Lighting upgrade (2 Viewers)

[smileyboy]

I've done this on other cars I've owned as well as my wife's Sedona.
Now I have done it to my Cruiser as well.
I swear by these lights, they light up the road like it's daylight, they cut through fog, rain and snow as well as cast clean light farther down the road than halogens, and they're plug-n-play.

OPT7 is the brand, Amazon is where I buy them, you can also buy from their website, same price.

I then zip tied the wiring up and in a safe place, it's water proof so you don't have to, but it makes me feel better.

I also did the fog lights and the "running" lights, I lucked out and got it all on sale, it was $175 shipped, that's high and low beam, running lights and fogs all switched to LED's in cool white.

Here is the before pic.

And after.

Thanks for all the info. Do you have a link to the lights you purchased?

 

[Spike555]

Thanks for all the info. Do you have a link to the lights you purchased?

OPT7.com for headlights and fog lights.
Phillips LED's for interior lights.
Bought everything off of Amazon.

 

[Simplespirit]

Hmm..looking at the Amazon reviews on those the short term are great but the long term not so much. I'll stick to my HIR replacements for now.

 

[planomateo]

Storage is cheap and they've made sure there is enough for the site, upload the photo's here so broken links to pictures doesn't happen.

 

[smileyboy]

OPT7.com for headlights and fog lights.
Phillips LED's for interior lights.
Bought everything off of Amazon.

Thank you.

 

[Spike555]

Storage is cheap and they've made sure there is enough for the site, upload the photo's here so broken links to pictures doesn't happen.

View attachment 1485336​

That was before I knew how to upload pics to here.

 

[TurbineTester]

Spike555, did you get opt7 leds for both the 9005 & 9006 headlights? If you did the high beams, did you have the DRL disconnected or did they function fine out if the box with the DRL? I like the description on the website, but the Amazon reviews consistently point to bad customer service. How long have you had then installed?. I'm ready to pull the trigger on LEDs all the way around, but i don't want to regret it later having bought from the wrong manufacturer.

 

[Spike555]

Spike555, did you get opt7 leds for both the 9005 & 9006 headlights? If you did the high beams, did you have the DRL disconnected or did they function fine out if the box with the DRL? I like the description on the website, but the Amazon reviews consistently point to bad customer service. How long have you had then installed?. I'm ready to pull the trigger on LEDs all the way around, but i don't want to regret it later having bought from the wrong manufacturer.

Yes, OPT7's for all headlights, high and low beams. As for the DRL's, mine work at a reduced power and do not blind people. Others have tried them and they do NOT work as DRL's but work fine as high beams, so in effect that would be a DRL delete. But mine do work.
This is my 3rd vehicle with the OPT7's, i swear by them, put them in my wifes van 3yrs ago, she loves them. Her van ate halogens, every 6mo I had to replace one of them, 3yrs with the OPT7's.
I've had them for a total of 5yrs now. You can buy direct from them off their website. I've had zero problems so I have not had to return anything.
I also bought OPT7's for the running/parking lights, I have had to replace two of those, but I bought extra, and their $5 for a two pack so who cares.

EDIT: They have been in my Cruiser for a year now. I had them in my Land Rover for 2.5yrs, swapped them to my Corolla which I picked up when my Disco died (same bulb), they were in there for 1.5yrs, sold it and bought all new for my Cruiser.

 

[TurbineTester]

Thanks, any preference one way or the other for the flux beam X @ $20 more per set, $109 vs $89?

 

[Spike555]

I have the original Flux beam, the new one was not available when I bought mine. So I cannot say one way or the other.
I bought the daylight color ones, they literally turn the dead of night into day.
Rain, no prob, fog, gone, snow, what snow, blizzard, like it's a July afternoon.
The fan on them does make some noise, but you can only hear it with the engine off and standing in front of the truck.
The beam pattern is perfect, the throw is farther than halogen, brightness is excellent but yet does not blind others.
I seriously cannot recommend them enough, and being plug-n-play is a bonus.
Just do not add the capacitor thing that they include, that is for some applications but not needed for the Cruiser.

 

[YardPig]

Latest model I saw on this page was 2004..Any facelift OEM 2006+ improved headlight reflector design in this equation, With Stock Bulbs vs your argument?

 

[TurbineTester]

I really want to order from OPT7 but I'm very hesitant as it seems that across the board the customer service is going to be terrible if I ever have a problem. No phone to contact the company, Amazon has lots of similar reviews, and the BBB gives them an F.


BBB Business Profile | OPT 7 Lighting


Are there other companies out there with LED bulbs which have a better customer service rating? I'm kind of at the point in my life where I'm not just looking for the initial cost vs benefit, rather value over the entire life of the product. In fact that's the main reason i bought my hundy.

 

[chudly]

you could go with retrofit source but they are pricier. They source their bulbs from the same place as everyone else. As long as you get a working set it'll be fine.

