Best option for upgrading headlights?

my headlights suck. ive looked through past posts, but there doesnt seem to be any consensus on whats the best option. i dont like the way hid lights look. but i want to be able to see at night.

 

Get new bulbs for OEM housings, get new OEM(style) assemblies if yours are so faded its impeding the light, or pay up for some properly done LED retrofits (gets expensive).

I think its all a matter of preference/budget. Just don't put LED bulbs in OEM housings.

 

Do LED retrofits look like tron. it doesnt fit my style, in my humble opinion. i like the idea of better lighting though.

so if money is no issue, is LED retrofit better?

 

IDK, I ran out of money after rebuilding the rest of my truck and stuck some cheap aftermarket headlights in that had "cool" LED accent bars. No ragerts. Too poor for custom retrofits at the moment.

 

What year truck?

 

There is definitely consensus on the best way to go, especially if you don't like the look of HID retros. It is to do the Ultimate Headlight Upgrade as outlined by @crashnburn80, which is a beefier wiring harness to your headlights and then higher wattage halogen bulbs.

You can read through my experience with this, along with photos of the before/after at various stages, here:

• HIDs and LEDs – Finally, I Can See Again!
  
• Out with the LEDs, Back to Halogen Headlights
  
• Miles of Light (Diode Dynamics SS5 Pro)

@ekalblake - This is an important question as well. At least for '98-00 trucks, the reflector housings are also important. *Only* the OEM housings have good reflectors, so you can't just buy housings off of Amazon or eBay or Rock Auto if yours are cloudy (which they likely are if they are original). Cleaning/polishing them also only works once or twice, and only for a short duration.

 

Just get some new housings from Rock Auto- the certified ones. They come with new bulbs too. That'll get you back to stock. Shy of going all in on modifying things for LEDs that'll be the best ya can do.

 

I put in the Hikari "Eye of Megatron" LEDs (H11 / H8 /H9 / H16) for around $80 in my 2019. Very happy but I did have to return the initial set I got because 1 bulb didn't work. Running about 2 years now.

 

its a 2003 bad boy

thank you all for your help with this

 

+1 for reading crashnburn’s ultimate headlight upgrade thread.

Incredibly informative.

 

Another +1 for the ultimate headlight upgrade. Pretty adorable solution. Definitely suggest.

 

If your headlights are hazy, you can get a big bump with new OEM units and stock wattage performance bulbs. I was able to double the output of my 2003 with new assemblies and some good bulbs as shown in post #70 here. I now run the Ultimate Headlight Upgrade for even greater output. IMO it is the best option, it is simple, reliable and uses the precision OEM halogen optics with high performance halogen bulbs for correct pattern.

You can also run the voltage booster with an AGM for even a greater headlight boost (I do). Lots of great performance can be had out of the OEM units by using the correct components.

 

I just installed a new set of Brock headlights. $60 for the pair on partsgeek.com.i will let you know how bright they are compared to the yellow OEM. Here's a picture

 

Who’s making retrofits these days, I’m too clumsy to do my own

 

My new headlights are way more better than the OEM set. The light is not only brighter but more white than yellow. I can actually see at night! Very happy with my choice