Head and Fog lights compared to previous generations?

[CbrownGT]

Haven’t seen much discussion on how well the head and fog lights on these trucks compare to the 16-18’s. Maybe that means they’re plenty bright. Anyone got any input? Better? Worse? Comparable?  

[Thomcat]

1 hour ago, CbrownGT said:

Haven’t seen much discussion on how well the head and fog lights on these trucks compare to the 16-18’s. Maybe that means they’re plenty bright. Anyone got any input? Better? Worse? Comparable?  

My .02

 

Had projector lens HIDs in the '16, better than same headlights with halogens in my Impala but system is limited to two headlamps. Worse each headlamp is a stationary single arc filament bulb which uses a mechanical shutter to cutoff the top half of the beam to create a low beam from a high beam.....the meniscus formed in the distance is a sharp cutoff and distracting. Plus the K2 Silvy's even have a smaller convex projector lens that the GMC versions. I suggest test riding each at night to ee for yourself.

 

Upper trim '19+ use six LED reflector headlamps. There are no shutters to limit any of the beams and latest gen COB LEDs are at least as bright as the arc in an HID bulb. T1s put 4 of these headlamps on the road on low beam and all 6 headlamps on high, i.e. 4Lo and 2Hi on high beam. Same setup as the '18+ upscale trim Traverse which uses 6 "D" lens LEDs instead of LED reflector lenses. There is simply no fair comparison of operation between stock HID projectors and stock LEDs, the latter blow them away. I was able to see the difference in brightness, pattern and distance first hand parking the '18 Traverse LEDs side by side with my '16 HID Silverado projecting 200 feet onto a grassy yard and 300 feet further away into a wooded area. On high beam the LEDs were brighter and with more clarity, but the comparison on low beam was dramatic -  When buying the '16 I had noted the HIDs were great, much better than my old reflector halogens - and now observed the LEDs not only put a lot more white light on the road, but there is no longer the annoying meniscus in the distance curse of projector lenses on low.  (There is a superior type of HID projector headlamp housing that does not use a shutter system to create a low beam, instead a motorized mount on the lamp itself that changes the position of the focal point of the arc behind the convex lens essentially changing the alignment and redirecting the beam from high to low without cutting off any brightness or creating an annoying cutoff meniscus like a shutter - but that isn't what you get in a GM or similar cost competitors)

 

Comparison of HID against LED was so dramatic I put my money where my mouth is and dumped the '16 projectors for the '19 LEDs and haven't regretted it a moment. Traveling unlit highways, streets and back roads, especially in the rain,  I need the brightest beams I can get, sometimes even need the sports bar LEDs, it can make all the difference between getting where you are going, kissing a roadside tree or wearing a deer as a hood ornament.

[Thomcat]

Also seems that GM didn't just jamb in some cheap aftermarket POS LED available from a neighborhood auto store.

 

GM went new tech on their designs and model housings are specifically designed to get as much light as possible and transfer it to the road. A good example is the setup in the new gen Traverses that I had compared with my '16 LT projectors. In the video you can see that these were designed for high end sports cars.

 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/magna-lights-the-way-with-industry-first-d-optic-led-headlamps-628183753.html

 

 

Side by side comparison shows the custom headlamp modules with six LED reflectors on the '19 T1s match the Traverse's in brightness, color and coverage.

[Glava2876]

On 3/2/2020 at 6:04 AM, CbrownGT said:

Haven’t seen much discussion on how well the head and fog lights on these trucks compare to the 16-18’s. Maybe that means they’re plenty bright. Anyone got any input? Better? Worse? Comparable?  

Traded my 2015 Sierra in on a 2020 this week. The difference in headlight is like night and day … IMO seriously better and brighter!

[wacko]

2019 Sierra SLT

headlights are nearly perfect and when people “squeeze in front of me” they are even better because they are mounted high enough to hit that side mirror on the offending driver perfectly.

 

fogs are good and do a decent job.

 

taillights on models with LED are a good combination as well.  Good intensity but not over the top.  
 

[FWaT4]

I light up the whole neighborhood coming up the hill with just the lows on. Had the highs on coming back to FW from San Antonio this week on I-35 and got pulled over by the TX PS officer in the median; these things look like light bars (also not running a front plate...). No issues with the officer, he just wanted to make sure I was stock. A lot of idiots down here in TX love to install light bars on the roof, by the wipers and in the grille and then run them on the highway, even at night time. 

For comparison, my 2016 Yukon has the factory projectors with upgraded bulbs and well, there is no comparison. Unfortunately I think I am limited on options for my Yukon. 

[AlaskaErik]

The big difference is between halogen and LED.  I will never go back to halogen headlights, period.  As for this gen vs last gen, both my 2016 LTZ and my 2019 LTZ have LED headlights and I'm not really seeing much difference.  LED headlights will have incremental improvements until another technology replaces them, but the huge leap occurred when they replaced halogen headlights.  I know some people claim HID headlights are even better, but I had a car with factory HID headlights and I wasn't that impressed with them.  I'm waiting for the BMW Laserlight technology to make its way into American vehicles.  That's the next big revolution in headlight technology.

