The Retrofit Source dot com

 

+1 for TRS

 

Spencer's HID's in Wasilla Alaska.
Good stuff.

 

TRS Morimoto are awesome!

 

Do most guys put hids in low beams and high beams?? And correct me if im wrong here my high beams are h11s and my low beams are h9s??

 

I've been messing around with HIDs for about a year, and--unless you pay a premium for high quality ballasts--you will experience illumination / ballast failures.

Furthermore, you would need to pull your DRL fuse and hand-operate the headlight switch if you want lighting on during the day.

I finally ended up purchasing OPT7 LED Headlight H11 Kit a couple weeks ago, and I have never looked back. I strongly suggest this option in lieu of HIDs due to:

- Illumination spectrum is noticeably better
- Brilliant pure white color
- Instantly on / no warm-up
- Less noisy / less heat
- Plug & play with capacitor wires (included) / no ballasts
- Works with DRL fuse / no manual switching for daytime lighting
- No drilling headlight covers, just remove them (no moisture or debris will get into the headlight housing)

Just food for thought, your needs may be different if you want blue lighting (~8K color).

 

FYI - Relay harness = no issues with HIDs and DRLs.

 

Lows only, you won't need highs any more. And DRL with the relay is perfect with the kit from TRS.

H11: Morimoto Elite HID System is what I used. Make your life super easy and find the instructions on how to remove the bumper and take the headlights out though.

 

You have to take the freekin bumper off??

 

Makes mounting the ballasts easier. It's not really hard to take it off.

 

Oh ya! Like i sed i hav no experience with these and tht js seemed alittke excessive lol

 

You don't have to take the bumper off...I mounted mine under hood and except for warrantying one ballast been fine for ~ 4 yrs...

 

I didnt take my bumper off either. I took my wheels wells out, and mounting them in the backside of the bumper. I go for the "clean" look. You can't see any wiring or ballasts.

 

NO, you CAN install without removing the bumper, but that passenger light is really, really difficult to reach unless you have tiny hands and arms along with amazing flexibility.

 

I just take off the front wheels & remove the wheel well covers to access lighting. If you are wanting to mount ballasts inside there, use 3M double-sided automotive tape and adhere to the car frame.

 

+1 to no bumper removal needed. Also +1 to TRS HIDs.

However, it makes life easier if you want to hide the ballasts. I opted to not hide anything and zip tied the ballasts where I could in the engine bay. Sure it doesn't look factory, but if they ever went bad I didn't have to remove the front end to pry it off 3M tape stuck in the frame rail. Also, with the other engine mods, the bay won't look stock anyway.

 

I have a real hard time seeing at night with the factory headlights.

Would the HID's really help?

 

OMG will they help! You will be lighting up signs ahead of cars that are in front of you.

 

HID's are yesterday's tech, check out OPT7 LED headlights. Retrofit source shows there 6K HID kit produces 3200 lumins of light where the OPT7 6K LED kits produces 3500 lumins of light so the LED's are brighter. The Retrofit Source sells their kits for around $150, OPT7 sells their headlight kits for $100 so the LED's cost less.

Brighter light, no shadow from the ground wire, costs less, no warm up time so perfect for high beams too, no relay wire harness needed, straight plug and play, you can keep the DRL's, makes me wonder why anyone would bother with HID anymore.

 

^^ this x 1000

 

I may check these out on my mother's Honda though as a comparison.

 

Well you guys inspired me to give these LEDs a chance. I bought a set for my newly acquired TBSS. I have trs installed in my duramax and G8. We shall see

 

I'm ordering 2 sets this coming Friday for my car so I'll be able to answer questions after I install them. However lumins don't lie, the LED'S produce more then the HID'S so they're brighter. The cost less and there will be no ground wire shadow.

Derekprz has already ordered a set for just his high beams and will have them before I do.

 

Id love to know what u guys think about these led lights versus hids! Please post wat u think about thm after u gt them installed!

 

Yeah I'd like to know what the results of the LED's are. sub'd.

 

I understand lumens. My 4500k kit is 3500 lumens so it's just as bright. These LEDs look the business though. But hopefully the build quality is up to snuff. I'll check the warranty as well

 

With respect to LED install, I started another thread to get some images. I'm really curious if you can get the dust/moisture covers back on sealing the headlight module. I suspect a large boot will be required as well as alignment within the dust cover to make room for the Mongo heatsink.

 

Here are the Opt7 LEDs for reference:

Dust covers were removed entirely, but no issues at all with headlight housings after driving through rainy conditions for a couple weeks now.