When thinking about safety equipment for your truck, “headlights” might not be the first items that come to mind. However, good headlights help you see better and help make sure that you are seen. Bright headlights reduce eye fatigue at night, keeping you more alert during long hours at the wheel. No matter the age of your rig, you have a number of options to improve headlight output.
If your truck still runs with sealed beam headlamps, consider an upgrade to a brighter halogen unit. A single assembly is quite affordable, so replacing them in pairs is not a big hit to the wallet. There are pricier “custom” sealed beam replacements which add built-in LED bulbs, but be aware that the low beam/high beam lights themselves may not be brighter. If the budget allows it, you can find traditional round or rectangular glass units which allow for replaceable high-output bulbs.
Year-make-model specific front lamp assemblies with separate headlight and signal bulbs expand your upgrade options considerably. First, it’s easier on these set-ups to swap out just the bulbs. The market offers brighter halogen bulbs, or you can go with the latest in LED bulb technology. Be aware that most LED bulbs include some kind of heat sink or even a built-in fan, to dissipate the high temperatures. That makes these units larger than the old bulbs, to the point where not all LED bulbs will fit inside the headlamp housing. A helpful hint is to measure before purchasing.
Of course, the brightest bulbs in the world won’t project a significant amount of more light if the plastic outer lens has turned opaque. There are so-called “headlight restoration kits” available that work...up to a point. Eventually, the plastic will lose its clarity again. If a lens is cracked, or if you tried the restoration route with little success, you will need to consider a complete replacement unit.
There are factory-style replacement units which start you off with new, clear plastic lenses again. Custom units offer everything from LED strips to halo rings to embedded signal lights. But, if the goal is “brighter headlights,” remember to focus on the low beam and high beam bulbs. Here you have the same upgrade choices for the custom assemblies as you do for the factory ones. The reflectors inside the custom units play a major role in light projection. On some units, you have the option to rotate the bulb to maximize its output within the reflectors.
It’s a best practice on any road-going vehicle to regularly check your headlights. Truckers add more miles and spend more time on the road than the average commuter so, again, headlights should be part of any overall safety inspection. Make it a habit to check both front lights for chips, cracks, water ingress, and uniform brightness. It’s worth the time and money to consider upgrades that will get you brighter and safer headlights.
Information provided by TRUCKiD.com
