Sign up for my free online course to open up YOUR headlights, with Headlights 101. Visit https://FlyRyde.com/open
We tested a bunch of bulbs, include HID and LED inside these Reflector based Nissan Skyline R34 Headlights.
What other cars have you seen with factory Xenon in Reflector housings?

You should never ever install hids in reflector housings unless they were actually designed to have it in this video. We're going to be talking about these nissan skyline gtr xenon headlights in the reflectors that are inside of them. Okay, if you watched our last video, we showed a bunch of tests with some xenon bulbs and we did a little meter test to see how bright they were. We looked at the color of them and kind of the cut off line.

We're going to do that again, but this time it's going to be on reflector housings and then i'm even going to test some led bulbs as well inside of these 1999 skyline gtr headlights. I'm super curious how they keep up with today's technology, especially with the leds, because we always tell everybody, don't ever put led bulbs in your reflector headlights, but most of those reflector headlights were not designed for hid bulbs like these. It's a cool, looking bulb. This is called a philips ultanon.

I think i just think it looks dope. It's got purple. It's got the weird little shield on it, because this is a d2r bulb, not to be confused with the other type that we tested, which was d2s. Let's see how bright these things are on the meter and then i'm going to show you what the cutoff line looks like.

I think i saw 86 that's about as bright as we're gon na get out of these stock lights. Now, let's take a look at this cut-off line you can tell now. This is a jdm set of lights, so it actually slopes up to the left so that the driver can see a little bit more because they're driving on the left side of the road. Instead of the right hand like here in the us so that that cutoff line from a reflector, it's not bad, it's actually kind of sharp a little bit, and i believe that these are 6000k bulbs as well, so we're gon na swap them out with some d2s Bulbs and then compare the cutoff lines and the brightness on the meter.

Now, traditionally, if you want to put xenon lights inside of reflectors, you would do that with a projector retrofit, which would mean you'd have to open up the lights, and this is actually something we are going to do. We are going to open up these lights by popping the little clips off separating all of the glue and all that stuff we're going to show you how to do that for free on headlights 101.. It's my free online mini course all about opening up headlights. If you want to catch that, make sure you sign up below and put the link below the video, it's just something that you could sign up for easily.

You could watch it on your phone anytime breaks down all the different little steps for you and i think it's something you'll enjoy now. Last time we tested these osram cbi bulbs and instead of having that cool purple, these ones have a really cool. Looking blue tell me if you can see the difference right off the bat of these two different styles: we've got a d2r and a d2s, and the d2r is actually made for reflector housings, which is weird because we typically tell everybody. Hids and reflectors do not go together unless they were designed to this bulb apparently, is not, and we're going to find out why, right now i hear it's to cut down on glare before we change out the bulbs.
I just want to see what glare is already in these lights, so this is with the d2r bulb, that's supposed to be in there, but if i put it on the meter like it doesn't even register for any foot candles all right, let's swap it out with A d2s and you could tell that ballast is screaming. Just like the goat on the last video. Do i need to roll the goat, let's just roll the goat. Again, we are popping out this d2r bulb.

We are not going to drop it like the cbi's. Last video we're going to stick it with its little homeboy right there. Okay here is our cbi. This is an osram bulb.

This bulb should not fit because there's a little knob that sticks up that i just had to cut an extra little slice out of this. With the ultrasonic cutter, but because i did that it will fit right into place all right say one: two, three screaming ballast, hey and we've got our cbi and this one looks definitely less yellow. It looks a lot whiter and actually looks brighter as well, which is super weird for me. So i'm looking at this and i'm also going to say that this video stands on its own.

This is not to compare against the last video they're reflectors. The old ones were projectors and i'm holding them over this little bench and last time i was standing a little bit further away, so our ratings are going to be different for this specific video, but take a look at at what the meter says right there. 175. Oh, i saw 177., oh it's a 184., so 184 was the brightest.

Let's try to find this glare and again. This rating right here is not even picking up on the meter. So oh we got one. It doesn't really change the look of the cut-off line.

I mean it's just not a super flat sharp cut off line to begin with. I don't think it's. It's really changed much besides the fact that it's just a lot brighter, we tested the bulb that we're not supposed to use. These are supposed to have d2r.

We tested d2s now, let's actually test some led bulbs that are made for d2s housings as well, for our led bulb test, we're going to use the vled's micro extreme bulb and they have the little cutout like. I was mentioning that i had to make on those cbi bulbs you're not supposed to use led bulbs on reflector housings, but i'm going to do it anyway, because these were designed for xenon, which is super strange, and i just want to see what happens so now. We've got our led bulbs in there and they actually have a fan on the back screaming. Just like the ballast was so it kind of feels the same.

It definitely does not. Look the same. The first indicator that we have of that is a much blurrier cut off line, looks like it has a heck of a lot more brightness than the factory ones do. But let's see what kind of output we get on the meter here, wow that was it huh? 162..
Okay! So that's what led bulbs look like. I now want to check what the difference is with the newer gtr headlights that have led projectors that takes care of the r34 lights. Let's check out the r35 lights now, we've got xenon and we got the full led projectors. This is the newest of all of these lights.

This is the 2017 model, but nissan came out with the led projectors in 2015.. Now the cool thing is, these are also right. Hand drive just like the jdm r34 lights and you can just see that super crispy sharp cut-off line. This is about probably as good of any skyline or gtr that ever hit the market, so these led projectors are pumping out.

Let's see 196, i saw oh, i saw 205. damn okay, so yeah these things are clearly the winner all right. Now, let's try these cbi bulbs in the older gtr xenon lights and see how they compare all right. Let's fire this one up, hear that xenon screaming this one is not right hand drive.

