Headlights too bright?

Texas Daddy · October 25, 2019

Even a level kit will push your lights up into oncoming eyes - especially lower cars like my wife's e350. Most of the time I am blinded, its by some leveled truck that added leds, but didnt aim down. Thats the first thing I did after level, and I dont get flashed. To those who dont care, enjoy my brights - if you dont like it, take care of your shit...

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BringTheRain403 · October 25, 2019

I’ve driven 2015, 2016, 17,18,19 denali’s at night. I always get slt and denali’s as loaners. Also own a 2014 slt.

2015 was the worst, 2019 second worst. 16-18 was better but still muh. Had a solid beam pattern but output left some to be desired.

None of them are as good as the typical luxury brands.

You guys don’t know what your missing with a 35watt upgrade.

The 14/15 headlights are flat out the worst ever. If you think the 19 Denali headlights are the second worst you may need to get your eyes checked for nyctalopia. I had the 16 Denali LED's in my 14 and the ones in my AT4 blow them out off the water. There's probably not a single soul on this forum that would agree with you that the 19 AT4/Denali/SLT/High Country lights suck. They aren't the brightest that I've seen (that's the new Acura's) but they are every bit at bright as the BWM, Mercedes-Benz, Range Rover, etc. lights that I've driven and I have seen on the road.

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truckguy82 · October 25, 2019

2 hours ago, Ozer said:

Haha this should be hurting you actually, you are throwing light way higher than where the optimal area is, common sense: You go up 7", light beam should come down some to compensate. Otherwise you are getting crappy light output no matter what you say. An you also should care. My high beams are super bring since i have the Morimoto 55w kit and if someone coming towards me and they dont respond to my flashing them.. then they get a face full of my highs until they turn theirs off or they pass me.

This is the only reason I wish I had the 55W instead of the 35W, to blind the crap out of people who don’t care if they blind others. Upgraded lights in non-projector housings are my favorite target.

djw88 · October 25, 2019

i got flashed all the time

i had projector halogen lights

previous owner put a leveling kit in so i figured the lights weren't adjusted. turned them down a bit and imagine that i dont get brights flashed at me anymore.

jegreenwood14 · October 25, 2019

I've got stock LTZ projector headlights with stock bulbs. They're plenty bright on both low and high beam. Leveled truck plus the projectors plus the LED fogs I have = getting flashed all the time.

My solution, since I know my bulbs are angled right.. Hit them with my high beams, so they know my lows were on. You should see their reactions.

It is usually old farts that thin that everything is bright.

doropallo · October 25, 2019

7 hours ago, BringTheRain403 said:

He's obviously never driven the higher trim level trucks either. Those stock lights are every bit as bright as any other vehicle on the road except maybe the new Acura's.

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Haha I have an Acura MDX and my GMC LEDs are just as bright. I'm always getting flashed in both vehicles, they back down quick when I turn on the highs.

jumpinjoe · October 25, 2019

9 hours ago, truckguy82 said:

Find a level surface? That’s silly too. It’s a truck that’s changes its angle constantly if you are using it to carry loads.

Just drive down the road and look where your headlights are shining. Adjust down if too high.

Adjusting on a level surface is silly. I did it too when I did my d2s retrofit, but it’s pretty obvious where your headlights need to be from normal driving.

Not to be argumentative nor judgemental, but that's not a very accurate way to judge where your lights are aimed simply due to your POV. The perception of where they are from above and behind them would obviously be a far cry from seeing directly in your eyes as you approach another vehicle, and it's virtually impossible to determine their focal point on the road while bouncing and jostling down the road at any speed. The fact you're driving a truck carrying different loads at different times is immaterial. The point is to get them properly adjusted for the majority of the different times.

Maybe thinking about safety of yourself, others riding with you, and others on the road you might consider having them checked out if no other way than the level driveway method. It's worked for some of us old schooler's for many years, and with just a little careful adjusting it can get them pretty close to perfect. Over years I've seen comparisons of this method to newer high tech adjustments, and there's often not a lot of difference.

Regards,

jumpinjoe

jumpinjoe · October 25, 2019

48 minutes ago, jegreenwood14 said:

I've got stock LTZ projector headlights with stock bulbs. They're plenty bright on both low and high beam. Leveled truck plus the projectors plus the LED fogs I have = getting flashed all the time.

My solution, since I know my bulbs are angled right.. Hit them with my high beams, so they know my lows were on. You should see their reactions.

It is usually old farts that thin that everything is bright.

No offense intended here, just food for thought....... but ......

It's not necessarily that ""old farts" think everything is bright", it's that 'old fart's' eyes are usually far more sensitive to light, and especially what we're talking about here, than 'young farts'. My guess is you've never thought of that, and you really should. I'm sure there are probably some 'old farts' in your family that have similar issues and suffer when "young farts" treat them the way you're suggesting. Not to even mention the safety factor involved. C'mon man, lighten up!

Regards,

jumpinjoe

Donstar · October 25, 2019

43 minutes ago, jegreenwood14 said:

I've got stock LTZ projector headlights with stock bulbs. They're plenty bright on both low and high beam. Leveled truck plus the projectors plus the LED fogs I have = getting flashed all the time.

