HID in stock headlights?

[1300c]

Just putting this here so when it gets bumped again. Never, never, never put hid bulbs in a reflector housing. It's way too dangerous for oncoming traffic, and it pales in comparison to a proper retrofit. People think the lighting is great, and get quite defensive over the use of them in reflectors when in reality it's scattering light everywhere. They also usually have a bunch of foreground because they lower them which makes your eyes unable to see the distance it needs to because of all the light shining 20 feet in front of the truck.

 

I'm not saying this to be mean, or start a big argument it's just the best, and most respectful thing, to save your money and do it right. Because when you have someone behind you, or oncoming with reflector hid lights blinding your vision you'll understand.

[WLC]

Just putting this here so when it gets bumped again. Never, never, never put hid bulbs in a reflector housing. It's way too dangerous for oncoming traffic, and it pales in comparison to a proper retrofit. People think the lighting is great, and get quite defensive over the use of them in reflectors when in reality it's scattering light everywhere. They also usually have a bunch of foreground because they lower them which makes your eyes unable to see the distance it needs to because of all the light shining 20 feet in front of the truck.

I'm not saying this to be mean, or start a big argument it's just the best, and most respectful thing, to save your money and do it right. Because when you have someone behind you, or oncoming with reflector hid lights blinding your vision you'll understand.

Maybe GM could charge another 10k for their trucks and gave us better headlights.

[1300c]

Remedying a bad idea with a terrible one fixes nothing.

[WLC]

Remedying a bad idea with a terrible one fixes nothing.

Driving in the dark without good lights is dangerous.

[Jeff5347]

Morimoto 55w hids. 5000k bulbs.

14 chevy 1500. No one ever flashes me.

 

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As far as a pic goes those look great. If the picture doesn't do it justice they must light up the road beautifully. I have had factory Audi, BMW, Mercedes with project tors and hids blind the crap out of me....and thats in a factory housing. I have the reflectors and agree with SMC it's all about reaiming. With just a level with stock lights I had to reaim as I got flashed. Once aimed not a problem. The stock reflector light output is worse than my 79 Malibu headlights. That's bad. My next few purchases will include hids and yes in a reflector housing. Reaiming is the key

 

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[1300c]

As far as a pic goes those look great. If the picture doesn't do it justice they must light up the road beautifully. I have had factory Audi, BMW, Mercedes with project tors and hids blind the crap out of me....and thats in a factory housing. I have the reflectors and agree with SMC it's all about reaiming. With just a level with stock lights I had to reaim as I got flashed. Once aimed not a problem. The stock reflector light output is worse than my 79 Malibu headlights. That's bad. My next few purchases will include hids and yes in a reflector housing. Reaiming is the key

 

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Those pics show a ton of foreground which is wrong, and look at that road sign. It shouldn't be lit up like that. The light scatters everywhere regardless of how you aim it because you can't aim an hid in a projector properly due to the design of the hid bulb. Just because people don't flash you doesn't mean they aren't having trouble seeing to drive when meeting you on the road. Put that truck 25 feet from a wall, and see all the glare it causes. Put those pics on any headlight forum, or a headlight page on facebook. You'll find out very quickly through seeing many pictures of proper projector cutoffs how wrong it is to do hid's in reflectors housings. If you can't afford to retrofit properly, save your money. The lights in the reflectors aren't that bad, and were better than the halogen projectors in my 15 ltz.

[smcgillis10]

 

Problem 90% solved.

 

Most people run with their brights on anyway. Or have such shitty projectors that they might as well have their brights on. Or have there lights aimed at the sky. So why should anyone care if they are blinding people cause the other drivers have blinding lights anyway.

 

More then 3/4 of the vehicles that blind me have their brights on or fords with stock halogens. The rest are newer silverados with lifts and leveling kits that won't re-aim their lights.

 

I have hids and reflector housings. Mine are aimed decently and have anti glare shields. I've seen my lights coming at me and they aren't as bad as y'all are claiming they are. I don't get flashed EVER. So I'll stick with my so called "dangerous" hids. Most of the set ups the guys that complain about this subject don't realize their lights are just as bad. But if you have the extra money get some decent projectors. Otherwise if you need brighter lights for whatever reason, take some steps to limit the glare.

[1300c]

You're justifying doing something the wrong way at twice the lumens of a halogen because other people drive with their high beams on? That's your moral justification. I've seen the antiglare shields you're talking about, and they still glare because of the housing they're in. Look at the photo you showed with the hotspot reflections in the headlight. You don't think that doesn't reflect that on the road? The only time a proper retrofit, or factory projector will blind traffic momentarily will be if you catch the oncoming car as it crests a hill. I'm not trying to be rude to anybody here, but there is a much better way to do it for not a lot of money. But to each their own.

[sk]

Just putting this here so when it gets bumped again. Never, never, never put hid bulbs in a reflector housing. It's way too dangerous for oncoming traffic, and it pales in comparison to a proper retrofit.

 

It's also illegal. According to the FMVA Code it is 100% ILLEGAL to put HID's into housings that were not designed for them from the factory.

 

Before anybody flames me, I am not trying to be the police and I don't care what you do. I just thought the truth should be out there before you do something you regret.

 

Flame suit on ....

[WLC]

Should be illegal to drive a 2014 Sierra at night with factory lights!

[1300c]

 

It's also illegal. According to the FMVA Code it is 100% ILLEGAL to put HID's into housings that were not designed for them from the factory.

 

Before anybody flames me, I am not trying to be the police and I don't care what you do. I just thought the truth should be out there before you do something you regret.

 

Flame suit on ....

You're 100% correct.

[Spurshot]

P.S. 291 pages of HID kits in reflector headlights, for your viewing. https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/forum/showoff/output-shots-beam-pattern-pictures/36470-the-official-hid-led-fail-gallery

 

 

When evaluating light scatter, a projected beam on a smooth wall is easiest to see any "artifacts" or "bleed over" above the cutoff that interferes with drivers coming the other direction . Looking down a dark highway lit by your headlights doesn't reveal what an oncoming driver sees. The new installer just sees all that beautifully lit roadway and is impressed with being able to see better. A light meter is really the best way to measure bleed over. Few people want to take the time , effort or extra expense.

[Spurshot]

Should be illegal to drive a 2014 Sierra at night with factory lights!

Agree. But a reflector style Silverado should be a good headlight. My 2008 Silverado had reflector style headlights and they were the best headlights I ever had at that time.

[WLC]

My 2009 GMC Sierra had great lights.

[silveradosid]

as in the past i still believe that light diffusion should be done in the lens, my 2006 sierra had the best light i ever drove with.i have been long haul trucking since 1978 and seen a lot of night driving