Searching for custom headlight assembly

[Moguy0416]

Okay y’all I’m looking to upgrade the assembly. Here’s a list I’m looking at. Would love to see y’all’s. I intend to upgrade the bulbs to either LED or HID. Just looking for people who have done the full assembly upgrade, not just bulbs.

Show em if ya got em’!

https://www.carid.com/2015-chevy-ta...-drl-bar-projector-headlights-1889326985.html

https://www.carid.com/2015-chevy-ta...-drl-bar-projector-headlights-1889272908.html

These intrigue me as they seem to be an all contained units for LED set up. Pricey, yes. My concern is that since it’s all contained if you had an LED go bad your kinda screwed. Discuss....
https://www.carid.com/anzo/black-dr...n-111478.html?singleid=3040992134&url=7026464

https://www.carid.com/anzo/black-le...n-111492.html?singleid=3135891370&url=7026464

https://www.carid.com/2015-chevy-ta...-bar-projector-headlights-leds-284582049.html

 

[STORMIN08]

personally, other than appearance, you will get better performance form the OE housing...just doing the bulbs is great for output, but does retain stock appearance.
this is a morimoto 2 stroke 3.0, one sitting showing cutoff at 75ft ish, the other rolling at 70-75 mph.

 

[Moguy0416]

That’s impressive for sure! Although of both the OE and aftermarket headlight use projector set ups how do you conclude that the OE will be better? Have you done a comparison? I’ll say I am going for asthetics bc I don’t do a lot of night driving however if it were seriously detrimental to night vision I would certainly return. Appreciate the bulb recommendation!

 

[adventurenali92]

That’s impressive for sure! Although of both the OE and aftermarket headlight use projector set ups how do you conclude that the OE will be better? Have you done a comparison? I’ll say I am going for asthetics bc I don’t do a lot of night driving however if it were seriously detrimental to night vision I would certainly return. Appreciate the bulb recommendation!

Most aftermarket reproduction headlights use a cheap plastic housing made to look like a projector. So it doesn’t properly disperse the light pattern coming out of whatever bulb you’re using. The OEM housing had an actual projector designed specifically for the bulbs they put in them.

 

[STORMIN08]

My comment is based on overall quality of the product and how well they are built.

The OE always seems superior. Sure they are a few that don't, but total numbers out weight the after market.

 

[Moguy0416]

personally, other than appearance, you will get better performance form the OE housing...just doing the bulbs is great for output, but does retain stock appearance.
this is a morimoto 2 stroke 3.0, one sitting showing cutoff at 75ft ish, the other rolling at 70-75 mph.
View attachment 273750 View attachment 273751

Those are your low beams in the projector housing? Man I really love the look of the Spyder assemblies but I also don’t want to waste a bunch of money.
What mad you go LED over HID? I know the HID set up is more complicated but I’ve read they are better for projector lenses.

 

[Moguy0416]

By the way I found these. So sick but I ain’t got 2k to spend. Now I have gone down the rabbit hole of retrofitted headlights but not finding much for the Tahoe.

https://hidretrofitkit.com/custom-h...e-custom-rgb-led-projector-custom-headlights/

 

[CMoore711]

I used to think HID was the end all be all for lighting performance in both output and longevity; I think most of that is attributed to how long HIDs have been around and they're so "tried and true" and my personal experience with aftermarket (and OEM) HID systems, headlight retrofits, etc; The reality is LEDs have come a long way and they've only just begun to be utilized and optimized now by OEMS and projector manufactures. Now don't get me wrong HIDs do have their place, but the more I've learned about LED vs. HID I really feel like it depends on the application. Each lighting source performs differently in different headlights and they each have their pros and cons.

For example; In my '15 Yukon Denali XL I have OEM HIDs with D3S bulbs. I've upgraded my HID bulbs to OSRAM CBI's, they perform ok, but coming from someone who previously DD'd a vehicle with an Acura TSX projector retrofit they leave a lot to be desired still, but maybe I spoiled myself in the lighting department? Then I drive my friends 2018 Acura MDX at night and the light output from those factory LED projectors is insane, and they're stock! Which leans me towards GM just sucks at headlights and lighting output. Our GM vehicle platform is not the only one that has had ****** headlight performance and output over the years.

All that being said I can say with confidence that the light output in the photos that STORMIN08 have posted of the Morimitoro 2-Stroke 3.0 LEDs in his OEM Halogen projector housings exceed what my OSRAM CBI HID bulbs are putting out in my OEM Denali HID projector headlight housing.

