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Pros and cons of one over the other and who would you recommend? This will be for a 2010 Suburban. _____________________________________________ I may be a bad person, but at least I use my turn signal. | ||
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Not as lean, not as mean, Still a Marine |
If a HID conversion is not done correctly, it will blind the oncoming drivers. In some states, it can get you pulled over and ticketed. Done correctly, with a proper cutoff, it's just a matter of money. But having driven my wife's car with them, I won't buy a car with conventional lights again. I shall respect you until you open your mouth, from that point on, you must earn it yourself. | |||
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Grab SKS, go innawoods |
There are no cons as long as you install proper reflectors, not just the bulbs. They're awesome. | |||
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Member |
I'm a huge fan of Xenon Depot. Talk to Steve. In my experience, they sell top quality components and have a wonderfully customer-centric attitude. http://www.xenondepot.com | |||
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"Member" |
Even when they are done correctly..... ugh. I'm not sure, but I think "H.I.D." stands for "fuck everyone else, I want annoying bright lights!" or something like that. _____________________________________________________ Sliced bread, the greatest thing since the 1911. | |||
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Not as lean, not as mean, Still a Marine |
Properly done, they have a cutoff for the beam. That should make it so the beam does not shine above grill height on a straight road. Hills will obviously affect this, but it's generally a short enough time to not be to bad. Another problem is if the vehicle is overloaded and sagging the rear suspension. That will aim the beam higher. I understand your frustration, but driving back roads with them is far safer. You can see the deer eyes and road conditions much curve in advance. I shall respect you until you open your mouth, from that point on, you must earn it yourself. | |||
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That rug really tied the room together. |
The reflectors and "bulbs" are designed as a system. So just swapping LED or HID lamps is probably not a good idea. ______________________________________________________ Often times a very small man can cast a very large shadow | |||
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Gone but Together Again. Dad & Uncle |
Totally agree and if your vehicle came "stock" with xenon or HID headlights, the lighting assembly has auto-levelers so it will adjust the headlights downwards to avoid blinding others if you have a heavy load. | |||
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Raised Hands Surround Us Three Nails To Protect Us |
I have a VVME HID kit in the standard halogen housings of a 2003 Explorer and the kit has been running strong for 8 years now. It did take a bit of time to adjust them properly so they were not blinding to other drivers. I never get flashed from the opposite direction and they are not bad in a rear view mirror. I had my wife follow me in an SUV and a car to make sure they were set right. This was when HIDs were still fairly new as an aftermarket add on so the light has a touch more blue tint to it than one would normally like and the ballasts are HUGE. They provide excelelnt light and are going 8 years strong and never replaced a bulb or ballast. Our 2012 Highlander has a Kensun HID conversation kit in the factory halogen projector. These are about 2 years old and the ballasts are much thinner and the light is much more natural and no blue tint at all. The Highlanders projector provides and excellent cutoff. Adjustment was much easier than the Explorer. I only had to raise them a little but every Toyota I have driven feels like their lights are aimed low in my opinion. I plan on picking up a Toyota Land Cruiser in the summer and I am planning on giving the Kensun LED kit a try as one does not have to worry about mounting ballasts. I have no experience with them yet but if they are up to the quality of their HIDs I presume I will be quite happy. ———————————————— The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad. If we got each other, and that's all we have. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you! | |||
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Spiritually Imperfect |
Just got home from a 200 mile holiday drive, mostly at night in eastern KY. Numerous assholes on the rural, 4 lane highway tonight, with HID bulbs in halogen reflectors. Most were blinding to other traffic. No cutoff to the beam, and super-bright light being scattered all over creation. That being said...when done with proper reflectors or in factory halogen projectors, they work very well. We converted my wife's Honda hybrid using factory projectors, and she really enjoys the upgrade. Our other cars have factory projector HIDs, and we'll never go back to halogen. | |||
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You can't go home again |
