AnthonyL Jones
Member
Which kit is better?
Last edited by a moderator:
Hid Kit 35W OR 55W
- Thread starter AnthonyL Jones
- Start date
Help Support Ford SportTrac Forum:
Robert Caffyn
Well-Known Member
Well, both are better than the standard Halogen bulbs. HID's are very bright and can affect oncoming drivers. The difference between the two is Lumen output. A 35watt setup is more than adequate. The 55watt may be a bit of overkill, unless you live in a rural setting where maximum lighting is prefered. I use a 35watt kit in my truck and it works just great, its bright enough that I get "blinked" at a few times a month. However, my bikes have all gotten the 55watt setup, since I'm only dealing with one headlight. OH, get the "Bi-Xenon" bulbs. This will give you a true hi/lo beam. My recommendation would be to go to the website below and read up on their products. These are the best I've found and would ask that you seriously consider them. The old adage of "you get what you pay for" really applies to HID's. Good luck and let me know how you made out. Bob
kcirtap
Active Member
I drive a canadian ST. So i have daytime running lihgts. I hear these are a problem with hids? Anyone know a way around it?
Bill Koonce
Active Member
FWIW, my research in energy saving lighting shows that HID lights are the most efficient form of lighting, even better than LEDs. So a 35W HID lamp is equivalent to a 100W regular halogen bulb. That's way too much for on-road use, except as a high beam. Even then you'll need to remember to switch to low beams when other cars come near. (That's the law in most states anyway.)
If you do a lot of off road driving, or drive where there are no other cars on the road most of the time, having a pair of 55W HID driving lights (separate from the headlights) will really light up the night for you. HID lights look kewl, but using extra bright lights in traffic is rude, so I'd stick with something that's approved for on-road use. Also, HID lights don't take kindly to being flashed. So if you need to flash your brights in traffic or need headlights that work with emergency wig-wag controllers, stick with halogen for your high beams.
I've seen "bi-xenon" used to describe different things. One setup has a mechanical part in the lamp that moves the beam from high to low. I don't know how long something like that will last. It looks like a weak link to me...
If you do a lot of off road driving, or drive where there are no other cars on the road most of the time, having a pair of 55W HID driving lights (separate from the headlights) will really light up the night for you. HID lights look kewl, but using extra bright lights in traffic is rude, so I'd stick with something that's approved for on-road use. Also, HID lights don't take kindly to being flashed. So if you need to flash your brights in traffic or need headlights that work with emergency wig-wag controllers, stick with halogen for your high beams.
I've seen "bi-xenon" used to describe different things. One setup has a mechanical part in the lamp that moves the beam from high to low. I don't know how long something like that will last. It looks like a weak link to me...
Rick Kent
Well-Known Member
35 or 55 watt HIDs in the stock enclosure produce blinding glare for oncoming drivers. If you are going HID I recommend upgrading the stock housing to projector lamps.
Robert Caffyn
Well-Known Member
1) A true Bi-Xenon bulb never changes intensity. The bulb is coupled to an electro-magnet/spring assembly, that draws the bulb inward when the hi beam function is selected. This effectively changes the angles of the light beam to appear brighter, causing a larger spread pattern.
2) As far as blinding oncoming drivers, if the lamps are adjusted correctly, you can have the upper "cutoff" aimed slightly lower than stock. This helps with that. But as we all know, many new cars have HID's/projector lamps that, even though they are stock, are significantly brighter than Halogen bulbs. Its the new generation so we had better become used to it.
3) I have done a considerable amount of searching for projector lamp housings for our truck and have not been successful yet. I do know of one member who fashioned his own set. It was quite involved, perhaps more than the average owner would like to get into. As you only have one shot to get it right. Then you need to buy a new set of housings.
You can say I'm an advocate of HID systems. It has allowed me to avoid several situations that very well could have been fatal to me and another person. I really do believe that on my Harley's, it is a necessity. This is all JMO. Take it as you will, I'm a big boy. Bob
2) As far as blinding oncoming drivers, if the lamps are adjusted correctly, you can have the upper "cutoff" aimed slightly lower than stock. This helps with that. But as we all know, many new cars have HID's/projector lamps that, even though they are stock, are significantly brighter than Halogen bulbs. Its the new generation so we had better become used to it.
3) I have done a considerable amount of searching for projector lamp housings for our truck and have not been successful yet. I do know of one member who fashioned his own set. It was quite involved, perhaps more than the average owner would like to get into. As you only have one shot to get it right. Then you need to buy a new set of housings.
You can say I'm an advocate of HID systems. It has allowed me to avoid several situations that very well could have been fatal to me and another person. I really do believe that on my Harley's, it is a necessity. This is all JMO. Take it as you will, I'm a big boy. Bob
Rick Kent
Well-Known Member
There are no projector headlights out for the ST that I am aware of. I spent a lot of time searching for them until I bit the bullet and retrofitted my stock lights with projector lamps.
Not the most difficult project I did but you have to be comfortable cutting the stock housing and wiring the lights/relays.
The link below is a good source for the different projectors and shrouds out there.
YouTube also has a lot of info on "baking" the housings to get them apart for the install.
Not the most difficult project I did but you have to be comfortable cutting the stock housing and wiring the lights/relays.
The link below is a good source for the different projectors and shrouds out there.
YouTube also has a lot of info on "baking" the housings to get them apart for the install.
