Truck-Lite 5x7 LED headlight review
 

Well I finally pulled the trigger and ordered them last week and received them last friday. I have been contemplating these for a while now while also thinking about all the other options such as HID's with new housings and projector retro-fit kits.

After going through all my options these seemed to be the best option just due to the fact that a nice retro projector kit with the HID's and the housings would put me in the same ballpark as far as cash goes and with a lot more work and mods to get what I wanted.

So first thing I noticed when I opened up the box they are very solid and built very well, even the plug to fit in the factory harness seemed beefy and well made.

I didn't do a write up on the install as they are just the same as swapping the headlights:) While putting them in about the only thing I did a little different from my usual headlight replacement was use some dielectric goop on the plugs to stop corrosion. The male plug to go in the female headlight plug plugged in perfectly and was a very tight fit which was good compared to the plugs on my old headlight which seemed almost loose.

Well after spending 430 shipped for the lights I was a little worried I wouldn't be impressed due to I have had HID's in most of my previous rigs.

Well I am impressed with them to say the least!!!!! They have a very bright white light and the light is wonderfully directed with a great beam pattern.

So here is a list of the good so far.

1) Very well made, the housing is very thick and they look to be built to last, this is compared to most of the cheap Ebay housings I have seen but i'm sure they have some better housings such as the hella ones but I have never seen them to compare.

2) Very crisp white light, I'm not sure on the light output to compare to other HID kits but I would imagine in K they would be around 4500 or so any higher they would have a blue tint to them. I was trying to get some specs on this off of the website but couldn't find anything for the color temp and the actual wattage used just amps is shown.

3) Install was a breeze simple swap, no harness upgrades battery moving etc etc.

4) Instant on!! I'm sure as some of you know HID's have a warm up period and that isn't bad but I did have some issues with my previous kits of sometimes the ballast wouldn't kick on and I have to cycle the lights to fire them up as well as having occasional flickering etc.

5) High and low beams, as you all know getting high beams with HID's is usually not an option without two separate housings or a very expensive set up.

6) Driving in snow, had some flurries last night and it was a wonderful time to test them out, compared to most kits I have had a couple where I just did the bulb( yea yea yea I was throwing light all over the road and blinding people) But with the wonderful cut off they have I couldn't see the snow till it was at or below my hood line which is where the pattern starts. Even with my old hologens I would get reflections from the flakes.

Not much of a bonus over projectors due to they have a great cut off if done correctly but compared to stock and HID bulbs in housings they are 100% better for winter driving.

Not much bad I can think of so far as I have only had them for a couple days and will update this as I go, the only thing that was steering me away from them was the plastic housings, nothing more aggravating than yellowing burnt housing in a new car that is 2 years old. According to the specs the polycarbonate lens is non-yellowing so we shall see.

Anyway here are some pics, I do need to get some better shots at night showing how good the cut-off is but I will update soon:)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...16fd66290f.jpg
Amazing that little tiny single LED puts out so much it's mind boggling to me:)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...1fa4dfeb29.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...deb2ee1026.jpg
Looks a little different not quite use to it yet

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...052dc14fd4.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...d9caf65d57.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...1b4dd09bd0.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...e00698cbc5.jpg
as said above need to get a better cut-off pic but you can somewhat see the line at the bottom.


Well I'm done for now I will update with some better night pics when I get a chance, but the big question is do I think they were worth 430 bucks

Heck yes I do:D:D:D

Looks killer. Thanks for the review. How do you have your PIAAs mounted? Which ones are they?

When I got the topper line-x'd I decided to do the valance also so I removed the front valance and me and my buddy cut the holes to fit the PIAA's ended up welding the light brackets down by the lower radiator support. Turned out pretty good I hated how far they stuck out in the front just mounted to the bumper.

I believe they are PIAA 520's Ion yellow fog lights.

here is a better shot.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...5/a27c126e.jpg

Couple more night pics not the greatest but I think when I get some time this week I will mosey a little east to some black back roads to get some without the city lights. And I need some pics of the brights also.


http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...343cfa7bf8.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7c538cb220.jpg

nice! I am thinking of disconnecting my daylight running light relay so they aren't on all the time.

I was actually wondering how that worked with the drl's? On my my work van newer ford the day times use less voltage than the regular beams wondering how the LEDs would handle less voltage? Hmmmm.

Are your day times just low beams all the time without the running lights??

My sealed beams were lower voltage on drl's. These run full power soon as the truck starts.

your pics look great.
I also pulled the gun on a set:
but had a couple of hours today to finish converting my headlights to LED`s. It would have been a 30 minute job if I had stuck with round headlights but oh well.
Attachment 168911
Attachment 168912
Attachment 168913

Lame cell phone night shots..the pics don't do the output justice.
Low beams
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps8fa64383.jpg
High beams
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...psb9e1de0d.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps63483844.jpg

Ahhhh wonderful, have you been out and about with them yet?? I'm pretty excited at night when I go anywhere lately:)

Not yet, I still need to get my new clutch installed. My dad had been having some major health issues the last couple of weeks that has had me preoccupied.

For those that might be interested in these, here is some more info on them:
Truck-Lite - Catalog Product : 5'' x 7'' Rectangular LED Headlamp, Complex Reflector Optics
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...psc820331e.jpg
got mine off ebay from Drivetrain America
$209/each
Truck-Lite 27450C Rectangular LED 5X7 Truck Jeep Headlight

Yup bought them from the same place but off the direct website 431 shipped:)

Hope everything with your pops turns out good!!

Is there any modification needed to make these fit and work in a second gen truck? Or are they just like direct replacements?

Direct replacement no mods needed:)

Oh... oh boyyyy.... Im might do this.... oh jeezeeeeee.....
... I don't need to but i Want tooo
*seizures of joy*

(get well dropzone's Dad!)

You won't be dissapointed:):banger:

430$ Shipped from Drivetrain America. .... They're in the mail!

I've heard some comment at NAJAX that they think they will freeze over because they have no heat. I've driven two different times during pretty good snowfall, not an issue. I think because they have no heat, they won't melt snow at all...just my theory.

shame I can't run them on a 2nd gen Runner

Sure you can...get the headlight buckets etc from a 90/91'ish 4runner (or 3rd Gen truck) and convert...

Oh and I paid $209/each shipped on eBay...$13 cheaper:hillbill:

Over this last week it was frigid here and I did notice that while driving when it's cold and not snowing but with the freezing splash back from other vehicles it did start to ice up, a little though. I am not worried about it though due to my PIAA's can always light it up. My hid's in my blazer would ice up all the time so I don't see it as being abnormal. The pros are worth any cons IMO.

Will post results next time the conditions are the same just wasn't driving enough that day to confirm it.