HID Headlights

[lectro_static]

I just put HID's in my truck, if anyone does this I would say 15k bulbs are NOT good for street driving. I am going to have to get some either 8k or 10k bulbs but man even with this odd violet/purple color these lights are great!!!

[Billy Boy]

This week I helped my friend install HIDs on his Ranger. He had 8K's and they are really too bright for regular driving with oncoming traffic. The 8Ks have a blue tint to them but they definitely light up the road! We put both fog lights and headlamps in. The HIDs in the headlights only work when he has his brights on - we were told that this is normal for most installations. Is that the way yours are too? When he has his low beams on (without the fog lamps) the light resembles a standard bulb.

Here is a picture I took during installation (without fog light HIDs installed). This shows the difference between the headlight HID and the standard bulb when running with the brights on.



I'd love to see what a set of HIDs look like on a first gen!

[lectro_static]

That is the way they were supposed to be but I wired them for HID on low beam, I am going to get a set of bi xenon so both hi and low will be HID.

I will try to get a pic in the next day or two and post it

[PToombs]

How do you put HID's in a 1st gen? I've been looking for brighter headlights. What are 8k and 15k? I don't know diddly about these lights.

[Billy Boy]

Here is a website I read a little on. It should teach you more about them than I know!

http://www.intellexual.net/hid.html

The ranger had a relay that ran to a ballast for each bulb and the bulb was inserted into the stock light housing.

[PToombs]

Ok, I'll read that, thanks. I have regular glass headlights, so I bet it's not changeable. Old truck ya know!

[Ace]

Pete, you running those HL's off relays? A set of the good Sylvania's with relays makes a huge difference in light output.

[PToombs]

Ace, I'm not. It's one of the things I need to do when I get it inside, no relays on any lights yet. The only good thing is I have LED's in the rear. My drivers side headlight has a definite problem. It's yellow and weak looking. I think it's a ground or bad connection. Page 6 on the list.
I never liked Sylvanias, they seemed to burn out faster than the Wagners. I can't remember which are in there now. CRS.

[latenight6]

i just did mine today, apc (yes its a ricer company) sells a convertion kit to change your glass style headlamps to use todays bulbs you can get them off of ebay as well but most of them have that euro 194 bulb as well built in for a city light as they call them and the apc ones dont
heres they are

from here http://www.autostyles.com/apcheadlights.htm
Part # APC.403663HL
and i got my hid bulbs from here.www.tspny.com
when you order just get the h4 bulb size and install its not hard at all to do. in the next day or two ill post the pics of my install

[lectro_static]

Pete,

I had a set of glass lens h-4 lights in my truck already, no relays and BIG bulbs low beam was 90 watt and hi beam was 130 watt so nice and bright. HID's use either 35 watt or 55 watt ballasts or some people call them ignitors they put out 3 or 4 times the lumens that halogen bulbs do and obviously use less energy doing it. In my opinion a much better way to go.

8k and 15k is the "temperature" of the bulb, really its the color, mine are 15000 and that makes them a light pinky/purple color. I want more of a white with just a touch of blue so that would be 8000 or 10000.

If you go onto ebay ( ya I know its embarrassing ) you can get glass lens for under $40 shipped to you and then get the HID conversion for another $40. Puts you into some VERY good lighting for under $80, very worthwhile if you drive at night alot.

I will go get pictures and then see if I can figure out how to post them on here.

[lectro_static]

Not the greatest pics but gives you an idea atleast the last pic I TRIED to show the color of light it gives off but you cant really tell in the pic its a lite violet color





Shot with BlackBerry 8330m at 2010-01-04


Shot with BlackBerry 8330m at 2010-01-04


Shot with BlackBerry 8330m at 2010-01-04

[KTA]

I can tell in the 1st pic the light is purple where it reflects off the grille shell. Where did you mount your ballasts for your hid's? Are you pulling them off the stock wiring or did you put relays on them?

[RumbleFish]

i had a set of the apc housings, and then dropped the coin for a set of hella housings. they were considerably more expensive, but the light output is alot better than the cheap ones. i put some silverstar bulbs in mine and its got great light, coupled with the highs on relays.

[lectro_static]

Where did you mount your ballasts for your hid's? Are you pulling them off the stock wiring or did you put relays on them?

The ballasts are mounted to the headlight brackets studs on the engine side I had to ream the holes on the ballast clamps to make them fit but that seemed like a fairly dry and out of the heat place. I am not running relays yet, I REALLY need to get them in there as one of my plugs is going bad from the h4 bulbs I was running. Relays and bigger wire is just a better way to be all around but I wont get to that until the spring or summer.

i had a set of the apc housings, and then dropped the coin for a set of hella housings. they were considerably more expensive, but the light output is alot better than the cheap ones. i put some silverstar bulbs in mine and its got great light, coupled with the highs on relays.

Ya I havent dropped the money yet, I want to get a set of projector lens lights. I did find a pair the guy doesnt want much for them so I may try to pick them up. My lens now are the cheap ones and I like the pattern its level on the drivers side but goes up at about a 30* angle on the passenger side, lights up street signs very nicely.

[opofus]

How about a parts list for us peoples who don't understand anything you are talking about...