Do I need to replace headlight housing with LED upgrade?

[FatherGaben]

Hello, I recently bought my first ram, 2022 1500 big horn with the 5.7 hemi. Loved everything about it, except the stock halogen headlights. I bought a kit of led bulbs from lasfit, and they look great. The issue I’m having is the bulbs are in the factory halogen housing. Maybe I just need to adjust them down, but I’m getting flashed non stop by drive with just low beams. Do I need to bit the bullet and buy an oem LED headlight housing, or can I get away with just adjusting them?

Edit: I did put a lift on it, with wheels it’s about 5 inches higher than stock

 

[Oldphart]

Hello, I recently bought my first ram, 2022 1500 big horn with the 5.7 hemi. Loved everything about it, except the stock halogen headlights. I bought a kit of led bulbs from lasfit, and they look great. The issue I’m having is the bulbs are in the factory halogen housing. Maybe I just need to adjust them down, but I’m getting flashed non stop by drive with just low beams. Do I need to bit the bullet and buy an oem LED headlight housing, or can I get away with just adjusting them?

Edit: I did put a lift on it, with wheels it’s about 5 inches higher than stock

I'd try an adjustment first, but the housings are different also.

Just a rant----I wish it was a requirement that if you get a lift, a headlight re aiming is required. I can't tell you how many times I've flashed someone and get flashed back with their highs - it's always a lifted truck. If you can afford a lift, you can afford a re aiming. I'm tempted to install a Euro-Spec driving light to use as my "real high beam".

 

[Ricomann]

I'd try an adjustment first, but the housings are different also.

Just a rant----I wish it was a requirement that if you get a lift, a headlight re aiming is required. I can't tell you how many times I've flashed someone and get flashed back with their highs - it's always a lifted truck. If you can afford a lift, you can afford a re aiming. I'm tempted to install a Euro-Spec driving light to use as my "real high beam".

This is exactly the kind of thing that is done in some parts of the USA and many parts of the world, headlight inspection being parts of the safety inspection along with tires, all lights, wipers, seatbelts, etc., all far beyond mere emissions testing.

I, too, am annoyed beyond by the ****ty lighting options people employ here. It was the worst when the blue coated halogen headlights were happening in the late 1990s and early 2000s, then worse again when the HID bulb conversions for regular bulb housings; they refracted in a billion directions, mostly into your eyes and little down the road. That was some unsafe ****.

 

[DeanM2]

I put the Lastfit LEDs in my 2023. They do tend to spray the light everywhere. But i adjusted mine and i never get anyone blinking at me.

 

[CHeYeNNe71]

Make sure the bulbs are orientated properly and ALWAYS re-aim when swapping to LED or a Level/Lift.

 

[Ricomann]

Have experience with Auxito bulbs replacing HID on Cadillacs. If they are available for you, I’d definitely start them, personally.

 

[LaxDfns15]

Halogen housings are not meant for LED bulbs. Doesn't matter how well you aim them, you will still throw light everywhere. Do the right thing, get LED housings.

 

[HemiDude]

I swapped from halogen to LEDs in my last ram, and did adjust the headlights so they weren’t blinding people as they drove past

 

[RAM Patriot]

It’s a common temptation — your halogen headlights burn out, you see a cheap “LED upgrade kit” online, and the promise of brighter light and modern style sounds great. But installing LED bulbs into halogen housings is not the right way to upgrade your lighting, and here’s why.

1. Halogen housings are engineered for the filament position and light pattern of a halogen bulb.
LED chips emit light differently — from flat surfaces instead of a pinpoint filament — which changes the beam shape.
Result: poor light focus, excessive glare, and scattered output that can blind oncoming traffic while giving you worse road illumination.

2. It’s ironic, but many “upgraded” LED retrofits actually reduce usable light on the road. The hotspot moves, cutoff lines blur, and much of the light is wasted above or to the sides instead of where you need it — right in front of your vehicle.

3. In most regions (including the U.S. and EU), it’s illegal to install LED bulbs in housings not designed or certified for them.
Only complete headlight assemblies that are DOT/SAE or ECE compliant for LED use are street-legal. Retrofit bulbs void that certification and can lead to inspection failures or fines.

4. Halogen housings rely on heat from halogen filaments to stay dry and prevent condensation. LED bulbs run cooler at the lens but hotter at the base. Poorly designed retrofits can overheat wiring or melt connectors due to inadequate cooling or improper fit.

5. Misaligned or overpowered LEDs cause intense glare that blinds oncoming drivers — especially at night or in rain. You might think your lights look “brighter,” but in reality, you’re reducing everyone’s safety, including your own.

If you want LED performance, look for:

• A factory LED headlight assembly designed for your vehicle, or
• An aftermarket projector conversion kit properly engineered and aimed for LED emitters.

That ensures correct optics, compliance, and safety for you and others.