Help! Headlight Goof!

[kad]

Well, I goofed. I bought a replacement OEM projector for my 2014's driver side headlight to replace the TYC that was there (long story). But I didn't know that RAM switched to using 9005 65w low beam bulbs in 2016 and the headlight I bought turned out to be from a 2017. My 2014 uses 9012 55W bulbs.

I know the 9012 bulb will not fit in the 9005 socket without trimming the tabs, but I also see that there is a key on the connector and bulbs that prevents them from even being plugged in.

Before I discuss returning it with the seller... (It's partially my fault as I didn't press for seeing the part # when I asked if it was a genuine 68093221AD and he said it was an OEM sport light. I assumed they were the same across all the 4th Gens)...

I haven't pulled the front end apart to check yet, but can anyone tell me if a 9005 bulb will fit in the socket meant for a 9012 on my original passenger headlight? If I can do that to maintain matched bulbs I see some wiring adapters on Amazon that look like they'd take care of the connector key issue.

-K

 

[kad]

Hmm.. I may have just answered my own question. I realized I had some old bulbs in the garage and took a micrometer to them. The base on the 9012 is 2.2mm wider than the base of the 9005. Looks like they would not seat tightly.

-K

 

[MADDOG]

9005 bulb base:



9012 bulb base:



As you can see the connector would be a bit different. To fit the 9005 you'd have to do a little bit of dremel work to get it to slip into the back of the housing.

 

[Dinky]

Can you just splice the connector and convert to the new bulb?

 

[kad]

Can you just splice the connector and convert to the new bulb?

I really do not want to alter the wiring. But the connector is really the least of the issues. That can be dealt with by trimming the key out of the inside of the new bulb or with an adapter. And the tabs on the bulb's base are easy to trim as well. It's the inner part of the base that's the issue.

As you can see the connector would be a bit different. To fit the 9005 you'd have to do a little bit of dremel work to get it to slip into the back of the housing.

Yeah, taking a dremel or hot knife to the tabs isn't my worry. The outer ring of the base (the part outlined in your pics) is the same size, It's the inner ring of the base, the part where the o-ring sits that goes down into the projector, that is different in size. On the 9012 it's 22mm and on the 9005 it's 19.8mm. (the o-rings themselves are correspondingly larger as well) I've looked over the socket on the new headlight carefully and, assuming the old one is the same construction, the o-ring appears to be a vibration dampener, the slots in the metal part of the projector housing go deeper than the o-ring sits so it's not an air/moisture seal. I'm thinking that if I can get a thicker o-ring for the 9005 bulb, it will allow it to be used. I've seen a couple of references to doing the same when moving from 9006 to 9005 bulbs and the 9006 are supposed to be the same size as the 9012 (just slightly different tabs).

-K

 

[MADDOG]

that's how I'd go about it if I decided not to return the bulbs I have for the correct ones.

 

[kad]

that's how I'd go about it if I decided not to return the bulbs I have for the correct ones.

It's not a matter of having the correct bulbs. It's having one headlight that takes 9012s (my original 2014 passenger side) and the other that takes 9005s(the 2017 driver side I bought), but wanting to have matching bulbs. I got an amazingly low price on a brand new, never installed OEM light from a member here and I doubt I'll ever see such a deal again so I'd like to make it work. And since I can't use a 9012 in the 2017 light, I need to see if I can use a 9005 in the 2014 light.

-K

 

[Jrod]

9011 will plug into a 9005. 9012 will not plug into a 9005, unless you get creative with a Dremel, which I am not suggesting you do.

 

[CincyCuda68]

It's not a matter of having the correct bulbs. It's having one headlight that takes 9012s (my original 2014 passenger side) and the other that takes 9005s(the 2017 driver side I bought), but wanting to have matching bulbs. I got an amazingly low price on a brand new, never installed OEM light from a member here and I doubt I'll ever see such a deal again so I'd like to make it work. And since I can't use a 9012 in the 2017 light, I need to see if I can use a 9005 in the 2014 light.

-K

I have 2 sets of 9005 Morimoto HID if you want them. 2-5500k and 2- 6500k,
5500k were used a day or two 6500k are new. If you decide to keep that new housing you bought, that should last you quite a while.

 

[werdna1977]

You could always take the inside guts out of your old assembly and put them into the new one so that you keep the same bulb socket. Just my 2 cents lol

 

[kad]

You could always take the inside guts out of your old assembly and put them into the new one so that you keep the same bulb socket. Just my 2 cents lol

A good idea, but they are two different brands (an OEM and a TYC), the internal parts are not interchangeable as far as I know.

-K

 

[kad]

Thanks all for the assistance and suggestions. I've decided not to keep the new one though. It arrived with a broken off tab and I'm not inclined to try and repair it.

-K