NEW HID headlights, & LED front maker lights

Printable View

05/31/2010, 10:20 PM
VX KAT

NEW HID headlights, & LED front maker lights

Dub was a real champ and installed the Xenonrider.com HID hi/lo kit for me while we were in Moab. Same kit Rowhard & LittleBeast have.

I love them, they're crazy bright!!! You can see any type of street sign light up way ahead. Awesome!

Now the not-so-awesome part....I bought a set of 38 LED Xenon white tower bulbs (see pic below) for the round front marker lights. They seemed great, very very bright, thought all was good. Told Eric (etlsport) about them he ordered some too. He was happy but we both found out that after being on for about 10 mins, they turned a pretty strong blue hue, like really blue!

I was showing this to Kenny & Jack (and some others, can't recall who) one evening in Moab. Kenny took them apart and found they were hotter than an LED should be, but the housing wasn't melted or damaged at all. When he touched the bulb, several went out, then it just self-destructed, split at the seams and each side kinda peeled back like a banana- poof! Done! Kaput! Eric said his also blew up.

So I took out the other one, and put in some extra amber LEDs I had.

Returned the one to the ebay seller and they suggested another LED tower they sold with 25 LEDs, also said it would match the 6000k HID headlights really well. Got the 25 LED towers, installed tonight. Not a hint of blue! Left them on for a while, engine running, no blue. They do match the 6000k HIDs way better than anything I expected.

Bottom pic is with the amber LEDs, I like the white better, so I'm going to leave them in and we'll see how long they last. In the pics, it seems the 6000k HIDs give off a very faint touch of blue, but my eyes didn't perceive that. The LEDs don't give off any blue. I think these two look OK together, the LEDs are whiter than I expected, so they match better. I also put in purple/UV LEDs in the horn lights, but they're so faint, you can barely see them in last pic, can only be seen from side view.....

Got them on ebay $18.99 for pair:
http://shop.ebay.com/motoringmax/m.h...&_trksid=p3686

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_2804.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_2810.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_1990.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_2417.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da.../DSC_24191.JPG
05/31/2010, 11:01 PM
Ldub

Lookin' good Suzee...:thumbup:

White looks WAY better than amber IMO.:yesgray:
06/01/2010, 05:32 AM
etlsport

looks good! in photos i do like the white better, but have been running amber fogs in my vx for a while, and do really like them in person, a tough decision for sure! id say stick with white though

glad the smaller LED bulbs are working out for you! i'll email him and do the same as you did and exchange them. did you have your original packaging for the blown out bulbs? his website says you need it, not sure if i have mine

now you need to get some spotlights for your brush guard to complete the look!
06/01/2010, 05:43 AM
VX crazy

Looks real good Sue, makes me want to go back to HIDs.....hmmmm:confused:
06/01/2010, 06:44 AM
vt_maverick

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ldub

Lookin' good Suzee...:thumbup:

White looks WAY better than amber IMO.:yesgray:

+1 - Looks great Sue, especially with the white fogs! :thumbup:

Maybe you could post pics of the HID ballast locations you used under the hood?
06/01/2010, 06:53 AM
tomdietrying

Sweet!!!!!
Peace.
Tom
06/01/2010, 06:57 AM
Ldub

Quote:

Originally Posted by vt_maverick

Maybe you could post pics of the HID ballast locations you used under the hood?

One is on top of the fuse box above the R/F fender well. (Sue took pics of the fuse diagram for future reference)
The other is stuck to the engine side of the air box.(where the air filter lives)
Since it's below the filter, it could be fastened to the airbox with screws if the supplied double stick tape ever loosens up.

Since this kit came with only double stick tape, (no brackets as I've seen in other kits) my choices were kinda limited.
06/01/2010, 07:06 AM
etlsport

my HID ballasts are mounted directly under each headlight (behind the fog lights) i used double sided tape and zip ties (drilled a small hole on either side of the ballast, then painted over the holes to prevent rust)
06/01/2010, 08:03 AM
Moncha

I told you, you'd love the HID's! Once you go over to the bright side you'll never go back!
It looks very good and a lot cheaper than the Hella HID's
06/01/2010, 10:04 AM
VX KAT

Course they look WAY brighter in person, with no blue or halo/mist as in the pics, Scott you were so right, they're revolutionary in the light they produce and what you see while driving.

Seriously, I think you have a better chance of seeing a deer etc...with these.......for those traveling in the boonies! "Deermagnet" do you already have HIDs?

Lisa- I'd definitely get HIDs, these were $190 delivered. Dave: Oh SNAP! I need some of those for the FJ!....

