Headlights suck, couple questions:

[makenzie71]

Our headlights are terrible...almost no difference between high beam and low beam, poor spread, just bad. So I'm looking at installing some bi-led morimoto modules.

First question: Before I go through the effort and expense, are there any drop in options available that will improve the light? Will the Navigator xenon headlights swap over (and are they better)?

Second: Has anyone else torn the headlights apart and installed morimoto/similar LED's or xenon modules? Can you bake the headlights apart to disassemble them or are they glued?

 

[rwmorrisonjr]

Our headlights are terrible...almost no difference between high beam and low beam, poor spread, just bad. So I'm looking at installing some bi-led morimoto modules.

First question: Before I go through the effort and expense, are there any drop in options available that will improve the light? Will the Navigator xenon headlights swap over (and are they better)?

Second: Has anyone else torn the headlights apart and installed morimoto/similar LED's or xenon modules? Can you bake the headlights apart to disassemble them or are they glued?

I can't answer about the Navigator xenon lights but I doubt it due to the different housing styles.

I've done a Morimoto xenon swap and you can bake the headlamps apart. You'll need to get their butyl sealant tape to reseal them afterwards and you'll need to bore out the light hole to fit the projector properly. I've found they also tend to condensate more since the butyl doesn't seem to seal as well as the factory. If you want to PM me, I can tell you more since I have an entire assembly (headlamps, igniters, and bulbs) sitting in my garage unused.

 

[bloodhound]

Our headlights are terrible...almost no difference between high beam and low beam, poor spread, just bad. So I'm looking at installing some bi-led morimoto modules.

First question: Before I go through the effort and expense, are there any drop in options available that will improve the light? Will the Navigator xenon headlights swap over (and are they better)?

Second: Has anyone else torn the headlights apart and installed morimoto/similar LED's or xenon modules? Can you bake the headlights apart to disassemble them or are they glued?

What year are you talking about? I and others here have installed these with great results. Huge difference. Mine is a 2014 so I can't speak to 2015-up which are a different design headlight.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G6ZP9CM/?tag=expeditionforum-20

 

[rwmorrisonjr]

What year are you talking about? I and others here have installed these with great results. Huge difference. Mine is a 2014 so I can't speak to 2015-up which are a different design headlight.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G6ZP9CM/?tag=expeditionforum-20

I’m running these and they’re way better than stock without having to bake the lights apart for the bi-xenon mods.

 

[makenzie71]

It's a 2012. I've tried LED bulbs in the past and found the "upgrade" to mostly be placebo...lots of scatter and the "improvement" was mostly just the different color temp playing with our perception. I would much rather get better modules in the fixtures.

 

[bloodhound]

It's a 2012. I've tried LED bulbs in the past and found the "upgrade" to mostly be placebo...lots of scatter and the "improvement" was mostly just the different color temp playing with our perception. I would much rather get better modules in the fixtures.

I understand, I have purchased other LEDs that were terrible. I will say that with these the LED modules are actually in the right place so the light placement and cutoff is great, and no blinding oncoming drivers. I don't have any before/after pics but for the price it was a huge improvement.

 

[dcsang]

I understand, I have purchased other LEDs that were terrible. I will say that with these the LED modules are actually in the right place so the light placement and cutoff is great, and no blinding oncoming drivers. I don't have any before/after pics but for the price it was a huge improvement.

I agree with this. Not all LEDs are the same. The level of brightness, beam pattern, and proper headlight alignment can make a big difference. Many of the LED replacements tend to scatter light, and do not produce a distinct cutoff.

 

[makenzie71]

I might try a set but my preference is proper bi-xenon or bi-led modules.

 

[muskytom]

What year are you talking about? I and others here have installed these with great results. Huge difference. Mine is a 2014 so I can't speak to 2015-up which are a different design headlight.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G6ZP9CM/?tag=expeditionforum-20

I'm a little late to the game on the thread and checked out the lights you linked (and rwmorrisonjr too). Any problem with flicker? I posted the question on amazon referencing my 2013 LTD and said not problem, but would also provide a canbus if that was the case. Curious as to your experiences.