From a big picture perspective IMO HIDs have kind of already "peaked" in their performance offering and bulb development amongst the OEM manufacturers; Whereas LEDs still have a long road of further development potential ahead of them.

Regarding the headlights you've linked in your OP if I'm being honest I feel like the words "custom" and "upgraded" are used very loosely to describe them, but that's just my opinion.

If you really want a complete upgraded headlight assembly that looks "different" than stock and performs better you really have 1 option:

The new Morimoto XB LED headlight assemblies:
(1) 256% Brighter Headlights for your 2015 - 2020 GMC Yukon Morimoto XB LED Headlight Install and Review - YouTube
(1) 2017 GMC Yukon Morimoto XB Headlamp Installation - YouTube

Cheapest price I've found online - $1,275
Morimoto 2015-2020 GMC Yukon XB LED Headlights - Function Factory Performance (ffperformance.co)

If you want to upgrade your headlights for better performance and light output while still looking stock for an OEM+ route

A headlight projector retrofit -
Can be more expensive than the option above depending on if you're doing the work or paying someone.
May or may not include having to purchase an additional set of headlights to retrofit depending on if you're doing the work or not and to avoid downtime of use of your vehicle.

 

[Moguy0416]

I used to think HID was the end all be all for lighting performance in both output and longevity; I think most of that is attributed to how long HIDs have been around and they're so "tried and true" and my personal experience with aftermarket (and OEM) HID systems, headlight retrofits, etc; The reality is LEDs have come a long way and they've only just begun to be utilized and optimized now by OEMS and projector manufactures. Now don't get me wrong HIDs do have their place, but the more I've learned about LED vs. HID I really feel like it depends on the application. Each lighting source performs differently in different headlights and they each have their pros and cons.

For example; In my '15 Yukon Denali XL I have OEM HIDs with D3S bulbs. I've upgraded my HID bulbs to OSRAM CBI's, they perform ok, but coming from someone who previously DD'd a vehicle with an Acura TSX projector retrofit they leave a lot to be desired still, but maybe I spoiled myself in the lighting department? Then I drive my friends 2018 Acura MDX at night and the light output from those factory LED projectors is insane, and they're stock! Which leans me towards GM just sucks at headlights and lighting output. Our GM vehicle platform is not the only one that has had ****** headlight performance and output over the years.

All that being said I can say with confidence that the light output in the photos that STORMIN08 have posted of the Morimitoro 2-Stroke 3.0 LEDs in his OEM Halogen projector housings exceed what my OSRAM CBI HID bulbs are putting out in my OEM Denali HID projector headlight housing.

From a big picture perspective IMO HIDs have kind of already "peaked" in their performance offering and bulb development amongst the OEM manufacturers; Whereas LEDs still have a long road of further development potential ahead of them.

Regarding the headlights you've linked in your OP if I'm being honest I feel like the words "custom" and "upgraded" are used very loosely to describe them, but that's just my opinion.

If you really want a complete upgraded headlight assembly that looks "different" than stock and performs better you really have 1 option:

The new Morimoto XB LED headlight assemblies:
(1) 256% Brighter Headlights for your 2015 - 2020 GMC Yukon Morimoto XB LED Headlight Install and Review - YouTube
(1) 2017 GMC Yukon Morimoto XB Headlamp Installation - YouTube

Cheapest price I've found online - $1,275
Morimoto 2015-2020 GMC Yukon XB LED Headlights - Function Factory Performance (ffperformance.co)

If you want to upgrade your headlights for better performance and light output while still looking stock for an OEM+ route

A headlight projector retrofit -
Can be more expensive than the option above depending on if you're doing the work or paying someone.
May or may not include having to purchase an additional set of headlights to retrofit depending on if you're doing the work or not and to avoid downtime of use of your vehicle.

Great intel thanks! Those headlight units are very cool unfortunately I'm not in the classy Denali category just the Tahoe. I don't see a full headlight assembly like that for the Tahoe. I might reach out to Morimoto and see if they have plans for ones in the near future.

This is a tangent here but I've seen a lot of people asking how to get their non LTZ LED lights to stay on. Has anyone ever considered just putting a piece of black tape over the light sensor on the dash?

 

[Moguy0416]

Also another question I have. Are projector housings specific to the type of bulb for example halogen requires one type while say LED requires another type? Still trying to figure all this stuff out and it's fairly new to me. Really appreciate everybody's input!