These headlights SUCK!!

[crash68]

Retroshop didnt think LEDs were going to be necessary in the hi beam position after the diode is installed to keep both beams on.

I'm going to completely disagree about not wanting to use LEDs in the high beams. The normal halogen 9005 bulb is good for somewhere in the 1500-1800 lumens. The good 9005 LEDs are good for 5000+ lumens, that's a bunch more light downrange.
With LEDs anything reflective like street signs, car reflectors and the eyes of animals really glow. I'm guessing the need for lots of light and that awesomely massive brush guard is for those pesky woodland creatures that have no regards for traffic laws.

 

[goneagain]

Folks, I really appreciate the constructive input Ive recieved here. i am going to swap the hi bulbs with LED and order alpha obd to chabge the cpu settings.

 

[OC455]

you are absolutely correct on headlights. my new ones are identical to your photo.

Retroshop didnt think LEDs were going to be necessary in the hi beam position after the diode is installed to keep both beams on.

Im attaching photos of the new lights installed (lots of work done to truck as well). I meant to post these earlier to avoid confusion but you guys beat me to the punch.

View attachment 182621

View attachment 182622

Impressive rig!

Hope everything that was suggested helps. I think the consensus aside from a few Ram owners is the OEM headlights have something to be desired as far as light output.

If The Retroshop did those headlights, then the output with the lows being on with high beams should be much better than what you've experienced so far. Keep us updated.

 

[goneagain]

Tonight I installed the jumper harness from retroshop. Upon installation, the hi/low beams cycled rapidly, then shut off. now, the high beams do not work at all. I am done with this Garbage. Jeremy needs to return these lights.

a few weeks back, I attempted to use Alpha OBD to change the settings. Turns out, it doesnt cover my 2011 truck. another $50 wasted on these stupid headlights.

I am under a major time crunch , and am driving back to alaska from the lower 48 on sunday. I need good lights. So super disappointed in this whole situation.



Frankly, with this rats nest of wiring for each headlight, its a wonder they work at all:

 

[goneagain]

Also, I thought you folks might enjoy some pictures of the truck Ive been putting together down here:

 

[1500ram12]

Tonight I installed the jumper harness from retroshop. Upon installation, the hi/low beams cycled rapidly, then shut off. now, the high beams do not work at all. I am done with this Garbage. Jeremy needs to return these lights.

a few weeks back, I attempted to use Alpha OBD to change the settings. Turns out, it doesnt cover my 2011 truck. another $50 wasted on these stupid headlights.

I am under a major time crunch , and am driving back to alaska from the lower 48 on sunday. I need good lights. So super disappointed in this whole situation.



Frankly, with this rats nest of wiring for each headlight, its a wonder they work at all:

View attachment 186387

That is a lot of wiring. What are you using for lighting? With a 2011 you shouldn't be having this many problems. My 2010 I ran ebay led's in my low's in the oem projectors I installed. Used JJ's gen 1 adapters. Zero issues until I tried morimoto hid's. Never could get them to work more than a few days in a row.

I know you don't want to throw more money at these. On my 2015 (which is a very picky year for lighting) I had great luck running ddm ultra canbus (I believe) $90 hid kit. The high beams aren't monitored with pwm so running led's shouldn't be an issue. On my 2018 I'm currently running innovative hid's ($40 off of Amazon) with zero issues. I'm still tentative about hid's after dealing with the morimotos but so far so good.




2018 2500 6.4L Tradesman

 

[goneagain]

I believe I found the problem. I dissected retroshops hi beam conversion wiring harness and discovered the hi beam is feeding power back into the low beam truck circuit.

he has a diode in place so the low beam doesnt feed the hi side, but not the other way. his harness is to blame, it needs a second diode.

I hope It didnt screw up my ecm!

 

[OC455]

Also, I thought you folks might enjoy some pictures of the truck Ive been putting together down here:


View attachment 186377 View attachment 186378

Your truck is a beast!!!

 

[1500ram12]

I believe I found the problem. I dissected retroshops hi beam conversion wiring harness and discovered the hi beam is feeding power back into the low beam truck circuit.

he has a diode in place so the low beam doesnt feed the hi side, but not the other way. his harness is to blame, it needs a second diode.

