I'm planning on buying a f150 in the next couple of months. I'm only interested in the fx4 models. It's my understanding that the 2013s come with HID stock. I have done retrofits in past with vehicles that came stock with halogen bulbs and sometimes with the projectors already installed. Typically I would run 55w ballasts due to my driving on pitch Black Country roads.

I was just wondering if there would be a way to upgrade the existing HID system in an f150 to something more powerful? Something similar to the power of a aftermarket 55w kit. Is such a thing even possible?


Thanks

 

Kinda. If you get a 2013 with factory HID projectors you can upgrade to a better projector _----->http://www.theretrofitsource.com/com...l#.VIZfPNgtCP8

Then you can upgrade to these HIDS
-----> http://www.theretrofitsource.com/com...l#.VIZfb9gtCP8
------> http://www.theretrofitsource.com/com...l#.VIZfjdgtCP8

OOORRR keep the stock projector in there and upgrade to these bulbs
--->http://www.theretrofitsource.com/com...l#.VIZf9NgtCP8
--->http://www.theretrofitsource.com/com...l#.VIZgGNgtCP8

I DO NOT suggest 55w especially being you travel very dark country roads. it will be very straining on your eyes and tiring to your eyes if you travel them for long periods of time. Plus you gain too much foreground and will hinder distance vision.

Hope that helps. post a picture of the truck when you get it.

 

Don't get 55W, they're a waste of money. I went from a Morimoto 50W D2S projector to Philips 85122VXs in 35W and the output is as much, if not brighter than the 50Ws. OEM components are the way to go.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Where you running that morimoto kit in a f150 that already came with hids installed and everything?

I want to somehow get the output of a 55w without spending a large chunk of change. That's why I was wondering if there was a way to upgrade the ballast of the stock system. I would think there would be a way, correct?

 

You can modify OEM ballasts to be adjustable wattage. But that take some tinkering. And you'll cut the life of your bulb in half.
Honestly I'd just upgrade the projector and then the bulb

 

Twista, 35W is more than enough. When I had 50W, I had to park next to a 35W setup and stare for two minutes to tell the difference. Its like +/- 200lm max. You won't notice it. Like I said, my 35W OEM setup is brighter than my 50W Morimotos.

 

Yes and no. You have to get an FX2/4 with the luxury package 402A to get the factory HID's. The base model and the 401A package comes with halogens.

 

I was planning on getting the 2013 fx4 with the appearance package which should come stock with the HIDs if I'm not mistaken.

Just how difficult would it be to change the wattage of the stock ballast? Are we talking about messing with the vehicles computer?


Thanks

 

There are a few appearance packages here without HIDs..

Too change wattage you are talking about using about your own ballasts and rewiring them.
Honestly tho you won't need 55w it's over kill. Unless you do 90% city driving..

 

You can get the appearance package with the 401A which does NOT have the HID's. As I posted before you need to find an FX4 with the 402A to get them factory.

 

I love my 55watt HIDs in my HD. Never had an issue until it went out a few weeks ago (had it for ~2.5 to 3 years since installation). It has a 'lifetime' warranty from the retro-solution so we'll see if they back it up. Had a problem once in the beginning with the ballast and they replaced it with a new one without any problems. Hopefully they'll do the same here.

 

1. They are PnP junk. Retrosolutions has a a purdy site and good marketing that attempts to obfuscate the stark reality - it's still cheap chinglish hardware. Fools a lot of folks - yer one of them

2. Excessive foreground lighting, horrible beam pattern, poor width, lack of uniformity and glare are all conspiring against you and abundantly advertising that there is an uncaring derp behind the wheel.

3. They are "55w" in name & label only - reality is they are much lower.

4. After 2.5 to 3 years, yer cheap no-name Chinese bulbs have degraded to approx half the lumens they emitted when new, and massively color-shifted.

5. You've made a singularly uninformed, poorly-researched purchase. Instead of celebrating, you should just go hide under a rock

 

Well... You aren't much of a morning person

But I do agree 100% of what he is saying.
Those 50w are running more like 40w. Don't believe me check your amps you are pulling.
Hid life span is 2 years then they degrade really fast. So you start off with about 2500 lumens ( and that's shooting high) and now you are at 1200 lumens. Less than your OEM high beam.
Please just take a second and read about HIDs and halogen on how they are different and exactly why we say we what do...
Good morning and good day

 

LMFAO !!!!

1. Lack of coffee
2. Misplaced me rose-colored glasses.
3. Ran outta Sunshine Smoke ta blow up feller's aysses.

Er... y'all notice Ol' Bubber did extend sum hep to 'im in ol' Ryan's build thread ....


MGD

 

Ya I saw that.. Still pretty blunt .. But helpful ha. Drink your coffee already! And i don't wanna hear you're out of creamer. Real men drink coffee black and thick.