So I know this topic has somewhat been beaten to death, but I want to get a definite answer and I have searched many other threads on here without the one I am looking for. I recently installed a set of 6000K HID bulbs with ballasts in my 05 F150. They have the HI/LO option but the LO option in blinding bright. From what I've read, the reason for this, is the headlight reflector in the assembly is not made for HID's correct? Therefor giving a much brighter, indirect light.

From what I've read, my options are to adjust my headlights down to compensate for the brightness and make them not as bright to oncoming traffic?

I can purchase a different headlight housing? I am not sure which housing I would need. A projector housing? Would my current HID's fit into any projector housing?

How about buying a tinted, standard reflector headlight housing? I would think that it would "dull" the light down enough to make it at least tolerable to traffic.

Can I do something else to help with this? I am honestly leaning towards removing the HID's all together and going back to the stock bulb. I love the light that these produce, but its rediculous how they are now.

I would appreciate any feedback I can get. Thanks!!

 

Its called glare. Go back to stock halogens and quit blinding people. Or if you really want hids do a projector retrofit. Do not buy the projector headlights from Ebay they are cheap and they use halogen projectors. As the saying goes retrofit or bust.

 

correct^^ HIDS are just not a good option in non HID housings. aiming them down is a quick "fix" but the right way to do it is buy HID housings (elipsoid projectors) or remove them all together.

 

If you adjust them down, you lose down the road visibility. Meaning you might as well go back to halogens so you don't "drive over the beam"

The aftermarket projectors you see are halogen projectors, and apart from you needing different bulbs, they fit horribly and give crappy output for a projector.

If you buy a reflector housing with tint, the light will do something call "refracting" meaning that the light hits it, and instead of going through it (clear lens), it changes direction (same thing as light through water) meaning light is scattered all over, up, down, and side to side. More glare.

I would either go back to halogens or get a retrofit kit if you want some legit HID output.

 

First of all, I haven't even driven them on the road yet, so don't jump to conclusions and suggest that I "quit blinding people. Secondly, I did not buy them off of eBay. I purchased them from a Truck Performance shop where I buy ton's of other gear for my rigs. So according to you, my only option to install proper HID's are a retrofit kit? Do you have any suggestions on which kit to purchase? This isn't a matter of cost, I want to have a HID kit that will perform and be legal at the same time. Do I need to buy a projector kit that comes with HID's or will mine hook up?

 

Do you recommend any specific retro fit kit? I don't want some "shotty" a$$ lighting bolted on the front of my truck and I definitely don't want a poor fitment aftermarket projector assembly.

 

Well "technically", and modification to your headlights is illegal (per my state regs, anyway).

But as far as getting pulled over or harassed? No, retrofits are the way to go. Safe and courteous as well as superb performance. If cost is no an object, check out the FX-R v3.0 Stage III (or Stage IV) kit from www.theretrofitsource.com. This requires aftermarket housings (clear lens) and baking them to separate the lens from the housing to install. And no, 9007 is a type of halogen bulb, so if it has a xenon bulb on it, its fake. The only "real" HID bulb are D1S/D2S/D3S etc. So when you purchase the kit, it comes with a much better quality ballast setup, relay harness, and the D2S bulbs.

 

Thank you. Looks like there is a ton of info on that site. I kind of figured that the "projector" assemblies that are available on the net for 150-200 a pair weren't exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to do some more research on their site and probably go with one of their setups...is that what you are currently running?

 

there is no question if they will blind someone with glare it's yes HIDS in dual filament reflectors will glare and blind people.. I was not saying the hids you have are cheap Ebay ones i was saying the aftermarket headlights on Ebay are junk..I would suggest exactly what raptor suggested. If money isn't an issue then get rx350 projectors or tl projectors they are the bees knees.. Since this would be your first retro i would suggest mini h1 Projectors like i have. They install really easily and work pretty dang good....