2013 Ram 1500 Bulb Upgrade

[dave_b]

Hello Friends.

A coworker expressed interest in getting PIAA super white bulbs for his 2013 Ram with the factory projector headlight upgrade. I tried to briefly explain why that's not a good idea and that I would inquire into the upgrade that is the best from a performance and also of course legality standpoint.

Having done a forum search first, this link indicates that the 2013 Bihalogen projector takes 9012(HIR2) bulbs. Is this case, and does that make the stock bulbs the best option?

Thanks

Dave

 

[Alaric Darconville]

A coworker expressed interest in getting PIAA super white bulbs for his 2013 Ram with the factory projector headlight upgrade. I tried to briefly explain why that's not a good idea and that I would inquire into the upgrade that is the best from a performance and also of course legality standpoint.

Having done a forum search first, this link indicates that the 2013 Bihalogen projector takes 9012(HIR2) bulbs. Is this case, and does that make the stock bulbs the best option?

Thanks for letting your buddy know that the PIAA crap is crap! You might have saved a life that way.

The 2013 Ram 1500, I thought, used a 9005 for the high beam. If that is the case, the 9011 with a base modification would be an upgrade. If it uses an HIR2 for low beams, there's no upgrading from there and he should leave it alone.

Maybe the owner's manual will say what bulbs it takes, and then we can go from there.

 

[dave_b]

Sorry, I meant to include this link.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?378228-Aux-driving-lights-for-2013-Ram

 

[Alaric Darconville]

It looks like PIAA doesn't even make a 9012, so I'm not sure what bulb your friend was going to use. Even the best 9006 (the Philips X-Treme Vision) is a downgrade from the 9012-- and going to a PIAA "super white" type bulb is even more so.

Definitely, leaving it alone is the best option.

 

[-Virgil-]

Yup. There is no real (effective/legitimate) upgrade for the 9012 bulb. The stock bulb is the way to go.

 

[sadtimes]

He will like the 9012, its an awesome bulb

 

[dave_b]

Sadly, the trick will be now to convince him to let it be. I am not confident that he will take my word for it that the stock setup is his best bet. But, I will do my best.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Sadly, the trick will be now to convince him to let it be. I am not confident that he will take my word for it that the stock setup is his best bet. But, I will do my best.

Seriously, if he puts in a PIAA 9006 (or ANY 9006), and thinks that's better, he will be sorely mistaken. The current HIR2 from Philips is 1875lm at 13.2V, a 9006 is about 1000lm.

 

[dave_b]

I totally agree with you Alaric. I am just saying that given that he thought he NEEDED to install a new "ultrawhitebrightblingtastic" bulb, over his already good stock setup, it worries me that he may resist the facts.

I also told him to stop driving with his fogs on all the time, because a brightly lit foreground area draws your eyes to it and wrecks your distance night vision, and only gives the impression of good forward lighting. He listened to my words but seemed dubious.

In other words, I am fighting the good fight but I expect resistance.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Hopefully, unless he's the type that won't ever admit a mistake, he'll get the blingtastic bulbs and realize how abysmally they perform compared to the HIR2, and never doubts you again.