The best Headlight bulb on the market today.

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Anyone have experience with the PIAA bulbs?

Looking at the 9006 Xtreme White Plus bulbs. They're at a 4000k color rating.

My LC still has stock lights so looking to improve, I want a clean white color with minimal blue, any info appreciated.
 
Cfbrenton1 said:
Those aren't EXACTLY the same. The black parts that help it fit in the socket are different. One will need to be cut down and one won't. You might find a difference inside the actual plug, too.
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I already cut the one on the left, and had not yet cut the one on the right. No difference out of the box.
 
I finally had the chance to have a decent look at the performance of my recently installed Osram Nightbreaker Unlimiteds 9004/9005. I live in the city and we haven't started skiing yet so it's been tough to give them any kind of evaluation driving around town.

I had a 3+ hour round trip on a dark, rainy, sometimes crowded and misty freeway the other day taking my kid back to college after the holiday.

I thought they were a tremendous improvement over OEM. Even with lots of spray flying from other cars the low beams cut through the murk very nicely and I didn't feel like I was hunting for what was ahead. The pattern seemed very crisp with a clearly defined top. The color seemed a bit whiter than OEM but not silly blue. Of course I have no idea if they were irritating to cars in front.

When used in concert with the fogs turned on I had a nice field of vision both close (wide) and far, but didn't drive with the fogs much as it bugs me when others do that in normal driving conditions.

The high beams didn't get much of a test as it was a busy, end of holiday weekend Sunday night, but when I did get to turn them on they cut brilliantly through the murk and spray and gave me plenty of distance. I'd have had to going hella fast to over drive them.

The big test for me will be driving in falling snow, especially at night. My rig is primarily a ski car and we spend many, many days and nights traveling in mountain conditions. If you've ever driven in falling snow - especially at night - you know how disconcerting and hypnotic it can be when all you can see is flakes flying at you in a post-LSD sort of hallucinogenic pattern with virtually no visibility of the road ahead (this was a huge problem in my old suburban). Driving over a mountain pass at night in a blizzard a few years ago I literally had to drive the whole way at 5 mph, so I'm hoping these bulbs will allow me at least 25 mph! I'll update when I can do a test in snow.

All that said, I still have an extra set of these available for sale. Not sure how I ordered two, but that's what happened. No mark up, just pay for shipping.
 
oftpiste said:
I finally had the chance to have a decent look at the performance of my recently installed Osram Nightbreaker Unlimiteds 9004/9005. I live in the city and we haven't started skiing yet so it's been tough to give them any kind of evaluation driving around town.

I had a 3+ hour round trip on a dark, rainy, sometimes crowded and misty freeway the other day taking my kid back to college after the holiday.

I thought they were a tremendous improvement over OEM. Even with lots of spray flying from other cars the low beams cut through the murk very nicely and I didn't feel like I was hunting for what was ahead. The pattern seemed very crisp with a clearly defined top. The color seemed a bit whiter than OEM but not silly blue. Of course I have no idea if they were irritating to cars in front.

When used in concert with the fogs turned on I had a nice field of vision both close (wide) and far, but didn't drive with the fogs much as it bugs me when others do that in normal driving conditions.

The high beams didn't get much of a test as it was a busy, end of holiday weekend Sunday night, but when I did get to turn them on they cut brilliantly through the murk and spray and gave me plenty of distance. I'd have had to going hella fast to over drive them.

The big test for me will be driving in falling snow, especially at night. My rig is primarily a ski car and we spend many, many days and nights traveling in mountain conditions. If you've ever driven in falling snow - especially at night - you know how disconcerting and hypnotic it can be when all you can see is flakes flying at you in a post-LSD sort of hallucinogenic pattern with virtually no visibility of the road ahead (this was a huge problem in my old suburban). Driving over a mountain pass at night in a blizzard a few years ago I literally had to drive the whole way at 5 mph, so I'm hoping these bulbs will allow me at least 25 mph! I'll update when I can do a test in snow.

All that said, I still have an extra set of these available for sale. Not sure how I ordered two, but that's what happened. No mark up, just pay for shipping.
Click to expand...

