Original lighting to led lighting

[Philram2017]

What do u need to do to switch from the original factory lighting in headlight and taillight to led lights I have a 2017 dodge ram 1500 outdoorsman I would also like to switch to the dark housing for the headlights and taillights

 

[Random_Walk]

Dunno about the taillights, but there are decent kits that are just drop-in replacements from halogen -> LED.

HOWEVER!

There are a few things you need to know...

...there is a difference between Quads and Projectors (the two types of headlights you're liable to find.) Not all LED lights are drop-in (though on the 2017s, many are.) Many of the ones which are not come with resistor packs that help the LEDs pretend they're Halogens. With OBDLink and AlfaOBD, you can lie to the TIPM (computer) and make it think that LEDs are allowed on your truck (though not all LED sets even need that.)

Confused yet? We're just getting started, so hold onto your butt...

...now - you have to look at Lumen output. Bigger is not always better. Around 5k Lumen/bulb is what you want (because anything brighter makes you an ******* on the roads, and pumping out 10k Lumen from the front of a truck is pushing it.) Color temperature is next. Too high and it's a headache-generating shade of blue that washes out all color. Too low and it's a dull, ugly yellow. 6000K should be about right, but don't go too much higher or it gets real ugly, real quick.

Oh, and don't forget to make sure that those LED bulbs are oriented CORRECTLY when you put them in... there's surprisingly a lot of room for slop, which can throw your pattern off and, also, make you an ******* on the roads by blinding everyone your grille is pointed towards.

I know. TMI. TMFI, really... but here's the thing: You can skip most of that headache by getting hold of one of the fine vendors who sponsor stuff on the forums, and they can walk you through a lot of this stuff, and set you up (for a price) with a set of lights that drop right in.

Good luck.

 

[Random_Walk]

PS: I have Quad lights (which just means my hi-beam and lo-beams come from separate pairs of bulbs). I just got these two kits and dropped them into my 2017 SLT QuadCab truck, and they work just fine:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J12B252/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (hi-beam)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J1MTKDZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (lo-beam)

 

[Philram2017]

Now hate to be stupid but what is quad and projector

 

[Random_Walk]

It's not stupid - really!

A "Quad" headlight is a headlight kit where the lo-beam is one bulb, and the hi-beam is another bulb. Same thing happens on the other side.

A "Projector" headlight has this big fisheye lens-looking thing in front of the lo/hi combo bulb.

Below is a pic of a Quad headlight (mine, to be specific)...







...and this is a projector headlight:

 

[Philram2017]

Ok awesome thanx I'm new to the ram and would like to do some upgrades eventually

 

[Philram2017]

Thank you very much for ur help

 

[Sheriff Justice]

I have 5500K LED’s in my low beam (quad headlight, open reflector housing style like Random-Walk^) and 6K high. I’ve been using a company for all my LED needs for 10+ years and have never had a problem. Price is more than Ebay / Amazon but the ‘price is what you pay, value is what you get out of it’. Check out a Ram vendor also.

Low beam headlight I have ‘cancellers’ installed to trick the computer a bulb is out (add-on with bulbs). All plug & play, no wire splicing, perfect output. Fits behind OEM dust cover. Make sure LED bulb sits at 9 & 3 position so the chips shine perfect in the reflector.

Brake / turn lights you need a ‘resistor’ to avoid hyper-flash when the blinker is on. Same thing, add-on and plug & play (no splicing).

IMO headlights were biggest improvement I should have done sooner. All my other LED’s (3rd brake light, interior, etc...) you just need bulbs.

https://www.vleds.com/

 

[Philram2017]

Yea I def have the quad lights than

 

[Philram2017]

So those bulbs from amazon would work for mine as well ? Or how do u know if they will work

 

[JoeCo]

So those bulbs from amazon would work for mine as well ? Or how do u know if they will work

Either google or you can just lookup what the stock bulbs (halogen) are for quad lights, the led's use the same model number to identify them (as in if your bulb is a 9005 halogen, the led will also list it as 9005). Now 9005's are for low/highs in projector headlights, was just using that as an example since I just replaced mine and was familiar with the model #, but if you look up replacement halogen bulbs for your style headlight then you will be able to identify the correct style bulb.

Been a while since I had the quads, I think they are h11 but definitely don't take my word for it cause it's been years since I've had the quads and replaced the headlights in them.

 

[Random_Walk]

The quad (reflector) headlights are H11 (lo-beam) and 9005 (hi-beam) for the 2017 models. You can confirm this yourself in the owner's manual as well.

