HID lighting for 98 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
2,183
Location
Lexington, KY
I am considering adding HID lighting to my 98 Ford Explorer with 9007 blubs. I have sseveral questions and concerns

Did Ford ever have HID lights as an option with the 98 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer with the electonics instrument package?

As the current headlights are not "projectors" like my BMW, I am concerned over "light scatter" bothering on-coming drivers. Is there a solution?

Does HID lighting cause a "bulb out warning" problems with Ford explorer. They sure did with my BMW.
 
Last edited:
Russell,

Ford did not offer HID lights on the '98 Ford Explorer. They also did not have projector head lamps and because of that I would discourage you from installing HIDs. The "light scatter" as you called it, or glare from the reflector housing would infuriate other drivers.

I would try a aftermarket projector head lamp off ebay and then purchase an HID kit. For HID's, I recommend http://www.ddmtuning.com. They are quite popular in the BMW market. Their prices cannot be beat and all their HID kits carry a LIFETIME WARRANTY!

-Nick
 
also, I don't believe your explorer has a LCM (light control module) like your Bimmer does, so the explorer shouldn't give you a "low beam error" like your bimmer.
 
Originally Posted By: 98dakarM3
Russell,

Ford did not offer HID lights on the '98 Ford Explorer. They also did not have projector head lamps and because of that I would discourage you from installing HIDs. The "light scatter" as you called it, or glare from the reflector housing would infuriate other drivers.

I would try a aftermarket projector head lamp off ebay and then purchase an HID kit. For HID's, I recommend http://www.ddmtuning.com. They are quite popular in the BMW market. Their prices cannot be beat and all their HID kits carry a LIFETIME WARRANTY!

-Nick


Thanks, ddmtuning is where I purchased my BMW HID lights. They offered me some good advice on HID products for my explorer. If I go HID I plan to purchase the kit from them.

Please tell me more about an aftermarket pjector head lamp for my explorer. never heard of it before.

Thanks again,
 
You would need some sort of aftermarket headlamp with a projector. I would search ebay to see if anybody makes one.

One other option might be to use HID bulbs designed for a reflector, DDM might carry them.

-Nick
 
Originally Posted By: 98dakarM3

One other option might be to use HID bulbs designed for a reflector, DDM might carry them.

-Nick


While true, D2R are for reflectors.... you still need reflectors (and/or patterned lens) designed for the D2R characteristics-- ie, you're back at square one
 
Manual Labor
wink.gif
^^^ IIRC a 9007 bulb uses a clear lense, so more or less you'd just have to hack the rest of the housing up to somehow mount a projector assembly into your housing.

Matt
 
Originally Posted By: Buffman
Manual Labor
wink.gif
^^^ IIRC a 9007 bulb uses a clear lense, so more or less you'd just have to hack the rest of the housing up to somehow mount a projector assembly into your housing.

Matt


Anyone seen a write up on how to do this? I thought I saw somthing when I googled for HIDs and explorer. However, when I tried to find it again, no luck.
 
I had my friend do something similar in my Roadmaster. Mine used a 9004 bulb so he had to clear the lense. He then hacked up the reflector so he could mount mounting brackets for Hella 90mm Headlight modules in there.
 
Originally Posted By: Russell
Originally Posted By: Buffman
Manual Labor
wink.gif
^^^ IIRC a 9007 bulb uses a clear lense, so more or less you'd just have to hack the rest of the housing up to somehow mount a projector assembly into your housing.

Matt


Anyone seen a write up on how to do this? I thought I saw somthing when I googled for HIDs and explorer. However, when I tried to find it again, no luck.


Anyone with a wtite up on a 1995-2000 explorer? I have no idea on the procedure.
 
Originally Posted By: Liquid_Turbo
Especially with a high mounted car such as your Ford Explorer, DO NOT put HIDs in your reflector housing.

It will blind drivers.


my concern as well.
 
Hi Russel,

Ahh another HID question. Here's the 411 on HID. First like stated earlier your Explorer never came with HID as an option. PLEASE PLEASE don't drop a plug and play kit in "Glare City." HID bulbs are listed as the Following D2S- Design 2nd generation, D2R- Design Reflector Second Generation D4S/D4R Same as above except that the D4 bulbs are mercury free. D4 series bulbs are not compatible with D2 ballasts (the box that has the power wire that leads to the bulb). Second BMW nor any other auto maker market bulbs. Philips, and Osram Sylvania are the largest two OEM bulb manufacturers. GE makes HID bulbs as well. I'm not trying to sell anything, but I am a member on the hid planet forums, and the site sells all of the parts you'll need, including Bulbs, Ballasts, igniters, and I think the surrounds that block light from escaping the projector. Your Explorer probably has fluted lenses, if so you'll have to buy perfectly clear lenses, the more optically clear the better. Do you want more color 6000k, or more light output 4100-5000k (The higher the Kelvin temp fewer lumens and more color). Sorry for the long post hang in there. Projectors also come in DOT & ECE varieties, which I explained the differences in a previous post. You can expect to pay anywhere from $300ish to $1000, depending on if you do the retrofit yourself, and the projector you want. Projectors like other commodities will cost you more or less. The Hella Projectors are sometimes referred to as "E55" as they're common in E55 Mercedes. Those are cheap and plentiful. However the highest output projectors on the market, are a tossup between the Koito/Stanley Bi-Xenon found in the Lexus SC430, and the Stanley Projectors found in the Honda S2000 (AP1 has sharper output) and the TSX with a modded shield, and ZZKW lense. I apologize if I've made you more confused,as there really is a lot to know and understand, about HID retrofitting. PM me if you have further questions,

Malcolm
 
Thanks.
However, this HID project is tarting to look much more involved and costly than I really want to do. Even so, i will continue to research
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom