.

[Peace]

.

 

[Oaktree]

Do those amber lights serve any purpose other than potentially blinding oncoming drivers and looking kind of dumb?

 

[ning]

Gotta say I'm super pleased with replacing my '97 F350's headlights with LEDs. My old headlights were very hazy, one light finally died when the housing got half full of water, and previous to that there was so little light. The new housings I got have a super sharp cutoff line avoiding glare to oncoming traffic, and the LEDs are bright enough that driving doesn't make me tired.

Strongly recommend lighting upgrades to anyone with an older truck.

I have no opinion on the aesthetics of the amber lights; my truck has them on the cab. They're probably increasing glare to oncoming traffic by a massive 0.05% so you should go to jail but that's just my 2cents. I like the white grill!

 

[ericm979]

The grill marker lights aren't bright enough to blind anyone. They do make the vehicle more noticeable under some conditions.

LEDs in halogen headlight housings can have bad light patterns like a cutoff that's poor so the lights blind on coming drivers or poor coverage of the road. If they're in dedicated housings they should be better.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I imagine the grille lights are no different than marker lights in brightness, so even if they're only for aesthetics they're not a bother. Peace, I think the truck looks great, very clean; is it white and tan two-tone?

 

[tacticalturnip]

Well, when they're being used as marker lamps, I suppose they have a purpose.

 

[Alan W.]

My son put leds in his 08 250. I was worried they would blind people but I was impressed with how clear and sharp the cut off was. Much better than the originals.

 

[Oaktree]

The grill marker lights aren't bright enough to blind anyone. They do make the vehicle more noticeable under some conditions.

LEDs in halogen headlight housings can have bad light patterns like a cutoff that's poor so the lights blind on coming drivers or poor coverage of the road. If they're in dedicated housings they should be better.

OK, my mistake. They looked kind of bright in the photo. Some states get kind of persnickety about marker or fog lights. I've had vehicles fail inspection because the fog lights were independent of hi/lo beam, though where I live now no one seems to care.

Most aftermarket LED headlight bulbs are not DOT approved, and can at least in theory cause a failed safety inspection. I'm on the fence on putting them in my Acadia...headlights leave something to be desired. Reviews I've read online seem to be mixed as to effectiveness vs blinding oncoming drivers, though it seems a lot of vehicles these days do have blinding headlights.

 

[dieselscout80]

Do those amber lights serve any purpose other than potentially blinding oncoming drivers and looking kind of dumb?

They have a purpose on the Raptor, duallys and larger trucks as they are wider than 80” (I think that’s the correct #) and are required by DOT.

On trucks less than the specified limit they are just for show like on my Ram 2500. I bought my truck used so I have them, but if I’d ordered one it wouldn’t have them required.

 

[dieselscout80]

2007 F250 headlights were getting foggy and the light was not very good either. The plastic chrome was peeling off the grill too.
I peeled the rest of the chrome off, sanded and painted the grill. I updated the headlights with modern looking LED driving lights integrated into the headlight case. I also installed ‘Raptor style’ lights in the grill.
Gives the front a modern look and the lights are very bright.
I didn’t take a before picture.
View attachment 861979
With the park/driving lights only.
View attachment 861980
With headlights on.
View attachment 861981

Looks great.

What brand are they?

 

[5030]

2007 F250 headlights were getting foggy and the light was not very good either. The plastic chrome was peeling off the grill too.
I peeled the rest of the chrome off, sanded and painted the grill. I updated the headlights with modern looking LED driving lights integrated into the headlight case. I also installed ‘Raptor style’ lights in the grill.
Gives the front a modern look and the lights are very bright.
I didn’t take a before picture.
View attachment 861979
With the park/driving lights only.
View attachment 861980
With headlights on.
View attachment 861981

The dented front bumper really sets the whole thing off....

 

[5030]

Better enjoy your LED's while you can. The NHTSA is in the process of outlawing them for street use because they blind oncoming drivers. In Europe, the LED headlights dim automatically when the sense an oncoming vehicle. Not here and that is about to change and candidly, I'm glad of it.

That and punk kids with their jacked up pickup trucks with LED light bars. which are 100% illegal for on road use, blinding everyone on the road. If I was a cop, I'd write everyone of the punks for illegal use of lights.

I'm to the point now where I won't drive at night because of the blinding LED lights.

 

[5030]

I did retrofit the filament headlight bulbs in both my M9's to LED bulbs but I don't drive it on the road too often. In fact all my lights on both of them are now LED

 

[D&D]

Better enjoy your LED's while you can. The NHTSA is in the process of outlawing them for street use because they blind oncoming drivers. In Europe, the LED headlights dim automatically when the sense an oncoming vehicle. Not here and that is about to change and candidly, I'm glad of it.

That and punk kids with their jacked up pickup trucks with LED light bars. which are 100% illegal for on road use, blinding everyone on the road. If I was a cop, I'd write everyone of the punks for illegal use of lights.

I'm to the point now where I won't drive at night because of the blinding LED lights.

More wishful thinking than reality.

