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07-21-2019, 02:49 PM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
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E350 head light upgrade?
Hi,
Ive got a 2005 ford E350 with some seriously terrible headlights.... they are the single unit sealed bulb and lens deal
I see alot of options on amazon, and it seem no matter what i do i need to wire in new connectors.
Anyone have some suggestions?
Preferably id like to get something from amazon or a big auto parts store.
Thanx for your help!
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07-21-2019, 02:53 PM
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#2
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,349
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Thomas 4 window w/lift
Chassis: G30~Chevy cutaway
Engine: 5.7/350 Chevy Vortec
Rated Cap: Just me and my "stuff"?
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From someone else on here. These look like a good deal...:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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07-21-2019, 03:14 PM
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#3
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmssg
Hi,
Ive got a 2005 ford E350 with some seriously terrible headlights.... they are the single unit sealed bulb and lens deal
I see alot of options on amazon, and it seem no matter what i do i need to wire in new connectors.
Anyone have some suggestions?
Preferably id like to get something from amazon or a big auto parts store.
Thanx for your help!
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check the ground connections on your headlights - a poor ground can give you very dim lights - my headlights were getting dim, so I decided to change them - turned out it was mostly a grounding problem
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07-21-2019, 04:31 PM
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#4
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
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You can clean the connection unit by a very simple (and inexpensive) means -- an emory board. They're usually <$1.00.
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07-21-2019, 04:44 PM
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#5
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Skoolie
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Fresnope, CA
Posts: 154
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I agree with the others/ The FIRST thing you'll want to do is clean the connectors, and replace IF necessary. Then clean the lens covers. You're looking at a couple of bucks. If that fails to produce the desired results, I'd probably consider an inexpensive pair of LED auxiliary lights.
__________________
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away" - Phillip K. Dick
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07-22-2019, 12:28 PM
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#6
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Huntington Beach CA.
Posts: 939
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: T/C 2000 28 foot Handy Bus
Engine: Cummins 5.9 Mechanical
Rated Cap: 2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmssg
Hi,
Ive got a 2005 ford E350 with some seriously terrible headlights.... they are the single unit sealed bulb and lens deal
I see alot of options on amazon, and it seem no matter what i do i need to wire in new connectors.
Anyone have some suggestions?
Preferably id like to get something from amazon or a big auto parts store.
Thanx for your help!
|
Do not know if they make a version of these for your but look at big rig suppliers for a better example of what is out there. When you have a part number for a headlite you can search the number for the best deal. Have been waiting for these to go on sale and they finally did. $600 for a set with shipping
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07-22-2019, 01:29 PM
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#7
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Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 109
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peteg59
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I second this option. I have them on my e450. they have fantastic light output with a very clean cutoff so oncoming drivers don't get blinded.
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07-22-2019, 01:33 PM
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#8
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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Please don’t get those super annoying bright lights! Every time I come across someone with those I want to run them off the road.
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07-22-2019, 02:02 PM
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#9
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Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 109
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danjo
Please don’t get those super annoying bright lights! Every time I come across someone with those I want to run them off the road.
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you want me to take a picture of how they look? just like any modern car with projector headlights. Not "bright" at all to anyone in the oncoming traffic lane.
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07-22-2019, 02:09 PM
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#10
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E450Shorty
you want me to take a picture of how they look? just like any modern car with projector headlights. Not "bright" at all to anyone in the oncoming traffic lane.
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I’m just grouchy. I have to say those bluish projector lights suck for those ahead. Why do you want to blind people in front???
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07-22-2019, 02:27 PM
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#11
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Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 109
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Personally, i found the balance between bright enough and too bright. When I'm loaded at 14500 lbs the bus doesnt stop too quickly. So for me being able to comfortably see farther than my reaction time is comforting. oncoming drivers can either choose to stare at my headlights or look away for a second like common sense would say to do. but seriously... these headlights aren't bright until you are basically sitting on the ground.
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07-22-2019, 02:54 PM
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#12
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Huntington Beach CA.
Posts: 939
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: T/C 2000 28 foot Handy Bus
Engine: Cummins 5.9 Mechanical
Rated Cap: 2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danjo
I’m just grouchy. I have to say those bluish projector lights suck for those ahead. Why do you want to blind people in front???
