The story starts with a seemingly innocent picture of Jupiterak's truck, ever since I have been modding and playing and draming about all the possibilities. I really like the PIAA airdam on his truck and wanted to swap mine out for the same one.

I was wondering what the brightest light I could put into the outside openings. also what is the largest I could put into the inside (near the license plate bracket) as show in this pic.



I am adding either superwhites or HIDs to the Lightning fronts (depending on how much scratch I got at the end of summer). Also gonna paint bug deflector. 17 rims are coming from the XTR truck and Procomp 33". Wanted to get the Atlas wheels but didn't want to be completely like Jup, only mostly (j/k didn't want to have to clean my butt off everytime I drove through salt). Other than that I think I will give the truck a much needed mod break after that.

Thanks for the help
James

P.S. I also think Alf's truck looks sweet. With mine looked that clean and smooth. Guess I will have to plunk more $$$ into mods. Rats! LoL


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The Vitals

• 2001.5 SuperCrew XLT 4X4 (Gen III) 5.4L V8
• Silver Clearcoat Metallic With Deep Wedgewood Blue (accent)
• Chrome Tubular Step Bars (Ford)
• Captains Chairs
• Power Moonroof
• 3.55 LS
• Class III Towing Package (radiator, what radiator? I can't even see it)

The Mods

• WMS Velocity Tube
• Harley Davidson Exhaust
• '01 Lightning Head/Tail Lamps
• Boston Acoustic Components & 5X7s
• Duraliner, Splashguards, Bug Defector

Future Plans

[This message has been edited by Jimmar (edited 06-14-2001).]

 

MATTBERT

what did you have to do to take care of the eletrical needs of that many lights. more then one batt?? bigger alt.??

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99' F150 LARIAT S/C WOOD DASH -5.4---3.73'S AIRFORCE 1, AMSOIL, OFFROAD EQUIP GROUP, TOW PACKAGE ,TECH STYLE TONNEAU,

. pic atwww.f150world/las52/

 

After checking out all my options. Here's what I'm thinking. The 80 Pro XT fogs (outside) and the 930 HID (mounted on the inside by the) license plate. What do you think? Do you think I can mount the 930 HID there or will I just cause myself some headaches. 150Watts of driving lighting sounds SWEET . Must... supress... Mudder syndrome... failing... must get rollbar and some KC Daylighters *slap*... ok I'm back .

Oh and can I wire in the fogs to work with my low beams and the HIDs to work with my high beams? This is the setup I would like. If I cannot do it I may just go with driving light version of the 80 Pro XT and forget the fogs. But IF I can have the best of both worlds,,, by all means

Thanks a bunch
Jimmar

Mattbert: That truck of yours is a piece of art. Very nice work, can't wait to see that air dam painted island blue, will be one badd 150.
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See above for sig

 

Jimmar-Thanks for the compliments. The Pro80XT's DO fit and I still have about 1/4" of play so I can aim the lights. But the supplied brackets do not work. I tried using washers as spacers and even turned the brackets upside down. I finally turn it sideways and used a washer or two and finally got it to work. The 80XT's are rated at 120 watts, but I have the 85 watt Piaa Superwhites in now (thanks to Mattbert).

I'm still debating whether to put lights or a billet grille behind the license plate.
Good luck.

PS Keep in touch with Mattbert, he can hook you up with some killer deals on Piaa lights.

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1999 4x4 F250 LightDuty XLT SuperCab 5.4L, 3.73, 4R100 trans.
Flowmaster exhaust, K&N FIPK, Superchip, Rancho RSX shocks, Hellwig rear swaybar, Stull billet grille, PIAA Air Dam with 2-PIAA Pro80XT's (85W Superwhites), 4-KC Daylighters (150W), Leer 100XL Shell, Performance Accessories 3" Body Lift, 33/12.5/17 ProComp Mud Terrains on 17x8 American Racing Atlas Rims. Kenwood 7007 CD, Alpine 3342 Signal Processor, Alpine MRV-F353 5Ch. Amp, Pioneer TS-A6865 3-way speakers, MTX Thunderforms. CompuStar alarm/autostart.

[This message has been edited by Jupiterak (edited 06-14-2001).]

 

85 Watt superwhites? Are they brighter than the 120 watt regulars? Would you reccomend the 80 Pro XTs or the 520s? I think I like the 80 Pro XTs for the better light but I am not sure. Hope the 920 HIDs are not a grand... That could really sting!

Thanks
Jimmar

 

ok, lets see how many questions I can answer here .

As far as electrical needs to... I haven't needed to change anything... yet... I'm planning on going with a 200-amp powdercoated altenator soon from mralternator.com. I have had them all on at the same time before, and the voltage gauge takes a bit of a drop, but everything still keeps on running. I never leave them all on at the same time for very long though, in my Explorer I've replaced my alternator five times, and it is relatively easy compared ot changing the alternator in a 2000 F-150.

