There is this website that sells both non hid headlights and hid headlights. I was thinking of getting new headlights in a few months, can I just get the Hid headlights and swap them out for my non hid? Would I need more than just the hid headlights. I dont know much about hids. Would I just need the ballast? As far as retrofitting hids into non hid headlights, it seems better to have actual hid headlights and work from there...Wouldn't it?
Can I swap out non HID headlights for HID headlights?
- Thread starter Alax7
- Start date
WhoBeDaPlaya
Well-Known LVC Member
If you get a stock HID headlight (the complete assembly), it's pretty much a straight swap (other than trimming a plastic tab or two).
Tru-Blu
Dedicated LVC Member
If you're just wanting to put HID bulbs in your halogen housings, then search on HID in this forum, and you'll find a TON of posts that will have info as well as debate on whether or not that's a good idea.
There are a few seasoned experts that would tell you that just putting HID bulbs in a halogen housing is not a good idea because of the difference of reflector/bulb guard. A halogen-based guard will not direct a good portion of the HID light down, and it ends up being pretty blinding to oncoming traffic due to this.
I believe Pektel was working on an "engineered" casper shield (you can read about those at hidplanet.com) that would more accurately direct the HID light so it wasn't going into oncoming drivers' eyes. As far as I know, there are no aftermarket casper shields that work for the H11 bulbs, but if a Gen I takes a 9006, there might be something for that (again, check hidplanet.com).
An alternative to research would be a higher-output halogen bulb - such as a Hoen, Xenesis, or Nokya. There are also several posts that can provide pro's, con's, and experiences of using them.
Good luck, I'm still somewhat undecided on what I'm going to put in my '06.
TRU - somewhat in the "dark"
There are a few seasoned experts that would tell you that just putting HID bulbs in a halogen housing is not a good idea because of the difference of reflector/bulb guard. A halogen-based guard will not direct a good portion of the HID light down, and it ends up being pretty blinding to oncoming traffic due to this.
I believe Pektel was working on an "engineered" casper shield (you can read about those at hidplanet.com) that would more accurately direct the HID light so it wasn't going into oncoming drivers' eyes. As far as I know, there are no aftermarket casper shields that work for the H11 bulbs, but if a Gen I takes a 9006, there might be something for that (again, check hidplanet.com).
An alternative to research would be a higher-output halogen bulb - such as a Hoen, Xenesis, or Nokya. There are also several posts that can provide pro's, con's, and experiences of using them.
Good luck, I'm still somewhat undecided on what I'm going to put in my '06.
TRU - somewhat in the "dark"
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
I think that all you have to do is to trim the factory harness connectors. The wiring diagrams show that the wiring harness/arrangement is different for HID than non-HID, but I think that others have tried it and it worked anyway.
I have one LS with factory HIDs, and one LS with factory Halogens. I really don't see much difference between the two in terms of being able to see at night.
pagluy
Dedicated LVC Member
Really? I found the LS with HID's much much brighter at night. I miss them for that reason.
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
Really.
Maybe it's just my eyes? The only difference that I notice is that the HIDs are whiter.
pagluy
Dedicated LVC Member
I thought they illuminated a lot more of the road ahead and to the side of the car. Instead of headlight spots it seemed more like a wall of light.
Andrizzle
Dedicated LVC Member
Not only are the HIDs white light. They look a hundred times better because of this. And I think they do put out more.
It is like the LEDs in the interior and puddles. Making them a crisp white just improves on the car's looks by ten folds! And the LEDs are cheap and fairly simple to do.
It is like the LEDs in the interior and puddles. Making them a crisp white just improves on the car's looks by ten folds! And the LEDs are cheap and fairly simple to do.
WhoBeDaPlaya
Well-Known LVC Member
cannons_custom
Active LVC Member
+1 I hope to get some free time over the next week or two to put these guys on :
Where did you get this kit?
WhoBeDaPlaya
Well-Known LVC Member
Not a kit. Put it together by ordering different bulbs from V-LEDs.
