HATE My High-Beams

Ravenkeeper · November 6, 2018

4 minutes ago, rudyb said:

That doesn't make any sense. If the driver's eyes are already under the cut off value, the light that is cast to the driver is unchanged by turning on your high beams. It's the same bulb. Same light. The only difference is that the shudder changes and light then goes above the cutoff value. The driver wouldn't even notice the change.

Try this experiment. Go stand in front of your truck. Have someone turn on your low beams. Position your eyes under the cutoff value, which is probably where the driver of a small car would be. Now have your friend turn on the high beams and evaluate. Congratulations! You just did science!

THAT'S WHY YOU BACK OFF!!! Puts him/her above the line.

rudyb · November 6, 2018

Science has brought you clarity, or short term vision loss. You get a silver star!

colonel00 · November 6, 2018

Here's my question with this train of thought and please help enlighten me. When my low beams are on, yeah, you can see the cutoff but the light beams do have a point of concentration that does converge to a point. When I shift to high beams, those beams and the convergence is much higher. It sure seems to me that it's more than just a change in the cutoff (or removal of it totally). I'm not talking about a change in brightness here, just a change in how the light is focused.

I just want my highs aimed a little lower without affecting my low beams and I'd like both of them spread apart a bit. I'd just think there would be adjustments somewhere that could be made but I very well could be wrong.

djw88 · November 6, 2018

On 11/4/2018 at 6:51 AM, slimjim2525 said:

I agree not much difference. In fact, on low beams I get people all the time coming from the opposite direction flashing me to turn off my high beams. Any buddy else notice this?

i get people flashing me with my low beams on also. i feel its just a truck thing because the lights are so much higher. it is annoying i flash them back idk what they want me to do about it ha ha.

Donstar · November 6, 2018

35 minutes ago, djw88 said:

i get people flashing me with my low beams on also. i feel its just a truck thing because the lights are so much higher. it is annoying i flash them back idk what they want me to do about it ha ha.

I don't have the problem with people flashing their lights but I also don't currently do a lot of night driving. However, I have owned a pickup as a DD since the days of your Impala. (Nice car BTW!) The flashing lights is not a truck thing and can be an indication of a problem. Most of us have flashed our lights at other drivers as a kind reminder to dim their lights only to be returned a flash of even brighter lights. The fact that the oncoming vehicle has even more blinding lights doesn't make the situation any safer for oncoming motorists. Sometimes we get flashed because we have a heavy load in the back or we're on an incline. Sometimes the oncoming driver is just mistaken. However, if you are getting this response on a regular basis, it is worth it for your's and others' safety to have your headlights adjusted or repaired.

djw88 · November 6, 2018

9 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I don't have the problem with people flashing their lights but I also don't currently do a lot of night driving. However, I have owned a pickup as a DD since the days of your Impala. (Nice car BTW!) The flashing lights is not a truck thing and can be an indication of a problem. Most of us have flashed our lights at other drivers as a kind reminder to dim their lights only to be returned a flash of even brighter lights. The fact that the oncoming vehicle has even more blinding lights doesn't make the situation any safer for oncoming motorists. Sometimes we get flashed because we have a heavy load in the back or we're on an incline. Sometimes the oncoming driver is just mistaken. However, if you are getting this response on a regular basis, it is worth it for your's and others' safety to have your headlights adjusted or repaired.

thanks its my long term project.

it made me wonder if my lights were out of adjustment. this is my first truck and they do seem high.

SierraHD17 · November 6, 2018

Most of your trucks have the lights pointed too high... that's why everyone flashes you and your high beams do seemingly nothing. My 17 was like that too until I took the time to set them properly... No more flashing and the transition is actually noticeable and down the road...not illuminating tree tops. All the company half tons around here are the same thing... blinding everyone on low beam and bitching their high beans are worthless lol.

For reference my 2500HD now sits at the height of a 1500 with a 6" lift at least and I use the D3S 35 watt in place of the stock 25s. I get flashed maybe once now out of 100 vehicles. And the guy flashing usually has the equivalent of candles for headlights lol.

Edited November 6, 2018 by SierraHD17

colonel00 · November 6, 2018

Most of your trucks have the lights pointed too high... that's why everyone flashes you and your high beams do seemingly nothing. My 17 was like that too until I took the time to set them properly... No more flashing and the transition is actually noticeable and down the road...not illuminating tree tops. All the company half tons around here are the same thing... blinding everyone on low beam and bitching their high beans are worthless lol.

For reference my 2500HD now sits at the height of a 1500 with a 6" lift at least and I use the D3S 35 watt in place of the stock 25s. I get flashed maybe once now out of 100 vehicles. And the guy flashing usually has the equivalent of candles for headlights lol.

