Bright Lights!

[jchwatal]

I'm glad you're concerned. Nothing burns my a$$ more than people who don't care about blinding oncoming traffic. Selfish f*ckers.

I will tell you a very simple, very quick way to ensure they are aimed correctly.

OEM lights on a stock 2019 1500 Big Horn.

I was getting lots of flashes from opposing traffic so I lined, truck against the wall, on the horizontal axis (39.5” from the ground to the bulb) to the wall where I marked 39.5”. It was basically the top of the beam.

Then I adjusted the drivers side down 3 complete turns counterclockwise and on the passenger side 4 turns as it was slightly higher to begin with. It dropped each side about 2” at 15’.

I’m on a level surface so I backed it up exactly 25’ from the bulb, and my beam was down about 6”.

So I feel I have the height now, but I still think the left side points more to the left than it should. It could be just me, but is there a way to adjust the left-to-right instead of just up and down?



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[mophead]

Finding a brick building that you can pull up to is a great trick especially with the flat cutoff LEDs. Spec is pretty good but it helps to fine tune them. The mortar lines help you tweak them just right. The best ones will have a parking lines so you can come back to exactly where you were to tweak adjustments. Good idea to back up about 30' to check the high beams. I'm actually below spec and the pattern is great without the glare from the retroreflectivity from signs now. I did bring my drivers side up almost level with the right, however I lowered the right. No flashes from oncoming at all.

 

[TPA-RAM]

What about on a lifted truck. What should the measurements be? Still as the circle measurement on the headlight assembly? If so, that seems like it would be a little high. I do have the measurement of the height prior to my truck being lifted.....should I use that height and mark it on the wall?

 

[Buz]

What about on a lifted truck. What should the measurements be? Still as the circle measurement on the headlight assembly? If so, that seems like it would be a little high. I do have the measurement of the height prior to my truck being lifted.....should I use that height and mark it on the wall?

Use the same method I described on page 1 of this thread. Height doesn't really matter when using this method. With a 6" lift I might say a 3" drop at 25 feet is more appropriate.
When you pull up to the wall as close as possible and mark the top of the brightest part of the beam and then back up 25' you are ensuring that from a distance the angle of your beam is slightly downward facing. You DO NOT want a level or upward pointing beam when you back up 25 feet.

 

[kenthelawnguy]

I have always gotten flashed from time to time in my 2017 and then my 2019 Ram and now my 2021. Ram just makes some great lights, that is why the upper trim levels are rated so much better than the others through the NHTSA for visibility. Have you noticed how bright the turn signals are as well? When sitting a stop lights with them on., they will make the yellow trim around the stop light look like it is flashing.... lol I have never had that happen in other vehicles I have driven.

 

[Buz]

I have always gotten flashed from time to time in my 2017 and then my 2019 Ram and now my 2021. Ram just makes some great lights, that is why the upper trim levels are rated so much better than the others through the NHTSA for visibility. Have you noticed how bright the turn signals are as well? When sitting a stop lights with them on., they will make the yellow trim around the stop light look like it is flashing.... lol I have never had that happen in other vehicles I have driven.

Did you lower the rear on any of them?
Did you level the front on any of them?
Did you lift any of them?
Do you carry weight in the bed?
Do you tow frequently?
You really shouldn't be getting flashed unless it's a Miata or go kart coming the other way.

 

[JoeCo]

I have always gotten flashed from time to time in my 2017 and then my 2019 Ram and now my 2021. Ram just makes some great lights, that is why the upper trim levels are rated so much better than the others through the NHTSA for visibility. Have you noticed how bright the turn signals are as well? When sitting a stop lights with them on., they will make the yellow trim around the stop light look like it is flashing.... lol I have never had that happen in other vehicles I have driven.

Going to have to disagree on the 17 having good lights stock...my 17 longhorns headlights are awful. I never get flashed with them though, sounds like yours may have needed to be aimed.

