2007 Avalanche Headlight Upgrade options

[noname456]

Hello, I'm looking to correct and ideally upgrade the lighting on this truck I just got, it's the 2nd-gen Chevy Avalanche ('07-'13 model).

Current lighting is not stock, the previous owner had HIDs in an aftermarket reflector housing (that wasn't designed for HIDs). I'm removing the HIDs of course, though as it is I don't know if OE housings with (good) OE-spec bulbs will be great or not and if it's my only/best option. I have slight negative expectations from stock GM lighting based on previous experiences. I'm looking to see what CPF says about what my options are. I've been doing a lot of reading and digging but I can hardly find anything at all about this truck or the models that share its headlights (Suburban, Tahoe).

For example, I can't find any information as to whether it's safe to go from an H11 to H9 for the low beams on this truck. Does anyone here know? It does have the shield over the bulb, so it gives me hope that CPF will say yes. I have found that I can upgrade the high-beams from 9005 to HIR1/9011 (right?)

Thanks for your input

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Hello, I'm looking to correct and ideally upgrade the lighting on this truck I just got, it's the 2nd-gen Chevy Avalanche ('07-'13 model).

Current lighting is not stock, the previous owner had HIDs in an aftermarket reflector housing (that wasn't designed for HIDs). I'm removing the HIDs of course, though as it is I don't know if OE housings with (good) OE-spec bulbs will be great or not and if it's my only/best option.

Scarce few aftermarket headlamps are any good-- who made these lamps? If they have GM markings/part numbers on them, then they're either original GM (Guide) parts or they're made for their collision catalog by Depo. But if they are noticeably aftermarket, then that doesn't apply-- the Depo replacement lights will look stock.

If they are obviously aftermarket, but made by Depo, Dorman, or TYC they might be acceptable-- if they have the NSF label on them. If they are only CAPA-certified, well, they're not really all that much better than Spyder/Lumen/Spec-D/AlphaRex/[alibaba brand of the week] and you need to replace them with original factory lamps or those Depo-made parts for the GM collision catalog.

I can scarcely think of a reason to proscribe the use of HIR1 bulbs in place of the HB3 in high beam applications, however, for the low beams I can't/won't/don't recommend an H9. A very good H11 is the Philips X-Treme Vision.

 

[noname456]

Scarce few aftermarket headlamps are any good-- who made these lamps? If they have GM markings/part numbers on them, then they're either original GM (Guide) parts or they're made for their collision catalog by Depo. But if they are noticeably aftermarket, then that doesn't apply-- the Depo replacement lights will look stock.

They are made by a company called Vision Automotive, can't find any info. on them other than a couple of Amazon pages saying they're Taiwanese. They're noticeably different in that the side reflector isn't amber like it's supposed to be. So yeah I take them to be garbage.

I can't find NSF certified Depos or pretty much anything else that's not GM parts. I'm trying to save money here if I can at all while getting a decent headlight. I just found out that the NSF certification program is discontinued, are we just SOL when it comes to trying to determine what's a quality aftermarket light?

 

[-Virgil-]

You're correct that "Vision Automotive" is one of many scam companies selling junk. The discontinuation of the NSF program is an unhappy development, but an NSF mark on the box hardly meant everything was A-OK, just that the box contained something somewhat less awful (assuming the NSF mark wasn't counterfeit/fraudulent). There are almost no aftermarket lights that come close to the performance and durability of a genuine OE component.

Some vehicles have ridiculously expensive OE headlamps (i.e, a headlamp made with basic technology and no exotic stuff, costing many hundreds of dollars). Fortunately for you, the '07 Avalanche isn't one of them. The real GM headlamps are not very costly, and represent your best chance of seeing well at night. You can't bulb-upgrade your way out of a bad headlamp (a mediocre bulb in a good headlamp is still better than a super-duper bulb in a bad headlamp).

The Philips H11 Xtreme Vision Alaric linked is a good pick. Dan Stern might still have slightly better ones; I don't know if the ones he had were limited-stock or ongoing-supply. He also has the good Toshiba HIR1s for the high beams, and -- very important -- the right procedure for aiming headlamps.

 

[noname456]

Thank you, sincerely.