Premium priced headlight replacement for Ram 1500

Hilldweller

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 17, 2009
Messages
671
Location
Hog Waller, GA
I just upgraded the halogens in my 2020 Ram 1500 Classic ---- HIR1 and H9, and the difference is quite admireable.

....but, having come from my long history of JW Speaker products, Cibies with fun bulbs, etc., somebody told me about these:
https://alpharexusa.com/product-cat...uck-performance-headlights-09/?v=f24485ae434a

And they do look interesting. Users rave about them. But people rave about all sorts of nonsense, especially expensive nonsense.

Obviously Chinese and unashamedly so. But also claiming to be compliant with FMVSS108.
Knowing that not everything from China is junk, I'm wondering what ole Virgil thinks? Or Stern?

I'd like to test a set but it's pretty big chunk of cheese they want for them....
 

jzchen

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 16, 2015
Messages
328
Location
Arcadia, CA
My son was born in the city they are located in. While I'm definitely not any type of goon/gangster it's near enough for me to poke my head in if you have any issues with them, baring any COVID related issues...

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk
 

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
At least they don't bandy about the phrase "DOT Approved", but maybe the junkmakers have wised up to the lingo.

And remember, generally it's easier for a junk headlamp to impress people than for an objectively good headlamp to impress.
 

jaycee88

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
175
If you were to ask them to show proof of compliance, shouldn't they be able to do so? With some kind of certificate or test report? Or maybe that's easy for them to fake as well?

And also, even if their headlamps were compliant, it doesn't mean they're objectively better than, say, your stock headlamps. Might even perform worse while still being compliant with the regulations.
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
I agree with Jaycee88 on all his points. It's easy to claim compliance, harder to achieve it, even harder to achieve it in a "premium" (better than OE) manner. And that doesn't even get at factors like long-term durability/dependability.

There are some promising indications that these might be a cut better than a lot of the garbage on the market -- for example, I see amber side reflex reflectors on their headlamps for applications where the OE headlamp contained them -- but "a cut better than garbage" is a low bar to meet, and we are talking about a brand with zero history, zero track record, zero brand equity in a sector that is overwhelmingly flooded with junk. As such, I can't automatically assume the worst, but I definitely can't automatically assume the best, either.
 

Hilldweller

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 17, 2009
Messages
671
Location
Hog Waller, GA
I think I might ask them for the old Hilldweller discount and ask for proof of compliance. Then I'll break out the light meter, spectrum analyzer, and whatever else I can find.

The stock headlamps aren't horrible but they're not nearly as good as the JW Speakers I had on the Jeep.
Hell, they're not as good as the H4s on my wife's Kia...
The highbeams are fine. The lows just have no spread ---- too many deer around here and I'm on the road quite early every day.
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
Digging deeper on their website, I'm seeing red flags and hearing alarm bells all over the place. Misspellings, wrong words, incorrect statements/claims and "nudge-nudge, wink-wink" type behavior. Obviously sloppy editing doesn't directly link to how good or bad the headlamps might be, but if they can't be bothered when putting up their website, it doesn't give me much confidence that they're much more careful when doing other activities.

From https://alpharexusa.com/difference-between-pro-and-nova/?v=f24485ae434a :

Unlike most of our competitors who only develop either full LED headlights or halogen output headlights, AlphaRex is trying to fulfill all customer's need

"all customer's need": sloppy grammar.

Our PRO-Series headlights are using halogen light bulbs output; therefore, the output is 4300K stock white

Halogen headlamps do not produce light of 4300K, and "stock white" doesn't mean anything.

Another thing to keep in mind is that aftermarket HID and LED bulbs are not DOT compliant, which means it might not be street-legal.

"might not"? Weasel words, otherwise known as a form of lying.

PRO-Series is a more affordable option, and there are ways to improve the performance of the output. It is common that people apply aftermarket HID kit or LED bulbs to aftermarket projector headlights nowadays, and our headlights are compatible with aftermarket HID kit or LED as well.

Their headlamps are "compatible" with light sources that make the headlamps not DOT compliant, not street legal? So which way is it? It's not both, and which way it is (and which way it isn't) is obvious. More lying.

when we design our PRO-Series headlights, we are using halogen output as the standard to meet with DOT requirements. Now, when you apply HID or LED bulbs, it definitely looks a lot brighter and more stylish, but it is no longer complaint to DOT requirement.

No longer "complaint" to "DOT requirement": sloppy spelling, sloppy grammar.

No doubt that upgrading PRO-Series with HID or LED is very effective and convenient, and the HID or LED is replaceable as well

So more lying about HID and LED bulb "upgrades" in halogen headlamps.

The Pros is that NOVA output is very bright and white, the projection cutoff line is super clean.

Sloppy grammar. And the only reference to any aspect of actual performance is to an almost irrelevant one (cutoff).


you need to keep in mind that a lot of newer vehicles, such as Ram or F150, have very sensitive computers. When the computers detect that the headlights have different current from halogen bulbs, they might throw a error code

"A error code"? What are we, in the second grade?

So, when you apply aftermarket HID or LED, you might need to deal with these technical problems, you also need to try your luck on different brands in order to find the best products that work with your vehicle.

Yet more nudge-nudge, wink-wink encouragement to use HID/LED bulbs.

