HID vs. LED

OilfieldTrash78 · June 3, 2015

Have a TRS HID kit at home waiting to be installed once I get off the rig, but I have been reading alot, and it seems there are alot of people that are liking the LED kits. SO, I can't decide if I should go with the HID's I have, or sell them, and get a LED kit. I need something that is going to be reliable, and but out better light from the stock Sierra projectors. Any input, personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Dangerdick · June 3, 2015

I don't believe in the output out of a LED inside of a projector, myself.

Mike1220 · June 3, 2015

I've gone through almost every option for lighting; in stock projector: OEM halogen, 55W HIDs, and 45W VLED LMZ LEDs; now I have an FXR 3.0 w/ 50W 4300K HIDs

I think we all know how incredible the OEM halogens are so I don't need to same much about them except for that the whole idea of a halogen projector on a $50K truck should've been scrapped.

55W 5000K HIDs from DDM tuning in stock projectors were great, worked well, but still didn't light up the sides of the roads as much as the HIDs and in the projector headlights on my 02 Yukon, so I wasn't happy but I was satisfied enough to keep them. Then one day my HIDs decided to cr@p out on me with perfect timing cause I was 15 minutes into a 2 hour road trip, so I was glad I had just put in some Rigid Ind DOT approved pods cause they got me the rest of the way.

I then placed an order for VLED LMZ LEDs, got them in, they are great lights as well, BUT, if you want to get the best width, then you don't get the best distance, and vice versa

I have a tinted windshield, 45% over stock 70% so I'm at about 32% VLT, so the best light possible is very important to me

A few weeks ago I opened my headlights and used the FXR adapter bracket from Fastheadlights to install an FXR projector, man is this an improvement! This is the projector that these trucks should've come with from the factory!

Don't have a shot of the LMZs at the same place, but the FXR and 55W HIDs were taken with the truck in the same position but the headlight adjustment was a bit higher when I took the HID pic since it had never been adjusted after getting the level kit. I made adjustments when I got home after taking the pics.

The HIDs in stock projector vs FXR, is there a HUGE difference in light output? No. Is there a huge difference in how much better the light is dispersed, projected (useful light at distance), and overall better road clarity? YES. I have had my tinted windshield through all the options, halogen, HIDs, LED, and now FXRs, and until the FXRs I never felt comfortable driving without having both my headlights, and fog lights on. Now with the FXRs I hardly notice when I turn the fog lights on [emoji16] and I feel as though I can see the road clearly in any condition

To sum all this up, if you can, DO THE RETROFIT! You won't be sorry! I'm actually getting ready to do 2 sets of Sierra headlights, one I'm doing everything I've done to mine, and the other will be just a retrofit. Both are for local people who have seen my lights haha.

Mike1220 · June 3, 2015

I don't believe in the output out of a LED inside of a projector, myself.

The LMZs are pretty impressive in the FXR projectors, far better than they are in the OEM projectors. Can't beat an HID but not far behind them IMO (only in the FXR projector)

Roidz · June 3, 2015

I started with LEDs and changed them out the same day to HIDs after having issues with the LEDs not being plug n play and needing a capacitor in order for them to work properly.

I didn't feel comfortable with doing the retrofit as I'm not sure I'm handy enough for it, but from what Mike and everyone else I've heard say, the retrofit will give you the best light. I don't have a tinted windshield (yet) so i wasn't as worried about that aspect of it. So far I'm liking my HIDs. Much, much better than stock.

But anyway, to sum it up: if you're handy enough to tackle the retrofit I would go that route, if not, HIDs.

Sent from my iPhone 6+

Victor Ferreira · June 3, 2015

Well, before the truck I had a 2004 BMW with stock Bi-Xenons, and I totally felt the downgrade when I turned on the stock halogens in the truck. Put LMZ 5000k bulbs in there, I'm a happy camper. Is it as good as the OEM BMW lights (albeit 10 year old ones)? No. But it's almost just as good, and with that I'm satisfied. Install was much simpler than that of an HID kid, and I quite like the "instant on/off" capacity of LED's.

On a sidenote though, I avoided HID kits because I've just always had bad luck with them. I had three cars with them before, and one went through 2 ballasts, the next one through 3 bulbs, and the third one actually had a ballast catch on fire. Luckily I had an extinguisher in the car.

morrislee · June 3, 2015

LMZ will not do much good in projectors for the tests I have seen so far. Because the properties of them shooting left and right only, they make great fog lights.

LEDs should best be used in refractors, not reflectors. example would be the F150 2015 using LED in a big lens to distribute light, the diode has to be facing the direction of travel, not left to right or 360, these designes are to simulate halogen bulbs, but never good enough.