Just stapled the packets to a piece of paper to be more systematic
Rich88LSC
Dedicated LVC Member
Hey you got the hoens. I've been looking at those and the xenesis. Pics after installing please. how much did all those bulbs cost. Did you get leds for the whole car? I was thinking of doing this too
I just put Hoen Xenomatch in the lows and fogs. They look great but I'm not sure about light output in the lows. They are stock 55W output but have a blue tint in the glass(actual output is white) I think the whiter light doesn't seem as bright on the ground to me then halogens. As stop signs and such seem to be lit up from far away fine. HIDs are the same way to me too though. Fogs seem brighter.
LsUnV2
Dedicated LVC Member
yes it is completely plug and play, no alterations at all and i have a set for sale if you are interested
cannons_custom
Active LVC Member
How much u want for the HID's?
cannons_custom
Active LVC Member
Ok and I'm not near my car right now and I want to order some led lights so can anyone give me a breakdown on what sizes I need and what goes where? Thanks
WhoBeDaPlaya
Well-Known LVC Member
Sure thing. Here's the breakdown of my lighting setup. Just got done this morning and everything fits, though some were a little tight :
Headlights/Foglights
High-beam : Hoen Xenonmatch Plus (80W) 9005
http://www.hoen-usa.com/plus.htm
Fog : Hoen Xenonmatch (45W) H11
http://www.hoen-usa.com/fog.htm
Nokya Plug-n-Play Heavy Duty Harness (9005)
http://www.lskoncepts.com/store/nokya-plug-play-wiring-harness-p-219.php
License : (2x bulbs)
2 HID WHITE 5K HIGH POWER LICENSE PLATE LED BULBS 194 168 158
http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/...D/2-HID-WHITE-5K-HIGH-POWER-p7114849-1-2.html
(ALT) http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/...te-LED/2-HID-6K-WHITE-SMT-5-p4481039-1-2.html
Interior : (7x bulbs)
2 HID WHITE SMT X5 HIGH POWER LED LIGHT BULBS 194 168 158 2821
http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/...LED/2-HID-WHITE-SMT-X5-HIGH-p6478377-1-2.html
(ALT) http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/...White-LED/2-HID-WHITE-SMT-5-LED-p4481039.html
Reverse : (2x bulbs)
V-LEDS HID WHITE 19 M-SMT 8W HIGH POWER BULBS 917 918 920 921 922 923
http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/...e-LED/V-LEDS-HID-WHITE-19-M-p7526829-1-2.html
Puddle : (2x bulbs)
5K WHITE MSMT 6 LED DOME LIGHT 3022 3021 DE3175 6428 6430
http://www.v-leds.com/Interior-LED/DomeMap-LED/White-LED/5K-WHITE-MSMT-6-LED-DOME-p7431623.html
Trunk : (1x bulbs)
HID 5K WHITE HIGH POWER 3 LED FESTOON DOME BULB 211 212 6413 6429 578
http://www.v-leds.com/Interior-LED/DomeMap-LED/White-LED/HID-5K-WHITE-HIGH-POWER-p6941706.html
(ALT) http://www.v-leds.com/Interior-LED/DomeMap-LED/White-LED/SUPER-WHITE-9-LED-DOME-p4481172.html
Rich88LSC
Dedicated LVC Member
The LED bulb tyes should be a sticky
I have the nokya bulbs. They look nicer than the stock halogen, I have the white ones and the white with some blue in them, right now I have the ones with more blue on the headlights. I noticed the light output was less than the stock halogens. It looks a lot nicer but there is less light. I guess next step is going with stock hid upgrade.
Almost.
The connectors on the car have little tabs that have to be ground down to fit the HID lights.
Really easy.
Just takes a minute with a grinder to do both.
JWerner2
Dedicated LVC Member
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Wow, I dont understand that. Maybe you got the wrong Kelvin or something. Those lights should be 5x's more bright than the cheap factory Halogens even at something as high as 6,000k.
LsUnV2
Dedicated LVC Member
COOL!!!!!!!!!!!
Me neither. I even ordered the higher wattage ones, the stage 2 nokyas. They are brighter when looking at them but dont have more light output than the yellow. I look at other cars light up the road and then I look at how my car lights up the road and hey have like double the light output.
Rich88LSC
Dedicated LVC Member
I think that is my next step too. This will work for now. Here is a pic next to a stock Mark VIII. The Mark HIDs are a litter bluer in person but I don't see much difference in the pic
They are still halogen bulbs and any coating on the glass to make the color difference will decrease output.