We spend a lot of money and effort to make sure our NOVA lights are DOT complaint, so NOVA is street legal. With stock vehicle settings (no lifting or change of bigger wheels), although NOVA headlights have a brighter output, it would not blind the cars in front.

Sloppy grammar. Also, not a word about lamp aim...duhhhh... (oh, but wait, in https://alpharexusa.com/installation-guide-for-14-20-toyota-tundra-headlights/?v=f24485ae434a at 3:54 they do describe how to aim them: "Park 25 feet from a wall, and level the beams evenly". Uh...wrong.)

The LED chips we are using is very good quality chips

The grammar they are using "are" very poor quality grammar.

we make sure all flickering problem is solved

Sloppy grammar.

NOVA-Series Cons: The LED chips is not replaceable, so if the LED burns out, you will need to replace the whole set of headlights. To solve this contra

To solve this what?

we use Osram LED chips which is used by a lot of high end stock factory headlights as well, so the quality is trustworthy.

Uh...wow, where to even begin with this shabby attempt at reassurance?

I also see a lot of big, blue-violet bands above the cutoff in their beam pics which are shot on parking garage walls, with ambient lights around...so that's a real nice one-two punch:

- One, those giant blue bands are nowhere near incidental/minimal. They're way bigger than any I've seen on an OE lamp, and never mind whatever in-house "testing" they might have done to back up their claims of legal compliance, this should flunk any conscientiously done, legitimate test.

- Two, these cheesy beam shots on skanky parking lot walls don't jibe with their claims to be a serious company.

And that's just one page out of many. Overall, I'm left with the impression that these guys are pretty much the same as all the rest of the marketers of headlight-shaped rubbish.

There's more, too. From their "Our Story" page comes this stinker:

Our products are also certified to ISO-9000, ISO-9001 and ISO-9002 standards.

Oh yeah? Then how come ISO says "ISO 9001 sets out the criteria for a quality management system and is the only standard in the [9000] family that can be certified to"? And how, exactly, can headlamps be certified to a standard (let alone three standards) that are for organizations, not for products? More bullsheet!
 
Last edited:

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
I'd get the factory LEDs long before I'd gamble on these apparent aftermarket clowns.
 

Hilldweller

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 17, 2009
Messages
671
Location
Hog Waller, GA

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
I caught all of that too. Blamed the grammar on their non-English roots ---- but you'd think that somebody in the US office could proofread the website.

Or they could buy that work professionally done for cheap money, a business expense just like paying the water and electric bills for their office/warehouse facility. But they didn't, which tells me their primary business activity is corner-cutting and BSing.
 

Hilldweller

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 17, 2009
Messages
671
Location
Hog Waller, GA
I couldn't make heads or tails of the model difference as you noted "Classic" in your original post. Sorry about the dead end....
The latish model Ram pickups we all know are broken up into "Gens". Gen 1-5; Gen 5 started in 2019.
BUT, Gen 4s were very popular and are still made, called a Classic. They come in a variety of trim levels and are frequently discounted.
When shopping for a new 1500 I couldn't find a 5 in the trim level I wanted (Tradesman), just the loaded models. I take my trucks offroad, volunteer for Search And Rescue, wilderness camp. I wanted a truck with vinyl floors and seats....


Or they could buy that work professionally done for cheap money, a business expense just like paying the water and electric bills for their office/warehouse facility. But they didn't, which tells me their primary business activity is corner-cutting and BSing.
Good opportunity for JW Speaker....? Wish they'd take a look and make something. There are a kabillion Gen 4s on the road with so-so headlights. Many of them with old lenses that are getting cloudy.
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
I wanted a truck with vinyl floors and seats....

You do know the popular kids are going to shun you at the mall if you drive there in a truck like that, right? Because all their trucks have supple, buttery-soft top-grain Nappa Leather™ and deep-pile carpeting.

Good opportunity for JW Speaker....?

It might seem like it, but I am betting a project like this is difficult to cost out feasibly if the desired end result is a lamp that is both good and affordable at the same time. Look at what they have to deal with even with their relatively inexpensive-to-make standard-size round and rectangular headlamps: every time they introduce one, within a few months there are imitations and knockoffs flooding the market from China. Sure, some people know the difference, but a look at any/every web forum (or Amazon reviews, etc) shows that a whole lot of people shop purely on price and appearance, and "it lights up and has that LED look" is all they care about as far as performance goes. Now make the market a whole lot narrower (because it's a specific-application lamp instead of a universal-fit lamp) and put a ticking time window on it (because there's only so long before most people stop spending money on this cohort of trucks as they age out of it) and make the tooling more expensive (because it's a much more complicated lamp housing, lens, and bezel) and the result is probably a frowny face. :-(
 

Hilldweller

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 17, 2009
Messages
671
Location
Hog Waller, GA
.....sigh.....

One last thing.
It's miserably difficult to R&R the dang bulbs. You have to remove the entire lamp, accessing a clip through a sinister trap door in the wheel well, then two bolts in the engine bay (one of which requires a 2 foot socket extension). Took about 45 minutes and scratched-up my gorilla-sized arms.

hrumph

But the new bulbs did make a difference. I just don't look forward to doing again.
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
What am I missing here? What makes the "SpecD" junk scarier than the "Alpharex" junk?
 
Top