 

[rwmorrisonjr]

I'm a little late to the game on the thread and checked out the lights you linked (and rwmorrisonjr too). Any problem with flicker? I posted the question on amazon referencing my 2013 LTD and said not problem, but would also provide a canbus if that was the case. Curious as to your experiences.

No problems with flicker and I'm running with DRLs enabled. No CANBUS errors either.

 

[bloodhound]

I'm a little late to the game on the thread and checked out the lights you linked (and rwmorrisonjr too). Any problem with flicker? I posted the question on amazon referencing my 2013 LTD and said not problem, but would also provide a canbus if that was the case. Curious as to your experiences.

Nope, none. Still going strong.

 

[DeafBringer]

What year are you talking about? I and others here have installed these with great results. Huge difference. Mine is a 2014 so I can't speak to 2015-up which are a different design headlight.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G6ZP9CM/?tag=expeditionforum-20

Seems like all amazon links broke. Can you post the link or details of the LED headlight you used please? Thanks!

 

[max78]

Are your headlight housings even slightly hazed? We have one new (due to accident) and one old headlight that's slightly fogged and the difference in usable light is MASSIVE!

 

[bloodhound]

Seems like all amazon links broke. Can you post the link or details of the LED headlight you used please? Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLH48N1T/?ref_=cm_wl_huc_item

And from the Sealite website

SEALIGHT® S1 H13/9008 60W 6000K White LED Headlight Bulbs 2Pcs

Buy SEALIGHT® S1 H13/9008 White Dual Beam LED Headlight Bulbs 2PCS at a great price. Shop Automotive Lighting online at sealight-led.com now!

sealight-led.com

 

[DeafBringer]

Awesome thank you so much Bloodhound!

 

[twodollars]

Not sure if this has been addressed, but if you live where snow and ice occur, in the winter you loose the halogens heat that helps clear the headlight housings. I'm in michigan, and so far that's the only downside I have found changing to led in my 2013.

 

[bloodhound]

Not sure if this has been addressed, but if you live where snow and ice occur, in the winter you loose the halogens heat that helps clear the headlight housings. I'm in michigan, and so far that's the only downside I have found changing to led in my 2013.

I was concerned that might be an issue, and we definitely get our share of snow and ice in Massachusetts, but I have never noticed it being a problem.

 

[twodollars]

It's not an issue all the time for me, but I do have to clear off the lenses before driving. If its snowing while I'm driving I notice build up on the lenses though. I still keep using them, much better than stock bulbs, just something else to watch out for.

 

[sephiroth52000]

This post is a little late but hope it can help...I just bought a 2016 Expy Limited, 66k miles, otherwise solid...EXCEPT, the projector halogen headlights suck beyond anything I could have imagined...an absolute disgrace that a car that was $66k when new is barely driveable at night...so I bought a set of MLED 2.0 projectors, the E55 to MLED 2.0 brackets, baked apart my headlights (which would try Mother Theresa's patience because of the permaseal), and installed them. The projector itself is nearly a direct fit with the bracket, you only need some nylon spacers because the sh*tty oem projector is exactly 5/8" longer than the MLED projector with the new bracket. I got a little creative with some halos and 2 morimoto high beam projectors, as well as redoing some of the wiring, and this thing is actually safe to drive at night...to make things even better, I didnt need any relay harnesses or capacitors because the stock 65w high beam circuit easily handles both high beams, and the mled 2.0 driver handles the pulsed nature of the low beam (I am guessing it has the PWM circuit because my 2014 explorer sport had it...that thing also had sh*tty headlights by the way)...if anyone has any questions please ask because as someone who has tried using drop in LEDs, they dont compare to a retrofit done right...plus drop in LEDs, even if they dont blind other drivers, (a halogen reflector bowl IS NOT made for LEDs) will suck as it is just a little brighter and you lose distance...also drop in xenons will burn out your reflector bowl...in any case hope this helps someone!