Anybody upgrade there Headlights yet?
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Unfortunately, the North American Ford Transit is for daytime use (and currently has very few available options). The European version comes with xenon lights, running lights, and in-bumper fog lights.
My insurance (USAA) will lower my premium if I install running lights,...although only $15 a year.
Was looking a carid.
http://www.carid.com/2015-ford-transit-headlights/
My insurance (USAA) will lower my premium if I install running lights,...although only $15 a year.
Was looking a carid.
http://www.carid.com/2015-ford-transit-headlights/
What roof height do you have, and where are you thinking of mounting the new lights?
Thanks
https://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/DDM-HID-Kit-Slim-Ballast-35W-or-55W
I have a MR 150 10-passenger seating, I usually mount the ballast somewhere in the compartment I will take pics. Make sure if you have auto lamps to order the error correction kit along with the wiring harness. The wiring harness will help with the flickering and the error correction will aid with no instrument error codes.
Sorry to bump an old thread, but has anyone made the leap with a HID replacement for headlights yet? I bought a kit and was about to try it myself, but I chickened out after reading all the negativity associated with HID conversions. Up here in Alaska, almost every other car has one, and a lot of them are not set up properly and blind the piss out of you on the road. Given how high up the headlights are on these vans, I didn't want to blind oncoming traffic.
The low beams on the Transit are just dismal. I hate that I have to look down at the dash to make sure they are on at times. I was thinking now of going with just a brighter conventional bulb and trade out some of the longevity.
I'm also looking at upgrading the taillights to LEDs. I see that carid website listed above has options for this. Has anyone tried that yet too? There's a lot of mud and grit on the roads up here, and that tends to get all over the van, partially obscuring the taillights at times. I want to make them brighter.
The low beams on the Transit are just dismal. I hate that I have to look down at the dash to make sure they are on at times. I was thinking now of going with just a brighter conventional bulb and trade out some of the longevity.
I'm also looking at upgrading the taillights to LEDs. I see that carid website listed above has options for this. Has anyone tried that yet too? There's a lot of mud and grit on the roads up here, and that tends to get all over the van, partially obscuring the taillights at times. I want to make them brighter.
Spudz, check out my thread on adding driving lights:
http://fordtransitusaforum.com/showthread.php?p=228498
I added Rigid SAE compliant DOT legal lights and they are fantastic. They have a very wide beam and really positive cutoff so it doesn't blind oncoming drivers (I've yet to be flashed). I have them aimed so they are just below the low beam. They are significantly brighter than either the high or low stock beams. They call them fogs, but they are really more like a wide beam driving light. They really cut through dark rainy nights.
From what I've read, the HID conversions only work with projector beam headlights. Probably not a good idea on a reflector headlight liked the Transit has.
JP
http://fordtransitusaforum.com/showthread.php?p=228498
I added Rigid SAE compliant DOT legal lights and they are fantastic. They have a very wide beam and really positive cutoff so it doesn't blind oncoming drivers (I've yet to be flashed). I have them aimed so they are just below the low beam. They are significantly brighter than either the high or low stock beams. They call them fogs, but they are really more like a wide beam driving light. They really cut through dark rainy nights.
From what I've read, the HID conversions only work with projector beam headlights. Probably not a good idea on a reflector headlight liked the Transit has.
JP
I'm a little hesitant to add anything to the front like that if I can help it. It does look nice what you have setup there, but I was looking for something a little cleaner and simpler, using the factory headlights.
I agree though that a HID on a reflector style headlight is not a good idea. I almost did that but then thought better after being on the receiving end of that nonsense way too many times to count. It's quite literally blinding at times, even as high up as I am in this van.
I do appreciate the advice though. I will probably pull the trigger on some LEDs for the taillights and just a brighter halogen for the headlights. If anyone develops a complete swap of the headlight assembly though to make them HID, I'll be all over that.
I agree though that a HID on a reflector style headlight is not a good idea. I almost did that but then thought better after being on the receiving end of that nonsense way too many times to count. It's quite literally blinding at times, even as high up as I am in this van.
I do appreciate the advice though. I will probably pull the trigger on some LEDs for the taillights and just a brighter halogen for the headlights. If anyone develops a complete swap of the headlight assembly though to make them HID, I'll be all over that.
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HID retrofit
Another option is to retrofit the factory headlight housing with a proper HID projector with a Bi-xenon light.
I did this on my 1996 explorer with great success. It looked great and added a huge upgrade in lighting performance over the factory halogen lights. Using proper projectors gives that nice cutoff line like any factory HID lighting. I purchased the parts from https://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits.html
Basically you bake the complete light housing in the oven. Seperate the clear front lense from the rest of the housing. Then install the projector and shroud. Then put it all back. The wiring is no different from any other HID kit which is simple.
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I don't have a transit yet but that is the route I was thinking of going unless plug and play LED bulbs are easier/better/cheaper. I haven't researched those yet.
Another option is to retrofit the factory headlight housing with a proper HID projector with a Bi-xenon light.
I did this on my 1996 explorer with great success. It looked great and added a huge upgrade in lighting performance over the factory halogen lights. Using proper projectors gives that nice cutoff line like any factory HID lighting. I purchased the parts from https://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits.html
Basically you bake the complete light housing in the oven. Seperate the clear front lense from the rest of the housing. Then install the projector and shroud. Then put it all back. The wiring is no different from any other HID kit which is simple.
I don't have a transit yet but that is the route I was thinking of going unless plug and play LED bulbs are easier/better/cheaper. I haven't researched those yet.
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202 Posts
ford99, your explorer headlights look excellent just like stock!Another option is to retrofit the factory headlight housing with a proper HID projector with a Bi-xenon light.
