LED's and Projectors: morimoto, vland oem etc

[silver billet]

I've never been happy with the headlights in my truck. It came with halogens, I upgraded to Morimoto XB Hybrid (gen 2, not the more expensive Morimotos). After using these for a year, I'm not happy with the light output. My issue is that there is a very sharp cutoff line; below it you get lots of light, but above it you get nothing. I have mine set as high as I can vertically without blinding everybody and it's not high enough.

My issue in a nutshell: I can't see far enough down the road. If the road is flat, OK. As soon as here are relatively minor dips, I can get plunged into absolute and terrifying darkness like 30 feet down the road. And if there are ruts or bumps, the truck bounces over that and oncoming traffic thinks I'm flashing them.

I've red that LEDs are more dispersed than projectors. And so I'm thinking I need to avoid projectors, but my Morimoto Hybrids are LEDs and they have that nasty line already, I can only imagine projectors being worse. Morimoto has a more expensive headlight, but I'm pretty sure the same problem will show up there.

Vland offers two types, LED and projectors but I can't find any examples of how they project in terms of distance down the road in the dark.

I don't like the alpha rex lights, that big white strip going in both directions just looks weird to me.

How do I get that nice dispersed light that I had with my halogens? Yes I could put those back in, but I really like the strip effect that LEDs have with daytime running lights and though I liked them at first, I no longer like the wide eyed souless look of these particular halogens.

Pretty sure somebody on this forum once posted something similar, same issue with not enough distance down the road and he swapped to something different and the example images were "night and day" difference. Should have bookmarked it.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[MannyN]

Pay once, cry once. I would upgrade to OEM LED's. I did that one week after I got my truck, had the halogens. Day and night difference.

 

[silver billet]

That's an option but I don't like the frosted curvy look on the DRLs of those. Apparently I'm just very fussy. FCA nailed the look on the durango, and the charger and the jeep gc. Vland and Morimoto also have great DRL's. I just need to find out what tech is responsible for that very sharp cut off line and try to avoid that.

 

[MannyN]

Just for your info, the upper and lower strips are not the DRL's. They are accent lights. Just for show, I guess. The DRL function on those lights are the low beams in the headlight. Your headlight, (Halogen) is not a good idea for LED lights, as the reflector is designed for a different focal point.

 

[Scram1500]

The cut off line does take some getting used to. After having a few cars with projectors over the years it doesn't bother me anymore.

Do you have the passenger side light adjusted a little higher? This won't blind oncoming traffic while giving you a little more vertical light

 

[Mopar_maxi]

I had the expensive Morimotos. Had nothing but issues. Switched to OEM led headlights and I’m much happier.

 

[silver billet]

The cut off line does take some getting used to. After having a few cars with projectors over the years it doesn't bother me anymore.

Do you have the passenger side light adjusted a little higher? This won't blind oncoming traffic while giving you a little more vertical light

They're both equal height. I think you can still "blind" people with a light that is too high, it's not just oncoming traffic in a straight line that's a problem. If the road has even a tiny curve in it you'll end up painting them head on while they're some distance away yet. Or going through an intersection etc.

I had the expensive Morimotos. Had nothing but issues. Switched to OEM led headlights and I’m much happier.

You may have had a first version? I have gen 2 hybrids and they're flawless - other than the direct cut off which was by design and not a production or quality control issue.

 

[Scram1500]

They're both equal height. I think you can still "blind" people with a light that is too high, it's not just oncoming traffic in a straight line that's a problem. If the road has even a tiny curve in it you'll end up painting them head on while they're some distance away yet. Or going through an intersection etc.

I know what you mean, but reflectors do the same thing. They're actually a little worse with the extra uplight

 

[silver billet]

I know what you mean, but reflectors do the same thing. They're actually a little worse with the extra uplight

So from your sig I gather you're running the more expensive moriomotos. Do you have any pictures you can share of how your lights project down the road? Just curious if its better than mine.

 

[Scram1500]

I'll try to get a pic sometime this week but I'm sure they're the same as the hybrids. The cutoff is super sharp. The only reason the hybrids are cheaper is because you re-use the amber turn signal bulb from the oem halogen lights.

If you watch Morimoto's videos on aiming the lights or light output they all have the same cutoff

 

[silver billet]

I'll try to get a pic sometime this week but I'm sure they're the same as the hybrids. The cutoff is super sharp. The only reason the hybrids are cheaper is because you re-use the amber turn signal bulb from the oem halogen lights.

If you watch Morimoto's videos on aiming the lights or light output they all have the same cutoff

Found this on morimoto website, the bottom looks just like mine. Wonder if OEM are any better.

 

[Scram1500]

They probably have a similar low beam pattern to halogens as they are led reflectors and do not produce a focused beam like projectors. I think the Vlands are the only other reflector led style lights available.

The other problem with leds that is rarely talked about is color temperature. The yellow light from halogens is easier for our eyes to interpret, the white/blueish light is more confusing for the eyes.

 

[raj]

I have had GTR Ultra 2 led bulbs from headlightrevolution.com in my 2021 Ecodiesel for over 25,000 miles. I love them. they really put an aweful lot of light down the road. I even put them in the motorhome. Couldn't be happier. I did have to manually adjust the headlights down just a bit to get the proper light distribution.

 

[silver billet]

I have had GTR Ultra 2 led bulbs from headlightrevolution.com in my 2021 Ecodiesel for over 25,000 miles. I love them. they really put an aweful lot of light down the road. I even put them in the motorhome. Couldn't be happier. I did have to manually adjust the headlights down just a bit to get the proper light distribution.

Yes but again I'm picky; I like the DRL strips in morimoto or vland, but like the distance projection of light better from my halogens. Apparently I can't have it all.

 

[Scram1500]

So from your sig I gather you're running the more expensive moriomotos. Do you have any pictures you can share of how your lights project down the road? Just curious if its better than mine.

These are while driving so could be some blurriness

 

[silver billet]

Those definitely look like there is more light vs mine, but I still see that sharp edge between on/off.

Do you get flashed at all?

 

[Scram1500]

I've had them for a little over a month. Only flashed once before I was fully done with aiming and that was on a curvy road during a sweeping  right turn where the lights blast oncoming traffic regardless of headlight type. I imagine this is why Limiteds have adaptive projectors and "follow" the road

Edited for dyslexia