought mine from ZombieSoldier here on the forum. They were plug and play. The hardest part was getting the headlights out. The 05 has three bolts 2 on the top and one that is vertical that you just have to loosen.

I would be careful of what you find on Ebay there are some really cheap assemblies that might not hold up. Make sure the seller is reputable.

 

[emtmark]

Anybody get hassled by the cops for the HID conversion?

 

[DetroitDarin]

Please don't do the HID without projector headlamps. Look into LED conversions.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

I did my conversion almost a year ago and I have only had two people flash their lights at me. Standard headlights to HIDs works fine in 2nd gen Expeditions. LEDs just don't throw the same amount of light.

 

[Mediamonkey11]

I did my conversion almost a year ago and I have only had two people flash their lights at me. Standard headlights to HIDs works fine in 2nd gen Expeditions. LEDs just don't throw the same amount of light.

I used to think this way until I did research on the matter and opted to do a projector HID retrofit on my first gen...

It's not about total light output. The need for projectors to correctly use HIDs is based on filament placement and beam scatter mitigation as HIDs are far different from Halogen in ways other than total light output. The spectrum they output also affects the housing's ability to focus the light out of oncoming traffic's field of vision.

I'm not sure about LED though...

 

[emtmark]

Led conversion....... Off to google

 

[emtmark]

On the cuff I don't know that LED headlights are legal in the peoples republic of kommiefornia

 

[Mediamonkey11]

HIDs in anything but a projector housing are at the least wasting the light you so desperately want and paid for, and at the worst are seriously jeopardizing traffic's ability to see and stay safe at night. Just sayin.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

I used to think this way until I did research on the matter and opted to do a projector HID retrofit on my first gen...

It's not about total light output. The need for projectors to correctly use HIDs is based on filament placement and beam scatter mitigation as HIDs are far different from Halogen in ways other than total light output. The spectrum they output also affects the housing's ability to focus the light out of oncoming traffic's field of vision.

I'm not sure about LED though...

Tony,

I'm not disagreeing with you. I ran stock projector HIDs in my 2003, 2006, and 2009 Mercedes ML350s that I had. and they could really throw the light much farther than the stock halogens. I converted the 2003 to projector HIDs shortly after I bought it.

When I did my research for the Expedition, I could not find any projectors that would fit a 2nd gen that would work with HIDs. I can only speak from experience, and tell you that my 5K HIDs produce more light on the ground and throw it farther than the stock halogens did. If I could find a good quality pair of projector HIDs for my Expedition I would go with them but what I have works great and it was a very inexpensive, effective upgrade.

 

[DetroitDarin]

Led conversion....... Off to google

No need - check these guys:

Zeus LED Headlights

 

[Mediamonkey11]

Better headlights avaiaable??

Oh I totally understand where you're coming from, believe me. I wasn't stating it was easy or possible in every application to use projectors with HID only that it's the proper and safest. And I also agree that even though they're not intended for use in many thing else (originally) they do outperform stock halogens with fervor to say the least.

Have you checked out www.theretrofitsource.com?

That's where I got my stuff and I'm betting with little modification, you could easily retrofit.

I did the Morimoto Mini D2S 3.0's, the square lens ones, and they're friggin fantastic.

 

[GAINMOB]

Anybody get hassled by the cops for the HID conversion?

nevery had a prob...ran in stocks for 2 yrs

Please don't do the HID without projector headlamps. Look into LED conversions.

LED not as bright and the glare isnt bad

I did my conversion almost a year ago and I have only had two people flash their lights at me. Standard headlights to HIDs works fine in 2nd gen Expeditions. LEDs just don't throw the same amount of light.

exactly...glare looks worse in pics than in person...u can always retrofit with projectors but not a must

 

[SgtStedanko]

Have you done this mod yet? I did it a couple of weeks ago on my 05 Eddie Bauer Explorer. I bought mine from ZombieSoldier here on the forum. They were plug and play. The hardest part was getting the headlights out. The 05 has three bolts 2 on the top and one that is vertical that you just have to loosen.

I would be careful of what you find on Ebay there are some really cheap assemblies that might not hold up. Make sure the seller is reputable.

Do you have pictures of your mod? I am looking at Spyder and Anzo and then just using high end halogen bulbs.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Do you have pictures of your mod? I am looking at Spyder and Anzo and then just using high end halogen bulbs.

All I did was buy an HID kit. I had the dealer aim the headlights for me, then I popped them out and removed the standard bulbs and put in the HIDs. I found places inside the engine compartment to mount the ballasts and put everything back together. You really can't tell any difference from the outside.