New aftermarket headlights installed.

[racrx7]

So I wanted to try and update the headlights on my van. After looking at the few still available for the Astro van, I went with the Spyder brand faux projectors with the black inserts. They look ok, but the light output with the factory bulbs is pretty lame. Any ideas as to what bulbs to put in them? Anything but those fake blue HID bulbs. Maybe HID's? Any bright LED bulbs available? Your thoughts?

[Stroverlander]

Installing HID or other lighting in a reflector housing designed for halogen usually yields poor results and is especially bad for oncoming traffic or cars in front of you.

Have you aligned your headlights post lift?

I tend to stick with OEM as aftermarket housings can be all over the place. You can upgrade your stock 9006 low / 9005 high beam headlight bulbs by retrofitting more efficient 9012 HIR2 / 9011 HIR bulbs (Philips on Amazon) with a simple modification to one of the plastic tabs on the bulb base. Improved lighting with same wattage so no additional current draw or heat issues just a bit more expensive bulbs.

I haven't done this with the stock bulbs in my Astro yet as I've been waiting for a bulb to fail and then update but did a similar upgrade in the past and the increased light output was quite noticeable and worthwhile.

http://store.candlepower.com/mohirbuba.html

[racrx7]

Thanks for the info on the HIR bulbs Stroverlander

[Mmusicman]

HID H4 replacements are only as good as the housings you install them in. If the reflector has poor focus and cut-off, then you will blind oncoming drivers. But if the focus is correct, they can work extremely well. HID's do use a single filament like the halogens, so they can work well if the housing works well.

Now if you have bought a headlight housing with poor focus and pattern, then nothing is likely to work well.

I would completely avoid H4 LED's, as they typically have an even wider pattern with scattered light, poor cutoff, and poor focus down the road where it's needed. They may look bright up close, but they typically don't do well down the road. LED projectors on the other hand, is a different story.

[Bret Schmerker]

HID H4 replacements are only as good as the housings you install them in. If the reflector has poor focus and cut-off, then you will blind oncoming drivers. But if the focus is correct, they can work extremely well. HID's do use a single filament like the halogens, so they can work well if the housing works well.

Now if you have bought a headlight housing with poor focus and pattern, then nothing is likely to work well.

I would completely avoid H4 LED's, as they typically have an even wider pattern with scattered light, poor cutoff, and poor focus down the road where it's needed. They may look bright up close, but they typically don't do well down the road. LED projectors on the other hand, is a different story.

[-X HID's don't use a filament. They use an arc tube. HID's have long-ish warm-up times as a rule, and the power supply has as much an effect on performance as the luminaire optics.