HID kit + glare = find a solution

[mblouir]

Looks like you're making progress Matt.

Definitely!

yep, looks good Matt... To think.. something so simple that makes such a big difference

I know, I am surprised at how simple the fix is.



Update 5: Still work to be done...

Okay so the glare is essentially gone. I'll post a few more pics and videos below, and as you can see (especially in the videos) the cutoff is amazing.

The problem that this method has introduced, though, is that the headlights (looking into them) are bright as $@#%. The reflected light from the aluminum is bounced upward and almost doubles how bright it is when looking at it. I won't lie--it's too bright. I did, however, pass two cops tonight. In the 3rd video right after I cut it off there was a cop parked across the street at the stop sign, blocking my way. He had to back out, but my lights were pointing right at his face and he didn't do anything. On the way back I passed another one head on turning at a red light. Still nothing. Still, though, tomorrow my goal is to pull them back out and paint the "caps" with high-temp black paint. I think this would cut out any reflection yet still prevent the glare.


Sorry about the shoddy video sound....had the dog with me, so windows down+bass+crappy built-in microphone = crappy sound. The pictures may not do the cutoff justice, but the videos sure do...

 

[NCSU_05_FX4]

Cut off looks much better but you don't have a whole lot of distance in front of the truck lit up. Maybe it's just the video?

 

[Z71 Kris]

wow, what a difference...

 

[Shanks12]

Cut off looks much better but you don't have a whole lot of distance in front of the truck lit up. Maybe it's just the video?

That's what I was thinking... looks like it's only thrown out about 10 feet.. Could just be the video, but seems like its kinda hard to see out

 

[Ricky Bobby FX4]

I think he has his windshield tinted so that would throw off the look of them a little.

 

[Carolinaboy]

Hmmm...I need to do this too

 

[mblouir]

It's just the headlights aimed down......when I installed the HIDs I aimed them down really far because I didn't intend on starting the project yesterday. I never got around to aiming them back up.


http://www.f150online.com/forums/3657359-post18.html

^^ That's on the menu today after painting the glare shields. (Old post I had on re-aiming the headlights..)

 

[Carolinaboy]

It was Ray Charles not Stevie wonder


Matt, so you gonna mass produce these things? I'd buy a set from you Besides you have so much free time on your hands anyways

 

[mblouir]

It was Ray Charles not Stevie wonder

Both were blind, right? Or is the picture of the wrong guy?


Doubt I'll mass produce them. While the lights provided with each kit are the same for our trucks (H13), the bulb housing is different. I don't recall my DDM kit being like this one, so it would change from kit to kit.



Update 6: Rain or Shine

So I pulled the bulbs out to paint the shields and noticed a small dot of discoloration. I believe this is from the strong heat reflected off of the shield. Hopefully painting them will fix it, so I'll run them for a few days and then check up on them. I guess that's the whole point of this thing....see what works and what burns the bulbs out.


Also due to the slight discoloration on the bulb I moved the location of the shields. I attached them to the outside of the bulb housing instead of inside. This gives more room between the bulb and shield, allowing better heat dissipation. We'll see how it works. More pictures coming tonight.

 

[Carolinaboy]

cool!

nice hood