Explain HID headlights to me

[Jon581]

really interesting article i did not know that about HID's and with that said it's still not enough to stop me from eventually installing them.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Me either, I'd like to if I can find projector housings for a 1st Gen...
But,
1.) It really bugs me when I can't see because someone did a half way job...
2.) It's illegal, I don't want anyone getting in trouble for something they didn't know about...

 

[Jon581]

yea down here i see them alot on F250/F350's with HID headlights and foglights and they look like they work just fine in the stock headlight housing just very bright even in my truck but yea thanks for the info.

 

[flyingbrick]

http://www.mazdatruckin.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=2875&page=2&highlight=headlight

Read post #17

 

[Hypnotic Toast]

Very informative feedback, thanks guys. I don't really like the look of projector headlights for my '99, but as long as I aim my stock headlight casings properly and follow the HID instally directions correctly, I should be fine.

Has anyone installed the HID kit on their truck? Is it very complicated? I just don't want to have to splice any wires or have the possibility of causing damage/more money due to me wanting an unnecessary upgrade.

 

[99RangerBoss]

i saw those el-cheapos on ebay and they apparently use the same wire harness as the ranger 9007 plugs and all you do is simply plug it all in install the bulbs and ballast and your good to go no splicing or anything.

 

[AKBroncoII]

Just because you "aim" them correctly doesn't mean you won't blind other motorists. Honestly, I hope every person that runs them in the wrong housing gets a ticket. I'm sick of being blinded by every moron on the road that thinks it's cool to run 110 watt low beam bulbs or HID's in none projector housings.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Just because you "aim" them correctly doesn't mean you won't blind other motorists. Honestly, I hope every person that runs them in the wrong housing gets a ticket. I'm sick of being blinded by every moron on the road that thinks it's cool to run 110 watt low beam bulbs or HID's in none projector housings.

I agree, that is probably the number one thing that bothers me about other motorists... If you are going to do something do it right, get the correct projectors, and be legal... It was terrible when I drove my Camaro, it was low enough I got blinded by regular low beams, not to mention HID conversions in the wrong housing... If you go to the site I linked to and actually read more, he goes on to tell you how HID beams actually are less safe (less color recognition, more foreground lighting tricking you into looking at your immediate front and not distance, etc)... My sisters boyfriend just bought some for his Mustang (with projectors) and they are nice, blue and very bright, but I didn't see that great of an improvement in the Silverstars I usually run... You will get a ticket for them, I know cops here love to ticket people for them (they are one illegal modification that is very, very easy to identify), and I'm glad they do... It's dangerous...

 

[Jon581]

i gotta say my gf's 07 mazda3 came with projector's and HID's from the factory and you have a switch to adjust the headlights up and down and i have them all the way up because they don't seem to project light very far.

 

[LittleHorse]

the problem is that if you use HID's in non-HID housings, they CAN'T be aimed correctly.

If you drive in a car that has factory HID's you will see a very distinct cutoff line where the light just stops. It's not like a standard halogen where the light just fades dimmer as you look higher and farther away.

With a properly aimed and projected HID, oncoming drivers should not be able to see ANY direct light from the bulb, it will merely be reflections from the lenses and housings, which is still bright enough as it is. There's no way to aim a conventional headlight this way because it doesn't cut off the top of the beam.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

i gotta say my gf's 07 mazda3 came with projector's and HID's from the factory and you have a switch to adjust the headlights up and down and i have them all the way up because they don't seem to project light very far.

They can't project as far as a filament bulb because they are so much brighter they will blind oncoming drivers, that's why HID's look like they work so good is because once you put them in you have way more light directly in front of your vehicle, but not as much in the distance...

 

[Jon581]

yea i know that,they are great on really dark roads i just thought it was odd that they only go so far then stop/cutoff like littlehorse said,i just wish they went a little farther but i know they are kinda limited because they are lower being that cars are lower to the ground.

 

[LittleHorse]

hid lights in ricers that arent setup properly is why i ave 700 watts of kc hilites on the front of my truck, its a rude awakening for those assholes when i throw that switch

please get the proper projector housings

just make sure it's actually a ricer with a crappy HID conversion when you do it. I get flashed all the damn time and I have a factory HID setup, and it seems like old farmers are the ones doing the flashing, and they're ALWAYS above the beam cutoff line. I guess they're just not used to seeing lights any brighter than their 30 year old farm truck with sealed beams and corroded electrical systems.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

I have notice that vehicles with standard HID's are brighter (and more annoying) than halogen lamps, but they don't bother me... It's when I'm driving sown the road all of the sudden all I see is BLUENESS, and then I hear pfrfrfrt, and realize, oh... It's a Ricer, lol...

 

[LittleHorse]

I have notice that vehicles with standard HID's are brighter (and more annoying) than halogen lamps, but they don't bother me... It's when I'm driving sown the road all of the sudden all I see is BLUENESS, and then I hear pfrfrfrt, and realize, oh... It's a Ricer, lol...

that's the other clue...most factory HID's use bulbs with a lower color temperature like 4000-5000K or lower. It's still bluer than a halogen but it's closer to natural sunlight so it doesn't produce any of the yellow tinge that a halogen does. Ricers usually get them as high a color temperature as they can find, you get around 8000K or more and it's damn near purple. Anything much above about 6000 just doesn't look right IMO.