Lighting options

[FF376]

2018 2500 Tradesman. Wondering what options are out there to improve the lighting without replacing the oem assembly and or adding fog or driving lights to the bumper. Something cost effective without going crazy...

 

[star_deceiver]

I’ve been using these. Bought them for $30 on sale. Low beam only. They’ve been in the truck for over a year now, no issues. They are definitely brighter and better than the stock bulbs.

Second benefit: They put off little heat so road dirt/spray doesn’t bake or freeze to the headlights. They stay reasonably clean in winter.

I tried a pair of Sealight led’s before but everybody and their dog was flashing as I drove past them.

 

[tron67j]

I’ve been using these. Bought them for $30 on sale. Low beam only. They’ve been in the truck for over a year now, no issues. They are definitely brighter and better than the stock bulbs.

Second benefit: They put off little heat so road dirt/spray doesn’t bake or freeze to the headlights. They stay reasonably clean in winter.

I tried a pair of Sealight led’s before but everybody and their dog was flashing as I drove past them.
View attachment 481374

Thanks, same 2018 2500 Tradesman, I did add fog lights with aftermarket brackets and lights (no bumper mount, put in gap between tow hooks) while installing factory harness and light switch, but don't want to spend tons of money on new light assemblies. Will try these.

 

[tron67j]

I’ve been using these. Bought them for $30 on sale. Low beam only. They’ve been in the truck for over a year now, no issues. They are definitely brighter and better than the stock bulbs.

Second benefit: They put off little heat so road dirt/spray doesn’t bake or freeze to the headlights. They stay reasonably clean in winter.

I tried a pair of Sealight led’s before but everybody and their dog was flashing as I drove past them.
View attachment 481374

Follow up, the website says they do not fit my truck, do you have same stock headlights? Did you have to modify?

 

[star_deceiver]

The existing low beams are H11. Plug and play. Passenger side under the air box was not fun.

Amazon always says nothing fits.

 

[pacofortacos]

If you have H11 low beams, installing H9 halogens will greatly improve the light output and not blind anyone. Easy modification to the bulb is needed but not a problem. google h11 to H9

 

[reek]

I’ve been using these. Bought them for $30 on sale. Low beam only. They’ve been in the truck for over a year now, no issues. They are definitely brighter and better than the stock bulbs.

Second benefit: They put off little heat so road dirt/spray doesn’t bake or freeze to the headlights. They stay reasonably clean in winter.

I tried a pair of Sealight led’s before but everybody and their dog was flashing as I drove past them.
View attachment 481374

just looked up the Aukee bulbs. theres an 18000 LM version. any thoughts on that? I guess would be the equivalent to 50 % brighter than the 12,000 LM version.

you think would this be too bright and blind on coming traffic? I drive alot of back roads and have to keep toggling on and off when using the LED off road light on my truck for on coming cars.

the 18000LM does come up as "fits 2015 RAM 2500" unlike the 12000LM version

 

[SouthTexan]

If you do upgrade your bulbs to HID or LED, then please do it right and spend the extra money on projector lenses so you aren't blinding oncoming traffic. It amazes me how people can spend tens of thousands of dollars on a new truck yet not want to spend a grand or less on doing it right so that they don't blind other people. I understand they need to see, but so do other people on the road.

I had an accident in my car due to this very same reason. The oncoming truck had HID or LED lights in a housing meant for halogen lights so it scattered bright light every where. It blinded me so I could not see the massive hog that was about to walk on to the road until it was too late. Sad part about it was, my car came with halogen lights and I spent the extra $500 to get projector housings(instead of just $70 on the lights) when I upgraded to LED lights so I don't blind oncoming traffic. I just wish the guy that blinded me was courteous enough to do the same.

 

[crash68]

Second benefit: They put off little heat so road dirt/spray doesn’t bake or freeze to the headlights. They stay reasonably clean in winter.

Interesting as I see the opposite with the LEDs, I have them in my high beams and those freeze over the lows which are halogen don't.

The existing low beams are H11. Plug and play. Passenger side under the air box was not fun.

Are you saying you installed the bulbs without pulling the headlights out? That's a lot of extra grief for nothing. Two bolts with an extension and clip and the headlight buckets pop out.

