LED head lights

[RXN]

Alright, I'm sure there's probably multiple threads on this already, my patience to search is limited, spent enough time on the inter web today, Know I'm turning to real life experience.

I have a 2007 GMC 3500 HD. (square body style), I'm toying with the idea of getting some LED head lights. I did stop by JB's I can't remember what he showed me there. it was $299 for 2 lows and $299 for 2 highs plus tax. I just spent the last hour and a bit on line looking at amazon, other LED light suppliers and watched a few You tube videos showing different lights.

The one video I liked the GTR Ultra 2 1250 LUX (low beam) and the GTR CSP Mini 2300 LUX (high beams). Then again got lost in the internet looking who has stock. But figured I'd ask if anyone here runs those GTR's? or at least see what others are running, and how they like what they got. I'm looking for plug and play, and a couple concerns I have are:
1 - flicker, Some sites I was reading LED's will flicker
2 - Their life spans, how do they compare with the HID life span?
3 - Installation, the one video I watched said the rad support is in the way for a few of these bulbs, and to make sure what I buy will fit.

the guy at JB's also recommended I install fog lights as well. (never had, do they really make a difference? or is he looking to make more $$$$)
My last sled trip night driving really sucked, my lows were horrible. even after cleaning the road grime off the light lenses.

thanks in advance.

 

[RXN]

Whoops, spelt lights with a lisps in the title. lol

 

[Dawizman]

I've always got mine on Amazon. Highs, lows, and fogs for like $150. No issues.

This would do you highs and lows

Amazon product ASIN B07LGJ2Q6T
This would be fogs

Amazon product ASIN B07PPQKLXM

Can't speak to your particular truck though. These have worked in 2016-21 F150s and 2010+ Rams that I have run them in.

 

[4extreme]

I`m going to get flamed on here but I have a 07 classic and put in HID`s. Best upgrade for lights on this truck. I have LED`s in the fog lights but they don`t shine very far but are bright close to the truck. they do work good when it is foggy. My HID`s put out almost as much light as my light bar. the light bar is a Chinese piece of crap but it lights up the ditch which is what I wanted. In my opinion I find LED lights don`t shine very far but are bright up close.

 

[woody_tobius_jr]

I’m driving a 21 chev 3500 with the factory led headlights, not a huge fan so far, they don’t put out any heat and have iced over several times already this winter while driving, PITA trying to find a place to pull over on some of the the highways in s***y weather to scrape the ice off

 

[RXN]

I’m driving a 21 chev 3500 with the factory led headlights, not a huge fan so far, they don’t put out any heat and have iced over several times already this winter while driving, PITA trying to find a place to pull over on some of the the highways in s***y weather to scrape the ice off

That was another thing I was wondering. If guys are finding ice build up on lousy weather drives.

 

[ABMax24]

I spent a pile of money on LEDs when they first became popular, the color spectrum sucks, they don't make any heat, very few of them aim properly compared to the halogen they replace, and I often had issues with the ballasts failing.

I spent yet more money on HIDs and IMO that's the way to go, they're just so much better in every way. I'm going on 5 years with mine now without issue.

Reflector housings often produce a blinding glare to other drivers when aftermarket bulbs are installed, this is true of both HIDs and LEDs. So keep that in mind, and they should be re-aimed to at least attempt to keep the glare to a minimum.

 

[Caper11]

Performance LED is the way to go, I was concerned about them in snow storms but the light color worked very well.
Headlight adjustment is critical tho, the low beams should not light up signs.

 

[sirkdev]

I spent a pile of money on LEDs when they first became popular, the color spectrum sucks, they don't make any heat, very few of them aim properly compared to the halogen they replace, and I often had issues with the ballasts failing.

I spent yet more money on HIDs and IMO that's the way to go, they're just so much better in every way. I'm going on 5 years with mine now without issue.

Reflector housings often produce a blinding glare to other drivers when aftermarket bulbs are installed, this is true of both HIDs and LEDs. So keep that in mind, and they should be re-aimed to at least attempt to keep the glare to a minimum.

So my wife has a 2013 escalade new to us.. headlights suck. what do you suggest? My immediate thought was switch to LED

 

[ABMax24]

So my wife has a 2013 escalade new to us.. headlights suck. what do you suggest? My immediate thought was switch to LED

I thought the escalades come stock with HIDs?

If that's the case a higher output bulb and ballast would do the trick, putting in a higher wattage bulb wouldn't fix the issue as the power output is controlled by the ballast, they will need to be replaced together.

This is probably an Escalade specific forum question though, because the answer on what parts are compatible are specific for your application.

 

[gdhillon]

Beamtechs on Amazon are good products not bad prices either

 

[Cyle]

I spent a pile of money on LEDs when they first became popular, the color spectrum sucks, they don't make any heat, very few of them aim properly compared to the halogen they replace, and I often had issues with the ballasts failing.

