Headlights - Looking for input

[Big T]

Had the weekend off from working on Big Bear; instead ran down materials for next project (stairs) at Big Bear. Then I got bored and I started pulling parts of the '95 wreck (remote PMD, HID headlight ballasts, etc.). I also pulled the remaining projector headlight housing from the '95 and ran a side-by-side test with the Euro headlight housing on the '99.

The following is a photo of the Euro housings:

They have the bulb cap over the Lo beam lights. The caps eventually dislodge from all the the offroad driving we do and both sides are now dropped down.

The following are pics of the projector headlight (passenger side) and Euro headlight (driver's side):

Lo Beams only:

All 4 on Hi

Immediate reaction is that I like the Euro style better when viewed head on.

Here's a shot of the Lo Beams against the garage:

Euro style only against the garage:

Projector only against the garage:

I think the Lo beam in the projector is a 6000 bulb color, while the Lo in the Euro is a 4600, which is as white as they get. Still I don't think that difference explains the considerable difference I'm seeing. The projector beam is disappointing. I like its wider spread, but it's not nearly as bright. While driving, it seemed like the passenger side light was out. The third picture above captures this. The projector light shows better by itself.

I like the brightness of the Euro light, but I don't like the narrow width of the beam. Also, these light housings are impossible to adjust and the passenger side housing is chronically lower than the driver's side.

The projector headlight seems out of place on this square truck body style. That said, the lens cover is glass and thus less prone to pitting and fogging over. They're both aftermarket and need the "Matuva adjustments" to make them sit flush with the grill. Neither set has very good adjustment capability.

So I'm looking for solutions to improve over these two options. Been down this path here before and nothing acceptable. Hoping these photos might illuminate the issue and inspire some helpful comments and solutions.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Buy actual HID projectors and install in the euro housings. The euro housings are putting off WAY to much glare and are downright dangerous to other drivers on the road. You may like the extra light output, but other drivers are getting blinded by them. Several companies out there make proper HID housings that are not that expensive to retrofit into euro housings. then you get the extra HID light output, a positive cutoff, but none of that glare that blinds other drivers on the road.

 

[Big T]

Buy actual HID projectors and install in the euro housings. The euro housings are putting off WAY to much glare and are downright dangerous to other drivers on the road. You may like the extra light output, but other drivers are getting blinded by them. Several companies out there make proper HID housings that are not that expensive to retrofit into euro housings. then you get the extra HID light output, a positive cutoff, but none of that glare that blinds other drivers on the road.

Do you have links for some examples? Wouldn't you have to cut the Euro housings to accept the the projectors?

 

[Unit453]

I would've thought those projectors would've been WAY better. What a HUGE difference.

 

[Big T]

I would've thought those projectors would've been WAY better. What a HUGE difference.

That's why I'm posting and looking for input and solutions.

Hate the mystery trial and error aspect of the headlights on these trucks. Everything else I can get a ton of valuable experience and input on, but the headlights seem like a buy and try until you find the right one thing.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

The EBAY projectors are not that great. I have a set and was rather disappointed in them as well. The RETRO solutions bulbs DID make a HUGE difference in light output VS my old set of HID's, but still not as good as one would think. I believe RETRO solutions has a few different set-ups that you can put into your EURO housings, but any projector with good light output is going to require modifying your existing housings(and euro housings are recommended to use since they have a clear lense).

 

[Big T]

Is this what you're talking about:

http://retro-solutions.net/product-info.php?H1_Mini_BiXenon_projectors-pid762.html

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Is this what you're talking about:

http://retro-solutions.net/product-info.php?H1_Mini_BiXenon_projectors-pid762.html

That's one set, there is also some other styles that are a bit more involved to install but put out a better beam pattern.

 

[JayTheCPA]

Looked into HID about two years ago and could not find any that were DOT compliant for the GMT400 trucks. Seems the issue is that the HID's light comes from an arc that bends upward across the contacts (which are perpendicular to the lens' face) where the halogen light goes straight across the contacts (which are parallel to the lens' face); result from putting HID's in lens' that are for halogen bulbs is that it moves the hot-spots and creates a non-compliant pattern.

The retro-solutions product looks neat and also suspect that the end result is that they are not placing the light source where the lens designers are expecting it in the same manner as installing a HID in a halogen lens (not knocking, just saying).

Toward the question of trial-and error on the fixtures, this past Summer I got a set of lights from LMC that are similar to your Euro's which are better than the OEM's that I pulled off the truck in terms of the beam pattern, but actually do not recommend them as the overall quality is not that great (somewhat flimsy).

 

[Big T]

I actually had a set of the euro light housings with low beam light cups that threw a great beam. The difference between those and my current housings is that the mirrors only had vertical hatch lines while the current have both vertical and horizontal hatch lines. If I could find just verticals without the light cups, I'd be good.

The other knock is that the adjusters on these Chinese knock off housings don't work worth a shit. They might as well not be there because there is no adjustment capability whatsoever.