Best headlights upgrade options for a 2013 F-350 Lariat diesel

Hey guys,

I am down a headlight and was thinking about upgrading my headlights because they are super dim compared to the oem headlights on my buddy's truck.

Is there an upgrade kit for new headlights that you guys suggest? I know that you guys don't suggest them very often but maybe there's an option here?

Should I just replace the bulbs?

If I just replace the bulbs what are the best ones? I believe they are size H13/9008

Thanks guys,
Brannon

A 2013 model might well have visible lens deterioration (haze, clouding, yellowing); take a close look at your headlamps and see.

The best possible H13 bulb is the Philips X-Treme Vision +100. Don't be tempted to buy any brand or variety (Philips "Crystal Vision", etc) that claims to produce so-called "whiter" light; those claims are baloney -- there's more info on the subject here. And don't be tempted to put in "LED bulbs" or an "HID kit". They flat out aren't safe. Good recent article on the subject is here.

As far as upgrade kits go, you have a bunch of options. If you ignore the many, many bad ones on the market, you are left with two options: either get these, or swap in a set of Ford's own factory optional BiXenon (HID high/low beam) units. Either option is going to be expensive, but you can probably get your hands on a good set of the factory BiXenons by utilizing one or the other online used-parts search engines. You'd search on 2014 Ford F-150 and drill down from there. You'd also need a conversion harness.

No matter what headlamps you run, be sure and pay attention (and time/effort/money as required) to the headlamp aim; it's crucially important.

Are you actually recommending Morimoto in your link? You've railed against them for so long this comes as a real surprise. Is there something different about these assemblies that has changed your mind?

I rail against bad products and recommend good ones, no matter whose name is on them. Sure, there are way too many brands that will probably never be anything other than junk, but there are also brands/makers genuinely climbing upwards, and one artifact of that is respectable, recommendable Morimoto products. That doesn't mean every Morimoto product is recommendable, and it doesn't mean I think it's OK to finance good product development by selling bad products, but with so many companies doing it, including big-name, long established makers like Osram/Sylvania, it seems to be the way things are done these days. If I was a fundamentalist about this as a matter of moral principle, there would be a lot of legitimately good products I couldn't buy/use/recommend, and then who really wins?

Okay. Good answer. What is it about these particular products that changed your mind, giving that in the past, in your railing, you've chastised them for having no real optical engineers on staff. Has that changed. Have you had any contact with them that that might have nudged them in the right direction, and, lastly, given their somewhat uncheckered past, how would any given consumer know what products are now acceptable. I can't imagine Morimoto actually coming out and saying "we used to make crap but now we have Virgil's endorsement, so it's all good", which leads to what was their motivation to make a product that meets the standards that you find acceptable. Is this a fluke or an indication of that they are ratcheting up their game.

Just the usual: inspection, evaluation, and test data. These *do* have quite a bit of real engineering in them, by real engineers I know actually exist and are full-time employed doing their thing for products like this from that company. I can't claim any credit; I am not affiliated or associated with them. You're making me wish I could go back in time and monetize my "endorsements" somehow, though!

As far as how a consumer is to know what's good and what's not...again, just the usual: ask someone reliable. The same as when trying to sort the good Philips bulbs from the waste-of-money Philips bulbs, etc.

It's pretty much the way of the world: Hyundai has a very checkered past, if you think back to the Excel model they sold in the '80s -- complete trash. Now they build some extremely good cars.

I agree with you regarding those old Hyundai's. Sorta the anti Honda of the time that didn't do anything well, was slow and got horrible mileage. An old gf had one and drove it more miles than I care to remember, but it also took a couple of decades and a 100,000 mile warranty for Hyundai to turn their image around. While I'm more than happy to see Morimoto up their game, they continue to market (with plenty of bogus claims) all of their existing products which just adds confusion to anyone who pays attention but probably means nothing to the legions who think they're the best thing ever. Out of curiosity and not being in the market for anything at the moment, do they have other lights either recently brought to market or coming soon that meet your approval, and do you think that there is any guarantee their new found standards will be applied to their entire line going forward.

Virgil,

Thank you so much for your help, I ordered some of those Phillips bulbs while I continue to do some research on new headlamp assemblies. Your recommendation would work for a 2013 F-150 would they also work for a 2013 F-350 or do I need a different part#/model?

Thank you,
Brannon McCarthy

If you mean the bulbs, yes, the F350 would take those same bulbs. If you mean the headlamps, they're totally different.