On my 2001 F-150 headlights, can I change the bulbs so they have that bright blue tint ? How long will this "bulbs last" Halogen right ????

 

you can get superwhite or blue bulbs at any auto parts store or online. even here at the online store. the PIAA ones are the best but the most expensive. they range from about 30-70 dollars per set. they will last a long time. you need to get a 9007 bulb size.

-steve

 

I would stay away from the blue bulbs. The blue light has more scattered light and less light on the road. Not all of them are legal. Check this out for more info http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/bulbs/blue/

DF

 

yeah i agree the actual blue bulbs are really dim. a friend has them on his f150 and he can barely see. i would get PIAA superwhite. they are a more white light. a little blue looking but a lot brighter.

-steve

 

Are the superwhites brighter than the stock lights in your opinion. I want more light. That is the main consideration. I want clean white light. What do you guys think?

Jason

 

I had no idea this was such a confusing issue. (at least for me).. On some new vehicles the headlights have a bright blue tint. Thats was what I am after, but if the light on the road is reduced- safety will over rule my decision. Anyone know what these bulbs are that are stock on some new cars ???

And thanks, for all the good replies. Its good to get pros & cons before making a decision.

Silver 2001 off road xlt ext 5.4
Cant wait to get my stainless nerf bars, stainless bug deflector & stainless bed rail tubes.

I am thinking about the chrome tail light inserts as well.

 

WSCHMAHL

you are probably refering to the H.I.D light that have a slight blue look ,and come on some on the high end cars like BMW ,AUDI, BENZ. they are very expensive -like $2000 to put them in your truck . and in some states are recieving alot of negative attention. seems that they are to bright to on coming cars. although i think people are just not used to seeing the different color coming at them. i havent seen them to be an annoyance .
larry

 

WSCHMAHL

check out my website (see signature). I've got a before and after picture of my regular bulbs and the xenon bulbs. I posted pictures on this site too, can't remember, but do a search on it. I've had my ebay specials for the better part of 5 months (not that long) but they have been fine. Hope this helps.

 

you can get HID kits for around 1000 but i think it is a waste of money. you will get more light (than stock)from aftermarket PIAA superwhite or hyperwhite. if you visit thier website you can get an idea of what each one looks like. the ones that have less light are the "cool blue" lights you get from pepboys i wouldnt get those.

-steve

 

wschmahl
You are talking about Xenon High Intensity Discharge (H.I.D.) lights. They are optional on most new german and Japenese luxury and sports cars. The light they cast is actually very white if you are in the car, it just looks blue to oncoming traffic because of all the colors that make up white light (red, orange, yellow, green, blue) blue wavelength light scatters the most in air (that is why our sky is blue). Now the problem with the look-a-like blue bulbs is that they emit mostly "'warm" (red, orange, yellow) frequencies. That is why halogens "look" more yellow when you see them as opposed to HID lights. This causes a problem when you try to make the bulbs look blueish. Manufactures coat the blub in film that is most transparent to blue light frequencies. This gives you the desired look, but it also cuts out most of the other frequencies. That means that there is actually very little light emitted from the blub. I would recommend either waiting for the new HID light kit that is being released for our trucks, so that you get true Xenon light that is actually better than the stock bulbs, or pass on the "blue" lights. Not all bulbs suffer from this shortcoming. That is why I asked the question in my post above. Some manufactures have actually made advancements in bulb technology that put out whiter light. If you're going to upgrade your bulbs pay the higher price and get the better product.

Jason

 

Hey Skicrave
Been down the Cinder Cone lately?

 

try sylvania's "cool blues" they are legal and the lighting is really good. I have a set in my 98.

 

I installed the Xenon blue bulbs from JC Whitney. 80 watt low/ 100 watt high. They are bright white with a slight blue tint. I can see better and they look great.

 

In my opinion the aftermarket bulbs that are whiter and tinted blue are not beneficial unless you have a relector headlamp assembly. I'm not sure exactly what happens, but in cars with a fluted lens the light is dim and poor looking. When you put aftermarkets into a car with a good headlamp assembly they work very well. Comparing my F150 VS. my neighbors 2000 accord.. the F150 has a fluted crappy lens while the accord has a really nice relector rear-firing setup. The stock bulbs in the F150 produce more useable light then the aftermarkets (PIAA, HIPER ect) but in the accord the aftermarket bulbs absolutly kick **** over the stock ones. When I see him coming down the street I can tell his car, just by the headlights. They are not the same color, intensity or brightness as real HID but its brighter and more shiny then any other car around here without true HID installed. When you drive the car the light is very bright on the road and the pattern is extremely uniform - there aren't any hot spots or spots lacking light.

as far as real HID, I have discharge lighting in my bike and on order for the F150. I get them for under 500 bucks with the wiring harness and the whole shebang. It's true that if you go into a speed shop they will want to charge you a grand, but thats for the stupid people who don't know any better. They come into the US from Germany for somewhere around 300 bucks as far as I know. The closer you get to the importer source the less money you pay.. where the more hands it passes through the more your going to get shafted.. like at the speedshop. Go to the dealer it's even worse.

 

Itchy, I would love to get HID lights in my truck. But the only good deals I have found are either generic, don't come with the ballasts, or do not fit our blubs. Where is your source. I heard that Phillips (I think??) was coming out with a set for the F150 that would be around $600. That isn't too bad.

Jason