I spent yet more money on HIDs and IMO that's the way to go, they're just so much better in every way. I'm going on 5 years with mine now without issue.

Reflector housings often produce a blinding glare to other drivers when aftermarket bulbs are installed, this is true of both HIDs and LEDs. So keep that in mind, and they should be re-aimed to at least attempt to keep the glare to a minimum.

This x1000. They might work good for lighting up the road but they won't work to good when someone follows you and smashes the fawkers because they are blinded them and frankly anyone doing it deserves it.

I am so sick of people running them improper and blinding everyone.

 

[RXN]

I'll have to watch a few more of their videos. How does one adjust for the glare/light width? Or is it bulb dependent?

 

[Rn4]

I tried some cheaper led’s off Amazon before and had terrible luck with life and flicker. Spent a little more on some LEDEAGLE’s (probably just higher grade chineasium) off Amazon and I’m going on 3years with them now and there plenty bright, have lasted and don’t flicker. Run them in headlights and fogs and can see the ditches good and have good distance. Only complaint I have and so far I think it’s true for all LED headlights is on wet pavement it’s like the road sucks up the light and you seem to get less shine.

I also run a 20” light bar when no one’s around and it helps lots too

 

[SUMMIT TREE]

I tried just using PIAA replacement bulbs. They were good but expensive and didn’t really last very long.

I was told to Avoid HID’s because they are problematic but have no experience with them.

So put in speed Demon LED’s in my 08 Mega Cab.
There pretty good.
The actual LED cob is adjustable in its rotation. If its installed wrong they don’t work very good at all. For dodges at least.
After a year maybe had issues with the light cutting out on one side. Monkeying with the connection usually fixed it. Never figured if it was the anti flicker module or what.
Never had problems with the lenses icing off.

 

[Dawizman]

HIDs are definitely the best. I had a set of custom projectors in my old truck running 55w Morimoto in HIDs. The output from the low beams was so awesome that I really never flicked the highs on. The projectors not only prevent you from blinding other drivers, but they focus the otherwise wasted light towards the part of the road where it would be more useful. Sort of like a turbo for your headlights. Would 100% recommend, but they aren't cheap to do correctly.

I want to run the guys off the road running high output LEDs or HIDs in factory reflector lenses with no adjustment done.

 

[sirkdev]

So my wife has a 2013 escalade new to us.. headlights suck. what do you suggest? My immediate thought was switch to LED

Ok thanks. They are HID currently, terrible yellow colour probably about 3k or so and not very bright at all. Literally no difference between bright and low beams.

 

[Dawizman]

Ok thanks. They are HID currently, terrible yellow colour probably about 3k or so and not very bright at all. Literally no difference between bright and low beams.

HIDs also fade over time. I would get new bulbs / ballasts. 4500k is my preference for the whitest output.

 

[Bnorth]

Lordco had Philips on sale for $99 a few months ago so I put some in the wife's car. It has projector low beams designed for halogens and they have always kind of sucked, it has killer halogen high beams though. I would say they made an improvement but not amazing. My truck has halogen high/low housings so I just put good halogens in it. I recently switched the fogs to 3000k leds from amazon as I like a yellow fog and they are a big improvement so far.

 

[MK4TDI]

HID's are still king for driving lights in my opinion as long as they are in projection lense. Some of the European reflector type headlights can handle HID's but you still aren't using that bulb to it's full potential until it's in a projector.

The new LED's are definitely getting better, projectors are getting better. Even some OEM reflectors work well. (Really like them on my sidewinder, until there is snow on them)..

Reasons I don't Like LED for driving lights:

#1they light up the road directly infront of your vehicle really well, which gives you the illusion they are bright, but you can't see much much past them. Almost like having interior lights on in the cab.

#2, LED lighting scatters a lot, turn on your LED fogs only to see the trees better. Hated that in my 2015 chevy, now have Morimoto DOT projector fogs and like them for lighting up the ditches.

#3 they absolutely suck for driving in snow as the light reflects way differently, and this is even in projector based LED housings. They also can't melt ice buildup on your exterior surface of the light without a heat element built into the exterior surface.

And I completely agree with ABMax.

To the OP, I have put a lot of miles on in those trucks, if you want to use the OEM headlight lenses I recommend doing the 6 -hi headlight mod ( fogs,lows,highs) so when you put the high beams on you have all 6 lights lit up.

Go to CT and buy the Silverstar Sylvanias in the orange package for the highs and lows, they come with 1 year warranty. And the Silverstar Sylvanias in the blue package for the fogs and spend some time aiming them.

If your headlights are beat, you can looking into some aftermarket guys that put projectors in the lowbeam on those lights, but there ain't much room with those due to the mounting setup on those headlights.

I would not waste money on LED's in those headlights again myself.

I like my LED's both pods and light bars for equipment lights, trailers, service/ backup lights but they still don't compete with a Properly setup HID for driving.