LED/HID headlight upgrade

I’m considering an upgrade to my EB headlights. I currently run a painless chassis harness, 130-amp alternator, and H4 halogen headlights. This does the job ok, but on country roads without any street lighting, it’s difficult to see at best. My daily driver runs factory XENON HIDs and my wife’s runs factory LED’s. Both are hands down better then the conventional halogen setup and would be ideal on the EB.

So below is what I’m researching and would love some community input:




Light: HIDprojector Headlights
Details: Huge assortment of customizable options (colors, shrouds, accent lighting halo/angle-eye/devil-eye). I would go with all chrome housing and either a white LED angle eye or halo.
Pro's: HID projection power (IMHO better spread than LED’s), optional halo/angel-eye lighting. CB vendor and EB owner.
Con's: Not as efficient as LED’s and almost as expensive as top of the line LED’s.
Cost: $600 bucks estimated




Light: J.W. Speaker Evolution 2
Details: High performance LED headlamp.
Pro's: Highest raw Lumen output of the LED lamps. Probably the highest performance DOT lamp available.
Con's: Expensive cost, questionable look for a classic vehicle.
Cost: $700 bucks estimated




Light: Truck-lite Headlights
Details: LED low/high 7” lamp.
Pro's: Cheaper of the LED headlamps. Retain a conventional halogen look (sort of, compared to the JW speaker which appear alien). Likely a good bang for buck.
Con's: Middle of the road performance against the other lamps in this comparison.
Cost: $400 bucks estimated




Light: Ether 7” LED Headlights
Details: LED low/high 7” lamp with LED Halo “driving light”
Pro's: Likely the cheapest Chinese LED headlamps, popular on Ebay.
Con's: Similar (knock-off) appears to the JW Speaker lamps. Lowest power (lumen) output, questionable performance against the other lamps in this comparison.
Cost: $380 bucks estimated




Light: Quadratec 7” LED Headlights
Details: LED low/high 7” lamp (generic/black-label)
Pro's: Cheap pricing, decent all around specs, many satisfied customers.
Con's: Generic brand, parts, support; average performance.
Cost: $375 bucks estimated



Here's the EB in question:

I went with Truck-Lite's on my 74. They stick out about 3/8" further than the stock, but still look okay.



Top half lights on low beam, both top and bottom on high beams.

What wattage bulbs do you have in the H4s. An up grade in the bulb can make a big difference

spap said:

What wattage bulbs do you have in the H4s. An up grade in the bulb can make a big difference

Click to expand...

Good question. I got them from Tom's so whatever bulb comes with them. I jumped on their website to pull the spec (it's a 12v 60/55w bulb), and while I was there saw these new additions:

LED Headlights w/Chrome Finish - TBP Brand, 66-77 Ford Bronco, PAIR

You could buy 100/55 watt bulbs for the h4 s and it would help a lot
Cost would be under 50 bucks. Those last light s from toms look pretty sweet though

Truck-lites are very nice and easy to install with No extra wiring and No adaptors either. They are much brighter than any H4 I have had and are DOT approved.

I think about $320 a pair on eBay?

I highly recommend these and I would not install anything else in the future.

Do you have a part number for the Truck-Lites you are using?

Thanks!

I ran the JW speaker Evo 2, and they actually look better on the vehicle than in the photo.
Here is a link to a video that shows it on the Bronco:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r3waWQwqfI

Truck lites have been great

I've had good luck with the HID Projectors setup that you mentioned. I cannot imagine running an H4 again on my Bronco. Heus33 installed a set of city lights in mine (as opposed to LED rings and Angel eyes) to give it a more classic look.

Not a bad install either. Here is a picture (albeit not the best), but all that I have at the moment.

Part number for the Truck-Lites is 27270C. 7" direct fit just as original. Easy Plug and Play.

x2 on truck-lites. I installed them over a month ago and love them. they look and function great and much cheaper than the JW speakers

Sporto said:

I've had good luck with the HID Projectors setup that you mentioned. I cannot imagine running an H4 again on my Bronco. Heus33 installed a set of city lights in mine (as opposed to LED rings and Angel eyes) to give it a more classic look.

Not a bad install either. Here is a picture (albeit not the best), but all that I have at the moment.

Click to expand...

Is that last pic at Twin Grove for bronco roundup 2014? ;D

What are the "city lights" for the HID projectors?

xcntrk said:

Is that last pic at Twin Grove for bronco roundup 2014? ;D

What are the "city lights" for the HID projectors?

Click to expand...

Actually I was at the Bronco Roundup but without my Bronco, so you were close. The picture was from a month later at the Wrench and Roast event that MEB does every year.

City lights are small bulbs that are inserted into the reflector of the housing and they come on with the parking lights at dusk. Cars from the 30's through 60's had them as options. You can see them on in the first picture, they're usually low wattage and supposed to just accent the light, not really project anything. The projectors themselves are kick-butt...

Rich

Peterson's $350

http://www.4ws.com/great-white-led-7-round-headlight-kit.html

I replaced my sealed beams with H4 halogen lenses and added HID kits from DDM. Very cost effective and work great.

I'd sure like some better lights on mine also. But I just drive in the country or on my farm. & I sure don't want to spend $350.00 for light bulbs. I have 5 KC UP TOP On a Light Bar.& don't feel like I get the light I want to drive with. BUT I'd like my head lights to spread out into the Bar Ditches & I don't like this new modern Line when you go down a dip. & can't see over the line. I want light every where. & 300 down the road in front of me.

I put the trucklite on my harley and it was a world of difference. With that being said I plan to upgrade the 74 to them also.

When I upgraded mine several years ago, all the LED options weren't available, but if I were to upgrade again, I would probably go with the HIDprojectors. I've seen them in action amd you can also get the color 'cool factor' for extra $ if you want.
Great pro/con write-up by the way!

Anzo LEDs

For anyone looking at LED's, I got a decent set of Anzo's off Amazon for a fair price compared to some of the other options out there.. I liked the style of the Trucklites and Petersons, but these dont stick out like the Trucklites and Arnold Schwarzenegger's bug eyes in Total Recall. Anyone waiting to buy a set of these because of price should be good to go; they'll go down $100 next week now that I bought a set.