The fogs in my Grand Cherokee were all but useless and I wanted to upgrade them to something a bit brighter and more of a driving light. HID conversion cost something like 300 for my application and involved wiring harness adapters and a bit of work. I decided to try an LED bulb instead. they cost 29 for the pair purchased off amazon were plug and play and are working great. Much brighter than the stock bulbs but still spread enough and dispersed as to not cause any trouble for oncoming drivers. I am very glad i did not spend the extra time and money on the HID setup. --------------------------------------- Life Member NRA “If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve." - Lao Tzu | |||
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Spread the Disease |
I went through the same debate for my 2016 Tacoma. I went with a set of Morimoto HIDs for the low beams. The more reading I did, the more it seemed like they had better throw than the LED versions. No issues with blinding other drivers if you aim them correctly. The new HIDs are awesome! I can see so much better than with the stock halogens. I will be replacing the high beams with LEDs soon; HIDs are good for flashing, so they are being used for low beams only. ________________________________________ -- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. -- | |||
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Raised Hands Surround Us Three Nails To Protect Us |
I am presuming you have the 2504 bulb? What a crap bulb it is very minimally used by Diamler and Toyota until very recently there have been about zero options. I am a big fan of yellow fogs and dislike HIDs for fogs. This thread as kicked me into gear trying to find some decent yellow 2504 bulbs as there appear to be much better options than a couple years back. Looks like I may end up with LEDs, what brand did you end up with? ———————————————— The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad. If we got each other, and that's all we have. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you! | |||
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Member |
What timing this thread is. Just had a headlight (Silverstar) go out tonight, so I put the stock bulbs back in. Hate the dim, yellow light, so I ordered these: https://www.carid.com/2007-for...n-kit-175098662.html I can report back with results if you like. Dave | |||
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Only the strong survive |
I would rather have a good set of fog lights like Hella that allow you to see off to the side of the road. The only time I have hit a deer was when the inspection station made me take the Lucas Lights off my Corvette because they were not listed on the VA Approved List. High intensity lights can be a problem at night since you can not focus the side mirrors like you can the rear view mirror. 41 41 | |||
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Striker in waiting |
+1 for XenonDepot! They will sell you a proper conversion kit for your particular vehicle, which is not simply a matter of bulb replacement in most cases. Depending on how "smart" your car is, the new power draw may cause some unintended consequences, but XD is usually aware of those issues as well and can usually provide workarounds if necessary. -Rob I predict that there will be many suggestions and statements about the law made here, and some of them will be spectacularly wrong. - jhe888 A=A | |||
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Member |
So how did they turn out for you? _____________________________________________ I may be a bad person, but at least I use my turn signal. | |||
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Republican in training |
Buy some quality Philips xtreme vision bulbs and call it a day. IF You are buying proper projector housings, go with HID. If you are planning on sticking an HID kit in your regular non-projector headlights - it's basically illegal and blinds the shit out of everyone, regardless of what you think or what your friends tell you. LED - just not there for headlights yet. I wouldn't waste my time. -------------------- I like Sigs and HK's, and maybe Glocks | |||
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Raised Hands Surround Us Three Nails To Protect Us |
It is not illegal maybe in some jurisdictions but not everywhere. I don't know how this nonsense gets started. It can be done dependent upon the housing not perfect and takes some time to properly aim them. I have HIDs in nonprojector halogen housings in my 2003 Explorer and they are aimed just fine. Not blinding by any stretch and I have spent plenty of time driving in front of it and testing it oncoming. Going on nearly 10 years with them and maybe have been flashed a handful of time me and mainly because I left my high beams on. One can't just wappity wapp them in and not all housings will allow proper cut offs but it is possible. ———————————————— The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad. If we got each other, and that's all we have. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you! | |||
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Info Guru |
According to the NHTSA it is illegal. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/...-vol5-sec571-108.xml https://www.sema.org/files/att...v=-&__utmk=228228949 http://blogs.findlaw.com/law_a...eadlights-legal.html
I had looked it up with the last vehicle I had (sold it last summer). The headlights were dim no matter what bulb I used and I looked into replacing them with HID...I couldn't find anything definitive that said they were legal and didn't want the potential hassle. “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” - John Adams | |||
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