I went with HID for my lows and LED for my highs and standard halogens for my fogs.

edit:
I just went to look on amazon
these are also a high seller
Amazon.com: JDM ASTAR G2 8000 Lumens Extremely Bright CSP Chips 9006 LED Headlights, Xenon White: Automotive

Amazon.com: HIKARI LED Headlight Bulbs Conversion Kit -HB4(9006),CREE XHP50 9600lm 6K Cool White,2 Yr Warranty: Automotive


Amazon.com: OPT7 Fluxbeam LED Headlight Kit w/ Clear Arc-Beam Bulbs - 9006 - 60w 7,000Lm 6K Cool White CREE - 2 Yr Warranty: Automotive


I prefer the heatsink on the OPT7 version. The beauty of buying from amazon Prime is that you can return them and Amazon handles all of it.


this brand looks to be the same as the OPT7 just a different color
Amazon.com: LED import USA 9006 HB4 CREE MK-R Led Headlight Kit bulbs 6000k 60w 7000LM: Automotive

 

[TexasJack]

I recently performed some pretty extensive testing with LED bulbs vs. traditional bulbs for projection lights. I tested using the Hikari's listed above on both low and high beams. I tested them in the alley-way behind my house where you can see the patterns very well on the fences around peopel's backyards as well as in a large open field. While LED's offer greater efficiency and brighter light, they don't project as well in the existing 80-series light housing. It is important to note that the housing around a bulb significantly affects the projection capabilities of the bulb itself. The 80-series headlight housing was made for traditional bulbs and as such, performs better with those bulbs. I did take pictures while performing this testing and will endeavor to post them up when I get a chance.

My testing led me to the conclusion that standard bulbs (I used PIAA bright white bulbs in my low beams, high beams and in the PIAA 520s) perform better than LEDs in the 80-series factory light housings.

I am using LED lights in all of my other lighting applications within my 80 series (interior, running, backup, brake, blinkers, etc.), just not for projection lighting. I have had PIAA 520s on my ARB bull bar and recently added a 25-inch LED light bar. The PIAAs illuminate further out than my high beams. The light bar creates an incredibly wide and bright field of light which easily exceeds my high beams but does not project as far out as the PIAAs. Adding a light bar by far exceeds the light output you can gain from using LEDs for low and high beams.

Obviously, not everyone will agree with my assessment above but I made the effort to take a scientific approach with no pre-conceived notions about what would produce the best outcome. I wanted to share my findings so others do not have to repeat the same testing.

 

[chudly]

I'd agree with what was said. Which is why I swapped out the LEDs for HIDs in my 100 series stock housings. I got better and brighter spread and projection.

 

[ad27326]

I contacted Daniel Stern about Led's, Hid's etc...here is his response for your reading pleasure!


NO! Halogen lamps need to use halogen bulbs or they don't work right.

The "LED bulbs" now flooding the market are not a legitimate, safe, effective, or legal product. No matter whose name is on them or what the vendor claims, these are a fraudulent scam. They are not capable of producing even a fraction of the amount of light produced by the filament bulb they supposedly replace, let alone producing it in the right pattern for the lamp's optics to work.

Same goes for "HID kits" in halogen-bulb headlamps or fog/auxiliary lamps (any kit, any lamp, any vehicle no matter whether it's a car, truck, motorcycle, etc.). They do not work safely or effectively, which is why they are illegal. See Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply -- the particulars are different for LED vs. HID, but the principles and problems are the same overall. Again, halogen lamps need to use halogen bulbs or they don't work right.

 

[bamabrock]

daniel stern is absolutely correct. LEDs in low beams have worse output at 25ft than the stock halogen lights. "whiter" light doesn't equal better output down the road as you are driving. I know some people want to argue otherwise simply because they bought them, but it doesnt change the fact that the hotspot and the lumen reading at distance is worse with LED.

 

[Spike555]

I really want to order from OPT7 but I'm very hesitant as it seems that across the board the customer service is going to be terrible if I ever have a problem. No phone to contact the company, Amazon has lots of similar reviews, and the BBB gives them an F.


BBB Business Profile | OPT 7 Lighting


Are there other companies out there with LED bulbs which have a better customer service rating? I'm kind of at the point in my life where I'm not just looking for the initial cost vs benefit, rather value over the entire life of the product. In fact that's the main reason i bought my hundy.

View attachment 1486761

You're over thinking it.
You want the most bang for your buck, for $100 a pair you get headlights that last the life of your truck.
You buy them off Amazon, if they don't work when you get them, Amazon gives you your money back, no questions asked.
For me, they have paid for themselves multiple times, wifes van, a bulb every 6mo, min $20/bulb, these have been in 3yrs now, still going strong.
I'm just giving you my opinion and personal experience with them.

 

[Spike555]

daniel stern is absolutely correct. LEDs in low beams have worse output at 25ft than the stock halogen lights. "whiter" light doesn't equal better output down the road as you are driving. I know some people want to argue otherwise simply because they bought them, but it doesnt change the fact that the hotspot and the lumen reading at distance is worse with LED.

The OPT7 9006 bulb puts out 3500 lumen, the standard halogen puts out 1000 lumen.
Whiter light means better overall visibility. Things look like they're supposed to, deer, road signs, lines in the road...
Yes a poorly designed LED bulb will not put out a proper light pattern, but a properly designed one will because it works with the reflectors inside the headlamp assembly.
I put these in my dads Civic, he couldn't drive at night because he couldn't see, now he can see just fine and is no longer afraid of being caught after dark or in the rain.
I have neve been "flashed" by oncoming traffic either.
Your results may vary, these are my personal experiences.

 

[bamabrock]

The OPT7 9006 bulb puts out 3500 lumen, the standard halogen puts out 1000 lumen.
Whiter light means better overall visibility. Things look like they're supposed to, deer, road signs, lines in the road...
Yes a poorly designed LED bulb will not put out a proper light pattern, but a properly designed one will because it works with the reflectors inside the headlamp assembly.
I put these in my dads Civic, he couldn't drive at night because he couldn't see, now he can see just fine and is no longer afraid of being caught after dark or in the rain.
I have neve been "flashed" by oncoming traffic either.
Your results may vary, these are my personal experiences.

"Whiter" light does not mean better visibility. That's marketing nonsense. The brightness is only in the foreground. Show your led bulbs against a walk at 25 ft and measure the lumens compared to standard halogen bulbs .