E-150 Headlights???

[LaRue Medlin]

I can't see crap without my high beams on,, what can I use to improve the low beams. Sylvania ?? type or model,,, or,,, the e-150 hd conversion kits... Suggestions..... The Slvania site asks if I have sealed bean or halogen, how can I tell?:smack: Thanks:driving:

 

[Matt DeFina]

do you have driving lights? if not, adding them might help a lot. I know that when mine are off, the regular lights are not enough.

if you already have both on, then brighter lights is the only choice.

 

[Richard L]

LaRue,

If you can change the bulb by twisting out the light socket from the back of the reflector assembly, you do not have sealed beam headlights. If you cannot just take the small inner bulb out by itself and you have to change the entire headlight assembly with the bulb and reflector as a unit, you have sealed beam headlights.



The other thing is that most vehicles with halogen bulbs have plastic headlight covers that can get hazy and milky looking over time. These headlight covers can be polished out to like new condition with various kits that are available for about $20. You can even use 1000 grit sand paper to wet sand the lens covers and graduate down to about 2000 grit then use polishing compound to polish the covers until they are crystal clear....then wax them to protect them. Of course you can always buy some SilverStar headlights



If you have sealed beam, they will have glass lens and you must replace the entire bulb...and you can upgrade to a halogen sealed beam.



What's the model year of your E150? I can check and let you know what kind of headlights you have.



....Rich

 

[LaRue Medlin]

2008

 

[Richard L]

LaRue,

OK, the 2008 E150 came with both Sealed Beams (on the base model) and Halogens on the XL and XLT models. So the easiest way to tell for sure is to examine the headlights and determine if the lens is glass or plastic. The glass will usually have some small bumps from the molding process on the surface, and you can tap them lightly with a key and you will hear a very distinct hard crisp clink of glass. Plastic lens are smooth, with no molding bumps, and if tapped with a key they will have a dull thud. Also, you can press on the plastic lens and it will flex a little...a glass will not flex



If you have plastic lenses, you need an H13 halogen bulb and the bulb is replaced through the back of the headlight by twisting the bulb socket to pull the bulb out the back of the reflector, and then you can twist the bulb out.



If you have glass lenses, you will need to remove the headlight trim bezel from the front and there will be a couple of screws that hold the bulb retainer/frame and you can pull out the bulb and pull the bulb socket straight out the back (don't twist).



...Rich

 

[TrainTrac]

Either way, (halogen or sealed beam), Sylvania has a SilverStar replacement for the 2008 E150. That should improve your headlights quite a bit.

 

[LaRue Medlin]

Looked today,, they are plastic.......... and I can get the H13 at Oreily's with my discount for 30$,, good??? (2pk)

 

[Richard L]

LaRue,

If you go with the Silvania SilverStars, they will run about about $40-$45 for two. If you go with the SilverStar Ultras, they cost about $30 each.



Also, be sure your plastic lenses are not discolored or hazed since that will limit the illumination from the new bulbs. As I said earlier they have kits to polish up the plastic lenses and restore them to crystal clear visibility. Since your E150 is a 2008, I cannot imagine that your lenses would have gotten that bad already. My 2002 Toyota's headlight lenses are just now starting to get a slight haze to them, so I probably need to get one of those kits myself...:grin:



....Rich

 

[H D]

I did a lot of reading on the Silvania SilverStars and it seems that you're lucky to get a year of use out of them.

 

[Richard L]

Hugh,

People have had mixed luck with the SilverStars...I think some of the original bulbs had a very short life...sometimes only a few months, and I heard a lot of those complaints here too. I think the trick is to be sure you DO NOT TOUCH THE BULB WITH YOUR FINGERS during the installation. If you get oil from your fingers on the bulb, it will definitely shorten the bulb life. I went one step further and wiped each of my bulbs down with an alcohol wipe and let it air dry...just incase someone touched it at the factory.



I was much more fortunate with mine. I bought them when they first came out about 2001-2002, and installed them in my 2001 Sport Trac. After about a year, I traded my 2001 Sport Trac and moved those same SilverStars to my new 2003 Sport Trac. I traded my 2003 Sport Trac in 2008 with the same functioning SilverStar bulbs which now had at least 6 years on them?



I did not do a lot of night driving with the Sport Tracs, but that's still a pretty good life for any bulb. If you have DRL's that keep the headlights on at lower power, you probably will not get a very long life out of your headlights



...Rich

 

[LaRue Medlin]

Richard, my lens' are crystal clear. I'm going to pick up a set this weekend. Since it gets dark about 5pm, I'm doing a lot of night driving. Thanks for the help.

 

[TrainTrac]

I did a lot of reading on the Silvania SilverStars and it seems that you're lucky to get a year of use out of them.

I installed a set of SS 9007's in my Trac about six years ago. When the Ultra's came out about three years ago, I installed them in the Trac and moved the original SS 9007's over to my Class C RV (E450 chassis). The original 9007's are still running strong in the RV.



LaRue,



If you go to Autozone or Advanced Auto to purchase the bulbs, be sure to ask for the military discount. Both chains give 10% off to active/retired military.:supercool:

 

[LaRue Medlin]

I get 15% at Oreily's with my corp discount.. 30$ plus tax

 

[LaRue Medlin]

I put these in last night,,, WOW!!!!!!! what a difference. $42.95 with a $10 rebate...



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[TrainTrac]

:supercool: