pulled over for HIDs

Snake

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
2,922
Reaction score
0
Location
Flo Rida
7600 lumen LED > 55w HID

Better have your chit aimed right if you're coming at me from the other direction. Don't bring a knife to a gun fight. I effin hate HID's.
 

chappy

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
898
Reaction score
0
Location
Marshall Mi
Silver stars suck just because they blow out way to often. It gets expensive having to replace them yearly.
 

Tonka350

New member
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
810
Reaction score
0
Location
Melbourne florida
I don't mind HIDs but they have to be adjusted correctly. I currently run 6000k in the heads and fogs on my truck and haven't had any issues. the best way to aim them I found is sit in a car in front of you just as if you were on a road.

Chad
 

Mdub707

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
5,079
Reaction score
0
Location
Mohawk NY
My HID's had been giving me issues in cold weather anyways, so they were becoming more of a hazard as well. Just took them out and went back with the stock bulbs. Glad I did. Haven't been flashed since. Agreed with whoever else said it... don't need to give myself more reasons to get pulled over either.
 

Daryl@TDP

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
1,077
Reaction score
0
Location
Chesapeake, VA
My HID's had been giving me issues in cold weather anyways, so they were becoming more of a hazard as well. Just took them out and went back with the stock bulbs. Glad I did. Haven't been flashed since. Agreed with whoever else said it... don't need to give myself more reasons to get pulled over either.

That was my exact reason for removing mine. Plus all issues with the Retro kit that could never be figured out. Hids are junk I love my reg bulbs.
 

Mdub707

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
5,079
Reaction score
0
Location
Mohawk NY
That was my exact reason for removing mine. Plus all issues with the Retro kit that could never be figured out. Hids are junk I love my reg bulbs.

I may upgrade these anyways, but sticking with halogen for sure now. Just doesn't make sense putting an HID in a non HID housing I guess.
 

Ronin

New member
Joined
Sep 11, 2011
Messages
268
Reaction score
0
Location
Earth!
Silverstars are JUNK, period. Any bulb with a coating of any kind has a reduced output; the only thing that the Silverstars have going for it are an ad campaign that only a company like Sylvania can afford... They likewise have a well deserved and documented reputation for a notoriously short life span and burning out quickly.

Ever hear of HIRs? http://hirheadlights.com/

I've used them before and they're markedly better than standard halogens, and would be a good alternative for someone who wants improved lighting (providing they fit your vehicle of course) or perhaps falls into the "butthurt" category of HID haters...

Unfortunately HIRs aren't a "solution" (pun intended!) for my '10 F250. So I installed Retro Solutions (55W Digital, 6K [cool white]) and have some capped 55W Digital 3K ("true fogs"/yellow) waiting to be installed. There is not the slightest hint of anything other than white light in the 6Ks. My buddy ordered some 5Ks (warm white) which I'm going to install for him shortly in his '04 F350. My other buddy with an '08 F350 ordered 55W Digital 10Ks (medium/30% blue) despite my begging him not to. He has some horrific ricer/eBay special 15Ks in there now which are almost purple that are just terrible...hey, at least I tried.

I had an '07 Cadillac Escalade ESV with factory HIDs prior to buying my '10 F250. All joking aside, I actually can't recall an occasion where someone oncoming didn't either flash me or someone in front of me didn't repeatedly "brake check" me. They were nearly impossible to drive with them on, day or night. It was ridiculous. I always drive with my lights on ("for safety" as they say) and do a bit of trailering too which requires headlights on regardless of the time of day.

Since I had a nice 1K mile ride home after buying my '10 from my friendly local neighborhood Ford dealer (!) I was immediately disappointed with the pathetic light output. Snarky comments aside, I have perfect (20/20) vision and could easily "outdrive" the stock headlights at legal highway speeds.

I understand housing/projector design/theory, scatter effect, etc. Not all HID kits are manufactured the same, period. Just like LEDs, there's some real garbage out there, particularly on eBay. I've found the Retro Solutions kits to be exceptional with excellent cut-off and sharpness. I can also tell you that thus far I haven't been flashed or "brake checked" a single time and run with them on, along with my fogs, ALL the time. Compared to my experience with the Escalade that says tons.

