LED Replacements for Headlights

[LyonAdmiral]

I love it one bulb burns out so you have to or at least should replace them all at the same time. Question is I'm looking at LED replacements and they are indeed quite expensive; $150 a "bulb" from where I look.
Has anyone replaced their traditional bulbs with LEDs and if you have do you have any words of wisdom or recommendations as to brand?

 

[Justwondering]

4"x6" LED G3 LIGHT BULB CRYSTAL CLEAR SEALED BEAM HEADLAMP HEADLIGHT 6x4 | eBay

$41.00

Compare things on the number of lumens.
Make sure its sealed beam.
Keep your receipt in case is doesn't last 20 years (lol).

 

[LyonAdmiral]

4"x6" LED G3 LIGHT BULB CRYSTAL CLEAR SEALED BEAM HEADLAMP HEADLIGHT 6x4 | eBay

$41.00

Compare things on the number of lumens.
Make sure its sealed beam.
Keep your receipt in case is doesn't last 20 years (lol).

Certainly cheaper. Have you tried anything like this?

 

[Justwondering]

My brother did.
Looks different if you see it coming down the highway, but then you would never see it since you would be driving.
Has just as much brightness (lumens).
Is sealed and hasn't failed from water entrenchment.'
Uses less energy from the battery.
I plan to do something similar in my vehicles next time I have a front headlight fail.
I'm not sure if there is anything particularly different between the 150 dollar and the 45 dollar versions, if that is what you are asking.

 

[volareandgtcat]

Not to throw cold water on any of your ideas .. but you should look into the legalities of LED .. I changed my brake lights and turn signals to LED but headlights are much more important for you and other drivers.
Just a guess .. $45 might be DOT compliant and $150 might be DOT approved ??

 

[BudW]

I can see where DOT approved (or whatever) can be an issue on getting car to pass inspection – can be an important concern.
Some areas, like Oklahoma, we don’t have safety (or emissions) inspections. Now the police can give out tickets for having a light out – but won’t spend much time to check DOT specifications on things.


I’m wondering if you want more “light”, why not try to retrofit HID or something like that?


My older cars all get Halogen bulbs installed – for they do put out more light than incandescent bulbs do. Also I have been adding a headlight relay to pretty much all my vehicles so a relay delivers battery voltage directly to headlights (gives roughly 2 more volts to bulbs, from lack of voltage drops in headlight switch and bulkhead connectors. Plus the relays take a lot of stress away from headlight switch).
BudW

 

[Aspen500]

As with LED bulbs for your house, the cheaper ones tend to be cheaper for a reason. Wouldn't get checked for DOT approval in a non-inspection state (like Wisconsin) as long as the brightness isn't TOO bright and the color is in the acceptable range of white to bluish, or like a lot of older cars and trucks with lenses that were never cared for,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yellow.

BudW, did the halogen H4 conversion with Hella units (glass lenses and reflectors)and upgraded to better bulbs, the ones with the SLIGHT bluish tinge to them. That, along with both low and high beam relays makes a huge difference. Darn things are brighter than the factory ones in my Dakota. It's like night and day, lol.
It is a less expensive option vs LED anyways.

These: Hella Vision Plus Conversion Headlights 002395301

 

[volareandgtcat]

Yeah ... that's what I was trying to say ... if they're too bright it affects other drivers .. especially if not aimed correctly ... I've been looking in my history and can't find the person (a member here) I got my headlight relay harness from .. a very good upgrade with quality parts.

 

[BudW]

I just used over the counter Halogen’s – Silverstar, I think.

The relay kits I purchased from eBay.
I have a set (and bulbs) for the wagon ready to be installed (but not done it yet).

The 4 bulb set I got for my 5th Ave has ceramic ends on it and it about 1/2 foot short to fit correctly. I got a 1 foot extension and it worked great (and I have a 1 foot extension for wagon, just in case it is needed (don’t know yet).

Those bulbs and relay kit do make a night and day difference – but not like what my wife’s minivan (OEM system) does.
I'm happy with Halogens and relay kit and have had no issues with other drivers.

The set that Aspen500 posted, may be too bright.
BudW

 

[89.Fifth]

The cheapo LED bulbs are garbage and while they might put out out more lumens it isn't the same thing as having more usable light. The beam patterns suck, the construction sucks, and I wouldn't trust the wiring in them.

These are the LED bulbs that get used the most in commercial vehicles:
Headlights – Product Categories – J.W. Speaker

They're not cheap and there's a really good reason for that.

I wanted to do the same conversion and after a lot of research decided against it. The conversion I *would* make is to halogen, but only after upgrading my wiring and relays.

 

[Aspen500]

My headlights actually aren't too bright. They seem about similar to the majority of newer vehicles that have halogen (i.e. not HID) lights. They're DOT approved so they should be OK

The bulbs are Hella "High Performance Xenon Blue D.O.T. Compliant". Heck of a name, ain't it?

Best part is the lights and the bulbs are NOT made in China they're made in Germany. What the heck, so are the relays, connector pigtails and relay box. They came from an Audi TT I replaced the underhood harness on, back when I was miserably working and going broke on flat rape as an Audi tech (worst 5 years of my life ). Yeah I know,,,,,,, but use what works and what's easily obtained and besides, it was free.

I'm still skeptical on the LED conversion headlights. When Audi first came out with them as original equipment, there were LED drivers, internal cooling fans to cool the electronics, etc and the conversions are just "bulbs" more or less. I question the longevity and light output over time. I may be proven wrong however.

 

[Dr Lebaron]

Instead of working the alternator, I went with gas lamps.

 

[BudW]

Instead of working the alternator, I went with gas lamps.
View attachment 18673

So much for improving fuel mileage . . .

 

[77 LeBaron]

Instead of working the alternator, I went with gas lamps.
View attachment 18673

They look nice do you use regular 87 or 93 !

 

[Rustyroger]

I just bought a pair of UK compliant 6x4 headlamps, dipping left for driving on the left. A few European cars in the early 1980's had them, but they were never ubiquitous like in North America, and basically, if I see some for sale, I buy them. The ones I bought were made in Germany and incorporate a side marker lamp. A bonus, now I can put orange bulbs in the original side marker lamps and use the as turn signal lamps. UK car construction laws differ in a few details from yours.

Roger.

 

[volareandgtcat]

Yeah ... European specs were much stricter than N.A. .. so much so that we actually used different aiming devices if they were shipped overseas.