Heus33
Bronco Guru
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2005
- Messages
- 7,481
Hi everyone! I've seen a number of posts lately asking questions related to upgrading your headlights. There's a lot of really bad information out there that is misleading and in some cases, just plain wrong. In an effort to help you make an informed decision, I've put together this recommendation guide. If you have other questions please post them up and I'll do my best to answer fairly and honestly.
Background:
As some of you may know I own www.HIDprojectors.com and we sell lighting upgrades, mainly focused on the 7" market. I've been into lighting for more than 10 years and have designed and developed a number of products for our beloved Broncos. I'm by no means a 'know it all' and welcome constructive criticism. This is my humble (albeit biased) approach to education, so here goes!
Baseline information:
Regardless of which ‘camp’ you end up in, the best advice I can give is to follow these notes:
1) Get output shots – if the company can’t show you pics, that’s a red flag.
2) Don’t get fooled by marketing number – Lumens don’t mean much if the light isn’t focused (get output shots). And be wary of false advertising. There’s no such thing as a 9000 lumen headlight.
3) Buy from a trusted seller – if you buy online make sure you can reach the company – are they for real? Do they have a number you can call? Tech Support? Do they specialize in lighting or are they a ‘one size fits all’ shop just looking to move product.
4) Don’t buy counterfeit products. Don’t support stolen ideas, that damages the hard working companies that have fought to bring their original ideas to market.
Category 1: I just want better lighting but want to remain stock looking.
Pros:
• Simple replacement
• Potentially brighter lighting than original equipment
• Cost – likely the least expensive option
• Retains stock appearance
Cons:
• Marginally brighter lighting
Recommendation:
Go for a good replacement H6024 housing. Some are plug and play, others may require a separate relay harness. Cibie H4 headlights are some of the better lights in this category.
Make sure you understand the limitations of your stock electrical system. It is not recommended to run a higher wattage bulb without the proper relay setup as this could be a potential fire hazard.
Category 2: LED Headlights
Pros:
• Modern look
• Plug and play connection
• Less draw than stock
• Increased light output vs original equipment
Cons:
• Costs more than sealed beam replacements
• LED headlights wont melt ice/snow
Recommendation:
There are two types of LED headlights – Reflector-based and Projector-based. A projector-based LED light will outperform a reflector-based setup and should be your focus if you’re interested in an LED headlight.
Stay away from no-name brands. Counterfeit products run rampant in this area. There are two products I strongly recommend in this area, that outperform and outlast the rest.
Projector-based LED headlights:
1) JW Speaker 8700
a. 14x brighter than a pair of stock Jeep lights (used for our testing purposes)
b. We sell stock 8700 as well as customized versions. They’re not cheap but they are a great performing light.
c. Available here: https://www.hidprojectors.com/collections/customized-jw-speaker-led-headlights-sold-in-pairs
2) Pro7 Bi-LED headlights
a. 5x brighter than a pair of stock Jeep lights
b. Reasonably priced
c. Available here: https://www.hidprojectors.com/products/pro7-led-headlights
Reflector-based LED headlights:
Typically inferior to projector-based LED headlights, however there is a good argument for these if you prefer the aesthetics of a reflector-based light to that of a projector-based light. Reflector-based LED lights still outperform most halogen based lights and offer a good performance upgrade.
1) Rigid / Trucklite LED - model 55002 is the one reflector-based light that we've tested and can recommend. This will be the lowest performing light compared to the other LED and HID products here however still offers a nice upgrade over stock. These can be found at most respectable retailers and there is also a version with a heating element to help melt snow/ice.
We do sell a number of other headlights on our site however our best value products are the two listed above.
Category 3: HID Headlights
Pros:
• Will provide the best output of any other light
• Modern look
• Less draw than stock
• Can be customized
Cons:
• Costs more than sealed beam replacements and some LED headlights
• Requires a wiring harness
Recommendation:
I am biased here but the fact remains that there is no better performing headlight than our new Revision 2.0 headlights. They are the brightest 7” in the market and offer customizable options to match the style of your build. Form and function at its finest. We take all that extra light and harness it through a bi-xenon projector, focusing the light where you need it, on the road. The result is a far and wide reaching beam that is unlike anything else on the market.
• 17x brighter than a pair of stock Jeep headlights
• Low and high beam functionality
• Included relay harness that integrates with your stock Bronco headlight switch
I realize that these may not be for everyone hence the recommendations above but for those that want a product that’s unique and outperforms everything else on the market, these are for you!
1) Revision 2.0 series: https://www.hidprojectors.com/collections/revision-2-0
2) Revision 2.0 Custom (headlight builder): https://www.hidprojectors.com/apps/productbuilder/custom-headlights
Category X: LED and HID bulb “upgrades”
This category is for those considering installing HID or LED bulbs into an H4 based housing. Reflector based housings are not designed for the increased light output of a brighter bulb, resulting in a flood of light scattered everywhere and dangerous for others on the road.
Pros:
• Increased output, at the expense of others (see Cons list)
Cons:
• Light is scattered everywhere, akin to driving with your high beams on
• Unsafe for other motorists on the road
If you’re considering this option, ask yourself this question: Would you drive around with your high beams on 100% of the time? If your answer is no, stop right here as this headlight option will effectively accomplish the same thing. If your answer is yes, please change it to no.
