Looking for LED headlight upgrade options

[TurnThePage]

My old 2015 Ram 1500 runs great, and I'm not interested in mortgaging the house for a new truck. So a few select upgrades might be worthwhile. I'm not interested in sticking an LED bulb in my halogen projector housing. I think I would rather replace the entire assembly. At the moment, the only units I see with good reviews are Morimoto XB, and Alpharex Nova. Since I don't follow this stuff very closely, I'm hoping for some enlightenment as it were.

[TurnThePage]

A lot of good info here. Since I have a 2015 Ram which seems to be pickier than pretty much any other vehicle I'm aware of, I think I'm going with the Morimoto XB housing. Expensive, but it has a 5 year warranty, apparently including against fading/blurring. And it has everything needed specifically for my vehicle.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Buyer beware.

I was lead mechanic on a 65 vehicle fleet recently. The former mechanic replaced all of the truck (only about 7 or 8 trucks) headlights with LED's. The other mechanic I worked with said he had nothing but problems with them.

Then I came onboard, guess what? Yep, I had nothing but problems with them. I replaced about 2 or 3 bulbs in a short period of time.

What make? I have no idea? Probably some China make off of Amazon?

My point? There is a LOT of junk on the market. If you do decide to go this route I suggest you get a good name brand like Cree or the likes or you will more than likely have nothing but problems like I did. BTW, the Chevy trucks I worked on were a real beotch to replace those bulbs.

[EnzoColorado]

After trying different bulbs, I end up replacing the entire headlight with AlphaRex LED headlights. Expensive, I think I paid $1k for them. But so worth it to my aging eyes.

[deltabravo]

Some LED replacement lamps have the ability to rotate the orientation of the LEDs in relation to the locking tabs that hold it in the housing.

From what I have seen, you want the LEDs oriented left and right.

I have OEM projector style housings in my 2017 Colorado. I installed LEDs in it. The beam pattern and cutoff looks identical to the halogen lamps I removed.

[dodge_guy]

Grit dog wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
Are you willing to share the brand you're using?

I got them off Amazon. These are for my 16 Ram. I have the dpsame brand but different number for my MH with projectors and my wife’s Explorer with projectors. All of which have excellent visibility and have never failed.

Ram LED bulbs

How long have those bulbs lasted? It’s great to hear what works and what doesn’t.
Also interesting on the type/orientation of the LEDs in projectors.

To the OP I understand not liking the OE projectors. Yes they’re a bit better than normal old reflector lenses but not enough to matter IMO.
I’m no headlight expert but IMO, basically any plain old reflector light with a decent LED in it is quite bright.

I have had them for 4 years in my Explorer, 3 years in the MH and about 2 years in the Ram. No complaints.

[pianotuna]

I added some led clear lense driving lights. I put them on the low beam circuit. I can turn them off as needed.

The end result is that the light is much better on low beam than on the high beams.

I would have preferred fog lights--but could not find any.

[Grit_dog]

Although OP in N Idaho likely needs as much light as possible in the (mostly ) mountainous and rural area with large animals present.
Unfortunately I haven’t seen or figured out a way to keep low and high beams on, at the same time. But can say, if one can accomplish low + high + oe driving lights, it makes even milquetoast lights pretty good in the pitch dark.

Whoever wants to reply as to how that’s not legal etc, save your breath. I don’t care and you obviously don’t bomb through the mountains at night

[Grit_dog]

dodge guy wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
Are you willing to share the brand you're using?

I got them off Amazon. These are for my 16 Ram. I have the dpsame brand but different number for my MH with projectors and my wife’s Explorer with projectors. All of which have excellent visibility and have never failed.

Ram LED bulbs

How long have those bulbs lasted? It’s great to hear what works and what doesn’t.
Also interesting on the type/orientation of the LEDs in projectors.

To the OP I understand not liking the OE projectors. Yes they’re a bit better than normal old reflector lenses but not enough to matter IMO.
I’m no headlight expert but IMO, basically any plain old reflector light with a decent LED in it is quite bright.

[dodge_guy]

TurnThePage wrote:
Are you willing to share the brand you're using?

I got them off Amazon. These are for my 16 Ram. I have the dpsame brand but different number for my MH with projectors and my wife’s Explorer with projectors. All of which have excellent visibility and have never failed.

Ram LED bulbs

[spoon059]

TurnThePage wrote:
I have projector housings unfortunately. They don't enjoy the same characteristics. LEDs don't seem to work well in them. HID might be an option, but I would like something totally reliable.

Ah, bummer. Have you considered HID bulbs? They are the same exact size as halogen, so the beam pattern should be the same.

[TurnThePage]

Are you willing to share the brand you're using?

[dodge_guy]

TurnThePage wrote:
I have projectors. I've perused all the Ram websites thoroughly and virtually nobody has had great success using LEDs in projectors. The light scatters. Getting an LED to recreate the halogen filament location is apparently much trickier in a projector.

I have a 16 with the projector and LEDs and the light does not scatter. The reflector housings will scatter the light. The LED has to be mounted so the the LED chip is on the sides at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions. The bulbs are adjustable so this can be accomplished. It also need the right LED bulb. It has to be the kind with just the 2 chips on either side. If it’s the ones that have about 10 LEDs all over it then the light will be everywhere!

[Grit_dog]

I know you said you’re looking for new housings too, but fwiw, consider just bulbs….maybe you want a new “look” though or something, idk.
I’ve been real impressed with Auxbeam bulbs. There’s a plethora of cheap chit Amazonian ones out there.
These are onthe upper end of the cheapo ones and IMO they’re well worth what they cost.
Got the ole brodozer with them and thought maybe they were expensive ones. When one burned out a couple years later figured out that’s what they were. The (same) replacement has been in for a good year or so now. And idk how old the original one is. I’d say 4 years at least.
Way brighter and not blinding enough to get flashed by oncoming traffic if adjusted right.
Have made a huge difference in other old junkers we run. And hard to beat for only $40-50 a pair.
The difference is literally day and night. Makes the stock bulbs output look like an old yellowed photograph!

[TurnThePage]

I have projectors. I've perused all the Ram websites thoroughly and virtually nobody has had great success using LEDs in projectors. The light scatters. Getting an LED to recreate the halogen filament location is apparently much trickier in a projector.