View Single Post
Old 04-19-2021, 03:51 PM   #4
hatzie
Moderator
 
hatzie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Wentworth, NH
Posts: 4,916
Re: LED Headlights - Help!

Quote:
Originally Posted by EVRLET View Post
9005 & 9006 from the many Amazon vendors. They’re all made in China and won’t melt housings. You’ll have the LED haters who say they are blinded but it is what it is.
The problem is the same as HID lamps.
The headlamp reflector in your truck is engineered for the light output and pattern of Halogen bulbs. When you change to LED without changing the reflector you give up the edges of the light pattern for a more focused beam that cuts down your side visibility and does indeed cause problems for other drivers.

The polycarbonate lens and reflective coatings in these polymer lamp housings do not age gracefully. When you sand an polish them you repair the damage on the outside of the lamp lens but not the damage on the inside of the lens and the degraded reflector.
Unlike the old GLASS sealed beam lamps you don't get all new lamps when you change the bulbs.

If you change the old reflector and lens assemblies for quality new pieces and install quality bulbs you'll be pleasantly surprised by the increase in light output from the 15-23 year old factory lamps. I occasionally get flashed with my lights on low beam with halogen bulbs and properly adjusted new lamps.

If you insist on getting LED bulbs to bandaid your old worn out lamps at least get something in the 3,000 Kelvin range. Blue spectrum light causes issues for other drivers.
__________________
1959 M35A2 LDT465-1D SOLD
1967 Dodge W200 B383, NP420/NP201 SOLD
1969 Dodge Polara 500 B383, A833 SOLD
1972 Ford F250 FE390, NP435/NP205 SOLD
1976 Chevy K20, 6.5L, NV4500/NP208 SOLD
1986 M1008 CUCV SOLD
2000 GMC C2500, TD6.5L, NV4500
2005 Chevy Silverado LS 2500HD 6.0L 4L80E/NP263
2009 Impala SS LS4 V8


RTFM... GM Parts Books, GM Schematics, GM service manuals, and GM training materials...Please include at least the year and model in your threads. It'll be easier to answer your questions.
And please let us know if and how your repairs were successful.
hatzie is offline   Reply With Quote