Cai and led headlight bulbs

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Slingblade07

New Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2024
Posts
1
Reaction score
0
Location
Alabama
Ive been wondering if the 2004-2008 f150 5.4 cai is the same and would work on my 2007 expedition. New to these. I love it and I'm slowly fixing it up. I've got the limited EL. Leveled with 33/1250/20s.
Also what brand led headlight bulbs are you guys running?
 

2020FordRaptor

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 1, 2022
Posts
389
Reaction score
191
Location
Nevada
Ive been wondering if the 2004-2008 f150 5.4 cai is the same and would work on my 2007 expedition. New to these. I love it and I'm slowly fixing it up. I've got the limited EL. Leveled with 33/1250/20s.
Also what brand led headlight bulbs are you guys running?
LED headlights in a halogen housing are a really bad idea. Better off getting a good halogen bulb.
 

ExplorerTom

Full Access Members
Joined
Apr 2, 2015
Posts
2,287
Reaction score
1,039
Location
Colorado
LED headlights in a halogen housing are a really bad idea. Better off getting a good halogen bulb.
I subscribed to that thought as well for awhile, but then I bought these:

Now I can actually see at night. I had some new Sylvania Vision Plus bulbs in there before and they were pretty lacking. Nothing like seeing the shadow of your vehicle when someone is behind you with brighter headlights. Not anymore. And while driving 2 lane country roads, the oncoming vehicles aren’t flashing me.
 

BigOleFordFan

Zoom Zoom goes da "Tang" !
Army
Joined
Apr 25, 2024
Posts
969
Reaction score
523
Location
If I were here, you would know it !
LED headlights in a halogen housing are a really bad idea. Better off getting a good halogen bulb.
Can you elaborate a little please ?

I only ask cause I am currently using LED's in my 011 EL, which came with Halogens as OEM, nottaproblemo :), and I also use similar versions in my other vehicles too !
 

Gary Waugh

Full Access Members
Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Posts
549
Reaction score
286
Location
Princeton, TX
I switched to LED bulbs many years ago (08 expedition) and have never looked back, I adjusted them by parking my car 50 feet from my garage door, measured the height of the center of the headlights from the ground, put a mark at that same height on my garage doors and adjusted the lights so that on main beam, the light was shining on my mark. I have never been flashed and have way more light than the crummy stock halogen bulbs.. I just used LED bulbs from Amazon, they last 5 to 6 years before they burn out..
 

bloodhound

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Posts
400
Reaction score
265
Location
Merica
Ran these in my 2009 and 2014. They are awesome, don't blind oncoming cars, and last a few years.
 

BigOleFordFan

Zoom Zoom goes da "Tang" !
Army
Joined
Apr 25, 2024
Posts
969
Reaction score
523
Location
If I were here, you would know it !
Ran these in my 2009 and 2014. They are awesome, don't blind oncoming cars, and last a few years.
Those are the same ones I am using now, however, back when I bought my 1st set, they were only $33 hehehe :)
 

BlackBetty

Full Access Members
Army
Joined
Feb 1, 2021
Posts
427
Reaction score
168
Location
Surprise, AZ
LED bulbs in your halogen headlight assembly is fine. Just be sure to “clock” the halogen bulb in the same orientation as the halogen bulb that came out.

This will prevent the light from being shot straight up in a high beam pattern. Make a note which way the halogen build element faces when it’s installed. If you can’t see it move it and see what position it’s in when turned to the locked position. Once you know this information, put the led chip boards in the same position.

For example, if you were to look into my ‘24 Ram headlight assembly the chip boards are facing left/ right. When I had them installed in my ‘16 Expedition they were installed up/ down. People were flashing me at first. Ended up aiming the lights lower. When one of the LED bulbs went out I reinstalled the OEM halogen bulbs. Couldn’t see anything because the headlights were adjusted too low. Made another adjustment.