[Cpl_Punishment]

10 hours ago, FWaT4 said:

A lot of idiots down here in TX love to install light bars on the roof, by the wipers and in the grille and then run them on the highway, even at night time. 

Sorry for the stupid question but isn't night the most sensible time to use extra lighting? 

[2016 Sierra Owner]

Coming out of a 16 SLT with LEDs to a 20 SLT with LEDs. I believe the 20 is a little better.

[FWaT4]

On 3/7/2020 at 9:06 AM, Cpl_Punishment said:

Sorry for the stupid question but isn't night the most sensible time to use extra lighting? 

Yes sorry i meant even during the day. However, the LED bars are illegal to run on public roads no matter what time of day it is and you need to be mindful of other drivers especially using bars that are meant for offroad use only. I know this because I was in the middle of nowhere in my old company vehicle driving to a drilling rig location around 3am for a callout. I had the LED bar in the grille on because two weeks prior I had three deer run in front the truck and well that didn't end up pretty. A trooper was posted in the parking lot of a little church and pulled me over for the light bar and let me off with a warning after I explained why I had it on.  

The other day it was a 95 suburban with LED bar in the grill, in the bumper, on the roof lit up in the middle of the day blinding people's rear views. 

[Minnvmax]

I feel the hood cuts off the top of the light, drastically cutting distance. Easy to overdrive your lights no matter how bright they are up close. 

[Thomcat]

On 3/7/2020 at 10:06 AM, Cpl_Punishment said:

Sorry for the stupid question but isn't night the most sensible time to use extra lighting? 

At night in the woods when hunting or camping or off roading, but not on streets and roadways. Some States , NJ for me in the past, cause to flunk State inspection and require removal  to pass inspection. Current State non standard lighting will pass State inspection for off road use, if fitted with opaque covers which remain in use on roadways..

.

I had the bright idea of putting laser photos of the LED lights on the front of the black plastic covers to simulate exposed lights and got stopped for a good look to conform lights were covered. Now just easier to stick a red bowtie on the front covers so no confusion.

[Thomcat]

Ran across this video on Youtube where they tested various aftermarket retrofits of halogen reflector and HID projector headlamp assemblies with LED lighting. Seems to confirm my belief that a cross reference chart for finding a suitable LED module for a reflector or projector headlamp assembly is useless, the actual physical design and not the supply voltage or light output of the LED module is critical for proper lighting pattern. Sticking and improperly designed module will not only reduce light output but will likely affect the high beam pattern and blind oncoming drivers.

 

Want LED lighting - then buy a vehicle with stock LED lighting with properly designed stock reflector housings suitable for that particular module. Otherwise use the guidance in this video to give the best chance of selecting a suitable replacement. As seen in the video the shape and thickness of the carrier module, and physical size and placement of the LEDs on the COB assembly is critical for the proper brightness, focus and projection pattern of the beam. Can't just stuff an aftermarket replacement LED module (regardless of a cross reference chart for equivalence) into a reflector lens or projector lens designed for stock point source halogen or HID lighting and expect anything other than a bright white light with an unsuitable pattern for lighting the road and/or blinding oncoming drivers.

 

 

[Gangly]

On 3/10/2020 at 1:35 PM, Minnvmax said:

I feel the hood cuts off the top of the light, drastically cutting distance. Easy to overdrive your lights no matter how bright they are up close. 

I agree 100%.  The lights are bright as heck, but I get no distance out of them because they are blocked by the hood or something at distance and there is no elevation to them.  There is a clear line of demarcation between visible and non visible and the light isnt projected far or high enough out in front of the driver to be able to drive 70 mph at night without feeling like you are waaaaay over driving your headlights.  It's a crying shame because they are super bright otherwise, there's just not enough elevation to them.  I haven't looked into adjusting elevation, but I'll be playing with the lights soon enough.

[redwngr]

To complicate 'are the 2020 1500 pickup headlights better' question even more -- all trims don't get the same lights.

 

for the chev

 

-- work truck, custom and custom TB get : 

Headlamps, halogen reflector with halogen Daytime Running Lamps     

 

--  LT, RST, LT TB, and LTZ get :

Headlamps, LED reflector with LED signature Daytime Running Lamps

 

-- HC, and included on LT TB with (WJP) Midnight Edition.

    Headlamps, LED reflector (high intensity) with LED signature curtain Daytime Running Lamps
 

On sierra - 

 

-- Sierra, SLE, Elevation

Headlamps, LED reflector with incandescent turn signals and LED signature Daytime Running Lamps

 

-- SLT, AT4, Denali

Headlamps, LED reflector (high intensity) with LED turn signals and LED signature Daytime Running Lamps