HID Headlights....Finally

[Big T]

Took the wife snipping at me for leaving the HID headlight boxes on the center island kitchen counter for months to finally get me to install the HIDs on my '99. Previous attempts/tests resulted in no lights. As suggested here, I reversed polarity on the plug at the ballast and voila!

Major PITA finding a location to mount the ballasts. I used the side bolt of the battery tray for the bottom mount and drilled a hole though the inside fender wall and used a sheet metal screw for the top mount. So I have HID Lo beams now. The kits only came with one harness each and one was needed for each side, so I need two more harnesses for the Hi beams. I will also need to modify the plug lengths significantly to allow a mounting of the Hi beam ballasts further back in the engine compartment. I suspect I will also need two "all 4 on Hi" relay kits, one for each side, to do that mod.

I got a good feel for what the HIDs can do vs the halogens on the approach to our place at Big Bear Lake. No street lights and the HIDs Lo beams were impressive. Switch to halogen Hi beams and what a major disappointment. Now I know that I have to get the HID Hi beams in place. Again, just a major PITA finding a place to mount the ballasts and definitely will have to get creative with the wiring for Hi ballasts and "All 4 on Hi".

 

[1995yukon65]

ill be honest with you, i mounted my low beam ballasts in the grille do to them frying from being in the engine bay. the high beam ballasts i mounted behind the batterys and had no issues with wire length

 

[Matt Bachand]

Nice work. Must be a huge difference. People will be getting out of your way now!

 

[Big T]

ill be honest with you, i mounted my low beam ballasts in the grille do to them frying from being in the engine bay. the high beam ballasts i mounted behind the batterys and had no issues with wire length

I could mount the second set behind the battery on the driver's side as it's open there. Not so with the K47 air box on the passenger side. Furthermore, the plugs would be at their limit length, if I could connect them.

I did not mount the ballasts on the front grill or on the frame behind it out of concern for water intrusion.

 

[Big T]

Nice work. Must be a huge difference. People will be getting out of your way now!

On the way up the hill, I did not have a single car flash their brights at me. So my adjustment is fine. Just don't stare directly into them.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Most people adjust their lights when empty and then throw a trailer on behind and wonder why they get flashed.

 

[Marauderer]

Looks great.:thumbsup: Maybe you will be my motivation to find mine when I get home next month and get them installed. I have an 07 Classic and need to find out idf the high beams are different than the lo beams. I got the HID's for my fogs and low beams but, am considering installing the hibeams instead of the lows.

 

[mgray]

I'm a little late to the party, but when I hear "HID" and "ballasts" I think grow lights. What is this mod?

Are you installing grow lights so you can grow some secret plants in the bush??!! j/k

 

[Big T]

I'm a little late to the party, but when I hear "HID" and "ballasts" I think grow lights. What is this mod?

Are you installing grow lights so you can grow some secret plants in the bush??!! j/k

If you fished saltwater off of SoCal, the light boats for the squid fishery use metal halide lights that require ballasts.

I am of the age (48) where I don't need the plant that gives you short term memory loss and makes you lazy. I'm doing everything I can just to keep going. Hell it's Thanksgiving and I'm taping drywall up in Big Bear, seriously. But I just did the rub on a prime rib roast and have the oven on.

Here's a pic of the ballasts that I have left for the Hi beams:

I have a fishing buddy who's an electrician. He's also fond of the bud. His only steady work right now is up in Northern CA wiring pot farms. He's twisting wire nuts by day and trimming buds by night. On his days off, he's fishing steelhead. To each his own I guess? I did vote to legalize the bud, but it didn't pass.

 

[Big T]

Most people adjust their lights when empty and then throw a trailer on behind and wonder why they get flashed.

I do quite a bit of towing of my boats, but it's usually on major SoCal freeways, so oncoming traffic is really not an issue. I do understand your point though.

 

[matuva]

...Switch to halogen Hi beams and what a major disappointment. Now I know that I have to get the HID Hi beams in place. Again, just a major PITA finding a place to mount the ballasts and definitely will have to get creative with the wiring for Hi ballasts and "All 4 on Hi".

Lemme know if you need the wiring for the "all 4 on Hi". Easy

 

[540s10]

HID's are useless for highbeams, by the time they "warm up" enough to throw light, you don't need them anymore.

 

[Marauderer]

HID's are useless for highbeams, by the time they "warm up" enough to throw light, you don't need them anymore.

I am not sure you are correct on that. I get on some country back roads that are not well travelled and could sure use some extra lighting that doesn't have to be turned off much.

 

[Big T]

HID's are useless for highbeams, by the time they "warm up" enough to throw light, you don't need them anymore.

That's why there's the "All 4 on Hi" solution. Gotta say that when I compare the halogen Highs to the HID Lows, there's no comparison. Might as well not even use the halogen Highs.

 

[Big T]

After a couple PMs, I discovered that I only need one harness/relay for two ballasts. The harness only needs to plug into one (1) of the two oem light plugs. There is a crossover plug to power the other ballast on the opposite side and that light. Should be easy to correct. Then I will do the Highs and then the "All 4 on Hi".

 

[RI Chevy Silveradoman]

James sells a real nice kit. I just installed the same kit after having it in my garage for about a year. They do make a huge difference in light output. A much cleaner and brighter "white" light output. James is also very knowledgeable and backs his product! I will be getting the fogs next.

 

[handcannon]

Does anybody know if the HID lights draw less power than the halogens? Or are they about the same or more?

Don

 

[Unit453]

HIDs draw less power than halogens.

 

[Unit453]

Looks great.:thumbsup: Maybe you will be my motivation to find mine when I get home next month and get them installed. I have an 07 Classic and need to find out idf the high beams are different than the lo beams. I got the HID's for my fogs and low beams but, am considering installing the hibeams instead of the lows.

The low beams are 9006. The high beams are 9005 so they are two different types of bulbs.

I am not sure you are correct on that. I get on some country back roads that are not well travelled and could sure use some extra lighting that doesn't have to be turned off much.

I had HIDs in my low, highs and fogs. When I was living up in rural NY State, I used them all the time and as dark as those roads were and as big as the deer were, every little bit helped. There are some very rural pockets here too. Basically, the entire middle part of the state, 40 miles inland from the gulf or the Atlantic and it's pure country. If I lived out there, I'd need them for sure.

Barry, if you live or travel down dark stretches of road often, get'em, because they're only gonna help. Just dont expect your flash to pass mode to work if someone high beams you. It takes a few seconds for your lights to warm up and actually produce light so there's no point in flashing them at all. What I would do is the all on headlight mod, (if you haven't already) throw in some HIDs in your low and fog lights and be done with it

 

[Marauderer]

Nick, thanks for the input. That is the way I am leaning. Got to get that all on harness and get the 9005 hi hid.

Question when you have the all on can you just have low beams alone?