LED Replacement headlights

[tallyho8]

About 10 years ago I burned out a headlight in my 1995 Ford F250 diesel and wanted something brighter so I installed HID 6000K headlights. I probably don't drive it at night or with the headlights on 25 hours in a year. I tried everything I knew how to do but could not get the lights aimed properly but at least they were aimed too low and off to the side so I wasn't blinding oncoming traffic.

Now with probably less than 250 hours of use one of them has burned out and I decided to junk them. Looking for new bulbs on Amazon I found out that 95% of the ads were for LED replacement bulbs, 6500K, that are supposed to be much brighter than the originals, last longer and are easy to aim correctly. Some Halogen bulb ads state that it is illegal to use LED bulbs as a replacement for halogen bulbs but that is beside the point.

Have any of you had experience replacing halogen bulbs with LED bulbs and have any positive or negative comments about it?

 

[jaxs]

I've never felt there was need for lights any brighter than come in vehicles from the factory. Blinding other drivers with "hopped up" headlamps should carry a stiff fine.

 

[RAEblue]

Got a1992 f-150 Changed to clear head lights with led bulbs. Will not be going back to stock ones. You can see so much more including wild life trying to cross the road

 

[seville009]

I had a 2006 F350 and a 2011 F350.

Probably around 2017, I replaced the stock halogen headlight bulbs in both trucks with plug and play led bulbs. No issues at all.

The led bulbs gave off a much whiter/clearer light - definitely an improvement, but it did not really extend the sight distance all that much. Adjusting the actual headlight aim was an improvement too.

I also replaced my reverse light bulbs with led bulbs in both trucks. That was a big improvement. I used both trucks for snowplowing, and I was able to see much better backing up.

 

[seville009]

I've never felt there was need for lights any brighter than come in vehicles from the factory. Blinding other drivers with "hopped up" headlamps should carry a stiff fine.

The stock dual beam led headlights that Ford started using in their F250 and F350 a few years ago are a blinding nightmare…..always looks to me like they have their hi beams on.

 

[Richard]

The stock dual beam led headlights that Ford started using in their F250 and F350 a few years ago are a blinding nightmare…..always looks to me like they have their hi beams on.

I double that. I think the person who designed/engineered those, should be flogged. If they are deceased, they should be exhumed.....flogged, then reburied.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Got a1992 f-150 Changed to clear head lights with led bulbs. Will not be going back to stock ones. You can see so much more including wild life trying to cross the road View attachment 763030

Yeah and run folks off in the ditch that meet you at night.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

The problem with just replacing the bulb, and not the entire headlight assembly is the internal reflective mirror on the original headlight bucket was designed for the "standard" light bulb element. Putting some "new" HID or LED light in that old bucket increases the glare dramatically towards oncoming traffic. And that's even if you CAN adjust the new bulb element for height and L/R angle.

They are a bane on civilization, and each and every one of these "conversions" needs to meet it's fate with a sledgehammer.

 

[Oaktree]

The problem with just replacing the bulb, and not the entire headlight assembly is the internal reflective mirror on the original headlight bucket was designed for the "standard" light bulb element. Putting some "new" HID or LED light in that old bucket increases the glare dramatically towards oncoming traffic. And that's even if you CAN adjust the new bulb element for height and L/R angle.

They are a bane on civilization, and each and every one of these "conversions" needs to meet it's fate with a sledgehammer.

Agreed. This subject comes up fairly often on classic car forums, and the general consensus is that these LED/HID conversions are junk.
Bad enough the LED light bars that blind oncoming drivers unless they're aimed almost straight down.

 

[dieselcrawler]

LED conversions are getting alot of hate on this thread, but I am personally a fan. A quality bulb (I've used BeamTech) in the stock housing can be adjusted to both light the road better, but also not blind others as bad as described by others.
In both my trucks (2016 F250 and 2006 F350) I used the LED bulbs, took the time to aim them properly, and am quite happy with the results.
The 2016 F250 responded better, with a clear 'cut-off' at the top of the low beam pattern, to not blind others, and amazing light coverage on high beams.
The 2006 is noticeably brighter on the low beams, again, aimed properly, but the high beams are not as impressive as is the case with the other truck. I blame this on the 'factory replacement' stock style aftermarket headlight housings, not the bulbs. They have had a funny light pattern ever since I bought them, even with the original halogen bulbs.
I think alot of the hate towards LEDs come from everybody and their brother using them but not taking the time to aim them. They WILL require adjustments, or the consequences will be as described by other in their dislike of them.