Headlights/FogLights

[MunsterBro95]

So, Things have been crazy. Finally trying to do some lighting upgrades so I can see at night and not hit another deer. Went to RockAuto and bought some cheapos for the time being. Better than Stock but still stock. Looking at going DDM headlights and Foglights. Anyone have any idea about how to upgrade the taillights to LEDs? anyone sell just the plug and play bulbs and if so, whats needed? thanks


the parts below are what I ordered for my lights now. will post pic tonight.


Headlights: PHILIPS 9007CV CrystalVision Ultra
Foglights: HELLA H71070642 Optilux Extreme Yellow


Just incase someone hasn't done the upgrade to HID, these are a little better than OEM. and not too badly priced.

[fastblackmerc]

So, Things have been crazy. Finally trying to do some lighting upgrades so I can see at night and not hit another deer. Went to RockAuto and bought some cheapos for the time being. Better than Stock but still stock. Looking at going DDM headlights and Foglights. Anyone have any idea about how to upgrade the taillights to LEDs? anyone sell just the plug and play bulbs and if so, whats needed? thanks


the parts below are what I ordered for my lights now. will post pic tonight.


Headlights: PHILIPS 9007CV CrystalVision Ultra
Foglights: HELLA H71070642 Optilux Extreme Yellow


Just incase someone hasn't done the upgrade to HID, these are a little better than OEM. and not too badly priced.

Best to just bite the bullet and go with HIDs.

[Lowndex]

Remember, Google is your friend to find threads on most topics.

Examples:

1. Mercury Marauder LED tail lights - https://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=73488

2. Mercury Marauder LED headlights - https://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=96060

3. Mercury Marauder HID vs Projector - https://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-100192.html

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

I wouldn't recommend DDM anymore. They lie about the color options on their headlight kits. I bought 5000k and they sent what seemed to be 8000k, even though it was supposedly labeled correctly. I have had great luck with theretrofitsource.com. I recently purchased a 5000k kit and looks fantastic.

The absolute best LED bulbs you can use on the tail light are going to be VLEDS v3 triton. They require a small driver per bulb, which fits if you stick it under the bumper cover. They are the best but they are pricey and you would require (2) per side. I would get a white bulb if you want brighter. Red bulb would be required if it is a clear/see through housing.
Another option is the crown vic LED tail lights which are out there, but they are chinese, fitment isn't great, they are usually not painted (bottom seciton) and their output is not great. The running light to brake light change is barely visible. I am using some but I modified mine with combination of V3 tritons.

[Lowndex]

I have used a number of HID products from various suppliers. Once I found Mishimoto, all my reliability problems ended.

I recommend The Retrofit Source (https://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/projectors.html)

You can order a Morimoto HID kit or go 'all in' with new HID projectors (start $140.00 (https://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/projectors/bi-xenon-morimoto-mini-d2s-4-0-projectors.html)). After many members recommended projectors, I ordered my first set. There is a reason so many cars (medium priced; not just high-end) on the road now have projector lenses - OMG, they put so much more light down range and tightly controlled.

Some threads of interest:

https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/forum/showoff/projector-retrofits/42567-2004-mercury-marauder-fx-r-1-1-retrofit

What they look like after being fitted:
1. https://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=87755

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_VZEDoIulo

[Lowndex]

The absolute best LED bulbs you can use on the tail light are going to be VLEDS v3 triton. They require a small driver per bulb, which fits if you stick it under the bumper cover. They are the best but they are pricey and you would require (2) per side. I would get a white bulb if you want brighter. Red bulb would be required if it is a clear/see through housing.


I cannot locate the white bulb. I enter my vehicle information, select brake light and only see red bulb choices.

http://www.vleds.com/shop-application/brake-tail-lights/3157/brake-lights-3157-standard.html

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

I cannot locate the white bulb. I enter my vehicle information, select brake light and only see red bulb choices.

http://www.vleds.com/shop-application/brake-tail-lights/3157/brake-lights-3157-standard.html

Hmm you're right. It seems they are transitioning to the improved v6 triton. I don't see confirmation this bulb can be used as a running and brake light. (low output and high output modes.) It is definitely worth it if possible as the white bulb is 650lm vs 350lm for the red.

http://www.vleds.com/shop-products/v6-triton/white/v6-triton-kit-w.html

I would check with them, their customer service is pretty good.

[Lowndex]

Hmm you're right. It seems they are transitioning to the improved v6 triton. I don't see confirmation this bulb can be used as a running and brake light. (low output and high output modes.) It is definitely worth it if possible as the white bulb is 650lm vs 350lm for the red.

http://www.vleds.com/shop-products/v6-triton/white/v6-triton-kit-w.html

I would check with them, their customer service is pretty good.

The v6 claims 900 lumens per bulb!

Thank you. Please keep me informed.

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

The v6 claims 900 lumens per bulb!

Thank you. Please keep me informed.