I have also looked into the possibility of dual OPtima batteries, one yellow and one red. That might be after I move the winch over to the truck though...

Jimmar, based on the dimensions of the PIAA 930's and the bracket provided, I'd say you COULD fit the 930's in that spot. You may have to drill some holes in the bracket though hjust because of the differences in the PIAA posts... on the 930's its a long bracket, on the 510's (which its designed for) its only one single bolt. I'd definately give you my blessing that they should fit however. You may also want to try to move them forward a bit, also because the difference in dimensions. The PIAA 510's have the bolt recessed back a ways so when mounted, the light comes up close to the front of the airdam. However, with the 930's, the light would sit back a bit further. Nothing a bit of custom bending can't fix (and again thats just guessing, but I think that's what it would look like)

I was going to say if you want bright bright to get the 80 XT driving's and the 510 fogs, but then Ir ecalled that your installing the HID's so won't need the extra bright outers .

The 85 watt superwhites are comparable if not slightly brighter then the standard 120 watt bulbs. Mainly because they run "whiter" so you can see more of hte light (the stock bulbs may LOOK white, but stick these bad boys in and see what white really is! ). I wouldn't say they are astoundingly more bright then the standard bulbs though, you just see more with them.

If I had to choose between the 520's and the 80 XT's I would go with the 80 XT's, they are a bit pricier but their quality is better then the 520's, they are a higher wattage light and basically mroe heavy duty . They are also quite a bit brighter then the 520's (trust me on the F-150 I've got both the 80 XT's (5 of em) and the 520's (six of em), so I KIND OF know what I'm talking about, LOL)

Also, if you think its a piece of art right now, just wait until the custom paint job... no further details given .

 

I'm told you can fit PIAA 80 XT's in the outside hole, but I've never tried it myself. PIAA's site says it works, so if it doesn't you could always bitch at them . If the 80 XT's don't fit, you could always put in the PIAA 520 SMR's, that's what I've got in mine. They are the same size as the regular 520's, but with a clear lens instead of amberish. The 80 XT's are 385,000 candlepower each, I've got em all over my Explorer and 5 of them on my F-150 and i love em. I have 6 of the 520 SMR's on there.
As for the inside hole, the only light they guarantee will work with the provided brackets is the 510's. I've got the 510's in mine with their upgrade "xtreme white" bulbs and those suckers are very bright, considering there a 4" round light. I think you could also fit their 910's which are about the same size as the 510's but a different shape and possibly a bit brighter. You could also (if you wanted to spend some big bucks) probably put in the PIAA 980 light, which is a combination fog light/driving light. Check out their lamp list for more details on each.
http://www.piaa.com/lampsfullist.html

I'm hoping to paint my PIAA Airdam to match when I'm getting some other body work done...

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Matt Adams
Littleton, CO
1994 Ford Explorer, highly modified ( http://mattadams.f150online.net )
2000 F-150 XLT Supercab
5.4L Triton V8 Engine, Automatic Transmission, 3" dual exhaust, Rhino lining, K&N Filtercharger Intake Performance Kit (FIPK), JL Audio stealthbox with Phoenix gold amplifier, premium stereo
Genuine Steel brush guard with 4 PIAA 520's mounted on it, PIAA Airdam with PIAA 520 fog's and PIAA 510 superwhite driving lights in it.
off-road and tow packages
and much much more!
Grizzly Roll bar (double bar/single bar) with 5 PIAA 80 XT's mounted on it (3 driving, 2 fogs)
Storage box in the back
Soon to come:
Pistol mod (convenient, easily accessible yet somewhat hidden access).
Custom paint job?

 

by the way, here's a better pic with my PIAA Airdam and all my lights.


I know there not the bes quality but hopefully they can give you a good idea of what they are.
The lights in the big opening of the airdam are PIAA 520 SMR fog lights. The lights in teh smaller opening are PIAA 510 Superwhite Driving lights. The lights on the brush guard are the PIAA 520 SMR driving lights with upgraded "Xtreme White" bulbs.
The lights on the roof are PIAA 80 XT's. THe two on the outside are fog lights, the three on the inside are driving lights with upgraded superwhite bulbs. Hopefully that will help in your decision

 

I think I am going to go with the PIAA dam and 80 Pro XT Drivings in the outside. Also I will add the 510 fogs. So pretty much just like your set up but with XTs and backwards. What do you think?

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The Vitals

• 2001.5 SuperCrew XLT 4X4 (Gen III) 5.4L V8
• Silver Clearcoat Metallic With Deep Wedgewood Blue (accent)
• Chrome Tubular Step Bars (Ford)
• Captains Chairs
• Power Moonroof
• 3.55 LS
• Class III Towing Package (radiator, what radiator? I can't even see it)

The Mods

• WMS Velocity Tube
• Harley Davidson Exhaust
• '01 Lightning Head/Tail Lamps
• Boston Acoustic Components & 5X7s
• Duraliner, Splashguards, Bug Defector

Future Plans

 

Jimmar, sounds cool... are you thinking of painting it to match like jupiterak did? I wish I'd thought of that before installing it, now I'll have to uninstall it, paint it then reinstall it again .

