Incandescent Bulbs to LED Swap: Is it worth it?

NTXTremor

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Okay, this could very well be titled "Help me spend some money," but I legitimately want to know your thoughts on which of the incandescent bulbs on our Rangers are worth swapping out for LEDs? I am not talking about headlights or fog lights since there are dozens of threads on these.

Here are some of my thoughts.

Worth swapping:
Any bulb where you really want to maximize brightness to see better or be seen better.
Examples: Tail lights, Brake lights, Cargo Lights, Back Up Lights, Puddle Lights, 3rd Brake Light

On the fence:
Turn signals (the whole hyper flash issue, and who uses them anyway, right? ;)), License Plate Lights (do we really want to make it easier for cops to see your tag?), Side marker lights (?‍♂)

Any others that I am missing?
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Edit: I'm stoopid and can't read.

They are only worth if it you specifically buy the ones that have an adjustable base so you can properly align the LED stalk so the emitters are horizontal. If they are not made specifically for our headlight assembly they are not going to make them install correctly, they will simply be universal.

Every single brand of non-adjustable base LEDs I bought never and I mean never installed in the proper orientation. They were always leaving the emitters with some for of vertical cast, some worse than others.

Proper alignment cuts down on spillage into other drivers and also helped put the light down road where it is suppose to be.

LEDs in reflecter cup headlights meant for halogens will always produce improper glare on varying levels, though I think properly aligned ones are no worse than some of the factory big truck LED headlights that are OEM. Glare into other drivers eyes is real, but I think people are being a bit over-dramatic in using absolutes like "all leds in halogen housings are blinding people".
 
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NTXTremor

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They are only worth if it you specifically buy the ones that have an adjustable base so you can properly align the LED stalk so the emitters are horizontal. If they are not made specifically for our headlight assembly they are not going to make them install correctly, they will simply be universal.

Every single brand of non-adjustable base LEDs I bought never and I mean never installed in the proper orientation. They were always leaving the emitters with some for of vertical cast, some worse than others.

Proper alignment cuts down on spillage into other drivers and also helped put the light down road where it is suppose to be.

LEDs in reflecter cup headlights meant for halogens will always produce improper glare on varying levels, though I think properly aligned ones are no worse than some of the factory big truck LED headlights that are OEM. Glare into other drivers eyes is real, but I think people are being a bit over-dramatic in using absolutes like "all leds in halogen housings are blinding people".
Thanks, but as I mentioned in my post, I’m talking about everything other than headlights and fog lights. Your reply seems to be about headlights. I have a Lariat, so I have no intention of changing headlights.
 

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Thanks, but as I mentioned in my post, I’m talking about everything other than headlights and fog lights. Your reply seems to be about headlights. I have a Lariat, so I have no intention of changing headlights.
Crap you are absolutely right, I don't know how I missed that considering it is right at the beginning of your post. Sorry!

So, let me try again; I've swapped everything I have to LEDs minus turn signals and side markers.

Turn signals because I prefer the color amber, not yellow, which is what an led replacement will give you. Same thing with side markers.

Yes I swapped my tag lights. Everything else is a crisp white light, so having halogen light present on the truck just seems weird and ugly to me. That however may be my OCD more than anything.

So for me LEDs swapped to:

head lights
cargo lights
third brake light
tag light
fog lights
 

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I would do the 3rd brake light for safety's sake. Plus it will be brighter and look cooler. I always swap the license plate ones for pure white LEDs because I think it adds a modern look. Which reminds me, I have money to spend.
 


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Worth it? - spending money on something that already works as intended. Probably not.

Cool to do and not as expensive as the other mods that you will end up doing. YES.

One of the first things I did with my XLT was swap out the bulbs. Really cool looking and much more useful and brighter. Diode Dynamics usually has a sale at times, and you can get all the bulbs there. At least that is what I did.

Have fun! You'll dig the new looks!

PS... Dont forget the front side marker lights and the puddle lights under the mirrors.
 
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NTXTremor

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Crap you are absolutely right, I don't know how I missed that considering it is right at the beginning of your post. Sorry!

So, let me try again; I've swapped everything I have to LEDs minus turn signals and side markers.

Turn signals because I prefer the color amber, not yellow, which is what an led replacement will give you. Same thing with side markers.

Yes I swapped my tag lights. Everything else is a crisp white light, so having halogen light present on the truck just seems weird and ugly to me. That however may be my OCD more than anything.

So for me LEDs swapped to:

head lights
cargo lights
third brake light
tag light
fog lights
No worries. We all do it sometimes.

Sounds like you did what I’m thinking of doing. Any before and after photos?
 
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NTXTremor

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I would do the 3rd brake light for safety's sake. Plus it will be brighter and look cooler. I always swap the license plate ones for pure white LEDs because I think it adds a modern look. Which reminds me, I have money to spend.
Exactly! People follow way too closely, so the brighter I can make all my brake lights, the better. That’s a no brainer I think.

The license plate lights are cheap, so I’ll probably do them, too, for the modern look you mention.
 
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NTXTremor

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Worth it? - spending money on something that already works as intended. Probably not.

Cool to do and not as expensive as the other mods that you will end up doing. YES.

One of the first things I did with my XLT was swap out the bulbs. Really cool looking and much more useful and brighter. Diode Dynamics usually has a sale at times, and you can get all the bulbs there. At least that is what I did.

Have fun! You'll dig the new looks!

PS... Dont forget the front side marker lights and the puddle lights under the mirrors.
I already did my puddle lights, and it was such a cheap and easy swap. The difference was incredible!

To your point, changing to LEDs it’s not that expensive compared to other mods, and it should really modernize the appearance.
 

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I already did my puddle lights, and it was such a cheap and easy swap. The difference was incredible!

To your point, changing to LEDs it’s not that expensive compared to other mods, and it should really modernize the appearance.
FYI: I needed a new puddle light (don't ask) on the driver side. Thought I had bought after market set, but they did not fit. Went to the local Ford dealer expecting the non-LED of the original 2019 Ranger but to my surprise, the replacement Ford OEM lights are LED! Dealer said he had noticed that just lately the replacements had switch to LED.
No need for after market.
 

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Over the 2 ½ years I've owned my Lariat I've considered it a few times. I've always concluded that it's not worth it. Everything that needs to be is already LED in the Lariat.

With the exception of MAYBE the puddle lights if they matter to you. Just a gimmick IMHO.
 
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NTXTremor

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Over the 2 ½ years I've owned my Lariat I've considered it a few times. I've always concluded that it's not worth it. Everything that needs to be is already LED in the Lariat.

With the exception of MAYBE the puddle lights if they matter to you. Just a gimmick IMHO.
That was my conclusion, too. I did swap the puddle lights, and the difference is dramatic, though.
 

DawnH

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FYI: I needed a new puddle light (don't ask) on the driver side. Thought I had bought after market set, but they did not fit. Went to the local Ford dealer expecting the non-LED of the original 2019 Ranger but to my surprise, the replacement Ford OEM lights are LED! Dealer said he had noticed that just lately the replacements had switch to LED.
No need for after market.
Would you mind sharing thee part number?
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