If you get the same ones as mine (that I linked to), just note that they tend to wash everything out in blue, and once in a great while, someone will think you have your brights on even with just lo-beams. It's rare, but it does happen on occasion, even through I was scrupulous about aiming the things correctly.

 

[Philram2017]

Thanx guys really appreciate it

 

[DieselMike29]

It's not stupid - really!

A "Quad" headlight is a headlight kit where the lo-beam is one bulb, and the hi-beam is another bulb. Same thing happens on the other side.

A "Projector" headlight has this big fisheye lens-looking thing in front of the lo/hi combo bulb.

Below is a pic of a Quad headlight (mine, to be specific)...

View attachment 184415





...and this is a projector headlight:
View attachment 184416

Partially true, but not totally - BOTH types of headlights have 4 bulbs (2 high and 2 low) However, the projector headlights have a "shield" which allows only part of the light from the bulb behind it to come out when the headlights are on "low".

Both types of headlights have 2 bulbs lite when in "low" and 4 bulbs on while in "high". The bulbs (for high and low) may be the same and might not be the same. My 2015 WITH projectors uses 9012 for low beams and 9005 for the highs. The ONLY real difference (there are many, but the most notable) is the shape and position of the tabs that twist-lock the bulb into place. Other differences are/can be the "heat" of the bulbs 4500K or 5500K or whatever, where the LEDS are placed in the bulb, how the wires attach to the back of the bulb, and others.

 

[fijicorey]

Dunno about the taillights, but there are decent kits that are just drop-in replacements from halogen -> LED.

HOWEVER!

There are a few things you need to know...

...there is a difference between Quads and Projectors (the two types of headlights you're liable to find.) Not all LED lights are drop-in (though on the 2017s, many are.) Many of the ones which are not come with resistor packs that help the LEDs pretend they're Halogens. With OBDLink and AlfaOBD, you can lie to the TIPM (computer) and make it think that LEDs are allowed on your truck (though not all LED sets even need that.)

Confused yet? We're just getting started, so hold onto your butt...

...now - you have to look at Lumen output. Bigger is not always better. Around 5k Lumen/bulb is what you want (because anything brighter makes you an ******* on the roads, and pumping out 10k Lumen from the front of a truck is pushing it.) Color temperature is next. Too high and it's a headache-generating shade of blue that washes out all color. Too low and it's a dull, ugly yellow. 6000K should be about right, but don't go too much higher or it gets real ugly, real quick.

Oh, and don't forget to make sure that those LED bulbs are oriented CORRECTLY when you put them in... there's surprisingly a lot of room for slop, which can throw your pattern off and, also, make you an ******* on the roads by blinding everyone your grille is pointed towards.

I know. TMI. TMFI, really... but here's the thing: You can skip most of that headache by getting hold of one of the fine vendors who sponsor stuff on the forums, and they can walk you through a lot of this stuff, and set you up (for a price) with a set of lights that drop right in.

Good luck.

Did you have the "headlight out" warning when you installed your headlights you linked? If so, did you use one of the OBD apps to fix it?

 

[Random_Walk]

Did you have the "headlight out" warning when you installed your headlights you linked? If so, did you use one of the OBD apps to fix it?

No warnings so far. I do have the means to get into OBD and fix it, but I haven't had the need to yet.

 

[fijicorey]

No warnings so far. I do have the means to get into OBD and fix it, but I haven't had the need to yet.

Well, I just installed these on Friday and man what a difference. They're really bright! I think I need to aim them down a little but I haven't been flashed by anybody yet.

Did you have any trouble getting the dust covers on the back of the headlight on afterwards? Mine fit but I had to do some convincing to get them in.

Also, I did not have an issue with a headlight out warning.

 

[Random_Walk]

The lo-beams went on easily enough, but yeah, the hi-beams took a bit of lying-to to get back on completely

 

[gbark80]

PS: I have Quad lights (which just means my hi-beam and lo-beams come from separate pairs of bulbs). I just got these two kits and dropped them into my 2017 SLT QuadCab truck, and they work just fine:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J12B252/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (hi-beam)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J1MTKDZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (lo-beam)

I have 2 quick questions.
Just a quick glance at them, I saw they have a 10000 hour life span on the lows at least, do they have a warranty like some of the other LEDs out there?

Here is the bigger question, if you had to, would you buy them again?

 

[Random_Walk]

I have 2 quick questions.
Just a quick glance at them, I saw they have a 10000 hour life span on the lows at least, do they have a warranty like some of the other LEDs out there?

Here is the bigger question, if you had to, would you buy them again?

They do come with a 2-year warranty.

So far, so good, but I think next time I'd want something that doesn't so readily wash everything out color-wise.