I've heard the headlights on the 5th gens are great though, can't wait to finally have good lights when my 21 longhorn shows up. I could see getting flashed by people just due to the 4 headlights being on, might make some people think you have your high beams on, even if they aren't being blinded. Guess I will see (hopefully) in the next month or two.

 

[834k3r]

Going to have to disagree on the 17 having good lights stock...my 17 longhorns headlights are awful. I never get flashed with them though, sounds like yours may have needed to be aimed.

I've heard the headlights on the 5th gens are great though, can't wait to finally have good lights when my 21 longhorn shows up. I could see getting flashed by people just due to the 4 headlights being on, might make some people think you have your high beams on, even if they aren't being blinded. Guess I will see (hopefully) in the next month or two.

In my '14 Ridgeline, I drove with my lights and foglamps (all halogens) on all the time. I never got flashed. In 8 weeks of driving the Ram, I get flashed once per nighttime driving trip (with low beams on)...and I feel so guilty about it I don't even use the fog lamps. I personally love the visibility.

 

[Buz]

In my '14 Ridgeline, I drove with my lights and foglamps (all halogens) on all the time. I never got flashed. In 8 weeks of driving the Ram, I get flashed once per nighttime driving trip (with low beams on)...and I feel so guilty about it I don't even use the fog lamps. I personally love the visibility.

Aim them down slightly once a week until the flashing stops.

 

[mikeru82]

Going to have to disagree on the 17 having good lights stock...my 17 longhorns headlights are awful. I never get flashed with them though, sounds like yours may have needed to be aimed.

I've heard the headlights on the 5th gens are great though, can't wait to finally have good lights when my 21 longhorn shows up. I could see getting flashed by people just due to the 4 headlights being on, might make some people think you have your high beams on, even if they aren't being blinded. Guess I will see (hopefully) in the next month or two.

I definitely agree with you about 4th gen headlights. I had two 4th gens, and the headlights were terrible on both of those. The LED reflector lights on my Laramie are a big improvement. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

[JoeCo]

In my '14 Ridgeline, I drove with my lights and foglamps (all halogens) on all the time. I never got flashed. In 8 weeks of driving the Ram, I get flashed once per nighttime driving trip (with low beams on)...and I feel so guilty about it I don't even use the fog lamps. I personally love the visibility.

Yeah I have led fog lights on my 17 and it seems like they do most of the lighting. Also have them in my high beams and have it setup so I can run low/high and fogs at the same time for high beam situations. I've had HIDs and LEDs in my low beams in my last 3 4th gens, but had trouble with all of them within a year or two so I gave up on them.

Also curious if you've adjusted the lights on your ram? I definitely want better lights but don't want to blind people, but I rarely got flashed when I had HIDs or LEDs in my rams once they were aimed correctly.

I definitely agree with you about 4th gen headlights. I had two 4th gens, and the headlights were terrible on both of those. The LED reflector lights on my Laramie are a big improvement. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Yep, give you a fancy looking headlight and then put a couple of candles in there. About as good as the headlights were in my 66 buick, maybe worse. Glad to hear the new ones are good to go, aside from the MFT, not having to mess with the headlights and experience random failures is something I am really looking forward to.

 

[SpeedyV]

I've heard the headlights on the 5th gens are great though, can't wait to finally have good lights when my 21 longhorn shows up. I could see getting flashed by people just due to the 4 headlights being on, might make some people think you have your high beams on, even if they aren't being blinded. Guess I will see (hopefully) in the next month or two.

They're awesome. Honestly, I'm surprised that I've only been flashed maybe twice in 3 years. They're really nicely focused.

 

[JoeCo]

They're awesome. Honestly, I'm surprised that I've only been flashed maybe twice in 3 years. They're really nicely focused.

Awesome that's good to hear about the quality and lack of flashing, thanks for your input!

 

[Buz]

OEM LED headlights almost always have a good clean sharp cutoff. As long as that cutoff is below oncoming drivers eyes they can be very bright and still not blind people.
if you have OEM LED’s and get flashed a lot then you need to lower them.

 

[834k3r]

Aim them down slightly once a week until the flashing stops.