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Sorry , my example is DOT approved which my interpretation is when installed correctly and in adjustment will not blind traffic in either directio.Can not speak for anyaone else
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07-27-2019, 11:24 PM
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#13
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rivetboy
Sorry , my example is DOT approved which my interpretation is when installed correctly and in adjustment will not blind traffic in either directio.Can not speak for anyaone else
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Sorry, there is no such thing as "DOT approved". DOT does not "approve" anything. Pretty much every cheap Chinese manufacturer of god-awful blinding drop-in HID/LED conversions claim that their crap is "DOT/SAE/ECE/UN approved". In fact, the mere fact that they claim to be "DOT approved" is almost a guarantee that they do NOT meet FMVSS 108 requirements. The ones linked on page 1 even claim to be "IP67 approved".. IP67 is a water/dust ingress resistance rating and has absolutely nothing to do with legality.
While the manufactured projector assemblies (and those custom built with high qulity aftermarket projectors like Morimotos or certified OEM projectors and lamps such as the Acura TSX units) tend to be far superior in beam quality, cutoff, and glare reduction than drop-in solutions (the ones that replace your H4/9007/etc with an LED/HID, THOSE are the ones everyone complains about blinding them), there are NONE that are actually legal.
Blinding glare is also a function of the headlight color temperature. Higher temperature - anything above 5000K - is going to be perceived as creating more glare due to the higher amount of blue vs red/yellow in the beam. Not only does it blind oncoming drivers, but you are actually HURTING your own night vision in the process. The human eye is far better at processing the red and yellow end of the spectrum than it is at the blue/violet end. Also, red and yellow wavelengths are what trigger the iris to contract down when exposed to bright light - blue has little effect so the pupil remains dilated, letting in more light than it should. Combine that with the fact that blue wavelengths tend to scatter in the vitreous humor (eye fluid), you have a recipe for glare when facing a light source that is heavy in the blue spectrum. The optimum temperature for headlights is 4300K. It appears almost pure white, offers the best visibility to the driver due to the high red/yellow and low blue spectrum, and has the least potential for causing glare to oncoming drivers.
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07-28-2019, 07:09 AM
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#14
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,094
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
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^
Excellent dissertation! [emoji106] Thanx for sharing.
__________________
Those who say that it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.
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07-28-2019, 12:19 PM
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#15
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Huntington Beach CA.
Posts: 939
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: T/C 2000 28 foot Handy Bus
Engine: Cummins 5.9 Mechanical
Rated Cap: 2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Taz420
Sorry, there is no such thing as "DOT approved". DOT does not "approve" anything. Pretty much every cheap Chinese manufacturer of god-awful blinding drop-in HID/LED conversions claim that their crap is "DOT/SAE/ECE/UN approved". In fact, the mere fact that they claim to be "DOT approved" is almost a guarantee that they do NOT meet FMVSS 108 requirements. The ones linked on page 1 even claim to be "IP67 approved".. IP67 is a water/dust ingress resistance rating and has absolutely nothing to do with legality.
While the manufactured projector assemblies (and those custom built with high qulity aftermarket projectors like Morimotos or certified OEM projectors and lamps such as the Acura TSX units) tend to be far superior in beam quality, cutoff, and glare reduction than drop-in solutions (the ones that replace your H4/9007/etc with an LED/HID, THOSE are the ones everyone complains about blinding them), there are NONE that are actually legal.
Blinding glare is also a function of the headlight color temperature. Higher temperature - anything above 5000K - is going to be perceived as creating more glare due to the higher amount of blue vs red/yellow in the beam. Not only does it blind oncoming drivers, but you are actually HURTING your own night vision in the process. The human eye is far better at processing the red and yellow end of the spectrum than it is at the blue/violet end. Also, red and yellow wavelengths are what trigger the iris to contract down when exposed to bright light - blue has little effect so the pupil remains dilated, letting in more light than it should. Combine that with the fact that blue wavelengths tend to scatter in the vitreous humor (eye fluid), you have a recipe for glare when facing a light source that is heavy in the blue spectrum. The optimum temperature for headlights is 4300K. It appears almost pure white, offers the best visibility to the driver due to the high red/yellow and low blue spectrum, and has the least potential for causing glare to oncoming drivers.
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OK, you are right that DOT is not an approval agency. What the headlight assemblys that I purchased state in the specifications is that they are "D.O.T. Compliant". Which, in my understanding, is they will not blind other drivers.
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