John & Ryan are yours still working OK? How long?

Eric- I only had the "good" one to return, think Kenny kept the blown one.
Because they were "defective", he didn't require the original packaging, etc. He also reimbursed my return shipping. I also told him yours blew. These bulbs aren't listed in his ebay store right now for some reason :_thinking Here's the description:
JDM 360-Degree Shine 25-SMD 1210 T10 LED Wedge Light Bulbs#16

Now I want a Tone style hitch....anybody got one???....
I'm goin' get the matrix purple LEDs for the horn too!.....and so, the disease continues...
06/01/2010, 07:09 PM
SuperBoomTurbo

Which kit worked for the VX?

I've been looking for an HID upgrade set for quite the while. Which kit did y'all find success with? I see xenon rider lists theirs with 'H1,H3' etc.
06/01/2010, 07:24 PM
VX KAT

http://www.xenonrider.com/products/h...hid_kits.shtml
Scroll down, it's the Bi-Xenon H4/9003 Hi/Lo kit (Dual Lamp), 6000k
I also opted for the upgraded ULTRA-SLIM ballasts.
Mention the VX forum to Joseph and he gives us some discount.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperBoomTurbo

I've been looking for an HID upgrade set for quite the while. Which kit did y'all find success with? I see xenon rider lists theirs with 'H1,H3' etc.

EDIT....Corrected! Thanks Dub! I took it right off the box and it didn't say Bi-Xenon :_thinking .... thankfully one of us knows what's going on.....:slap:
06/01/2010, 10:00 PM
RamAirZ

Looks good! I just swapped my bulbs today, planning on an HID kit down the road but I loved the 8500K's I used in the Rodeo before so grabbed a set of em'. I really like your marker lights too!
06/01/2010, 10:28 PM
Ldub

Quote:

Originally Posted by VX KAT

http://www.xenonrider.com/products/h...hid_kits.shtml
It's the H4/9003 Hi/Lo kit (Dual Lamp), 6000k
I also opted for the upgraded ULTRA-SLIM ballasts.
Mention the VX forum to Joseph and he gives us some discount.

Sue, to prevent confusion & people from ordering the wrong set, I want to clarify that the set you have is the Bi-xenon Hi - Lo kit.

Their description is a little confusing, "dual lamp" means you get two bulbs/ballasts, etc.
The one you linked to is single (lo) beam only.

Here's the one you have...http://www.xenonrider.com/products/h...hid_kits.shtml
(scroll down to "dual lamp")
06/01/2010, 10:47 PM
LittleBeast

Quote:

Originally Posted by VX KAT

John & Ryan are yours still working OK? How long?

Yeah, I had one bulb go out on me after 4 years, but no problems, I just bought a new bulb and haven't had another problem. I would suggest always buying 2 new bulbs if 1 goes out with these though, as finding the exact color is near impossible after a while.
08/17/2010, 12:14 AM
hyperkid

Has anyone tried the plasma blue or hyper blue?
08/17/2010, 05:39 AM
etlsport

im now running the same setup as you are Sue, the 6k HIDs and 25 LED fog light bulbs... happy with the bulbs but they are a very slight bit bluer than my HIDs (which seem to be a little whiter since being replaced) but that could be the LEDs making them look that way.. at any rate im happy with the setup!
01/27/2011, 08:46 AM
vt_maverick

When you guys got your HIDs did they have these available?

http://www.xenonrider.com/images/slim-dual.JPG

http://www.xenonrider.com/products/h...hid_kits.shtml

They're a $20 upgrade that appears to cut the height of the ballast in half.
01/27/2011, 08:57 AM
etlsport

yes, they were available when i bought them. i didnt bother. i had no space issues with my ballasts, i removed the front bumper for ease of installation, and mounted them directly behind the fog lights.
01/27/2011, 09:14 AM
VX KAT

Quote:

Originally Posted by vt_maverick

When you guys got your HIDs did they have these available?

http://www.xenonrider.com/images/slim-dual.JPG

http://www.xenonrider.com/products/h...hid_kits.shtml

They're a $20 upgrade that appears to cut the height of the ballast in half.

Yes, I got them, but they were part of a "special", included at no addl charge. Bet Joseph would include them if you asked, or referenced the 3 other VXers that have his HIDs...

Dub put one on the lid of the fuse box, the other, on the side of something on driver's side. I have pics if you want.
01/27/2011, 09:23 AM
vt_maverick

No rush Sue, just planning/plotting for future acquisitions. :)