HID kit in stock lamps

[Robert.K]

So I won a set if HID's saturday at a car class held on my base. Just my luck as I was going to purchase one in the near future, after I replace my stock headlamps. After the install and noticing a bug difference, I have also noticed they project like shit in the stock ones! the lense refracts to much of the light, giving be about 10ft at the most in the front of shine. Looking into some halo style projector headlamps cause everyone I have seen with them are running that style, but want to know are they needed? I donnt personally like that style but would like the full benefits of the HID's. any suggestions of what to get? Will post pics soon.And also, is a HID hit needed for the high beams? If so how do I find it? every search I have hit up shows low beams(9006) cant find yhe 9005's.

 

[MikeTheApeman]

HID's in reflector housings are the worst possible idea. The reflector was designed with halogen bulbs in mind, anything else doesn't work right. It'll work okay at best, but as you've noticed, the output will be not much better than halogens. You also get a lot more glare, which other drivers will not appreciate. Projector housings work different, and you'll notice a vast improvement over stock housings, even if you put halogens in the projectors.

If you do not like halo's, then Depo brand projectors are your best bet. There was a set on eBay that I linked Anthony to in another thread. A few people, self included, are running them and are happy with the results.

Don't bother with HID for the high beams. Go with either Silverstars or HIR bulbs if you need more light output.

 

[blueflamed03]

put HID's in mine, look excellent and great light outout. What are they?

 

[Anthony]

I'm running the 4500k from DDm tuning in stock and LOVE them (no homo). I have NOT gotten one person flashing their lights at me because it blinds them(It's been over 2 1/2 weeks now). I'm sure I would not be as happy with them if I picked up an 6000k+ kit.

Just my $0.02

 

[blueflamed03]

had mine in for months now, not one single flash either.

 

[Anthony]

had mine in for months now, not one single flash either.

You install your Fog light HIDs yet? Where did you end up putting the ballasts for them?

 

[Modded]

Reflector or projector housing is all preference.
I have had 6000k HIDs in my Tahoe for 6 moths on regular housings and have had no problems. I don't really like the aftermarket projector lamps, too ricey! And I am def. not spending $600 or more to retrofit them so they will stay as is.
Second, my light out put is WAY higher than stock, and I have had two people flash me in the long time they have been there.

 

[blueflamed03]

You install your Fog light HIDs yet? Where did you end up putting the ballasts for them?

yes, did fogs the day I got them. Put them up behind the headlights, up and out of the way best you can. Zip tie them so everything doesn't move, and is up and out of the way.

 

[MikeTheApeman]

These trucks must be one of the few reflectors that do okay with HID, but (if you couldn't already tell) I am not a fan of that practice. I'd love to see someone take a pic about 20 feet from a wall, just so I can see the beam pattern and see what kind of hot spots (if any) the HID's in stock housings give.

I still say if you're going to do it, do it right and get projectors, but if I saw that the pattern isn't too bad in stockers in these trucks, I'll shut up about it.

---------- Post added at 03:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:46 PM ----------

Reflector or projector housing is all preference.

Ehhh.....there's a difference....
Reflector headlights design is simple: take a small light source and magnify it into a powerful beam. The housing is curved and covered with a reflective material, like mirrors. A bulb is mounted right in the center, and when it's switched on, the light strikes the reflective surface and is bounced back as a stronger, brighter and larger beam. The downside to this type of lamp, though, is that some of the light will inevitably scatter away and be lost. This scatter is amplified when you increase the intensity of the light, that's why HID's often produce glare when placed in reflectors.

Projectors work like reflectors, but they have the lens in front. That lens keeps the scatter / glare down, but also focuses the light to give you more usable output. Kinda like taking a magnifying glass to focus sunlight and burn ants, but not as extreme.

I'm not trying to be a dick here, just seen too many people throw HID's into anything and thinking it's better. Most of the time, it's not.

 

[blueflamed03]

No, agree with you Mike. I just haven't been flashed (also lowerd, so don't know if that makes a diff) but as far as light output, huge gains.

Now if one could find moderately good,inexpensiveDenail projectors, wouldn't mind it. Problem is, so many Chinese knock offs on Ebay that aren't worth a hoot.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

MY silverado. Stock reflector housings. 5000k 55W HIDS.

I will get pics of the yukon when I get home tomorrow, But I know that the gmt900 Headlights are designed VERY WELL and handle the HIDS just as good as stock. The Gmt800s are still good, but not as good as the 900s.

---------- Post added at 05:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:34 PM ----------

Here are some pics of an 09 tahoe with HIDS!! 5000k 35W.

both pictures are 5000k he just installed them in the first pic. Second pic is a couple weeks old after the bulbs broke in for a little while.

