New to forum--need replacement headlights

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.

Kevin08

Full Access Members
Joined
Jan 27, 2021
Posts
210
Reaction score
53
Location
Illinois
The only way for permanent corrosion free connections is to solder and heat shrink.
 

Kevin08

Full Access Members
Joined
Jan 27, 2021
Posts
210
Reaction score
53
Location
Illinois
I’m spoiled after Morimoto D2S HID projectors. I think I used 4.0, not sure. I just looked and now they have a new version D2S 5.0.

I kept the system out of my old vehicle and will be doing a retro into my Expedition. I haven’t researched yet if I can spray the buckets black like the Limited or if I should buy a factory original set of black buckets. My fear is out gassing from the paint I used fogging up the lenses later. It’s not a job one wants to do twice. I had to bake the headlight capsules in the oven at 200 then pry the acrylic lense apart before it cooled.

If quality light for the best visibility is your goal, than HID Projectors with 3,500-4,500k color burners are the closest to natural daylight in front of your vehicle. The higher the K going into pure white doesn’t return back to your eyes, especially on black asphalt and even worse in rain. The light gets absorbed and little returns back which is how we see. I do not like LED lights at all for this reason. To get LED bright enough to get decent distance down the road, they usually blind oncoming drivers. I like LED for DRL’s, turns, stops, short distance driving/fogs, but not for main headlamp distance.

Morimoto D2S HID projector retrofit, theretrofitsource.com kit with harness, 4,500 bulbs, 35 watt ballast(USdot legal) or much better 55 watt ballast(European but not legal in US). You will love them and never want anything else. I have the 55 watt and never have been bright lighted be an oncoming driver. It’s recommended to set the cut off line a few inches below the door mirrors on an average height car out in front of your vehicle. This will keep from blinding drivers of both oncoming and those your following behind.
 

welcome2vegas

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2021
Posts
16
Reaction score
7
Location
NJ
AmeriLite Black Xtreme LED Halos Projector Headlights for 2007-2014 Ford Expedition

Novice Install Notes: This is for installation of the Red/Black lines on the lamp to the Expedition Running Lights. You can also install to Fog Lamps, but this thread does not have guidance for Fog Lamp connection.

On my 2009 XLT, the Running Lights are the cord with the light Brown adapter.

I used 18 Guage - 14 cal Quick Slices (Vampire Splice). See photo below.

Red Line is spliced to center wire on Light Brown Adapter. On my vehicle this is the Purple/White line on both the Driver and Passenger side.


Black line is spliced to the line closest to the lock latch on the Light Brown adapter.
  • Passenger Side - Black Line is spliced to Green/Black line on Light Brown Adapter.
  • Driver Side - Black Line is spliced to Black line on Light Brown Adapter.

I recommend making the splice a couple of inches from the Light Brown adapter so if you mess up you have room for correction. I could be wrong about this, so comments are welcome.

I accidentally tied the Lamp Black line to the third line and it still worked, but the Blinker mode resulted in a "disco" feature where the Halos would blink alternatively to the orange turn light. My thought is that this would likely result in a lower LED life cycle.


View attachment 40115

Hey Ralph - I just scooped a similar set. 1. How are they holding up 2 years later???
Also, wondering if you know the answer to this: The loose wires that come from where it looks like the day running lights (5 leds in a row) would those be connected to the halo’s or should the halo’s come on when Low/high beam connector is connected? Have to pick my soldering iron up from a buddy this weekend, so just plug and played the rest in the meantime, but the halos aren’t turning on. My plan was to tie the loose black and red wires into the safety reflector, but if those run the halo i’d imagine I have to run that into the high/low beams, no?
 
Top