They're still at their factory setting; I'm not worried about it.

 

[834k3r]

Also curious if you've adjusted the lights on your ram? I definitely want better lights but don't want to blind people, but I rarely got flashed when I had HIDs or LEDs in my rams once they were aimed correctly.

Nope I haven't touched them. I get the nice clean cutoff that's below the other drivers' eyes, but some are just too sensitive to the bluer light of LEDs, IMHO.

 

[Buz]

They're still at their factory setting; I'm not worried about it.

Factories aren’t perfect as ramcares can attest. They may be aimed at bit too high. With good LED’s a sharp cutoff being only slightly high makes a huge difference. Night and day. Literally.
Just try lowering them slightly.
Unless you just want to be ‘that guy’ blinding everyone.

 

[834k3r]

Factories aren’t perfect as ramcares can attest. They may be aimed at bit too high. With good LED’s a sharp cutoff being only slightly high makes a huge difference. Night and day. Literally.
Just try lowering them slightly.
Unless you just want to be ‘that guy’ blinding everyone.

To be honest, they're fine where they are. No, I don't want to be "That Guy," but I was flashed in my Ridgeline with halogens several times. I've looked at the cutoff line of my Ram's lights, and they're low enough to not be an issue.

Considering I'm getting flashed only 2 or 3 times a month, I think that's a statistical outlier and is more representative of those "Other Drivers" that always find something wrong with other drivers or drivers of full-size trucks.

 

[Buz]

To be honest, they're fine where they are. No, I don't want to be "That Guy," but I was flashed in my Ridgeline with halogens several times. I've looked at the cutoff line of my Ram's lights, and they're low enough to not be an issue.

Considering I'm getting flashed only 2 or 3 times a month, I think that's a statistical outlier and is more representative of those "Other Drivers" that always find something wrong with other drivers or drivers of full-size trucks.

That may be true.
However, I live in Florida, the old people capital of the US, and in the last two years of having LED headlights on my trucks (and making sure they were properly aimed) I can honestly say I have NEVER been flashed by an oncoming driver. This is in an environment with lot's of old people driving little cars.
I'll say it one more time and then step back: LED headlights with a clean cutoff can go from being aimed perfectly to blinding people with only a very minor adjustment. (Could be you have weight in the bed, or you lifted/leveled, etc) or it could be that you just need to tweak them down ever so slightly. It's worth the 20 minute exercise to check your aim and have peace of mind.

 

[JoeCo]

To be honest, they're fine where they are. No, I don't want to be "That Guy," but I was flashed in my Ridgeline with halogens several times. I've looked at the cutoff line of my Ram's lights, and they're low enough to not be an issue.

Considering I'm getting flashed only 2 or 3 times a month, I think that's a statistical outlier and is more representative of those "Other Drivers" that always find something wrong with other drivers or drivers of full-size trucks.

That may be true.
However, I live in Florida, the old people capital of the US, and in the last two years of having LED headlights on my trucks (and making sure they were properly aimed) I can honestly say I have NEVER been flashed by an oncoming driver. This is in an environment with lot's of old people driving little cars.
I'll say it one more time and then step back: LED headlights with a clean cutoff can go from being aimed perfectly to blinding people with only a very minor adjustment. (Could be you have weight in the bed, or you lifted/leveled, etc) or it could be that you just need to tweak them down ever so slightly. It's worth the 20 minute exercise to check your aim and have peace of mind.

Also with one of you having a Laramie, and the other a Limited, the Limited may have less glare as they are not a reflective lens (like the laramies are I believe?)....that can certainly have an effect to oncoming drivers from what I've heard.

I get flashed every once in a while with my crappy halogens, but usually it's due to some other circumstance. For example, we have an intersection where I was stopped at a red light, facing up hill and the vehicle across the intersection that was facing me, was on flat ground. So my lights were shining right into them, I've noticed usually when I get flashed it's due to something like that (so other driver ignorance, because I can't get out at the red light and adjust my lights way down!).