 

[MikeTheApeman]

I circled the areas in that first pic that would appear to be instances of glare. Of course, it's tough to say since it's aimed at a pillar. The 2nd pic is one from another thread here (http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=12716&postcount=6), and this is in reflector housings on an 800. I circled the areas that are indeed glare. These may not look like much, but it's enough to blind another driver on the road.

The 09's, if you hadn't told me, I would have thought they were in projectors. That's a nice beam pattern.

The other 2 pics are of my GC that I had projectors retrofit into, and yes...I've got REAL halo's in there around the Highs.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

I circled the areas in that first pic that would appear to be instances of glare. Of course, it's tough to say since it's aimed at a pillar. The 2nd pic is one from another thread here (http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=12716&postcount=6), and this is in reflector housings on an 800. I circled the areas that are indeed glare. These may not look like much, but it's enough to blind another driver on the road.

The 09's, if you hadn't told me, I would have thought they were in projectors. That's a nice beam pattern.

The other 2 pics are of my GC that I had projectors retrofit into, and yes...I've got REAL halo's in there around the Highs.

Trust me. If they made any projector housing for the silverado with out all the LED shit I would have them. But these seem to work great and im never flashed once.

 

[MikeTheApeman]

And I'll tell you - if I had to go back and do it again, I wouldn't have paid what I did to retrofit the GC! I'd have thrown some HIR's in there and been done with it.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

And I'll tell you - if I had to go back and do it again, I wouldn't have paid what I did to retrofit the GC! I'd have thrown some HIR's in there and been done with it.

I got HIRS in the fogs and highbeams. Love them.

 

[Modded]

These trucks must be one of the few reflectors that do okay with HID, but (if you couldn't already tell) I am not a fan of that practice. I'd love to see someone take a pic about 20 feet from a wall, just so I can see the beam pattern and see what kind of hot spots (if any) the HID's in stock housings give.

I still say if you're going to do it, do it right and get projectors, but if I saw that the pattern isn't too bad in stockers in these trucks, I'll shut up about it.

---------- Post added at 03:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:46 PM ----------



Ehhh.....there's a difference....
Reflector headlights design is simple: take a small light source and magnify it into a powerful beam. The housing is curved and covered with a reflective material, like mirrors. A bulb is mounted right in the center, and when it's switched on, the light strikes the reflective surface and is bounced back as a stronger, brighter and larger beam. The downside to this type of lamp, though, is that some of the light will inevitably scatter away and be lost. This scatter is amplified when you increase the intensity of the light, that's why HID's often produce glare when placed in reflectors.

Projectors work like reflectors, but they have the lens in front. That lens keeps the scatter / glare down, but also focuses the light to give you more usable output. Kinda like taking a magnifying glass to focus sunlight and burn ants, but not as extreme.

I'm not trying to be a dick here, just seen too many people throw HID's into anything and thinking it's better. Most of the time, it's not.

Yeah I can tell your not being a dick but the thing is I don't like the Ebay projector lamps much for my model, I heard the Projectors suck. Also my bean isn't to bad, I will get a pic of it.
True?

 

[Robert.K]

Had a pair I bought of ebay, not projectors but they were good and blacked out, put the silverstars in them and they were perfect. I got flashed with them! But the brace on them went to shit in a matter of weeks, snapped, and it would have taken god to put it back together. I tried to fix them cause they were exactly what i wanted. No use. I have seen the same ones but the projector style and I want to get them but cant emotionally take them breaking again! lol But my stocks with the HID lights up my garage and thats about it! Oh I can read the hell out of license plates now! lol Will take some pics and post them.

 

[Modded]

What brace are you talking about Robert?

 

[MikeTheApeman]

Yeah I can tell your not being a dick but the thing is I don't like the Ebay projector lamps much for my model, I heard the Projectors suck. Also my bean isn't to bad, I will get a pic of it.
True?

I honestly don't know much about the projectors for the NNBS trucks. I've heard mixed things about a lot of the projectors, so it is a crap shoot. I will say this though: retrofitting a pair of "real" projectors into the eBay ones is relatively easy. The projectors are usually held in by 4 screws on those ebay models. If you get a set of Valeo projectors to replace the crappy ones in a set of eBay housings, you can screw them into place without too much modification. Of course that ups the cost, but these trucks are money pits anyway, right?

 

[Robert.K]

They brace that holds the lamp housing on to the mounting Bracket. When it broke the headlight still fit in the truck, just pointed straight down. I tried everything to out it back together, nothing work.