I have a 2010 XLT. I'd like to upgrade the lighting in my truck. Not sure if I want to replace the Headlights, get a kit or just put in new bulbs. I'd just like to make the headlights brighter.

What's the difference between HID, Projector and Halo? Can they all have HID bulbs? If you get a HID kit will I lose the use of my high beams?

If I go with just bulbs, which will be the best quality. (brightest, whitest light).

Can you also get brighter bulbs or kits for stock fog lamps?

I've done a lot of research, I'm kinda confused and tired. I'd like to see what you all know.

 

I just installed Sylvania Silver Star bulbs in fogs and heads. Our lamp reflectors are not designed for HID's. When you put HID's in them they blind others with stray light.
My buddy went back to bulbs after having HID kit troubles. It is just easier to stay legal and use a bulb.

 

Silverstars all the way! I even have Silverstar signal and reverse lights installed. By far the brightest and whitest bulb you can buy without blinding oncoming traffic.

 

Which bulbs did you use for Each. I know there are several type for the Headlights, not sure about the fogs. I think I had these in my Taco many years ago but can't rem.

 

Don't use HID (xenon) unless you get a projector headlight. The stock reflector style will cause glare to oncoming drivers and scatters the xenon light. Silverstars will give you brighter light, but they run hotter and don't generally last that long. If you need more light, get some off road lamps.

 

I'm very interested in knowing all the same stuff you just asked. Would love to see some examples of the different lights and some explanation on the the differences.

 

H13ST - Headlights
9145ST - Foglights
3157AST - Front signals
921ST - Reverse lights

 

HID = High Intensity Discharge. Think of it like flourescent bulbs. They put out more light with less electricity. But special reflectors are required for them to focus light the way your halogen bulbs do. People that put in retrofit kits seem pretty happy driving with them, but they're dangerously blinding to oncoming traffic and no way for them to be legal. The bulbs themselves may claim to be DOT approved, but once installed into a halogen reflector, they're no longer legal.

Projector is the type of headlight that uses a small curved piece of glass to help dispurse light. No real advantage, some people think they're pretty to look at.

Halo refers to lighting around the headlight reflector or projector. Search Google for "BMW Angel Eyes" for an example. Purely for ornamentation.

Silverstar of course. Really the only way to go for the best lighting.

Silverstar again. However DO NOT let somebody talk you into using 9005 bulbs in place of 9145. Yes, the wattage is higher, but there's no cap on the bulb to shield the filament. They will look like high-beams to oncoming traffic. Also, they are known to melt the foglight assembley.

 

Silverstars are a waste of money IMO. I went through silverstars in my lows, highs and fogs on my 2006 Silverado. Total cost was about $110 and I think I got maybe 3-4 months out of them before they starting going out. Unless Sylvania has really raised the bar since then I'd stay away. Also I really don't think they make an improvement as far as light or the color.

HID's are the way to go, but you really need a projector to disperse the light properly. Otherwise they will be less effective than your factory halogens and will blind everyone on the road, especially since you are up higher than most vehicles.

Stay away from the cheap coated blue bulbs you find on ebay. They project less light, color is barely different and they last about 3 months.

Like SoonerTruck said, I would just go with off road lamps. They make them slim enough you can hide them behind the grill. That's the route I'm going to take, because the taller I get the worse HID lights would blind people. Just my opinion but the first thing I usually modify on my vehicles are the lights and the stock lights on our trucks are much better than most halogen equipped vehicles.

 

The shortest life I've ever gotten with Silverstars were just shy of 2 years in my Lincoln LS. If you touch the glass of the bulb with your fingers or get any contaminants on the glass, any halogen bulb will burn out prematurely. And like anything else, there are the occassional defects, though rare they are with any quality bulb.

 

That may be true in your case, but I know dozens of people who have used Silverstars and gone as far as to wear gloves when putting them in and still only got 6-months to a year out of them. The stock headlights will last well over three years easily. It isn't just one type of bulb either, I have seen the prblem with a number of different applications.

Also, 99% of HID-equipped vehicles (from the factory) use a projector lens. The reason they use a projector is because it is easier to focus the light and define a cut-off point (keeps you from blinding people). The reflector housings work with halogens because the object is to disperse the lights as much as possible. The HID's need to be focused to be effective.

Also, Halo's or "Angel Eyes" are just an option and aren't good for anything other than the look of headlight housings when the headlights aren't on. Very popular among the tuner/rice-burner crowds.

 

Going on 2 1/2 year with the silverstars on the truck no problems what so ever! Put a set on christmas of 06 on my dads mercedes ml320 and they have been perfect! When they do go out i am getting another set.

 

I'm still debating if I want to get these bulbs myself. Sylvania themselves state that Silverstars don't last as long as other bulbs.

This from their website...

Q) How long do SilverStar headlights last?
A) The life of any halogen bulb will depend upon your vehicle type and how much you drive. However, all halogen headlights dim over time. That’s why we recommend replacing headlights in pairs about once a year, before they burn out.
SilverStar is a high performance halogen headlight that produces a whiter light that research has shown can improve driver visibility and reaction time. The benefits of increased light output and improved color quality can result in a shorter life for high performance headlights, compared to standard bulbs.


Source: http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProd...skedQuestions/

 

$40-$50/year for a "whiter light" seems a bit much to me.....

 

I've found the stock headlights, etc, to give better output and last longer than any of the aftermarket bulbs, no matter the brand.

The only bulb I could see someone wanting to change is the fog lights. The fogs in my 1997, 1998 and 2004 were terrific! But the fogs in my 2009 Platinum absolutely suck beyond all words or comprehension. No idea what Ford did to ruin the usefulness of the fogs in 2009, but boy, did they ever. I would imagine the 2010's fog lights are equally useless.