My solution, since I know my bulbs are angled right.. Hit them with my high beams, so they know my lows were on. You should see their reactions.

It is usually old farts that thin that everything is bright.

Those of us who have some experience driving at night have encountered others who seem trigger happy with their flash. This will often cause me to check to see if I have my high beams on but seldom prompts me to prove that they're wrong. What is the point? I also wonder what difference it makes if the "offender" is an old fart? Hopefully everyone on this forum makes it to old farthood because the option is far less desirable!

truckguy82 · October 25, 2019

1 hour ago, jumpinjoe said:

Not to be argumentative nor judgemental, but that's not a very accurate way to judge where your lights are aimed simply due to your POV. The perception of where they are from above and behind them would obviously be a far cry from seeing directly in your eyes as you approach another vehicle, and it's virtually impossible to determine their focal point on the road while bouncing and jostling down the road at any speed. The fact you're driving a truck carrying different loads at different times is immaterial. The point is to get them properly adjusted for the majority of the different times.

Regards,

jumpinjoe

you realize we are talking about modern projectors? Not those headlights you’ve been adjusting your whole life?

there is literally a line at all times. Below it is light, above it is not light. It is incredibly easy to determine the “focal point” while driving or “jostling and bouncing” around the road.

Maybe you should try “thinking about your safety and the safety of others” and adjust your headlights by the common sense method and just look at the line of light and see if it’s hitting the windshields of other peoples cars and not trust a garage door.

Edited October 25, 2019 by truckguy82

jumpinjoe · October 25, 2019

1 hour ago, truckguy82 said:

you realize we are talking about modern projectors? Not those headlights you’ve been adjusting your whole life?

there is literally a line at all times. Below it is light, above it is not light. It is incredibly easy to determine the “focal point” while driving or “jostling and bouncing” around the road.

Maybe you should try “thinking about your safety and the safety of others” and adjust your headlights by the common sense method and just look at the line of light and see if it’s hitting the windshields of other peoples cars and not trust a garage door.

Well, can't say I know exactly what your lights are but I think I remember from way back in maybe physics class or maybe just simple science, that any light source with a 'reflector' has a "focal point". And BTW, in my 58+ years of driving I've never driven anything with lights so bad for whatever reason that oncoming traffic would flash me. And if they had I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have felt a need to "hit them with my high beams just to see their reaction.

C'mon man, I'm not bustin' your chops, just askin' you to recognize what you're doing is not only dangerous, but unnecessary ..... not only to you and yours, but especially to those 'old farts' who sometimes have real issues with night lighting ...... of all kinds.

Regards,

jumpinjoe

jumpinjoe · October 25, 2019

Hey truckguy82, in an honest effort to better understand your take on it, does the following C/P have any bearing on things? I went looking just for you. Hope it helps.

Regards,

jumpinjoe

See the following:

Hid, Halo, Projectors. I have done my homework just need a little more help.?

Someone please point me in the right direction. I have been researching for weeks now and still cannot put this together. I am just looking for new headlights to put in my srt8 magnum. So much misinformation out here and it seems like no good information or write up, and if there are I cannot find them.

I like the look of 8k HID, I like the look of the Halos, I have heard people say that you have to have projectors to do HID's properly or you will blind on coming traffic. I have also heard that HID bulbs won't fit in projectors. I start to think I know a little something then it gets ruined. I have no Idea where to turn, someone please help!

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Best Answer: The to converting to HIDs is the you have to buy a complete headlight assembly that's designed for HID. You cannot simply pop an HID bulb into an assembly that was designed for halogen. It's not only illegal, but it actually throws less light because the focal point is different for the two bulbs. Because the focal point is off, it throws more glare into oncoming traffic--a sure way to get pulled over and ticketed.

16LT4 · October 25, 2019

More important that the up/down aim is the left/right. Yes, headlights should be angled slightly right I’ve seen vehicles fresh off the showroom floor with improper adjustment.

BringTheRain403 · October 26, 2019

No left right adjustment

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truckguy82 · October 26, 2019

2 hours ago, jumpinjoe said:

Well, can't say I know exactly what your lights are but I think I remember from way back in maybe physics class or maybe just simple science, that any light source with a 'reflector' has a "focal point". And BTW, in my 58+ years of driving I've never driven anything with lights so bad for whatever reason that oncoming traffic would flash me. And if they had I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have felt a need to "hit them with my high beams just to see their reaction.

C'mon man, I'm not bustin' your chops, just askin' you to recognize what you're doing is not only dangerous, but unnecessary ..... not only to you and yours, but especially to those 'old farts' who sometimes have real issues with night lighting ...... of all kinds.

Regards,

jumpinjoe

I flash the shit out of people who don’t have their headlights properly adjusted, and people who install hid’s in halogen housings. I take blinding people more serious than most.

I’m arguing that your ol timer experience in adjusting headlights on a level surface is pointless with projector housings since the beam pattern is clear as day and you’d have to be a moron to drive down the road and not notice you are blinding people. With projectors, all you need to do is drive, see if it’s too high, if it is, adjust them down. There is a damn line of light.

Had you read the thread and my previous posts you probably would have picked up on this.