571.108--NCC-230201-001 LED Headlights_ M. Baker | NHTSA

February 13, 2024 Mr. Mark Baker, B.S.E.E. Soft Lights 9450 SW Gemini Drive PMB 44671 Beaverton, OR 97008 mbaker@softlights.org Dear Mr. Baker:

www.nhtsa.gov

Federal Register :: Request Access

LED Vehicle Headlights – Soft Lights Foundation

 

[5030]

I believe you'll be unpleasantly surprised. All depends on how many 'in the know' individuals get pizzed off about being blinded by LED headlights and illegal light bars and in Europe, the 'technology' is already in widespread use so adopting it here is a no 'big thing'. I know for a fact that I'd love to extinguish those light bars that young punks have on their lifted pickup trucks, extinguish by a FMJ.....lol

People today (mostly young people) are very inconsiderate of others. I'd love to educate them if I could get away with it. I cannot so I refrain from driving at night now. Easy answer for me.

 

[CliffordK]

The sanding and polishing kits for plastic headlights work very well and can transform dull yellowed lights back to new.

I don't want to endorse any single kit. I think they all work by removing the outer layer and polishing the plastic underneath.

 

[5030]

The sanding and polishing kits for plastic headlights work very well and can transform dull yellowed lights back to new.

I don't want to endorse any single kit. I think they all work by removing the outer layer and polishing the plastic underneath.

Not really, tried that on my 97 Ford F350 and while they do remove the cloudy condition, it don't last long. The new headlight lenses are made from a non yellowing compound. In fact I just bought a complete replacement set from 1A Auto in the new non yellowing compound.

Like I said, went down that road and the results are temporary as the UV light will cause them to yellow again.

I'm installing a set of Sylvania Halogens, not LED. I am installing LED's in the parking lights and turn signals however. Just did that to my wife's Suburban as well. Seems as though the DRL's in the Suburban don't last for beans and they are difficult to replace as you have to remove the grill and the headlights themselves to replace them Done that 2 times no, won't do that again...LED's

 

[Oaktree]

Better enjoy your LED's while you can. The NHTSA is in the process of outlawing them for street use because they blind oncoming drivers. In Europe, the LED headlights dim automatically when the sense an oncoming vehicle. Not here and that is about to change and candidly, I'm glad of it.

That and punk kids with their jacked up pickup trucks with LED light bars. which are 100% illegal for on road use, blinding everyone on the road. If I was a cop, I'd write everyone of the punks for illegal use of lights.

I don't know why the NHTSA is dragging their feet on updating headlight standards. People wouldn't have to do these illegal headlight mods if stock headlights didn't suck so bad. Sheesh, old school sealed beams worked better than some of these modern headlights.
Agree with you on the idiots with the LED light bars.

The sanding and polishing kits for plastic headlights work very well and can transform dull yellowed lights back to new.

I don't want to endorse any single kit. I think they all work by removing the outer layer and polishing the plastic underneath.

I've used those kits before, and they kinda work, but the results don't last very long. You pretty much have to repeat the process every 6 months or so once the lenses yellow. I'll just use some polishing compound, does the same thing.

 

[5030]

I don't know why the NHTSA is dragging their feet on pushing automakers to putting better headlights on vehicles. People wouldn't have to do these illegal headlight mods if stock headlights didn't suck so bad. Sheesh, old school sealed beams worked better than some of these modern headlights.
Agree with you on the idiots with the LED light bars.

I've used those kits before, and they kinda work, but the results don't last very long. You pretty much have to repeat the process every 6 months or so once the lenses yellow. I'll just use some polishing compound, does the same thing.

I've found that Crest whitening toothpaste and a cheesecloth works just as well and it can brush your teeth and improve your breath at the same time... Like I stated, the results are temporary at best and why I bought a complete set of new lights that aren't made from the compound that yellows in UV light.

I think the younger set thinks the illegal light bars look cool or something. They (LE) needs to start handing out tickets for them and that would put an end to that crap.

I will say I have a set (2) of KC Daylighters in the lower bumper of my F350 and they are way over the top wicked and when some idiot is coming at me with their light bar on or ill aimed LED headlights, all it takes is a quick flash of the Daylighters and they dim real quick because they will flat blind you right now. Had some idiot in a Jeep do that to me last fall. Flashed my high beams and he ignored it so I burned his retina's out with the Daylighters. He had to pull over on the side of the road because I blinded him. Tit for tat. They are each 295 candle power filament (sealed beams) and certainly not for on road use either.

I really don't like inconsiderate drivers, no matter what age or *** they are. I'm totally not prejudiced.

 

[D&D]

I believe you'll be unpleasantly surprised. All depends on how many 'in the know' individuals get pizzed off about being blinded by LED headlights and illegal light bars and in Europe, the 'technology' is already in widespread use so adopting it here is a no 'big thing'. I know for a fact that I'd love to extinguish those light bars that young punks have on their lifted pickup trucks, extinguish by a FMJ.....lol

People today (mostly young people) are very inconsiderate of others. I'd love to educate them if I could get away with it. I cannot so I refrain from driving at night now. Easy answer for me.

So, the NHTSA is or is not pursuing legislation depending on who gets pissed off when? OK