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Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:38 am
by Murf
Has anyone installed the newer 7" LED headlamps in their truck? Are the edges the same as the glass bulbs to fit correctly in our rings/buckets? My gut says they probably are but I wasn't positive. Yes, I know, someone is going to ask why since the truck can't outrun the stock lights

Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 11:26 am
by scott k
Yeah they will fit. You will have to make a wiring adapter. I have a set in my m37 and a set in a m38a1.
Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:15 pm
by k8icu
If you go with the military LEDs they should just pop right in with now issues or wiring changes. (Of course you may need to rob a bank to buy them) If you go with aftermarket ones then you will have to make a wire pigtail kind of thing to adapt them.
Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 6:46 pm
by mdainsd
I did my M37. BEWARE! It took me six headlight assemblies to get two that matched color wise. They range from almost green to white to ghastly yellow/green. They are also notorious for developing flicker. If you use real Military versions all you need are three Packard to Douglass adaptors per light. Now that I have done it I would say "Not worth the effort". Truck light doesn't stand behind them for flicker or color.
Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 6:15 am
by just me
LED lights, as available at this time, are expensive junk. Glare, scatter and unreliability are the earmarks. Maybe in a few more years they will be worth it. But not yet.
Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 6:22 am
by rickf
I bought a couple sets of military LEDs for my M151 about ten years ago and they bolted right in and are great. Same color and great light for old eyes. I have also checked with friends who have driven towards me and they are not blinded at all. It all depends on what you buy and basically you get what you pay for.
Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:53 am
by Murf
Tks gents !
Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 9:11 am
by Tuko
JW speaker is a company that makes quality LED headlight products. We run them on all our vehicles at work. With thousands of hours of service I am unaware of zero failures. Looking back Notice I said quality, and with that comes associated cost.
Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 9:41 am
by just me
The company I work for is a public transportation company. Cost had not been an obstacle in trying what is available. We have not yet had satisfactory results. But this is all in projector style lighting and not 7" lamps. We have phased out the 7" lamps on our busses and trains.
Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:16 am
by Murf
Tuko wrote:JW speaker is a company that makes quality LED headlight products. We run them on all our vehicles at work. With thousands of hours of service I am unaware of zero failures. Looking back Notice I said quality, and with that comes associated cost.
I had looked at them a while back for replacements to my F250 XLs 5x7 sealed beams. Just haven't pulled the trigger as I have maaaannny projects that could use the $600+

Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 5:26 pm
by Tuko
Understood! Trucks at my job were $800 to upgrade.
Re: Anyone Upgrade to LED Headlights?
Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 1:44 pm
by PoW
A good set of Bosch or Hella housings with 70/75W 24V halogen lamps will be easy to do and top quality for a lot less $$...
And they last a looooong time.
PoW