LED bulbs in factory housings?
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2001 and up (1st Gen) Frontier takes a 9007 bulb, so all you need is a 9007 LED bulb. I have these... https://amazon.com/gp/product/B01H8VILI6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Do they blind the bejesus out of everyone oncoming? I've been wanting to upgrade headlight bulbs but i'm worried they will just blind everyone. it's been mine and many people's experience that halogen headlight housings aren't designed for the wacky light pattern and increased output of aftermarket LED or HID bulbs and it throws the light pattern all over the place, effectively blinding everyone coming towards you. ideally one should have projector lenses instead, but i don't see that anyone makes aftermarket headlights with projectors lenses after 2008 unless you get super expensive custom made ones. seems kind of weird. wonder what happened after 2008.
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They point low just like the halogens. The vast majority of the light is pointed at the road or the bumper & lower, short of engaging the high beams
They work just like the originals, BUT, they are MUCH colder (whiter) and a bit brighter. The white light reflects off upcoming street signs much better than traditional warm light bulbs, which greatly enhances vision
I do occasionally get someone flashing their brights at me, but that happened even with the previous bulbs. I think people are just "freaked out" by the white cool light more than they are actually blinded. They need to get used to it, because I love the lights! :-D
They work just like the originals, BUT, they are MUCH colder (whiter) and a bit brighter. The white light reflects off upcoming street signs much better than traditional warm light bulbs, which greatly enhances vision
I do occasionally get someone flashing their brights at me, but that happened even with the previous bulbs. I think people are just "freaked out" by the white cool light more than they are actually blinded. They need to get used to it, because I love the lights! :-D
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There's a ton of threads on putting LED bulbs in the headlamps, this topic comes up every month or so.
Short version: doesn't work. LED light gets scattered everywhere. Might seem brighter standing in front of your headlamp but there's a difference between "brighter" light and "usable light".
To truly upgrade your headlamps you'll have to go retrofit projector to take advantage of LED/HID brightness the correct way. As is, the stock halogen housings are best with halogen bulbs.
Short version: doesn't work. LED light gets scattered everywhere. Might seem brighter standing in front of your headlamp but there's a difference between "brighter" light and "usable light".
To truly upgrade your headlamps you'll have to go retrofit projector to take advantage of LED/HID brightness the correct way. As is, the stock halogen housings are best with halogen bulbs.
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Completely agree with Raine here... I had to try for myself and bought some very highly rated and costly LED replacement bulbs and while the low beam light seemed great the high beam light was a horrid shadow filled tunnel. I didn't get too many people flashing me but I had lots of trouble from the truckers as I was passing them up, they were honking and/or flashing me after I passed them up... I returned the LED and got some PIAA halogens, improved the fog lights and got a QUALITY DRIVING light bar from Diode Dynamics...
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PIAA halogens are a good (albeit pricey) suggestion, personally I use Philips CrystalVision bulbs in my headlamps.
and I second @teecro 's other suggestion - if you want more light but don't want to do the whole headlamp projector retrofit deal, just upgrade your OEM halogen "fog" lamps to LED driving lights (like I did) or add a light bar up front. ::smile::
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Y'all are crazy my LED's are fantastic. Maybe it's because you all have 2nd gens ?
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Every vehicle I have ever encountered from coming at me or from behind that has put LED bulbs in has had crappy scattered light glare. Just, don't.
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Doesn't matter unless your OEM headlamps have projectors. if you do, they should be fine. If not, do the 25-ft wall test and post a pic ::wink::
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Shakedown.. Did you have to modify the bulb retainer to fit the LED?
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Well I have whatever came with the 1st gen Frontier. They certainly help me see better, and I can see they point no higher than the bumper of a car in front of me at a stoplight.
Can you explain what the 25 foot wall test is? I'd love to find out if I got a problem with these things now rather than later. Any help is appreciated
Nope. The bulbs I linked above are plug & play.
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The “25 foot test” is typically the distance you adjust or set the headlights at.
Square the vehicle to a wall or garage door. On level ground. 25’ back. The “center“ or “hot spot” of the beam pattern should be 2” down 2” to the right of center of the light on a wall. Google how to set headlights.
The big thing people look at with led bulbs is the lack of a cut off. Meaning there isn’t a definitive horizontal line were the light ends. Putting light into unwanted or unusable areas
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I recommend that if you are sticking with halogen, you get the Philips 9007 X-tremeVision. I don't recommend LEDs in the stock reflector housings. All will create unwanted glare that won't matter to you but will completely piss off oncoming drivers. The other option is a HID retrofit, a proper retrofit.
http://a.co/hs74G6V
http://a.co/hs74G6V
I like my 9007 leds strictly for their low beams. I did have to "25 ft it" after constantly being flashed. Hi beams are ridiculously horrible. Gonna return to the Philips after these leds run their course.
Sent from my SM-N910S using Tapatalk
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I haven't gotten around to the 25 foot test yet. But if I stand in front of the truck at various positions, the light doesn't blind me unless I am squatting a bit lower than the lights. And it's obvious they point more to the right so as not to blind oncoming traffic.
My opinion is, not all LED retrofit bulbs are created equally. For now, I am highly satisfied
My opinion is, not all LED retrofit bulbs are created equally. For now, I am highly satisfied
My 2 cents..
I been very very happy with this solution.
https://www.tirerack.com/lighting/d...terra+Off-Road+4wd&autoYear=2005&autoModClar=
For the first time in owning this platform I been satisfied with my headlights.
And no modifications needed of any kind.
I been very very happy with this solution.
https://www.tirerack.com/lighting/d...terra+Off-Road+4wd&autoYear=2005&autoModClar=
For the first time in owning this platform I been satisfied with my headlights.
And no modifications needed of any kind.
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Those are the best Halogen bulbs for these trucks but they are cheaper on Amazon. I had those before doing and Hid retrofit. Great bulbs.
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Thanks for the links on the Phillips bulbs. I'll be getting some of those.
The price difference was only a couple of bucks. I much rather support tirerack than Amazon (which is getting waaay too monopolistic and also donates huge sums to Open Border pressure groups)
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