This is a factory left-hand, drive, headlight and yeah. You know. What's funny, is it's very similar to the skyline r34 reflectors 106.? I saw 109. That was the best that i got out of these so far, and these are projector lights, they're made to focus that d2s bulb versus the reflectors that were not designed specifically for that output.

What other lights do you know of that? Have reflector xenon headlights.

By Chris

12 thoughts on “Should you ever use LED or HIDs in Reflector Headlights?”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Hola! McBright says:

    For someone dealing proffesionally with headlights, DUUUDE you ignorant.

    First of all LED are best in REFLECTOR headlights, not projector. Thats due to the lightstpread of LED bulbs.
    Second – those bulbs you used for comparison, with the COB chips … the are just SHIT. No COB bulb will EVER create correct light pattern.

    Why would a new bulb D2 be brighter to a used D2 bulb ? One god knows … right?
    Why two new bulbs are not the same , i wonder?! OMG …

    All in all, this video doesnt even justify the time i spent on it while taking a dump!

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Robert Pikari says:

    Not sure if Nissan Primera 97 wagon would be happening in the US but yeah HID low beam since 2009.
    Mainly rural environment, don't care if they should be or not, even when I get to upgrade to LED high beam.
    What are those things that cover the tip of the HID bulbs, is what I want to know.
    Still no space to work on my whip, it's taken me every where for the last 16/17 years.☮

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Mike Turner says:

    I upgraded my halogen reflector type to LED's, still reflector but in my searches, I never found any that specified that they were designed for reflector vs those designed for projector the cut off line isn't sharp but it's not super blurry either. I do want to do the projector retrofit in my 2005 kia sportage, as the stock lights are terrible, I have to have my fog lights on as well, just so I can see the road properly at night, which here in Qld Australia, is not legal unless there is poor weather or fog, I also have LED's in my fog lights, for that uniform crisp white look. My goal is to upgrade to ALL LED's throughout the whole vehicle, including the taillights, I'm trying to design a pcb that I can insert in the tail lights, but struggling to find a decent design to work with.

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Michael Finnelly says:

    R53 Mini cooper, W210 E class, W208 CLK, Lincoln Navigator, Lincoln Aviator, Subaru Forester, Volvo V70/S60, Lincoln MK8, Acura CL

    There’s probably others as well, but that’s what I can think of off the top of my head for factory reflector xenon headlights.

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jun Yamog says:

    I have a 98 R34 GTT, came with Xenon stock. The D2R is good enough for me, what I changed is the high beam from Halogen H1R to LED 9006. 9006 socket can fit still, a bit tight. Significantly brighter on running on backroads here in New Zealand.

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars PANTYEATR1 says:

    I need help building myself a set of 96 mustang tail lights. o want them to have the "glow effect" like the Dodge challengers. they are sequential and i have frosted the lenses and installed PnP LED bulbs. they have a gum ball look during the day and only have the glow at night. then i opened the lights and installed 1.5" squared cob LEDs. they still don't look right during operation. i need some advise. thanks

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jesusfeathers says:

    I'm gonna go and say you can use HIDs in a reflector…..BUT, you have to know what you're doing. I've had a set of 9007 bulbs the last few years that I've tried to get to work on several different housings, and only a couple have worked properly. Allot of them had a terrible pattern in low beam, and high beam just scattered everywhere. Only my dad's 96 infinity i30 and my 96 F-250 eBay housings have produced good patterns with Morimoto's 9007 HIDs. I've been driving with them for a few months now with no one flashing at me.

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Milos Balunovic says:

    d2s had so much glare compared to D2R 😀 led even vorse.

    ultinons are by the way a piece of crap. brand new they were spected 2400lumens while normal 4300K are usually 3200 (these are for d2s, so probably less for D2R)

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Contagious Ingenuity Agency says:

    From memory – a couple Acuras and Lexuses (forgot models and years), '04-'05 Sienna (forgot which trim levels), and a (mid 2010's?) Subaru (Outback?) come with reflector HID from factory. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong 😉

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tims Desk London says:

    Honda Civic mk8 uk spec has a halogen and a xenon bulb fitted in the same housing depending on the spec of car.
    If you ever want to take on a headlight that has crap light out from stock look at those uk civics. I had to fit a 2.5 projector in mine to get decent light. Finding good quality projectors in the uk can be hard. Always wanted morimoto but shipping and import duties really make them expensive

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Snaus Pockets says:

    LED bulbs have come a long way over the last three years I have used several different ones in my 2008 Highlander with reflector lenses.

    The first two were imperfect with blurry cut off lines and fans that stick out the back and hang out. I would get blinked at frequently and I couldn't get the rubber protective covers back over the back of the bulb.

    However, the new ones(I guess I've had them for about a year now) have a very distinct and crispy cut off line and are also the exact same size as a regular bulb so you can put the rubber cover back over the top of it and plug the plug in like a normal bulb protected from moisture.

    Never get blinked at anymore except for a couple people that think the lights are just so bright that they have to be high beams and then I actually turn my high beams on and blind the hell out of them.

    I wouldn't be surprised if there is even better ones now. They also last much longer than regular 9003 bulbs ime and don't dim when the base hits.

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars CharaAni says:

    i've got halogen refelctor headlights, i ran xenon in them just fine (D2R) the cutoff line was exactly the same as when there were halogen bulbs in there, atm i run full LED bulbs in the same headlights for more then 2 years, cutoff line is also exactly the same as when there were halogen bulbs in there.
    I think the glare is very minimal aswell since no one ever flashed their highbeams at me. Show that if you use the right bulb you can run whatever imo.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.