 

Go for it! I am very suprised how well it holds up against rock chips. Had mine on a few months now and no chips. Post pics when you have it installed.

 

Goin for it!!!

Painting it to match along with my bug deflector (damn rattling thing, when I close my door,tap tap tap, on the little plastic things) hopefull when the body shop puts it back on it won't rattle as bad. Either that or the duct tape will be coming out, (at least it will match the truck).

Going for the same style setup as you Mattbert but painting it up like Jupiterak's. Man I love his truck. That 250 with a lift and the 17" polished rims (I have always liked shiny things ) look great. That is my goal, to have something look as sharp as that. My next truxk will be a late model 150 and I am gonna light things up like Mattbert, wicked looking offroader you got there. Also some styling may come from Mudder's truck and the Zaino. I could kiss those scientists, makes Mudder's truck look like a mirror.

Anyways just wanted to give you guys the mass credit you deserve for owning some of the nicest looking 150s I have ever seen.

Jup: Keep me up to date on the next bout of mods. I think I will add a hard toneau and some 33x12.5x17 on the XTR rims (seen them?). Also having a custom box made for 2 solobaric L7 10" subs. Right behind the console. Neon blue in a plex box. Soundstream Rubicon 555 to push my whole set up. Gonna have the L7 set up facing each other push pull style for the tightest bass possible. I don't want SPL just some nice SQ is the goal and it should be accomplished here.

going out to alberta for a job this summer and then back to school (again) but this time it is university and I am gonna have a blast. Gonna spend all my money on mods so I won't get into any trouble with booze lol.

Thanks very much for the help guys couldn't have made this decision without you. Catch you later.

Oh Yeah Keep Up the Good Work!

Jimmar

 

How difficult is it to install the PIAA Air Dam and the light(s)? I saw it on their website and I thought it looked cool, but it looks really bad a** on Mattbert's truck! What are your thoughts on the install? Also, where did you get yours? Best price I have seen is around $170 plus lights (which is where the real money comes in...). Thanks for your help.

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2000 F-150 XLT SuperCab. 4.6L Auto, K&N Air Filter, 255/70/16 Goodyear OWL, 3.55 Rear, Bedrug Bed Liner(Great Product), Berlin Hinged Soft Tonneau.

Future Mods:
Borla SS Cat Back System, Filter Kit/Airbox Mod, Superchip (?), PIAA Air Dam with Lights, Billet Grille

 

Check out www.f150world.com/airdam.asp for a howto on the installation. The only tough part was some of the bolts which were behind braces and a little tough to get to, but thats not PIAA's fault . By the way, that is my how-to... so if you have any questions please let me know!


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Matt Adams
Littleton, CO
1994 Ford Explorer, highly modified ( http://mattadams.f150online.net )
2000 F-150 XLT Supercab
5.4L Triton V8 Engine, Automatic Transmission, 3" dual exhaust, Rhino lining, K&N Filtercharger Intake Performance Kit (FIPK), JL Audio stealthbox with Phoenix gold amplifier, premium stereo
Genuine Steel brush guard with 4 PIAA 520's mounted on it, PIAA Airdam with PIAA 520 fog's and PIAA 510 superwhite driving lights in it.
off-road and tow packages
and much much more!
Grizzly Roll bar (double bar/single bar) with 5 PIAA 80 XT's mounted on it (3 driving, 2 fogs)
Storage box in the back
Soon to come:
Pistol mod (convenient, easily accessible yet somewhat hidden access).
Custom paint job?

 

Matt - Thanks for the great how-to. Looks like a fairly straight forward install. I do have a few questions.

1 - Where did you pick yours up? I have seen them on a couple of websites, but I wanted to see if it was a good deal. I think $170 is the best price I have seen.

2 - You mention the existing foglight holes as the mounting location for the new outboard light bracket. My truck did not come with stock lights - would it still have those holes or do I need to drill some? If so, does PIAA include some type of template, or measurements with their kit?

3 - Once again, not having factory lights, I have no wiring in place already. Looking at the PIAA kits, is it difficult to wire these units? I am fairly good with a wrench, but far from a professional. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the help. The install turned out great - it really dresses up the front of the truck and gives a great aggressive look to it.

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2000 F-150 XLT SuperCab. 4.6L Auto, K&N Air Filter, 255/70/16 Goodyear OWL, 3.55 Rear, Bedrug Bed Liner(Great Product), Berlin Hinged Soft Tonneau.

Future Mods:
Borla SS Cat Back System, Filter Kit/Airbox Mod, Superchip (?), PIAA Air Dam with Lights, Billet Grille