I hope that helps everyone. If you stick with the products / recommendations here you should be happy with your purchase. If you’re looking for an honest opinion on a product not listed here I would be happy to provide some insight. We’ve tested a number of different products and will only comment with factual data to support our recommendations.
Background:
As some of you may know I own www.HIDprojectors.com and we sell lighting upgrades, mainly focused on the 7" market. I've been into lighting for more than 10 years and have designed and developed a number of products for our beloved Broncos. I'm by no means a 'know it all' and welcome constructive criticism. This is my humble (albeit biased) approach to education, so here goes!
Baseline information:
Regardless of which ‘camp’ you end up in, the best advice I can give is to follow these notes:
1) Get output shots – if the company can’t show you pics, that’s a red flag.
2) Don’t get fooled by marketing number – Lumens don’t mean much if the light isn’t focused (get output shots). And be wary of false advertising. There’s no such thing as a 9000 lumen headlight.
3) Buy from a trusted seller – if you buy online make sure you can reach the company – are they for real? Do they have a number you can call? Tech Support? Do they specialize in lighting or are they a ‘one size fits all’ shop just looking to move product.
4) Don’t buy counterfeit products. Don’t support stolen ideas, that damages the hard working companies that have fought to bring their original ideas to market.
Category 1: I just want better lighting but want to remain stock looking.
Pros:
• Simple replacement
• Potentially brighter lighting than original equipment
• Cost – likely the least expensive option
• Retains stock appearance
Cons:
• Marginally brighter lighting
Recommendation:
Go for a good replacement H6024 housing. Some are plug and play, others may require a separate relay harness. Cibie H4 headlights are some of the better lights in this category.
Make sure you understand the limitations of your stock electrical system. It is not recommended to run a higher wattage bulb without the proper relay setup as this could be a potential fire hazard.
Category 2: LED Headlights
Pros:
• Modern look
• Plug and play connection
• Less draw than stock
• Increased light output vs original equipment
Cons:
• Costs more than sealed beam replacements
• LED headlights wont melt ice/snow
Recommendation:
There are two types of LED headlights – Reflector-based and Projector-based. A projector-based LED light will outperform a reflector-based setup and should be your focus if you’re interested in an LED headlight.
Stay away from no-name brands. Counterfeit products run rampant in this area. There are two products I strongly recommend in this area, that outperform and outlast the rest.
Projector-based LED headlights:
1) JW Speaker 8700
a. 14x brighter than a pair of stock Jeep lights (used for our testing purposes)
b. We sell stock 8700 as well as customized versions. They’re not cheap but they are a great performing light.
c. Available here: https://www.hidprojectors.com/collections/customized-jw-speaker-led-headlights-sold-in-pairs
2) Pro7 Bi-LED headlights
a. 5x brighter than a pair of stock Jeep lights
b. Reasonably priced
c. Available here: https://www.hidprojectors.com/products/pro7-led-headlights
Reflector-based LED headlights:
Typically inferior to projector-based LED headlights, however there is a good argument for these if you prefer the aesthetics of a reflector-based light to that of a projector-based light. Reflector-based LED lights still outperform most halogen based lights and offer a good performance upgrade.
1) Rigid / Trucklite LED - model 55002 is the one reflector-based light that we've tested and can recommend. This will be the lowest performing light compared to the other LED and HID products here however still offers a nice upgrade over stock. These can be found at most respectable retailers and there is also a version with a heating element to help melt snow/ice.
We do sell a number of other headlights on our site however our best value products are the two listed above.
Category 3: HID Headlights
Pros:
• Will provide the best output of any other light
• Modern look
• Less draw than stock
• Can be customized
Cons:
• Costs more than sealed beam replacements and some LED headlights
• Requires a wiring harness
Recommendation:
I am biased here but the fact remains that there is no better performing headlight than our new Revision 2.0 headlights. They are the brightest 7” in the market and offer customizable options to match the style of your build. Form and function at its finest. We take all that extra light and harness it through a bi-xenon projector, focusing the light where you need it, on the road. The result is a far and wide reaching beam that is unlike anything else on the market.
• 17x brighter than a pair of stock Jeep headlights
• Low and high beam functionality
• Included relay harness that integrates with your stock Bronco headlight switch
I realize that these may not be for everyone hence the recommendations above but for those that want a product that’s unique and outperforms everything else on the market, these are for you!
1) Revision 2.0 series: https://www.hidprojectors.com/collections/revision-2-0
2) Revision 2.0 Custom (headlight builder): https://www.hidprojectors.com/apps/productbuilder/custom-headlights
Category X: LED and HID bulb “upgrades”
This category is for those considering installing HID or LED bulbs into an H4 based housing. Reflector based housings are not designed for the increased light output of a brighter bulb, resulting in a flood of light scattered everywhere and dangerous for others on the road.
Pros:
• Increased output, at the expense of others (see Cons list)
Cons:
• Light is scattered everywhere, akin to driving with your high beams on
• Unsafe for other motorists on the road
If you’re considering this option, ask yourself this question: Would you drive around with your high beams on 100% of the time? If your answer is no, stop right here as this headlight option will effectively accomplish the same thing. If your answer is yes, please change it to no.
I hope that helps everyone. If you stick with the products / recommendations here you should be happy with your purchase. If you’re looking for an honest opinion on a product not listed here I would be happy to provide some insight. We’ve tested a number of different products and will only comment with factual data to support our recommendations.
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