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Thread: Are the factory headlights not very good on Dakotas?

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    wh23g3g's Avatar
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    Default Are the factory headlights not very good on Dakotas?

    My headlights don't seem bright enough at night. I have to use the fog lights enough to see good. I changed the original type headlights to the crystal clear ones in 2016 off of Ebay but I'm not sure which ones they are now. The original ones were pretty bad. The new ones don't have the cross hatch pattern like the OEM ones and they're not smoked. I also aligned them using the Hoppy headlight aimer that I got. I double and triple checked them two different times. They're all aligned right unless I'm doing it wrong but it seems like I'm using the kit correct because I did the same thing on my Ranger and they are 100% better than the Dakota. I've tried all different bulbs Silverstar, factory regular Sylvania, and now I've put in the Phillips ND for reduced glare in the dark. They are ok but don't seem like they are bright enough. I've got like 10 different brands and brightnesses of bulbs because between the Ranger and Dakota they use the same bulb. I don't want to add anything extra to it. Are the factory style headlamps going to be the best for visibility?

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    9t9-5.2's Avatar
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    I've run Silverstars in my OE housings since new and have never thought they were under powered. There is turning night into day, but running legal lights, I cant complain.

    The cross hatch focuses the light. Different types of bulbs require different lenses/reflectors.

    "Excuse me if I have some place in my mind, where I go time to time"

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    wh23g3g's Avatar
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    Maybe that's the problem. I had similar crystal clear headlamps on my Ranger for awhile and they were great but weren't great quality, the lense kept separating from the housing. Then I switched back to an OEM style headlamp and they are great using standard Sylvania bulbs too. But I also added factory fog lamps to the Ranger too, it's amazing how much they help especially in the rural areas here. But I got the crystal clear lamps on the Dakota because I thought it would help with lighting. I don't want to add any HID or anything, just a standard factory bulb. So maybe I will swap back to the factory style headlamp housings. It does help too that they are aligned.

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    Corey's Avatar
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    From a few years ago:
    http://www.dakotart.com/forum/showth...HID&highlight=

    Next would be HID s, and I am running that on my motorcycle, and oh what an improvement that made.
    http://www.ddmtuning.com/index.php
    DRTC #1176

    2000 Bright White CC (1/553)
    Dyno'ed 07/05/13 (126,000 Miles) 230 Hp / 308 Tq
    14.6 @ 93 mph (2.18 60 ft.), 4130 lbs.(1/2 tank gas)
    Truck Pictures --> http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v9...Clough/Dakota/

    1985 Kawasaki GPz550
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    Mater: I don’t need to know where I’m goin’, I just need to know where I been!

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