IndyGibby
New Member
- First Name
- Gibby
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2025
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Indianapolis
- Vehicle(s)
- 2009 Ford Ranger Sport 4x4
- Thread starter
- #1
Hey everyone, new member. Ive searched the threads and found bits and pieces of information I’m seeking, but wanted to create a discussion to get the most information / best advice.
I bought a 2009 Sport 4x4 for my son who is now in college. I’d like to upgrade them to LED projectors for safety with him driving back and forth to school, but also give it a more modern / sporty look.
So I know you cant (or not supposed to just swap out halogens with LED or HID bulbs in a reflective type lense otherwise you blind everyone else on the road. So Ive gone down the rabbit hole of lighting and am thus far disappointed in the options available in general over all, but specifically for a projection type headlight with LED bulbs. The few that I’ve found have built in LED turn signals and LED halos or DTR strip bars etc, but then the main headlight bulb is Halogen. Haven't found one yet that comes with the LED headlight bulb.
so trying to keep this short, this truck was originally sold in Canada and has the DTR’s. My understanding is the only way to disable this on this generation is through the computer module and disable the DTR option. Other than getting fancy with rewiring or relays etc, which I want to avoid. But what Im wanting to do is convert everything to white LED’s, and then (if possible) have the DTR’s as either halos around the headlights, or even halo fog lights, or even just LED fog lights themselves as the DTR’s. Anything other than the main headlights on all the time as DTR. Sounded like a simple idea, but the limited options of lights and the factory DTR is causing me to lose my mind.
So here are some questions I need help answering from you all:
1) I saw on the newer trucks you can change the DTR’s in the computer module to use the fog lights instead of headlights. Can this be done on 2009? Or are the only options simply “enable” and “disable” DTR??
2) If I have to get the DTR’s disabled, I’m inclined to get the ODB tool and software and do it myself as I assume the stealership will want too charge too much money for this simple quick change. Any tips / advice on which ODB tool / cable to get? I saw a video and the guy was saying you needed a “special” one thats modified with a switch on the side or something, so any insight on that from anyone who knows
3) Any recommendations for LED projection headlights that actually come with the LED’s? Ive looked at Spyder, SpecD and a few others, not completely sold on any yet, although the Spec D may work if I can replace the Halogen with a proper LED. (I just think all the lights should be the same color / technology, not mixed and matched
)
4) or as long as ling as they are projector housings, can I just swap out the halogens w LED’s no problem?
worst case, I may just go with a halogen projector, and new halogen fog lights, and the DTR’s will just have to remain the headlights and abandon hope of white LED’s. I would even be ok with some sort of white LED DTR’s, and then just halogen headlights / fog lights at night, but will have to get the DTR disabled to accomplish even that. Like I said, I want everything to match, but if its white LED during the day, and yellow halogen at night, so be it. Im just struggling finding the right combination of lights I can purchase without having to completely hack into the wiring to accomplish the look I want. So wanted to see if your collective minds can introduce some ideas / thoughts I have not yet thought of.
FYI: My photos are AI generated examples of the look For DTR’s I’d like to achieve. To achieve that specific look, Id have to get the DTR disabled, and then wire the LED light bar strip or halos on the head lights, and halos on the fog lights to 12v always on with key power source. Easy enough. Then its just a question of if I can swap out the halogen bulbs that come with the new headlights to LED’s to match all the other lights without any issues? Or if I could just find a damn projector light that comes with LED’s
I bought a 2009 Sport 4x4 for my son who is now in college. I’d like to upgrade them to LED projectors for safety with him driving back and forth to school, but also give it a more modern / sporty look.
So I know you cant (or not supposed to just swap out halogens with LED or HID bulbs in a reflective type lense otherwise you blind everyone else on the road. So Ive gone down the rabbit hole of lighting and am thus far disappointed in the options available in general over all, but specifically for a projection type headlight with LED bulbs. The few that I’ve found have built in LED turn signals and LED halos or DTR strip bars etc, but then the main headlight bulb is Halogen. Haven't found one yet that comes with the LED headlight bulb.
so trying to keep this short, this truck was originally sold in Canada and has the DTR’s. My understanding is the only way to disable this on this generation is through the computer module and disable the DTR option. Other than getting fancy with rewiring or relays etc, which I want to avoid. But what Im wanting to do is convert everything to white LED’s, and then (if possible) have the DTR’s as either halos around the headlights, or even halo fog lights, or even just LED fog lights themselves as the DTR’s. Anything other than the main headlights on all the time as DTR. Sounded like a simple idea, but the limited options of lights and the factory DTR is causing me to lose my mind.
So here are some questions I need help answering from you all:
1) I saw on the newer trucks you can change the DTR’s in the computer module to use the fog lights instead of headlights. Can this be done on 2009? Or are the only options simply “enable” and “disable” DTR??
2) If I have to get the DTR’s disabled, I’m inclined to get the ODB tool and software and do it myself as I assume the stealership will want too charge too much money for this simple quick change. Any tips / advice on which ODB tool / cable to get? I saw a video and the guy was saying you needed a “special” one thats modified with a switch on the side or something, so any insight on that from anyone who knows
3) Any recommendations for LED projection headlights that actually come with the LED’s? Ive looked at Spyder, SpecD and a few others, not completely sold on any yet, although the Spec D may work if I can replace the Halogen with a proper LED. (I just think all the lights should be the same color / technology, not mixed and matched
)4) or as long as ling as they are projector housings, can I just swap out the halogens w LED’s no problem?
worst case, I may just go with a halogen projector, and new halogen fog lights, and the DTR’s will just have to remain the headlights and abandon hope of white LED’s. I would even be ok with some sort of white LED DTR’s, and then just halogen headlights / fog lights at night, but will have to get the DTR disabled to accomplish even that. Like I said, I want everything to match, but if its white LED during the day, and yellow halogen at night, so be it. Im just struggling finding the right combination of lights I can purchase without having to completely hack into the wiring to accomplish the look I want. So wanted to see if your collective minds can introduce some ideas / thoughts I have not yet thought of.
FYI: My photos are AI generated examples of the look For DTR’s I’d like to achieve. To achieve that specific look, Id have to get the DTR disabled, and then wire the LED light bar strip or halos on the head lights, and halos on the fog lights to 12v always on with key power source. Easy enough. Then its just a question of if I can swap out the halogen bulbs that come with the new headlights to LED’s to match all the other lights without any issues? Or if I could just find a damn projector light that comes with LED’s
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