Interested in the extra set if it is a high beam set. PM me.
 
PM sent.
 
Your welcome!

Older thread that I've not up-dated in years. So keep in mind there may be some new technology today, especially in LED lights..
 
470SNC said:
LED bulbs that plug and play are the way to go these days, ran these on the last two rigs and loved em.

Lifetime LED Headlights : Lifetime LED Headlights regular output | Southeast Overland
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A quick price update, I just ordered (Nov 2017) those Philips 9011 & 9012's for $77 on Amazon.

And for those who have not read Daniel Stern's treatise on yellow light go check it out, amazing stuff:
Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

Why do I bring that up in a headlight thread? Because I am steering away from LED headlights until they get the temperature warmer. I am bothered by the blues and always figured it was a personal quirk until I stumbled across the above article while researching fog lights, specifically:

Selective yellow light can improve a driver's ability to see in fog or rain or snow, but not because it 'penetrates fog better' or 'reflects less off droplets'. In fact it's because of the way the human eye processes different colours of light. Blue, indigo, and violet are difficult for the human optical system to process correctly. They are the shortest visible wavelengths and tend to focus in front of our retina rather than upon it.​

I'll take before and after pics with my Fuji for chuckles and grins...
 
I was under the impression that the correct bulb size was 9005/9006. Are the 9011/9012 bulbs requiring modifications to fit in the housing?
 
YodatheLC said:
I was under the impression that the correct bulb size was 9005/9006. Are the 9011/9012 bulbs requiring modifications to fit in the housing?
Click to expand...

Yes, they require an easy trim of the base to allow them to fit correctly. They are also more expensive, but the difference (brightness) is apparent. Well worth the extra money and 10 minutes to trim them.

How to Modify HIR bulb bases

Hint: you can get the 9011/9012 bulbs at Pep Boys and if you order online, you can probably use discount code MMJ30 for 30% off your order and pick up at the store the same day.
 
I suggest going back to OP and read through thread. You'll find trimming procedure also some pitfalls to upgrading bulbs. Like heat and shorter life cycle of some.
 
Just had one of my John Deere tractor(Toshiba I recall) HIR(low beams) go out.....think i got close to 100,000 miles and 10+ years put of them, I run my low beams year around(ie...i don't use daytime running lights)

Replaced both with normal halagon from NAPA($30 a pair)...i think they say +150 feet. No clue how they compare....i seldom drive at night anymore. If they suck...ill track down some HIR again

Regarding yellow lights...i run vintage Cibie Oscar Plus(on 60, 40/45) or in the case of the 100, Cibie 175s fogd, the beam pattern on the 175s is super wide and for me the yellow helps, but the yellow also helps idiots see me....i run my Cibies 100% of the time. If I see a set of Cibie Oscar Plus with yellow lens under $200 a pair I buy them...i got a good stash now.

FYI, none of the modern yellow or amber lens are the same or filter light the same as the vintage 80's lens, the chemical used to make good yellow glass was outlawed I believe. I even have a set of ONE Kioto 7" e code H4 with yellow bulbs....i think I cleaned out Sterns stock of them(bulbs) years ago, they use a different base than normal h4

Also for the most part yellow was used only for fog lights, except in Canada you could get Cibie yellow driving lights. France and a few other places required yellow headlights for many years.

And yellow(the real deal) looks kickass on an Cruiser....but hey I wear vintage(new are junk) Ray Ban Ambermatics everyday and have a nice stash of those as well

Who says the 1980's sucks? ;)
 
Just did the 9011/9012 swap and wanted to share a tip- don't try to cut the tabs all the way down in one shot - I snapped an entire tab trying that then had to wait another couple days for a new one to arrive & finish <doh>.

Nibble, nibble, nibble. Takes longer, but safer.
 
cruzerDave said:
Just did the 9011/9012 swap and wanted to share a tip- don't try to cut the tabs all the way down in one shot - I snapped an entire tab trying that then had to wait another couple days for a new one to arrive & finish <doh>.

Nibble, nibble, nibble. Takes longer, but safer.
Click to expand...
What did you use to nibble?
 
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