I've never had anyone flash me and I believe mine are set correctly. I often check when I pull behind a lower case at a stoplight. My light cutoff is below the lid off their trunks most of the time (except really low cars) and my lights aren't shining in their side mirrors blinding them.

Still, my highs are a worthless spot up in the trees.

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SierraHD17 · November 6, 2018

Doesn't matter... turn them down and see if it improves lol. I actually did it with mine.. it's not theoretical lol. Not going to lie though that my lighting in my 05 Sierra is still better than this 17. I have a 9011 high and 9012 low combo in that truck though with them jumped together for high beam. I prefer the yellow light for winter as well..

Edited November 6, 2018 by SierraHD17

colonel00 · November 6, 2018

Doesn't matter... turn them down and see if it improves lol. I actually did it with mine.. it's not theoretical lol. Not going to lie though that my lighting in my 05 Sierra is still better than this 17. I have a 9011 high and 9012 low combo in that truck though with them jumped together for high beam. I prefer the yellow light for winter as well..

So I should lower my low beams which currently cause no issue, are aimed appropriately and are used 99% of the time to fix worthless high beams?

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SierraHD17 · November 6, 2018

Then do nothing and complain about it lol. It makes no difference to me one way or the other. Have a good one.

aseibel · November 6, 2018

On 11/4/2018 at 6:51 AM, slimjim2525 said:

I agree not much difference. In fact, on low beams I get people all the time coming from the opposite direction flashing me to turn off my high beams. Any buddy else notice this?

that's because the low beams on these trucks ARE as bright as highbeams when viewed from below the cut-off line. as most sedans will be.

Your highbeams do not suck. you are just spoiled with the high output of the low beams so that when you switch to "high" all it does is remove the cut-off so the light is now projected up in the air.

there is nothing wrong with these lights. go compare to any older vehicle and you will be shocked.

I frequently drive on the freeway with my beater grand am (with fog lights on) and when people with new trucks and suv's are behind me, I can see my own shadow on the road in front of me. The new lights are so ridiculously bright compared to what was the norm not long ago.

If people are flashing you, there is probably a reason. Please adjust the aim of your lights so the cut-off line is below horizontal. If you don't know how to do this, search on youtube. Very easy.

Edited November 6, 2018 by aseibel

SierraHD17 · November 6, 2018

3 minutes ago, aseibel said:

that's because the low beams on these trucks ARE as bright as highbeams when viewed from below the cut-off line. as most sedans will be.

Your highbeams do not suck. you are just spoiled with the high output of the low beams so that when you switch to "high" all it does is remove the cut-off so the light is now projected up in the air.

there is nothing wrong with these lights. go compare to any older vehicle and you will be shocked.

I frequently drive on the freeway with my beater grand am (with fog lights on) and when people with new trucks and suv's are behind me, I can see my own shadow on the road in front of me. The new lights are so ridiculously bright compared to what was the norm not long ago.

If people are flashing you, there is probably a reason. Please adjust the aim of your lights so the cut-off line is below horizontal. If you don't know how to do this, search on youtube. Very easy.

Correct. I daily a 2004 Malibu Maxx to work as it's a cost effective way to improve gas mileage on any 6 liter truck haha. The oil company I contract too runs pretty well all GM half tons and they are awful to have following you in a car. We don't even flip the rearview mirror in the car, rather grab and push it up as high it will go so their lights won't catch it. The guys driving them all complain they see no transition and its because they are already way too high to start with. They get new trucks annually and they all come the same way right from day one.

aseibel · November 6, 2018

3 minutes ago, SierraHD17 said:

Correct. I daily a 2004 Malibu Maxx to work as it's a cost effective way to improve gas mileage on any 6 liter truck haha. The oil company I contract too runs pretty well all GM half tons and they are awful to have following you in a car. We don't even flip the rearview mirror in the car, rather grab and push it up as high it will go so their lights won't catch it. The guys driving them all complain they see no transition and its because they are already way too high to start with. They get new trucks annually and they all come the same way right from day one.

yeah, the worst is all the contractors in work trucks with 1000 lbs of gear in the bed, their lights are projected even higher. I frequently leave very early for work, 4-5am when traffic is light and its nothing but contractors on the road. I hate when those guys come up behind me. I can tell when they are coming from a mile away.

pronstar · November 6, 2018

yeah, the worst is all the contractors in work trucks with 1000 lbs of gear in the bed, their lights are projected even higher. I frequently leave very early for work, 4-5am when traffic is light and its nothing but contractors on the road. I hate when those guys come up behind me. I can tell when they are coming from a mile away.

Drive faster [emoji4]

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