OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Yeah, just got back some prices:
1. OEM projectors: $1800/pair
2. Quad lights: $700/pair
1. OEM projectors: $1800/pair
2. Quad lights: $700/pair
Dodge RAM 1500 headlights - improving them
- Thread starter OVERKILL
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Time for some good add-on driving lights.
My factory service manual on my Dodge, stated that my low beams were using 14 gauge wire and my high beams were 12 gauge.
The Low beams were in fact not even 16awg when I busted out my calipers, perhaps 16sae gauge but closer to 18, the high beams were 14 ish.
I was getting nearly 3 volts of drop on the passenger side light on low beam and high beam. The Low beam wire went to drivers side, then back out of the H4 connector and around firewall to passenger side, whereas the high beam wire split closer to bulkhead connector and went individually to h4 plugs.
The factory service manual not only was overly optimistic on the wire gauge, but also on the length. So I think the factory decided some $hortcuts were acceptable.
Now my new 12awg relayed harness, voltage drop is about 0.3v, the output increase is an objective 30% brighter.
Check the voltage drop, perhaps they did not run current through headlamp switch and a new relayed harness will not substantially increase voltage and not be worth the effort, especially on all these reports that the beam pattern is no good from day one, even with bulbs with higher output and greater filament precision location within the bulb.
The Low beams were in fact not even 16awg when I busted out my calipers, perhaps 16sae gauge but closer to 18, the high beams were 14 ish.
I was getting nearly 3 volts of drop on the passenger side light on low beam and high beam. The Low beam wire went to drivers side, then back out of the H4 connector and around firewall to passenger side, whereas the high beam wire split closer to bulkhead connector and went individually to h4 plugs.
The factory service manual not only was overly optimistic on the wire gauge, but also on the length. So I think the factory decided some $hortcuts were acceptable.
Now my new 12awg relayed harness, voltage drop is about 0.3v, the output increase is an objective 30% brighter.
Check the voltage drop, perhaps they did not run current through headlamp switch and a new relayed harness will not substantially increase voltage and not be worth the effort, especially on all these reports that the beam pattern is no good from day one, even with bulbs with higher output and greater filament precision location within the bulb.
I read that some Jeeps (a Chrysler product) had a Hella headlight in Europe and a similar looking but much inferior product for the US Market. Wonder about Rams? A e-bay duplicate of the dual output might be cheap as an alternative. NOW, just FYI, here is what I did , not very successfully.
1994 Dodge Dakota v6 regular cab, 220k miles. To put Hella small German made rectangular in, forced to replace the radiator core support, thus setting up for sealed beam or Hella units, and permits throwing out those incredibly bad plastic lights and awful 9004's bulbs. Replace the plastic grilles which are ALMOST interchangeable between sealed beams and aero. Get the wiring harness for 4066 sealed beams. These do NOT have the same plugs as most sealed beams. Change to ceramic sockets for regular sealed beams. Replace headlight switch, which failed and may have nothing to do with the above. This week ordered some Indian made (typically low quality) h-4's 75/70w bulbs, ( $30 for 4, Classic Garage, cheaper than the Osram nightbreaker) modestly brighter than stock. Ordered e-bay relay wiring harness, to install this week.Trying to find a cheap bull bar to mount OK HELLA OR SIMILAR fog lights on. So far just have a modest improvement overall. I think a rust free Chevy / GMC S-10 would have been better, since the CIBIE 200mm "big square" halogens and relay kit would have been simpler and maybe cheaper.The Chrysler and Chevy v-6's both seem to have a good rep. I cannot find a truly non tinted headlight.Final option would be a pair of Hella XL'S, hard to find, or the KC Highlights copies..unknown performance.
1994 Dodge Dakota v6 regular cab, 220k miles. To put Hella small German made rectangular in, forced to replace the radiator core support, thus setting up for sealed beam or Hella units, and permits throwing out those incredibly bad plastic lights and awful 9004's bulbs. Replace the plastic grilles which are ALMOST interchangeable between sealed beams and aero. Get the wiring harness for 4066 sealed beams. These do NOT have the same plugs as most sealed beams. Change to ceramic sockets for regular sealed beams. Replace headlight switch, which failed and may have nothing to do with the above. This week ordered some Indian made (typically low quality) h-4's 75/70w bulbs, ( $30 for 4, Classic Garage, cheaper than the Osram nightbreaker) modestly brighter than stock. Ordered e-bay relay wiring harness, to install this week.Trying to find a cheap bull bar to mount OK HELLA OR SIMILAR fog lights on. So far just have a modest improvement overall. I think a rust free Chevy / GMC S-10 would have been better, since the CIBIE 200mm "big square" halogens and relay kit would have been simpler and maybe cheaper.The Chrysler and Chevy v-6's both seem to have a good rep. I cannot find a truly non tinted headlight.Final option would be a pair of Hella XL'S, hard to find, or the KC Highlights copies..unknown performance.
I meant truly non tinted windshield. Having driven a BMW 2002 with clear windshield years ago, then when cracked by rock replaced with tinted glass, just like driving in the rain and mist ALL THE TIME.
