Anyone Upgraded to LED Headlights for the First Gens?

[85_Ranger4x4]

What I did:

Thread 'GS H4 Lenses and Beamtech LED bulbs'

Jan 4, 2020

I never really been that impressed by my sealed beams, I even bought a pair of "better" ones like 15 years ago and have tolerated them. I came across these conversion lenses on Amazon awhile back and finally got around to ordering them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F2XH8NR/?tag=959media-20

I snagged the recommended LED bulbs too.

https://www.amazon.com/BEAMTECH-Headlight-8000Lumens-Extremely-Conversion/dp/B06XHD78DQ/?tag=959media-20

So I opened them up and right away noticed one is missing a lot of sealer between the lens and housing. The irregularities along the...

• 85_Ranger4x4
• Replies: 6
• Forum: Product Reviews & User Polls

• 

 

[ford4wd08]

What I did:

Thread 'GS H4 Lenses and Beamtech LED bulbs'

Jan 4, 2020

I never really been that impressed by my sealed beams, I even bought a pair of "better" ones like 15 years ago and have tolerated them. I came across these conversion lenses on Amazon awhile back and finally got around to ordering them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F2XH8NR/?tag=959media-20

I snagged the recommended LED bulbs too.

https://www.amazon.com/BEAMTECH-Headlight-8000Lumens-Extremely-Conversion/dp/B06XHD78DQ/?tag=959media-20

So I opened them up and right away noticed one is missing a lot of sealer between the lens and housing. The irregularities along the...

• 85_Ranger4x4
• Replies: 6
• Forum: Product Reviews & User Polls

• 

I do feel like the Hella len assemblies are high quality. Just by "looking" at them. Do they justify the higher price, I don't know?

It was literally plug and play.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I do feel like the Hella len assemblies are high quality. Just by "looking" at them. Do they justify the higher price, I don't know?

It was literally plug and play.

I have no doubt Hella is better, Holley makes drop in LED assemblies that are supposed to be really nice too.

What I have is better than a sealed beam though.

 

[ford4wd08]

I have no doubt Hella is better, Holley makes drop in LED assemblies that are supposed to be really nice too.

What I have is better than a sealed beam though.

100% on that last point.

I had considered the Holley LED drop ins, but a little pricey.

I felt like I've been driving with old Mag lights were half the battery is on its way out. Now when I pulled up behind the cars in front of me on the way to work, it illuminates the back of that car.

I'm good with halogens, can usually find a bulb somewhere if you get in a pinch and have enough light.

My 2017 F250 Lariat has Halogens which I much prefer over the thought of ever having to replace a Ford LED assembly. It has great light output, but also uses 4 bulbs in total even on low beams.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

100% on that last point.

I had considered the Holley LED drop ins, but a little pricey.

I felt like I've been driving with old Mag lights were half the battery is on its way out. Now when I pulled up behind the cars in front of me on the way to work, it illuminates the back of that car.

I'm good with halogens, can usually find a bulb somewhere if you get in a pinch and have enough light.

My 2017 F250 Lariat has Halogens which I much prefer over the thought of ever having to replace a Ford LED assembly. It has great light output, but also uses 4 bulbs in total even on low beams.

If I have to with mine I can run normal bulbs too which I kind of liked.

I am kind of on the fence with Halogen vs LED, the lights on my 2016 F-150 seem to carry farther and spread better than either these LEDs or the LED's in the Bronco.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I like LED better, but you have to be careful about the light output so they're not to bright.

Those round headlights I bought are meant to be a stock replacement and have a 3000 lumen low beam and 6000 lumen high beam.

 

[ford4wd08]

@RobbieD @Hoosierman

I still haven't aimed them, but they are aimed where the old sealed beams were.

Figured while on a dark county road would be the best test.

First is regular, second is the brights. Pretty dang good in a first gen for halogens I think.

 

[RobbieD]

Thank you. Very good pics; helps a lot.

 

[Hoosierman]

Yeah a lot of people are enchanted by LEDs but they seriously underestimate a good halogen bulb.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

What size are the lights?

 

[Hoosierman]

What size are the lights?

The lights should be a 5x7, sometimes labeled 4x6 also.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I have spent all day working on a tech article discussing the different ways to add LED headlights, and what I quickly realized is that all of these companies are full of crap when they list the lumen ratings for their LED bulbs. The only company that I have found that rates their lights truthfully is LASFIT.

For an LED, Lumens = Watts × Luminous Efficacy (lm/W)

Standard LED: ~80–100 lm/W (Example: 50W x 100lm/W = 5,000 Lumens)
High-Efficiency LED: 110–150+ lm/W (Example: 50W x 150lm/W = 7,500 Lumens)

In the ad below, it's not possible for a 40W light (or dual 40W lights) to put out 46,000 Lumens. You'd need 460 watts to put out 46,000 Lumens. Even a really highly efficient LED would still require 306 Watts. Two 153-watt High-Efficiency LED's might do it.

I saw ratings for 9004 LED bulbs that ranged from 30,000 Lumens to 70,000 Lumens.

UPDATE: I finished my Tech Article for anyone interested:

LED Headlight Upgrade Guide - The Ranger Station

Learn how to upgrade your vehicle’s headlights with LEDs. Compare lumens, beam patterns, and safety considerations in this complete guide.

www.therangerstation.com

 

[Hockeyelf]

About 18 months ago I replaced the old sealed beams in my 1987 Ford Ranger with these units by LEDMIRCY through Amazon and I love them! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DFYDPXH?tag=959media-20

With my old sealed beams I couldn’t even tell if they were on half the time in town, and I even tried replacing them with new Sylvania Halogens (std) with no improvement. These LEDs have a better spread and carry much further. They were as simple to install as the old sealed beams and are still working great and were only $31.22 for the set, (they are DOT, CE and RoHs approved).

 

[ford4wd08]

I will also add it might be time to do some small electrical projects/upgrades.

I'm running the original alternator and external voltage regulator. I would like to upgrade that.

I do think it will likely be worth while to wire in relays for the lights. I noticed when I turned the heater fan on high I could see the lights dim ever so slightly.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

I have spent all day working on a tech article discussing the different ways to add LED headlights, and what I quickly realized is that all of these companies are full of crap when they list the lumen ratings for their LED bulbs.

That seems to be the case with a lot of things. I run R/C crawlers, and you have to look past the hardcore brand-loyal individuals, paid ads, and marketing documentation. You start to see that, while a lot of companies claim to have an edge, really they're just repackaging batteries, or buying from the same suppliers. All their C rating claims are false, with one or two outliers.