Options for Silverado REFLECTOR headlight housing?

FormerFordGuy · January 21, 2015

First off, sorry for starting yet another headlight topic, but I can't find the info I'm looking for. Does anyone know of a good option for getting more useable light out of the low beams in a Silverado LT reflector headlight? I do not have factory projectors.

I feel like I've explored all options on this site and the interwebs with no clear answer to get more light on the road. I have had several eye surgeries and NEED more light at night.

LEDs: It looks like I can't go this route because the DRL signal won't work with LEDs. Even if it did, i'm not sure LEDs will work well in the non-projector housing.

HID: Since I don't have factory projectors, a retrofit would be VERY expensive and I would have to go without my headlights for several weeks (which isn't an option). I've read that some people have put HIDs in their reflector housings and had good luck with the cutoff line, but everything I've read leads me to believe I would be blinding oncoming traffic and that's the last thing I want to do.

H11 to H9 Conversion: A member on this forum suggested I do this simple mod for more output and I was pumped to do it at first. It is super cheap and easy. I later researched that H11 bulbs have a "glare cap" and H9s do not...so again, I could be blinding oncoming traffic.

I'm not going for looks here. I don't care if my headlights match my fogs, etc. I just want more useable light on the road without irresponsibly blinding oncoming traffic. If anyone has any ideas or can poke holes in my above options, I'd love to hear it. If my "search fu" is off and this has already been covered, point me in the right direction and please delete this topic.

ChevyTrucks_95 · January 21, 2015

I have my LT headlights off my truck. I swapped to the Anzo projectors. The LT headlights are now for sale and I could part with them for $225 shipped and they would be great for retrofitting without screwing up the ones on your truck already.

FormerFordGuy · January 22, 2015

I have my LT headlights off my truck. I swapped to the Anzo projectors. The LT headlights are now for sale and I could part with them for $225 shipped and they would be great for retrofitting without screwing up the ones on your truck already.

Hmm. I'll give that some serious thought!

Mike1220 · January 22, 2015

I can't imagine that anyone has had any real good luck with keeping a proper cut off line with HIDs. And as far as LEDs go, most LED bulbs are designed for use in reflector housings. The LMZ bulbs from VLED are the only LED bulbs that I know of that can be used in a projector.

I personally would say go for LEDs and get a wire harness. They should pose the least issues and you'll never have to change the lights again.

I've seen another member, can't remember who it was, but they had LEDs with a wire harness and it completely solved the DRL issue since the harness pulls full power from the battery whenever the headlights are on, whether it's for seeing at night or as a DRL during the day.

As far as what the best possible option for useful light on the road is, go with some of the new DOT pods from rigid industries in your fogs and a new projector retrofit is likely the best possible solution, but can end very expensive and work intensive because of the retrofit. However if you upgrade to new bulbs in the headlights and the DOT pods in your fogs, I think you'd be happiest and would have much less work with a lot of output. If I had a non projector Silverado, I'd do pods and LMZ bulbs in the headlights. But that's just me!

Good luck with your decision!

FormerFordGuy · January 22, 2015

I can't imagine that anyone has had any real good luck with keeping a proper cut off line with HIDs. And as far as LEDs go, most LED bulbs are designed for use in reflector housings. The LMZ bulbs from VLED are the only LED bulbs that I know of that can be used in a projector.

I personally would say go for LEDs and get a wire harness. They should pose the least issues and you'll never have to change the lights again.

I've seen another member, can't remember who it was, but they had LEDs with a wire harness and it completely solved the DRL issue since the harness pulls full power from the battery whenever the headlights are on, whether it's for seeing at night or as a DRL during the day.

As far as what the best possible option for useful light on the road is, go with some of the new DOT pods from rigid industries in your fogs and a new projector retrofit is likely the best possible solution, but can end very expensive and work intensive because of the retrofit. However if you upgrade to new bulbs in the headlights and the DOT pods in your fogs, I think you'd be happiest and would have much less work with a lot of output. If I had a non projector Silverado, I'd do pods and LMZ bulbs in the headlights. But that's just me!

Good luck with your decision!

I didn't realize there were harnesses to get around the DRL issue with LEDs. Thanks for the heads up!

I've been looking at the ridgid DOTs as well.

Mike1220 · January 22, 2015

I didn't realize there were harnesses to get around the DRL issue with LEDs. Thanks for the heads up!

I've been looking at the ridgid DOTs as well.

The DOTs are awesome. Had to use them as headlights Monday night when my HIDs failed 15 minutes into a 2 hour trip. I could still easily see the road with just the DOTs. Btw, my windshield is tinted to about 30% but I could still see really well.

When I stuck the phone out the sunroof

Picture taken through the windshield

I'm not sure but I think that the harness is pretty much the exact same one you would use for an HID system.

FormerFordGuy · January 22, 2015

The DOTs are awesome. Had to use them as headlights Monday night when my HIDs failed 15 minutes into a 2 hour trip. I could still see really well with just the DOTs. Btw, my windshield is tinted to about 30% but I could still see really well.

When I stuck the phone out the sunroof

Picture taken through the windshield

I'm not sure but I think that the harness is pretty much the exact same one you would use for an HID system.

Wow! Those pics look better than my truck with fogs and lows on at the same time. I think you just pushed me over the edge on the Rigids.

FormerFordGuy · January 22, 2015

Ok, so I'm a complete Moron. I was in the garage looking at my headlights trying to decide what to do and just realized my factory housings have a built in "glare cap". Now I can try the H9 bulbs without blinding everyone. Maybe that will help until I can get Rigid DOTs and LEDs or HIDs.