I hope It didnt screw up my ecm!

Could you take a screen shot of alphaobd under car configuration while you are connected to your truck


2018 2500 6.4L Tradesman

 

[goneagain]

Could you take a screen shot of alphaobd under car configuration while you are connected to your truck


2018 2500 6.4L Tradesman

It will not connect to my truck, my truck isnt supported.

 

[1500ram12]

It will not connect to my truck, my truck isnt supported.

Did you try connecting using 2500/3500 just to see if it would? I know the 4500/5500 are slightly different but a lot of things are the same


2018 2500 6.4L Tradesman

 

[goneagain]

Could you take a screen shot of alphaobd under car configuration while you are connected to your truck


2018 2500 6.4L Tradesman

Did you try connecting using 2500/3500 just to see if it would? I know the 4500/5500 are slightly different but a lot of things are the same


2018 2500 6.4L Tradesman

 

[madtrucker2016]

I recently bough a 2011 ram 5500, and am setting it up to pull. going to spend a whole lot of time in AK and backwoods.

I was shocked how bad the factory headlights were.

In the past I have run fords that allowed for a JW speaker LED. I like LED, but for my application they need to have a lense heating element so they dont freeze over.

I dont care for HIDs with the goofy warmup time.

Recently I called Retro Shop and wrote him a blank check to build the best headlights possible for this truck.

What I ended up with was a set of '13 and up OEM projectors refitted with larger reflector, and 35w HID conversion on the low beam side. He assured me this package would net a much brighter headlight than the morimoto LED unit.

This evening I installed them, and was sorely disappointed to find the high beams are worse than my originals! I can barely see the road.

Even worse, switching from Hi to low, the lowbeams have to warm back up since they are HID. Super frustrated with the breathtakingly high cost ($1825) only to have a headlight that still doesnt perform.

Can anyone offer some insight into a good lighting option? How about retrofitting something into the hi beam side of these, since I am now stuck with a non returnable custom light?

why wouldn't you just put a light bar on the front of your truck ,that is what its for offroading. Wow you got taken if thats what you paid. That is like 912.00 for each light . I got a bridge for sale you want to buy it.

 

[goneagain]

why wouldn't you just put a light bar on the front of your truck ,that is what its for offroading. Wow you got taken if thats what you paid. That is like 912.00 for each light . I got a bridge for sale you want to buy it.

What an incredibly useless comment.

But, Ill bite. I didnt buy a lightbar because of it being ripped off. Also, they dont melt the ice off them well enough be useable in winter on the road.

 

[1500ram12]

Have you contacted JJ about the high beam harness


2018 2500 6.4L Tradesman

 

[goneagain]

Yes I did this am.

I asked him if it was bad to feed power back into the lowbeam side, he agreed it was bad. - until i told him thats exactly what his harness was doing, then it was suddenly ok.

The new fixit is adding a new wiring harness that runs straight to battery.

 

[madtrucker2016]

What an incredibly useless comment.

But, Ill bite. I didnt buy a lightbar because of it being ripped off. Also, they dont melt the ice off them well enough be useable in winter on the road.

Seems like your pissed at the world. Well aim not pissed. know why because I didnt spend 1,800 bucks on two stupid headlights that any offroader knows a lite bar is the best for what you described the road your on. well buddy hope things get better for you. Dont be mad at the world life is too short.

 

[SRich2015]

I think alfaOBD will fix it and getting rid of that Rats nest of wiring!!! @Jimmy07

 

[goneagain]

I think alfaOBD will fix it and getting rid of that Rats nest of wiring!!! @Jimmy07

I Agree! I just wish alpha worked on my truck.

 

[SRich2015]

I Agree! I just wish alpha worked on my truck.

I think it will, I'm not sure what setting you were trying to change but by your screen shot it looks like the quad headlight perimeters. I'm not sure of the wiring that they did but you should be changing your headlight and turn signals to leds and also changing to HID's also! That's why I tagged @Jimmy07 as he helped me a lot and knows a lot about the headlight conversions!! hopefully he will chime in or you can PM him!!