I did this on my 1996 explorer with great success. It looked great and added a huge upgrade in lighting performance over the factory halogen lights. Using proper projectors gives that nice cutoff line like any factory HID lighting. I purchased the parts from https://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits.html
Basically you bake the complete light housing in the oven. Seperate the clear front lense from the rest of the housing. Then install the projector and shroud. Then put it all back. The wiring is no different from any other HID kit which is simple.
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I don't have a transit yet but that is the route I was thinking of going unless plug and play LED bulbs are easier/better/cheaper. I haven't researched those yet.
I hope you can show us all how to do that on the Transit van/wagon once you've purchased yours!
So I pulled the trigger on a set of LED lights for the high and low beams. And **** what a difference they make. The projection pattern is fairly good since the diode only emits light upward into the reflector, which then radiates out in a general downward pattern.
I just gotta lower the headlight aim a bit to get it back in line with the stock halogens and I'm all set. I'll post pictures when it's all said and done. Overall, having LEDs back and front really gives the van a much crisper appearance.
I just gotta lower the headlight aim a bit to get it back in line with the stock halogens and I'm all set. I'll post pictures when it's all said and done. Overall, having LEDs back and front really gives the van a much crisper appearance.
Woke up the backup lights with some leds on my van. What wave length led headlights did you install?
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30 Posts
what LED's did you go with for the Back up lights?
I got my all LEDs from one place. Very great customer service. I had to return a few bulbs because I got Can Bus compliant ones when I didn't need them for the side running lights. They flicker on and off because there is no can bus management for those particular bulbs.
My Backup Lights: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...ion-28-smd-led-tower-wedge-retrofit-car/1646/
(Also my turn/brake and front headlight turn signal. You want amber for front turn and red for rear turn/brake.)
Low-Beam Headlights: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...s-conversion-kit-with-built-in-fan/2115/4803/
High-Beam: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...s-conversion-kit-with-built-in-fan/2117/4802/
Mirror Turn Signal: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...tower-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/1127/2676/
Side Running Light: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...smd-led-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/207/929/
Annnnd License Plate: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...d-led-tower-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/206/
I meant to take pictures tonight of the headlights, but I ended up working too late. Since I need to pull the headlights to swap out the side-marker bulbs, I'll take em tomorrow after finalizing the beam adjustments.
My Backup Lights: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...ion-28-smd-led-tower-wedge-retrofit-car/1646/
(Also my turn/brake and front headlight turn signal. You want amber for front turn and red for rear turn/brake.)
Low-Beam Headlights: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...s-conversion-kit-with-built-in-fan/2115/4803/
High-Beam: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...s-conversion-kit-with-built-in-fan/2117/4802/
Mirror Turn Signal: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...tower-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/1127/2676/
Side Running Light: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...smd-led-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/207/929/
Annnnd License Plate: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...d-led-tower-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/206/
I meant to take pictures tonight of the headlights, but I ended up working too late. Since I need to pull the headlights to swap out the side-marker bulbs, I'll take em tomorrow after finalizing the beam adjustments.
Here's what the LEDs look like. Quite a crisper appearance than those shoddy halogens.
The van is on a steep driveway, which makes the beam pattern seem higher than it really is. I'll admit that my inner idiot made finding the adjustment screw for pointing a difficult task. The diagram in the owner manual is not entirely accurate. Also took me a little longer after I did find it to find the right size Philips screwdriver that would slot into the gear to turn it. Being that it was also hovering around 0 temperature-wise didn't help either.
The lights are probably pointed a tad too low, but I figured it was better to be safe than sorry. Overall I am very happy with these LEDs. The high beams are something unto themselves as well.
The van is on a steep driveway, which makes the beam pattern seem higher than it really is. I'll admit that my inner idiot made finding the adjustment screw for pointing a difficult task. The diagram in the owner manual is not entirely accurate. Also took me a little longer after I did find it to find the right size Philips screwdriver that would slot into the gear to turn it. Being that it was also hovering around 0 temperature-wise didn't help either.
The lights are probably pointed a tad too low, but I figured it was better to be safe than sorry. Overall I am very happy with these LEDs. The high beams are something unto themselves as well.
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Thanks for posting pics!
I am going to do exactly what you've done for sure once I get my wagon, it looks excellent!
I noticed your engine block heater plug exposed, how does it work for you?
Is it worth the extra $75?
I am going to do exactly what you've done for sure once I get my wagon, it looks excellent!
I noticed your engine block heater plug exposed, how does it work for you?
Is it worth the extra $75?
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1 Posts
changed to Siver Star Plus
Two days after We bought out Transit (2013) We change the headlights to the Siver Star Plus headlight. Be in since Oct. 2013... no problems at all, and made a BIG improvement!
Two days after We bought out Transit (2013) We change the headlights to the Siver Star Plus headlight. Be in since Oct. 2013... no problems at all, and made a BIG improvement!
So far I haven't really noticed a benefit for any temps above 0. But I still plug it in whenever it dips below 20 because it supposedly makes for a more eco-friendly startup. It's definitely worth having if you live in Alaska. I'd say worth the $75 to have just in case. You never know where you'll end up.
Cheers!
EDIT: Don't forget to get resistors! You need to wire in resistors to simulate the current draw of a halogen bulb. I had a little trouble making sure those were mounted where they don't touch any plastic or paint. They get hot, very hot. I made the mistake of touching one after adjusting the aiming and burned my finger. From what I understand, if you don't have the resistance the cam bus expects to see, the van will give you a headlight out message on the dash... at least I think it will. I didn't try the headlights without the resistors to see if this was true or not. Just assumed that would be the case.
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