Can you tell us if the lenses look and feel like they're a crisp cut glass like the hi end Halogens are, like Cibie for instance? On the highway next to say a Beemer, Benz, Porsche, or even Lexus do they seem as bright and full??
I'll have a hard sell in front of the budget commitee when she hears 500 bucks for HEADLIGHTS. The 1st question will be "Are you planning on staying out at night more"???

Wonderin'
WT.

 

Dufunnel,

Nice truck/pics. Although you are correct, its a bit hard to tell. What do you think about the overall brightness of the HID system? Where did you purchase yours? How much did you spend if you dont mind me asking?

Did you do the install yourself? And, did you have to get them professionally aimed?

Sorry for all the questions. But I am pretty serious about purchasing. I might wait for the spring though when its warmer....

LOL

Jim

 

WT,

My sentiments exactly. Although I think I have the budget committee in the final stages of approval. After all, having BRIGHTER lights is SAFER! And in my neck of the woods with all the deer around, it looks like it will be a sure sell!

Good luck and some good questions by the way!

Jim

 

Jag,

I've got no shortage of deer here either. With the population density around here they're only really unpredictable when hunting season first starts. Well maybe early on the new ones that are just plain stupid get naturally selected to not pass their genes along but after that initial culling it's usually the stupid drivers responsible for the collisions. Too many idiots have moved out here. The deer that grow up around here are really used to cars and people doin their thing in close proximity. The minute you stop doin your thing and take notice of them, they take notice of you taking notice of them, and they react. In a vehicle that means changing your trajectory by braking or swerving - natural response without a doubt, but in my experience you're asking for trouble.
Now of course that theory has no bearing on a group of deer that have been spooked by something else and have decided to cross your path- or just run into you.......
My $.02.
WT

I'm definetly gonna wait awhile too - hell, I've been waiting 2 years already. i did use the 2 "warm" days here to change oil,flush cooling system,detail engine compartment, and wash out the salt mine from under my truck...Geeeez they REALLY overdo it around here with the salt. My tax dollars at work making work for me.

 

WT,

I hear you on the deer/population etc. I am originally from NJ so I know what you mean. Its pretty bad here in PA (where I am) cos they are building like crazy.

Anyhoo, I really would like to see/get these lights. I think they will be great!

My next thing is getting my truck into the dealer for the whining noise I have at 50 MPH. I hope its nothing serious but based on some of the searches Ive seen here, I may be in for a new rear end.

Jim

 

Jag,
I think 1/2 the state has moved to PA. I might not be too far behind. My brother and sister have been there for years.
As for the lights I'd have to see em for myself. I'll let you go first..... and look at yours when you get em. LOL.
Theres' a guy (or outfit) on the internet by the name of Daniel Stern Lightiing
I've talked with him via email on and off for a couple of years since b4 i bought my truck - he's the best resource I've found for automotive lighting.
I wrote him yesterday Here's the gist of my letter and his reponses:

On Sat, 8 Feb 2003, Glenn * * wrote:

> Hi, we'd conversed a few years ago and I'm checking back. Does anyone
> (preferrably Cibie) make replacement headlamps for the F-150 pick up??

No. The best headlamps you can get for this truck are Ford's
upgrade/premium headlamps. They're factory equipment on the "Lightning"
and "Harley Davidson" versions of the F150. They use a clear lens with
reflector optics and a *bulb shield* (absent from the standard lamps,
which are awful junk). If you install these headlamps together with a
relay package and Sylvania Xtravision 9007 bulbs (the best you can get),
your lighting on your F150 will be as good as it can possibly get.

> some are now releasing HID systems

Not very good ones.

> but I've always liked a solid crisp cut glass lens (stamped "off road
> use only") in the past with 100/80(or higher) H1 and/or H4 halogen
> bulbs.

No such lamp made for the F150, all flavors are plastic, and overwattage
bulbs and trucks don't go well together (high mounting height). I agree
with you that a good H4 lamp is preferable, but Ford and the US DOT
don't agree. :-{(}

I can furnish a relay installation package that works on that truck, if
you're interested.


I said if they're only 55/60 (stock wattage) why do i need the relay?
He said

Even though the bulbs are only 55/60 the relay is still necessary cuz Fords wiring is hi loss even with stock lamps. Crappola basically.

I'm gonna have to price it out his way and see what the difference is to the HID system.

The whine may not be anything. I had a pinion seal go on mine in 1500 miles pretty comon I've heard.

how many miles on your truck?? Limited Slip Rear??

 

WT,

Interesting post. I wonder if any of the guys with the Sylvania Xenarc's could elaborate on some of the things mentioned in your e-mails below?

I do NOT want to spend 500 bucks for a half a$$ system if you know what I mean.

If you want to move to PA let me know. We can compare how much are stock headlights suck. LOL Ive thought about going the Lightning rout, although a true HID system sounds really good to me. My wife has them on her BMW and they are AWESOME!

As far as the whine goes, I do have a LS rear, 3.73 4R70W tranny. The truck is a 2003 FX4 with the 5.4L Triton and about 5100 miles on it.

I figure I will take it in around 6-7K for service and mention it then. I just had it in recently, (vibrating gas pedal and rattle in the drivers door). Although the day I took it in it was snowing out and the service advisor did not want to have his techs drive it that day. (Can't blame him there). I will keep ya posted on the results when I take it back in.

Hopefully it will be a bit warmer by then and no SNOW!

Take care,

Jim

 

I have gone through three sets of lights. After my stock lights, I tried the Lightning headlights. Those were worse than the stock lights, even with the Silverstars. Then I went to the Xenarcs, and the difference was like night and day. However, the Xenarc headlights are not quite as bright white as the beemers or high end ones out there. The Xenarc auxiliary driving lights are as white, as is depicted on Sylvania's website on intensity and color. I wouldn't go back to regular lights now though. I bought my headlights back when they were much more expensive than they are now. I just bought the fog lights though, so I paid $379 for them. I ended up getting both of my sets at autobarn.com, since they were cheaper than Sylvania. As for any other differences, you can about see the difference on Sylvania's website (they have a picture sequence that shows before/after). That is about as good as I can recommend besides seeing them in person.

 

dufunnel,

Thanks, that's great info. I gotta say my hopes sank when Daniel Stern told me that the replacement bulbs in the L's headlamps were only stock wattage.
My 1st sportscar had a dual headlight system that i wasn't happy with until i went with the "illegal" glass lenses and DOUBLED the stock wattage with halogens. So doubling the standard wattage is kinda my starting point for acceptable night vision. Now HID's change alot of things in that equasion - color temperature being a big one, as our eyes are much more sensitive to the bluer end of the spectrum as light levels decrease.

WT.