HID Projector Retrofit

[Raptor Retrofit]

holding out for another year with the hopes that the 2013's HID lights will retrofit into our trucks.

Whats this ? They will offer HID in 2013 ? how do you know ?

 

[Reptar]

Whats this ? They will offer HID in 2013 ? how do you know ?

according to the guy who released the photos of the 2012's blue accent seats well before Ford released the photos of the blue accent seats, the new updates for 2013 are factory HID's and something else. I'm not going to say what the something else is, but the HID's do make sense since all of the 2013 f-150 spy shots, and 2013 raptor spy shots all have the headlights covered up.

If it was some random source I'd take it more as a grain of salt, but since it came from the same guy who got the 2012 blue flame seat photos out ahead of time last year, I'd say it's a pretty darn reliable one.

 

[whtrapta]

I have yet to see one pic of any truck that shows projectors factory

 

[executor485]

The best route is truly projectors, but that being said... Not all setups are equal. Point in case: Cadillac Escalade. That is one vehicle I would love to go smashing into GM's headquarters and kick their asses over. The stock projector lenses and HIDs are the most blinding lights I've ever seen (from the factory). I havent had the pleasure of meeting that MB vehicle though. Comparatively, I'd much rather meet up with someone running 6k HID's in our reflector housings.
Another comparison, our housings VS dodge and chevy housings... Completely different. HIDs in other housings are definitely the worst things you can get, and when people go full retarded by using 8k and 10k bulbs AND lift the truck, frak that. Our housings, while not optimal, do not blind to that degree. And again, I'd rather approach an F150 with 6k's than an Escalade or any Chevy/Dodge with HIDs.

So, since we all know that projectors are the best way to go... I'll throw in another element for you to argue about.

Self leveling HID projectors. If you're going to say that you're helping others by putting projectors in the stock housings, you can get off your high horse. The only true way to have an HID setup is the self leveling projectors. Lexus has them as do MB/BMW and other high end brands... But yet, there are plenty of companies that dont have self leveling projectors and they're still "legal" because it's OEM (Mazda, Hyundai, Subaru, Chevy, Ford, etc). Non-self leveling setups can be more blinding to other drivers than HIDs in a reflector housing because the beam pattern is highly focused. Going over bumps, hills or hitting that "right" distance from the vehicle.

If you're petitioning to get rid of HIDs in stock housings, you need to go further than that. There are plenty of vehicles with terrible lighting systems from the factory. Truly, reflectors should just be illegal in general, the design is extremely dated and problematic, but you dont see people going nuts over that.

 

[Humvee21]

Reptar, that "guy" you're referring to is Randy, right?

 

[Humvee21]

Executor, do you know why exactly is the Ford reflectors worse than the Chevrolet's or Dodge's? I'm just curious.

 

[Raptor Retrofit]

Yeah that's a pretty major upgrade, its not like they just change out the headlights there's ballast's, relay's and they would probably change the entire wiring harness. I would love to see it and think they should come like that but I bet it comes with the next model change, around 2015.

Not to mention it will be stupid expensive to retro to oem (if it were to happen) I called Audi last year to see what it would cost to upgrade my wifes A3 to projectors - $2500 for parts and $300 for labor, lol. The funniest part is if I would have just bought her car with the premium plus pkg. it would have came with them and a few other things and only cost a extra $2000.

 

[Reptar]

because all of the spy shot trucks have the headlights covered up for that very reason.

It's pretty clear that the fender/bumper/hood lines are the same, so it's not a change in headlight shape. The regular f150's do appear to have updates to the grille bars as well to more mimick the superduty c-clamp style. But all of them have the headlights covered. The Raptor it's clear through the camo that the grille looks identical to what it is now. And why test HID's on the Raptor if it is a new feature? I'm sure it'll be blacked out housings like they are now, and to see how they perform on the road in a higher stance vehicle.

Believe what you want, it's all heresay for now, but my bet is on factory HID's are becoming a reality between the spy shots of the 2013's all covering the headlights, as well as the source that revealed the blue interior accent shots of the 2012 before there were even spy shots of those seats around, that confirmed the HID's for 2013.

Also FWIW, you don't need to have projectors to have HID's. They do have reflector housings designed specifically for HID bulbs. The Sylvania Xenarc HID's were that exact case. For the 97-03 F-150 the Sylvania Xenarcs were the only DOT legal HID lights for F-150's, because it was a redesigned reflector housing specifically for HID lighting. It actually only used the upper half of the housing for HID, and the lower half was for a halogen high beam.

Few pics attached of them in my 00 HD. Ignore the one foglight out in the 1 pic, smacked it and it turend back on LOL. And the bluish look on the HID's is only during 1st startup, they're 4300K just like every other OEM HID and after a few seconds warming up they were a pure silvery white.

Visteon who made the housings for the OEM Ford Halogen lights was the same company that made the Sylvania Xenarc HID replacement housings for the Ford trucks. I'm not sure if Visteon is still Ford's supplier, but they could easily be doing something similar on the trucks if they're adding factory HID's, and redesign the housing for HID bulbs, and not necessarily doing projectors.

 

[Humvee21]

I could see why the Audi would be expensive. It seems that many things that you want to add after the fact will be upcharged.

 

[Raptor Retrofit]

The best route is truly projectors, but that being said... Not all setups are equal. Point in case: Cadillac Escalade. That is one vehicle I would love to go smashing into GM's headquarters and kick their asses over. The stock projector lenses and HIDs are the most blinding lights I've ever seen (from the factory). I havent had the pleasure of meeting that MB vehicle though. Comparatively, I'd much rather meet up with someone running 6k HID's in our reflector housings.
Another comparison, our housings VS dodge and chevy housings... Completely different. HIDs in other housings are definitely the worst things you can get, and when people go full retarded by using 8k and 10k bulbs AND lift the truck, frak that. Our housings, while not optimal, do not blind to that degree. And again, I'd rather approach an F150 with 6k's than an Escalade or any Chevy/Dodge with HIDs.

So, since we all know that projectors are the best way to go... I'll throw in another element for you to argue about.

Self leveling HID projectors. If you're going to say that you're helping others by putting projectors in the stock housings, you can get off your high horse. The only true way to have an HID setup is the self leveling projectors. Lexus has them as do MB/BMW and other high end brands... But yet, there are plenty of companies that dont have self leveling projectors and they're still "legal" because it's OEM (Mazda, Hyundai, Subaru, Chevy, Ford, etc). Non-self leveling setups can be more blinding to other drivers than HIDs in a reflector housing because the beam pattern is highly focused. Going over bumps, hills or hitting that "right" distance from the vehicle.

If you're petitioning to get rid of HIDs in stock housings, you need to go further than that. There are plenty of vehicles with terrible lighting systems from the factory. Truly, reflectors should just be illegal in general, the design is extremely dated and problematic, but you dont see people going nuts over that.

Yeah and in a perfect world shit would smell like roses.

The reason you only see self leveling in premium European vehicles is because they are extremely expensive. You think Mazda or hyundai is going to offer a car with a $5000 headlight upgrade option