I am wondering if I can retrofit a similar model bulb, a company is willing to sponsor me and only sells the common bulb types (9007 and under, etc). It's a complete HID kit, ballasts and all. I am wondering if there is a way I can get this to work. If it's easy to get any of these bulbs to work then which has the best output? I am pretty handy but I'm hoping this won't be a huge task and just an easy drill out and fit unless there is a place I can purchase an h13 adapter?

 

Are you using the stock lamp assemblies?

 

Yes sir. I edited my above post right before you posted.

 

I can't see it being a problem if your going to switch to a whole new connector for a new bulb like a 9007. I'm not aware of any adapters for the h13. Sounds like your going to have everything you need for the retrofit.

I retrofitted my 65' Mustang to use a 9007 bulb but it came as a kit so it was pretty much plug and play with a few minor wiring details.

You could always contact Sylvania and get some tech support.

 

I just want to make sure they'll plug and stay inside the stock housing. Here is the listing.

 

Judging by the looks of the connector I don't think you will have any problems at all. Should be just plug and play, the only difference on most of those is the inside but since the bulb is already pre existing in there you should be good to go.

 

Gentlemen,

If I could offer up a big caution. Just because a bulb "fits" in the housing and can be wired to light up doesn't mean it's going to "work." A headlight is a system generally consisting of an illumination source (bulb), a reflector and a lens. Changing any one of those without looking at the effects on the others can lead to all sorts of problems. For instance, a 9004 bulb will "fit" in place of a 9007. It actually lights up and locks into place just like the correct bulb. The light pattern is totally screwed up though because the filament is placed and oriented differently. It also looks really bizzare to oncoming drivers.

The ultimate goal of a headlight system is to put the maximum amount of light in the right places without blinding oncoming drivers. If you don't look at this as a system problem, you'll end up with a mess that just causes everybody to flash their brights at you.

 

Hmm. He says he's going to have someone build me a set for my 9008, wonder how well it will turn out. I'm putting money into it as well so he's not completely sponsoring me but it's a lot cheaper than the 239 he sells them for. Great guy.

 

The best idea for improving the stock lighting on the '04 and up F-150's that I've seen was a post on replacing the stock 9145 bulbs in the fog light slots with a 9005 HID setup. (The 9005 / 9145 swap is pretty well documented.) You might want to do a search on that one. It sounds a whole lot less risky to me. Remember, if your 9008 / H13 modification doesn't work, you've got nothing. The one I mentioned even had pictures that looked like it really worked.

 

I saw that thread a while back I believe. Do you still have the link. The problem with that is how low the projection will be, the majority of the light output will be where I can't see as I sit pretty high on this 6" lift. If you can find that thread again I'd appreciate it, I'll give it a try.

 

I think you'll find that thread in the '04-'06 forum under "HID's installed - but not in the headlights." You mentioned that with your lift kit, your fogs will be fairly high off the ground. That's true, but it also means that your headlights will be even further off the ground. Just adding HID bulbs to your existing headlamp housings is pretty risky - even on an un-lifted truck. I think you're really asking for trouble (from other drivers) here. HIDPLANET seems to really know his stuff here. You might want to check with him. Remember, brighter light is not always the same as better light.

 

Josiah, did you ever do the HID upgrade to your truck? I am considering doing one to mine but would like to know how yours went.

 

Instead I installed a spotlight.