Harley light help needed.

[Daddyusmaximus]

I have a '99 I want to update with '05 Harley lights. My searching finds people showing what their trucks look like not AFTER the switch. Is there a write up on how to do this. I'm reading about some kind of panel that has to be changed, and the wiring changed... but how?

 

[AirFishAutomotive]

You need to either get an 05 header panel or dremel out the headlight bucket Itsself so they will fit in there flush.

 

[ghohouston]

You just need to trim a bit off the header panel.

 

[Daddyusmaximus]

I've also noticed that there seems to be a lot of guys who buy parts off ebay. How do these compare with OEM?

 

[JMart]

I've also noticed that there seems to be a lot of guys who buy parts off ebay. How do these compare with OEM?

Go to the dealer and get an 05+ header panel. UPS will break it shipping it if not. It's pretty easy to do. I got the ebay set on my last truck and they were peeling after 2 years. I have had good luck with the cheap grills so far. My first was from ebay and the one I have now came from CarID.

I think riffraf had the pigtails for the headlights so you don't have to cut and splice.

 

[mustube]

If you buy a new header panel, the headlamps will bolt on. If you want to keep your 99-04 grille, you should do the cutting method. You will need:
Header panel
Head lamps
Conversion harnesses
speed nuts and bolts for attaching top of headlamp


If you decide to cut, then you need everything above minus the header panel
Here's a picture of what to cut (not my picture):

You will also need to drill the holes in the header panel for the upper headlamp attachment bolts, and you will see where to drill those after you cut and put the headlamp up to the truck, it will be 2 bolts per headlamp.

I would buy the new header panel. By the time you are done cutting the holes, you could have the new header panel bolted on, and if you are also converting to an 05 grille, it will snap in right instead of needing to be zip tied or something.

 

[AirFishAutomotive]

Buy the time you buy the headlights and header panel etc for a few hundred more you csn do the complete conversion. We usually sell the chrome 05'07 front end conversions for 600. Thats used oem stuff. If you look around you nay be able to find a wrecked truck etc.

 

[Daddyusmaximus]

Thanks guys. That looks like a lot of cutting. Don't want to screw it up. I think I'll get the header panel. Can you run the newer headlights and keep the '99 grill? Don't want to swap bumpers.

 

[mustube]

Can you run the newer headlights and keep the '99 grill?

If you want to keep your 99-04 grille, you should do the cutting method.

...

 

[03ranger30]

That's the only thing that scares me about doing the conversion is the cutting. And I don't want to spend the extra money on the header panel.

If you do the header panel and keep the 99-04 grille, are there any gaps or anything or does it fit just fine?

 

[JMart]

Thanks guys. That looks like a lot of cutting. Don't want to screw it up. I think I'll get the header panel. Can you run the newer headlights and keep the '99 grill? Don't want to swap bumpers.

You can cut the bottom of the 05+ grill to fit the bumper. People have just changed the grill over without doing the whole conversion before.

 

[Daddyusmaximus]

My understanding is that if I put on an 05 grill an 05 bumper will fit perfectly. That right?

 

[JMart]

My understanding is that if I put on an 05 grill an 05 bumper will fit perfectly. That right?

yes

 

[03ranger30]

But the older grille will fit right up with the newer header panel just fine? No interference with the bumper or anything?

 

[AirFishAutomotive]

But the older grille will fit right up with the newer header panel just fine? No interference with the bumper or anything?

unless its all about saving money , why would you want to keep a dated looking front bumper on the truck ?

 

[JMart]

But the older grille will fit right up with the newer header panel just fine? No interference with the bumper or anything?

That I don't know. I don't know of anybody that put the old grill on a new header panel. I would guess that it could be possible since people can mount the new grill on an old header panel.

 

[Daddyusmaximus]

I truly am not concerned about the grill. There is a guy on PSN that is making a grill I want to get, so I could get any grill up to '07. I will, however be getting a winch bumper soon, and I'll want to make sure to order the grill and bumper to match. People talk about cutting a newer grill to put on an older truck... I haven't really noticed but just how much lower does an '05 grill hang down than a '99 grill?

 

[03ranger30]

I think that the old front end looks just fine, and the fact that everyone and their brother converts them. That being said, if anything happened to the front end of my truck, I wouldn't hesitate to upgrade.

 

[Daddyusmaximus]

Even the Harley lights are the "old style" to me. They're just the best looking of the old style. Ford trucks didn't start to look stupid until they redesigned them (08- and up) and made them too square and boxy. IMHO

If I hit the lotto tomorrow I wouldn't have a newer truck, I'd build one styled like a 99-07.

 

[JMart]

Even the Harley lights are the "old style" to me. They're just the best looking of the old style. Ford trucks didn't start to look stupid until they redesigned them (08- and up) and made them too square and boxy. IMHO

If I hit the lotto tomorrow I wouldn't have a newer truck, I'd build one styled like a 99-07.

I had an 08 and liked it, but always thought the headlights were too big. My favorite has always been the 05-07 style. The only way I could own one of the 11+ trucks would be to paint the headlights and possibly do a projector conversion. They are just massive.