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Yeah, just got back some prices:
1. OEM projectors: $1800/pair
2. Quad lights: $700/pair
Now, the OEM projectors aren't plug and play. You need an additional harness. A cheaper option is to find a used bumper off of Craigslist / Kijiji with the fog lights and upgrade the headlight switch. I believe you have to add the sales code too, but I'm not too sure on that one. Usually its about $40-60 to add it in.
Yeah, just got back some prices:
1. OEM projectors: $1800/pair
2. Quad lights: $700/pair
Now, the OEM projectors aren't plug and play. You need an additional harness. A cheaper option is to find a used bumper off of Craigslist / Kijiji with the fog lights and upgrade the headlight switch. I believe you have to add the sales code too, but I'm not too sure on that one. Usually its about $40-60 to add it in.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: Farmer
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Yeah, just got back some prices:
1. OEM projectors: $1800/pair
2. Quad lights: $700/pair
Now, the OEM projectors aren't plug and play. You need an additional harness. A cheaper option is to find a used bumper off of Craigslist / Kijiji with the fog lights and upgrade the headlight switch. I believe you have to add the sales code too, but I'm not too sure on that one. Usually its about $40-60 to add it in.
Yeah, the adapter harness is $130.00 from what I could see. I am not sure we want to get into swapping bumpers.
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Yeah, just got back some prices:
1. OEM projectors: $1800/pair
2. Quad lights: $700/pair
Now, the OEM projectors aren't plug and play. You need an additional harness. A cheaper option is to find a used bumper off of Craigslist / Kijiji with the fog lights and upgrade the headlight switch. I believe you have to add the sales code too, but I'm not too sure on that one. Usually its about $40-60 to add it in.
Yeah, the adapter harness is $130.00 from what I could see. I am not sure we want to get into swapping bumpers.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
I replaced the low beam H11 bulbs in my Ram with the modded H9 bulb and it made a huge difference! If the 2011 has the same headlights as mine, tell him to try the H11 to H9 modification.
Those OEM projectors are not cheap, I looked into those as well.
Which is as illegal as an HID sham retrofit.
I replaced the low beam H11 bulbs in my Ram with the modded H9 bulb and it made a huge difference! If the 2011 has the same headlights as mine, tell him to try the H11 to H9 modification.
Those OEM projectors are not cheap, I looked into those as well.
Which is as illegal as an HID sham retrofit.
In times like these, I weigh lighting legality against the legal issues of hitting and killing something.
My Rams were also given some really sh___y headlights. I got aftermarket projector assemblies and tossed in some LED bulbs.
Might not be legal, but I don't think the woman I avoided running over after she stepped out from behind a tree and garbage can chasing her dog really cared.
The stock lights were beyond pathetic. Hard to tell when they were on. If I was making a turn and had to look through my factory tinted windows, I literally saw nothing on an unlit street.
I think I'm going to pull them out and upgrade them with some Acura projectors with ZKW lenses though. These aftermarket projectors are not the best, but still better than the shoddy OEM projectors in my Navigator.
My Rams were also given some really sh___y headlights. I got aftermarket projector assemblies and tossed in some LED bulbs.
Might not be legal, but I don't think the woman I avoided running over after she stepped out from behind a tree and garbage can chasing her dog really cared.
The stock lights were beyond pathetic. Hard to tell when they were on. If I was making a turn and had to look through my factory tinted windows, I literally saw nothing on an unlit street.
I think I'm going to pull them out and upgrade them with some Acura projectors with ZKW lenses though. These aftermarket projectors are not the best, but still better than the shoddy OEM projectors in my Navigator.
Good on IIHS for finally doing something about headlights. Having at least decent headlights from the factory would have precluded this whole issue of legality vs. safety.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
I replaced the low beam H11 bulbs in my Ram with the modded H9 bulb and it made a huge difference! If the 2011 has the same headlights as mine, tell him to try the H11 to H9 modification.
Those OEM projectors are not cheap, I looked into those as well.
Which is as illegal as an HID sham retrofit.
Still not legal, correct, but they at least maintain the optics of the housing, with the filament being spatially located at the same place within the housing. The H9 does not have a painted cap on the glass envelope, so that swap (H9 for H11) should be carefully considered. If the housing has a physical glare shield in front of the bulb (and most do these days), then an H9 swap is *probably* going to produce a much better result than an HID swap.
But indeed, still technically not within the regulations.
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
I replaced the low beam H11 bulbs in my Ram with the modded H9 bulb and it made a huge difference! If the 2011 has the same headlights as mine, tell him to try the H11 to H9 modification.
Those OEM projectors are not cheap, I looked into those as well.
Which is as illegal as an HID sham retrofit.
Still not legal, correct, but they at least maintain the optics of the housing, with the filament being spatially located at the same place within the housing. The H9 does not have a painted cap on the glass envelope, so that swap (H9 for H11) should be carefully considered. If the housing has a physical glare shield in front of the bulb (and most do these days), then an H9 swap is *probably* going to produce a much better result than an HID swap.
But indeed, still technically not within the regulations.
Yes the low beams have a glare shield in front of the bulb. I wouldn't have done the mod if they didn't.
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