One thing I'm just thinking about is over-driving the red plastic lenses on the stock tail lamps and getting a pinkish light if it is too bright like late model nissan altimas.. If this would happen, I think a coat of red VHT niteshades would probably do the trick, but maybe not everyone wants to do that on their factory lamps.

Also, I have these as switchbacks for the front corners, and the new bulb's shorter heat sink will help as the V3 does hit the corner lamp mount post a bit. I will be picking up some new amber ones for the front and moving my current ones to my other car.

[Lowndex]

One thing I'm just thinking about is over-driving the red plastic lenses on the stock tail lamps and getting a pinkish light if it is too bright like late model nissan altimas.. If this would happen, I think a coat of red VHT niteshades would probably do the trick, but maybe not everyone wants to do that on their factory lamps.

Also, I have these as switchbacks for the front corners, and the new bulb's shorter heat sink will help as the V3 does hit the corner lamp mount post a bit. I will be picking up some new amber ones for the front and moving my current ones to my other car.

So, ordering red v6 bulbs is a good idea?

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

I would say so. The max output says 380. I have the v3s and they are bright in the clear section of my custom tail lights. I believe they said they were at least matching stock lamp brightness. So the v6 would be an upgrade for sure.

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

So, ordering red v6 bulbs is a good idea?

Here's a vid with the v3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLbaPdCMeoc

[MyBlackBeasts]

I cannot locate the white bulb. I enter my vehicle information, select brake light and only see red bulb choices.

http://www.vleds.com/shop-application/brake-tail-lights/3157/brake-lights-3157-standard.html

If using for tail/brake you want the red.

LEDs are not like regular bulbs, if you use a white bulb behind a red lens the light will look orange. Because the light wavelength is flat in LEDs, use a red bulb for a red lens, yellow bulb for a yellow lens, white bulb for a white lens, etc. to make the lights look their proper color.

[MunsterBro95]

Here they are. Pics I took last night

[Lowndex]

If using for tail/brake you want the red.

LEDs are not like regular bulbs, if you use a white bulb behind a red lens the light will look orange. Because the light wavelength is flat in LEDs, use a red bulb for a red lens, yellow bulb for a yellow lens, white bulb for a white lens, etc. to make the lights look their proper color.

I did not know about the flat wavelength. Thank you.

[Lowndex]

Here they are. Pics I took last night

Very nice of you. Thank you.

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

If using for tail/brake you want the red.

LEDs are not like regular bulbs, if you use a white bulb behind a red lens the light will look orange. Because the light wavelength is flat in LEDs, use a red bulb for a red lens, yellow bulb for a yellow lens, white bulb for a white lens, etc. to make the lights look their proper color.

This is true. However some OEMs are able to get it right with a white LED like Dodge Chargers. Some day I will experiment with my white LEDs to see how bad it looks through the red tail lamp lens.

[MyBlackBeasts]

I did not know about the flat wavelength. Thank you.

There are many sources for info, I learned on Vleds site a while ago but looks like they dumped educational stuff when site reworked.

Here's another:
For best results the LED color should be the same as the lens color or if bulb is behind a clear lens, use the appropriate color for turn and brake light functions. As an example: a red lens will filter out all but the red portion of the light so if the light is all red, none or very little light will be blocked by the lens. The light from a White LED contains very little light in the red portion of the visible spectrum so most of the light would be filtered out by a red lens. In additional, usually the lens are designed in some optical theory such as reflection, the original color( red lens and red LED) creates the best result. (Bulb Color = Lens Color unless Lens is Clear. Bulb Colors = Lens Colors unless Lens is water clear.)

https://www.per-accurate.com/ledfaq1h.html

[MyBlackBeasts]

This is true. However some OEMs are able to get it right with a white LED like Dodge Chargers. Some day I will experiment with my white LEDs to see how bad it looks through the red tail lamp lens.

I always wondered when pics were posted of cars with LED switch why the rear lights were brighter but looked orangy, looked like lenses were old & crappy so I didn't like.

Then learned on Vleds site about wavelength/light spectrum and using bulb color same as lens color.

Then saw a pic where a guy put a red on one brake lt ang a white on other then hit the brake pedal. Wow, what a visible difference, one bright red and other bright orange.

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

I always wondered when pics were posted of cars with LED switch why the rear lights were brighter but looked orangy, looked like lenses were old & crappy so I didn't like.

Then learned on Vleds site about wavelength/light spectrum and using bulb color same as lens color.

Then saw a pic where a guy put a red on one brake lt ang a white on other then hit the brake pedal. Wow, what a visible difference, one bright red and other bright orange.

Yep makes sense as I remember seeing a video about a police car led strobe tested with the outer colored reflectors switched, and the blue lens kept almost all of the red led visible light from passing through it. A brighter white LED will not necessarily be brighter than a red led once it has been filtered through the red lens. The red led light passes through easier.