Watch a Headlight Revolutions video and they explained that you need to put the LED bulb in the headlight the same way the halogen came out. When I did that I got a defined cut-off line projected on the wall.
 

2020FordRaptor

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 1, 2022
Posts
389
Reaction score
191
Location
Nevada
Can you elaborate a little please ?

I only ask cause I am currently using LED's in my 011 EL, which came with Halogens as OEM, nottaproblemo :), and I also use similar versions in my other vehicles too !
Usually LED bulbs in a halogen housing cause the light to scatter really bad, which will blind oncoming drivers and give you reduced visibility. A good halogen bulb will give you better headlight power and improved visibility of the road ahead.
 

callwill

Full Access Members
Joined
Feb 17, 2023
Posts
109
Reaction score
39
Location
WNY
I have led bulbs in the headlight housings of my 2011. The guy i bought it from had put them in wrong. one they were properly "clocked" as stated above, i would never go back to the oem bulb.
 

Broncoholic

Full Access Members
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Posts
178
Reaction score
121
Location
Space Coast, FL
Ran these in my 2009 and 2014. They are awesome, don't blind oncoming cars, and last a few years.
I run Sealight S2S in all 4 of my fam's vehicles (2002 Escape, 2003 Expedition, 2003 Pilot, 2016 Expedition). I ran them in the 2016 for a year before replacing all the others. I use the 6500K bright white and we think they're great.
 

walshine

Member
Joined
May 19, 2019
Posts
9
Reaction score
4
Location
Iowa
I too run Sealight LEDs in my 2015 Limited with projector lenses. I originally installed the X1 in low beam and made a huge improvement over factory bulbs. Then a year ago I switched to their X4 series in low beam and HOLY COW! Awesome bright light! Shortly after I upgraded the high beams. I wanted to put in the X4 in high beam as well but they wouldn't fit (couldn't get the rubber dust cover back on). So, Sealight was super helpful in trying different bulbs until we found one that fit which was the X2 series for the high beam. I've only had them in one year, but no problems. I absolutely love them, super bright, clean cut-off line, but correct installation and orientation /bulb position is critical, as mentioned in other posts.
It was very disappointing how lame the factory headlights were!! These LEDs made day/night difference (pun intended).
 

BigOleFordFan

Zoom Zoom goes da "Tang" !
Army
Joined
Apr 25, 2024
Posts
969
Reaction score
523
Location
If I were here, you would know it !
Usually LED bulbs in a halogen housing cause the light to scatter really bad, which will blind oncoming drivers and give you reduced visibility
I don't know about other models, but this is usually due to the LED's being installed incorrectly, as noted by others, and I admit, I did this with the 1st set, but I quickly realized what I had done & fixed it by reorienting the bulbs correctly, nottaproblemo :)
A good halogen bulb will give you better headlight power and improved visibility of the road ahead.
Ok, you are entitled to your opinion, but you will NEVER convince me of this, as I noticed a significant increase in both the power & visibility immediately, even when compared to the top of the line Sylvania & Philips "Ultra" halogens....
 

ExplorerTom

Full Access Members
Joined
Apr 2, 2015
Posts
2,287
Reaction score
1,039
Location
Colorado
Ok, you are entitled to your opinion, but you will NEVER convince me of this, as I noticed a significant increase in both the power & visibility immediately, even when compared to the top of the line Sylvania & Philips "Ultra" halogens....
Agreed.

The difference between my new LEDs and old halogens is like having the headlights on vs off.
 
Joined
Jun 4, 2023
Posts
6
Reaction score
0
Location
Wisconsin
Usually LED bulbs in a halogen housing cause the light to scatter really bad, which will blind oncoming drivers and give you reduced visibility. A good halogen bulb will give you better headlight power and improved visibility of the road ahead.
I appreciate this and all, but my limited experience is that LED just blows OEM away. Seems like they need to be clocked right as others have said, but if you're using halogen it feels like you are just not seeing the road...
 
Top