I'll try to get some pics of all three trucks for comparison's sake, just for laughs, but lumping everyone together who runs HIDs as douchenozzles makes about as much sense as doing likewise to tuned trucks...they don't all black out four lanes wide-behind them the same way not all HID'd trucks blind oncoming traffic and send them careening into ditches, so let's lose the hyperbole...

And as far as LEDs (headlights) go, they do NOT project light in the same manner as either halogens or HIDs, and if you don't believe me, check out the comparisons on the Escalade Premium with LED projectors versus the standard HIDs; the LEDs barely outperform standard halogens! I have some REAL expensive (SureFire) flashlights/tactical lights that use LEDs and they're fantastic, the same way the CREE reverse lights bulbs are, but they're not quite ready for headlight applications...not yet!

And I do care about the other drivers on the road; blinding them unnecessarily is NOT an option, that other person's safety is no less valuable then anyone else's on the road...
 

CSIPSD

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
5,284
Reaction score
2
Location
Bend, OR
I guess I just have better eyes then most of you people, because I could not see a need for more light in a stock housing then the SilverStars put out... I have run lots of headlights over the years and they just plain work and work well.

Most of my driving is done at night, long stretches of open hwy for hours and hours on end...
 

Daryl@TDP

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
1,077
Reaction score
0
Location
Chesapeake, VA
I guess I just have better eyes then most of you people, because I could not see a need for more light in a stock housing then the SilverStars put out... I have run lots of headlights over the years and they just plain work and work well.

Most of my driving is done at night, long stretches of open hwy for hours and hours on end...

Well said, I will never own another set of HIDS.
 

powerstrokin15

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
5,594
Reaction score
0
Location
Charleston, WV
I didn't like my silver stars in my 6.0.. I picked up a set of premium napa lights for $20 and they did better LOL

reason I'm thinking any normal upgrade won't work is my windshield is tinted. and I drive backroads that are darker than normal.
 

Daryl@TDP

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
1,077
Reaction score
0
Location
Chesapeake, VA
I didn't like my silver stars in my 6.0.. I picked up a set of premium napa lights for $20 and they did better LOL

reason I'm thinking any normal upgrade won't work is my windshield is tinted. and I drive backroads that are darker than normal.

Mines tinted as well. its a little darker but I can see haha.
 

Mdub707

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
5,079
Reaction score
0
Location
Mohawk NY
I didn't like my silver stars in my 6.0.. I picked up a set of premium napa lights for $20 and they did better LOL

reason I'm thinking any normal upgrade won't work is my windshield is tinted. and I drive backroads that are darker than normal.

Yeah, I had the same issues. Drove a lot of back country roads at night time. The HID's were cool in low beam, but high beam the light just scattered terribly, and I think my stock bulbs were better in high beam. My truck is also leveled so it wasn't too bad with just the low beam, but still. I'm more content with my stock lights now and my hella fogs/driving lights... helps spot the deer at night long before I get to them...

IMG_2156.jpg
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2011
Messages
154
Reaction score
0
well personally I couldn't care less what you have. If it blinds me my 100 watt road light are coming on. run your fog lights when you meet meno fog, my road light come on again. hey fair is fair you run more than ow beam when meeting me, I'll my my aux lights when meeting you. most places state dim for oncoming traffic. that means low beams, not low beams and fogs. 75% of the stock fogs out there do not shine as far as the low beams but are much more blinding.
oooo I run tinted windshield so I need more light, how STUPID is that would you wear sunglasses at night too. yes it looks cool but you can't see crap so blinding me to compensate is ok? NOT simple solution reduce the tint or remove enough of it to give you enough normal vision to function. how much tint do you have 3 seconds of my road lights from behind seems to blow the dumbest driver with a rear tinted window out of the fast lane so imagine them from in front of you at close range. you will see large blue spots for some time to come. show me courtesy or the nasty in me comes out too
 
Last edited:

Ronin

New member
Joined
Sep 11, 2011
Messages
268
Reaction score
0
Location
Earth!
well personally I couldn't care less what you have. If it blinds me my 100 watt road light are coming on. run your fog lights when you meet meno fog, my road light come on again. hey fair is fair you run more than ow beam when meeting me, I'll my my aux lights when meeting you. most places state dim for oncoming traffic. that means low beams, not low beams and fogs. 75% of the stock fogs out there do not shine as far as the low beams but are much more blinding.
oooo I run tinted windshield so I need more light, how STUPID is that would you wear sunglasses at night too. yes it looks cool but you can't see crap so blinding me to compensate is ok? NOT simple solution reduce the tint or remove enough of it to give you enough normal vision to function. how much tint do you have 3 seconds of my road lights from behind seems to blow the dumbest driver with a rear tinted window out of the fast lane so imagine them from in front of you at close range. you will see large blue spots for some time to come. show me courtesy or the nasty in me comes out too

74bP4ZUrVVuQ1MQ9wNdEm693Zc4XE7w5IDam7ImR7nbTkKre5N.png


Whoa, that's some atrocious grammar, spelling and punctuation you have there, you're quite a triple threat, in addition to your awesome auxiliary lighting!

Rage much? Lighten up Francis for f&#k's sake. I can just imagine happens when your traffic offender doesn't bend to your will, I'm guessing you chase them down to teach them a lesson...that will show 'em!
 

Betarocker

Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
815
Reaction score
0
Location
Sea to Sky, BC
Nice "Stripes" reference. I chuckled.

I don't get flashed much, and it usually because I didn't inflate the air bags when driving with a heavy-ish load. My head lights with HIDs are aimed low, but when they are 10" higher than when the truck rolled off the assembly line (lift and larger tires) even stock bulbs can be a nuisance. I try to be courteous to oncoming traffic.
 

Ronin

New member
Joined
Sep 11, 2011
Messages
268
Reaction score
0
Location
Earth!
Nice "Stripes" reference. I chuckled.

Thanks...tee-hee...

My head lights with HIDs are aimed low, but when they are 10" higher than when the truck rolled off the assembly line (lift and larger tires) even stock bulbs can be a nuisance. I try to be courteous to oncoming traffic.

^^^ And this... How many people with lifted trucks, regardless of their lighting, bother to re-aim their headlights? Some one made the suggestion of sitting in a car parked in front of their truck to see what it was like, and then adjust accordingly. That sounds like a great idea, and a whole lot easier than starting a road rage pissin' contest that you might not be able to finish. When I "finish" my truck (it will NEVER be done, I just mean as far as my lowering/leveling is concerned) I'm gonna do likewise and doubt it will be a problem, but I'll check nonetheless...
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2011
Messages
154
Reaction score
0
nope not angry, just don't have patience anymore for people who make my life harder than it needs to be. Funny thing is, at my job I am a field supervisor. I try to be very clear(nicely) what I expect my operators to do and not do. Now if I was consistently ignorant in the way I treat them, why would 90% of the operators say they like/prefer working for me.

back to fog lights all of my vehicles have them(factory) 97 intrepid, 05 focus, and my 05 F350. not one of them have I ever under any condition have I found the foglights to be of any benefit. the lowbeam/highbeams do a more than adequeate job of lighting the ditches, and that is all the fogs do is throw more light 10 feet in front of the car and more in the ditch. I tend to drive more than 10 mph so I am overdriving those 10 feet in front of the car foglights before I am out of the parking lot. I want light on the road, not more light in the ditch. hence driving lights with a long range pattern and enough wattage to make a difference. yes even i sometimes forget to dim, but my driving lights don't even come on if there is head traffic, and I try my very best to have only lowbeam on meeting traffic. that includes divided highways because I have seen other vehicles whose highbeams can be unpleasantly bright across the median. Joe blow takes a little drive that stretches into the evening, I quite possibly am halfway through a 600 mile night, my eyes will be more than sore enough, without the lack of consideration that far too many show
 

Latest posts

Members online

Top