 

[Johnny_B-Good]

In the vast world of readily available LED's. DOT approved still speaks volumes.

https://www.amazon.com/H13-9008-LED-Headlight-Bulbs/dp/B09D341N9T/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3EFOSTJRNELTP&keywords=DOT%2Bapproved%2BLED%2Bheadlights&qid=1641483825&sprefix=dot%2Bapproved%2Bled%2Bheadlight%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-8&th=1

 

[star_deceiver]

Interesting as I see the opposite with the LEDs, I have them in my high beams and those freeze over the lows which are halogen don't.

Are you saying you installed the bulbs without pulling the headlights out? That's a lot of extra grief for nothing. Two bolts with an extension and clip and the headlight buckets pop out.

On mine, there’s a flap in the wheel well to access the headlight… drivers side was easy, passenger side required many 4 letter words as there‘s little room and the headlight cord is short.

As for freezing, they have never frozen over. Not here, not on the coast, not the freeways of Utah, not Edmonton, not at -35, not at near freezing with freezing fog. At worst, there’s a faint white road film on the surface.

The 18000LM version might be too bright, maybe. If you buy them and everybody you drive past is flashing you…. Amazon usually has a pretty good return policy.

If you do upgrade your bulbs to HID or LED, then please do it right and spend the extra money on projector lenses so you aren't blinding oncoming traffic. It amazes me how people can tens of thousands of dollars on a new truck yet not want to spend a grand or less on doing it right so that they don't blind other people. I understand they need to see, but so do other people on the road.

I had an accident in my car due to this very same reason. The oncoming truck had HID or LED lights in a housing meant for halogen lights so it scattered bright light every where. It blinded me so I could not see the massive hog that was about to walk on to the road until it was too late. Sad part about it was, my car came with halogen lights and I spent the extra $500 to get projector housings(instead of just $70 on the lights) when I upgraded to LED lights so I don't blind oncoming traffic. I just wish the guy that blinded me was courteous enough to do the same.

The first pair of LED lights I bought for this truck were Sealight brand. They were in the truck for 4 days. Everyone and their dog was flashing their light at me, obviously, this was a problem. I bought these Aukee ones on various posts I had read here and there that said the filaments on stock bulbs matched up perfectly with the led chips. Nobody flashes their lights at me anymore. Is it the best solution, no. Do I want to spent $500 on lights, no. Same as I didn’t want to spend another $10000 to get an over optioned Laramie (that has led lights).

 

[Peter Albert]

I drive with my headlamps on during the day. Driving 1,500 miles on average per week, daytime and nighttime, I was replacing my low beams frequently. So in June, 2021 I installed the Fahren brand of LED headlamps into my 2017 1500 SLT. Both the low beam H11 and the high beam 9005. They've performed flawlessly. Here in California, it is actually illegal to replace your headlamps with LED's if the trucks OEM lighting was not LED off the showroom floor. But I think it's a low priority for the cops to deal with. NOTE: It is very important that you orient the LEDs correctly within the lamp housing. It's not just a simple twist-lock replacement. The two-sided LED element can rotate 180 degrees within a ring. It is vital that the LEDs face the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions when the entire unit is twist-locked into its final position. Getting this correct was the most difficult part of the installation.

 

[Thepewpew]

If you have H11 low beams, installing H9 halogens will greatly improve the light output and not blind anyone. Easy modification to the bulb is needed but not a problem. google h11 to H9

Did that for a Forester, the H9s didn't last for long, granted they were sylvanias cheapest bulbs, but you end up burning through bulbs faster nonetheless.

 

[dadbern]

do you have projector style headlights? My ram came from the dealer with 35w HId setup with projector housings. I just upgraded them to 55w hid with an awesome kit from xenonpro.com. Was about 120 for the low beams and 120 for the fog lights. Difference is awesome. I had to make sure to adjsut my headlights after I installed them especially since I just put in a leveling kit

 

[pacofortacos]

Did that for a Forester, the H9s didn't last for long, granted they were sylvanias cheapest bulbs, but you end up burning through bulbs faster nonetheless.

This is true.
H9 bulbs will burn out quicker than the Long Life H11 stock bulbs - but put out double the light before they do.
At $5-9 bulb it isn't a real big deal though.