Headlight “Look” Showdown: Stock vs LED
- Thread starter mynamesrickgrimes
- Start date
Good post .
I can't tell you how man times I get blinded these days .
I run a stock-type bulb , and it is excellent , but my the may be modded for brighter headlights with a kc 3300 , I'm not sure . But they are excellent.
There are 2 common bulbs sold, one is brighter but it has like a six-month service life I can't remember it more details.
I do like the stock look.
There is an awesome build thread on a yellow jeep , with a tan top, and he color matched his bezels ... And everything the guy did just looks sensational.
I run the black headlight bezels on my 03 and it seems to me like that would take a little bit of your illumination away...buy that's just talk.
I have Hella housings with replaceable halogen bulbs. One of the biggest differences I saw was a clean, sharp cutoff at the top of the pattern. I have a relay harness to put in sometime soon and I also plan to check the alignment.
Tray Burge
TJ Addict
Not, that's what I replaced mine with and then quickly got rid of them.
If you have to turn your lights off and on to see if they're on, they suck. lol
Tray Burge
TJ Addict
I NEVER get flashbacks yet am still able to light up way farther than I can see on dim.
The lights aren't adjusted properly if you're getting flash backs from on coming traffic.
FYI - the factory incandescent headlamps are 60/55w halogen bulbs, just inside a sealed housing.
It is the lens quality/light pattern of the Hella and Cibie E-code housings that makes the light shine farther with the same wattage bulb. Philips Xtreme Vision +130 and similar bulbs by other manufacturers are slightly "whiter" in color temperature than the usual 60/55w H4 (but still not blueish) which makes them appear even brighter to the driver than the standard H4 even though the wattage is the same.
Personally, I don't care for the look of LED headlamps on a TJ/LJ and the light is too blue for my tastes, i.e. too harsh. That includes the "cheap" Chinese Trucklite knockoffs that seem to be so popular on the Internet jeep forums. Ironically, the cost of a set of Hella E-Codes and +130 H4 halogen bulbs is less than the Trucklite knockoffs and in my humble opinion work better.
The biggest problem I see with jeeps running either E-Codes or LED headlamps is that they are almost always aimed too freaking high. Way too freaking high. The usual aiming advice is for headlamps at typical passenger car headlamp height and that advice fails to take into consideration that Jeep headlamps are mounted considerably higher. (According to one lighting expert, the typical lifted jeep should have its headlamps aimed 3-4" below the standard advice found on the Internet.)
My vote is for E Codes and H4 bulbs on a TJ/LJ, aimed properly.
See: https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html
It is the lens quality/light pattern of the Hella and Cibie E-code housings that makes the light shine farther with the same wattage bulb. Philips Xtreme Vision +130 and similar bulbs by other manufacturers are slightly "whiter" in color temperature than the usual 60/55w H4 (but still not blueish) which makes them appear even brighter to the driver than the standard H4 even though the wattage is the same.
Personally, I don't care for the look of LED headlamps on a TJ/LJ and the light is too blue for my tastes, i.e. too harsh. That includes the "cheap" Chinese Trucklite knockoffs that seem to be so popular on the Internet jeep forums. Ironically, the cost of a set of Hella E-Codes and +130 H4 halogen bulbs is less than the Trucklite knockoffs and in my humble opinion work better.
The biggest problem I see with jeeps running either E-Codes or LED headlamps is that they are almost always aimed too freaking high. Way too freaking high. The usual aiming advice is for headlamps at typical passenger car headlamp height and that advice fails to take into consideration that Jeep headlamps are mounted considerably higher. (According to one lighting expert, the typical lifted jeep should have its headlamps aimed 3-4" below the standard advice found on the Internet.)
My vote is for E Codes and H4 bulbs on a TJ/LJ, aimed properly.
See: https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html
Most of what hits me is 3/4 ton trucks or jacked up half tons , not tjs or jks .
E-codes with H4 bulbs. Clear cut-off and nice projection.I live in the darkest of dark, ruralest of rural places. I can't make my Jeep go fast enough to outrun the Hellas.
One thing to consider about LED's - they ARE bright, no disputing it. And aimed correctly on a nice flat road they don't necessarily blind the oncoming driver. But when I'm going up a hill and the LED guy crests that hill coming toward me for a few seconds it's all bright whiteness until we come level with each other. Then they are undeniably blinding.
One thing to consider about LED's - they ARE bright, no disputing it. And aimed correctly on a nice flat road they don't necessarily blind the oncoming driver. But when I'm going up a hill and the LED guy crests that hill coming toward me for a few seconds it's all bright whiteness until we come level with each other. Then they are undeniably blinding.
Not_Invented_Here_
TJ Addict
Yeah they're nothing special at all, basically just a small bump above stock but the only way to go was up at that point. Early on when I got them, I didn't have a budget for anything too fancy and I didn't know enough to comfortably make a decision. I'm happy enough with them for now or until one burns out.
Curveball out to ya.
painted matched my bezels. Factory headlights.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/paint-matched-headlight-bezels.13432/
painted matched my bezels. Factory headlights.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/paint-matched-headlight-bezels.13432/
I'm not a stock guy. I have respect for those who are, but I got my TJ so I could play in the garage. So, keeping the stock lights wasn't an issue.
I did do my research and got these on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079282L81/?tag=wranglerorg-20 . Sorry, don't know how to post a link using the forum owner's link. The cost is great for real CREE LEDs. The high beam is narrow and very bright and the low beam is not blinding (at least I haven't had anyone flip their high beams at me). It was plug and play (took like 10 minutes each) and didn't have a bunch of other gimmicky stuff like driving lights or colored irises that take extra wiring. I've used them in all different climates, including snow and rain.
Lastly, and most importantly, have you ever met a jeep you didn't like?
I did do my research and got these on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079282L81/?tag=wranglerorg-20 . Sorry, don't know how to post a link using the forum owner's link. The cost is great for real CREE LEDs. The high beam is narrow and very bright and the low beam is not blinding (at least I haven't had anyone flip their high beams at me). It was plug and play (took like 10 minutes each) and didn't have a bunch of other gimmicky stuff like driving lights or colored irises that take extra wiring. I've used them in all different climates, including snow and rain.
Lastly, and most importantly, have you ever met a jeep you didn't like?
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My JW speakers are brighter than factory, even when they are off.
WDE
TJ Enthusiast
EzPeezy
TJ Enthusiast
Rubicon John
TJ Enthusiast
Hella e-codes with the Beamtech H4 bulbs. This is prior to adjustment.
Neal
TJ Enthusiast
Stock for me so far. I live in an area where you commonly go from well-illuminated suburban to pitch black rural in the blink of an eye. In town the street lighting is sufficient for safe driving and out of town my stock headlights are at least adequate. I don't need brighter lights, but a higher color temperature would not be unwelcome.
Still running stock type sealed beams on mine although I do have the Hella replacements and H4 bulbs to put in, I just haven't gotten around to changing them out. My question for all of the LED users is, unless you paid the big $$ for heated housings how often are you having to stop and clear off your lights when driving with temps in the low 20s and it's snowing?
Hammer24
TJ Enthusiast
I still have the stock headlights, I don't really have an issue with how they work and I prefer the look so there's no point in me upgrading them.
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