Headlight beams seem weak

delling3 · Aug 2, 2020

Flashing occurs when the headlights aren't aimed incorrectly. If aimed correctly, nobody should be flashing you. LED's and HID's are substantially brighter than halogens, but of course you are more prone to being flashed if the aiming isn't spot on.

LED's are the newest technology of the three. They require the lowest amount of current, and do not generate as much heat. There are different styles of LED bulbs, and not all are created equal - particularly if you are running refelctor style head lights.

I found these guys to be a good source of information.

. They have a lot of videos on Youtube that will help educate you. They sell HID and LED, so whichever is right for you, they should be able to help. I have no interest in this company, but I will say I am very pleased with the light output of my lights, and I have yet to be flashed. I am running CSP Mini LED's which are among the cheaper sets they sell, and they were an easy fit with no modifications to the wiring.

ttocs · Aug 2, 2020

Daryl said:
Great, so both HID and LED will puss off oncoming vehicles?

can't you tell when someone has put an led or hid in a halogen light facing you? That light thats just enough to be annoying but in modern times I do not flash those dudes anymore because they are just gonna flash you back but we can all tell when someone does it.

evilcw311 · Aug 2, 2020

delling3 said:
Flashing occurs when the headlights aren't aimed incorrectly. If aimed correctly, nobody should be flashing you. LED's and HID's are substantially brighter than halogens, but of course you are more prone to being flashed if the aiming isn't spot on.

LED's are the newest technology of the three. They require the lowest amount of current, and do not generate as much heat. There are different styles of LED bulbs, and not all are created equal - particularly if you are running refelctor style head lights.

I found these guys to be a good source of information.

. They have a lot of videos on Youtube that will help educate you. They sell HID and LED, so whichever is right for you, they should be able to help. I have no interest in this company, but I will say I am very pleased with the light output of my lights, and I have yet to be flashed. I am running CSP Mini LED's which are among the cheaper sets they sell, and they were an easy fit with no modifications to the wiring.

Actually led’s are just as capable at putting out heat. That why most led headlights have to have major heat sinks. The brighter the light the more heat there is. There’s no such thing as bright and cool together.

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evilcw311 · Aug 2, 2020

Hid and led scatter the light differently. They were both intended to be in projectors and really don’t work well without them.

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RAU03MACH · Aug 3, 2020

Daryl said:
Great, so both HID and LED will puss off oncoming vehicles?

I think you would need to aim them lower

RAU03MACH · Aug 3, 2020

On my 98 and 95
There bright one piece headlight kit
Sylvania halogen bulbs came with the lights
I do like them better

RAU03MACH · Aug 3, 2020

I do think depends on what headlight kit you get if its bright or not

ttocs · Aug 3, 2020

RAU03MACH said:
I think you would need to aim them lower

this is the only way to make them work but the problem is that that light output is so scattered that you either end up pointing them straight down not to get flashed to the point that your fog lights will help a lot. Yes again a halogen light in the traditional lens(not a projector) will work better than a HID/LED just because that is the light designed to work in the lens. Again I know I can tell when someone has an HID/LED in a traditional lens set up and I normally end up shading my eyes by just holding my arm out in the way in front of me(sometimes with the middle finger flying) rather than flash them because when you flash them they just flash back. But they will swear to you that it doesn't bother anyone and they are not flashed...

TrickVert · Aug 3, 2020

Daryl said:
Great, so both HID and LED will puss off oncoming vehicles?

Yes. Only a halogen bulb's filament is aligned to properly form and project the correct pattern, and there is *no* LED bulb or HID capsule on the market today that mimics one. Anyone telling you otherwise doesn't understand how reflector housings work and/or is just plain wrong.

EDIT: More than you may want to know, but: https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

Daryl · Aug 20, 2020

Ok, so I tried new bulbs. Popped them in yesterday afternoon. NAPA Vivid 9007(?) 9003(3)? Whatever. Turned them on at 0330 hours on my way to work, and......

wait for it......

“better” but still not what I’m after. I sure like the coverage ReplicaR gets based on the picture above. Where do I find those??

ttocs · Aug 20, 2020

you don't "find" them so much as make them or write a pretty big check for them. They do not make lights for our cars with projectors in them so you have to heat them up and open them, mount the projector in it and then seal them back up. Its not all that much fun for a first timer and its why most places I have seen that will do them get >$500 for the parts and labor to do it for you

Daryl · Aug 20, 2020

Huh. Not in my wheelhouse unfortunately! What are these “halo projector headlights” I see at LMR.com?

RAU03MACH · Aug 20, 2020

Daryl said:
Huh. Not in my wheelhouse unfortunately! What are these “halo projector headlights” I see at LMR.com?

I don't like those to camero like

Daryl · Aug 20, 2020

Yeah, I’m not crazy about the look. Just want lighting like ReplicaR’s

ttocs · Aug 20, 2020

cheap projectors just do not have as good of an output and unfortunately all of the kits that have them in them are cheap. I thought we had someone on here that was into making them.

ttocs · Aug 21, 2020

see if bmad is still doing it.

https://www.sn95forums.com/members/b-mad.19482/

Daryl · Aug 22, 2020

Sent him a note in the Comments section of that link. Hope to hear back. Thanks!

TrickVert · Aug 11, 2021

Daryl said:
Great, so both HID and LED will puss off oncoming vehicles?

Yes. Neither generates light in the precise location required for the reflector housing that was engineered for use with a halogen bulb.

The bulbs that come with headlight sets are usually the cheapest Chinese crap the manufacturer can find. I suggest Phillips Extreme Vision or Napa Night Vision bulbs.