LR4 Halogen Bulb Upgrading - Highly Recommended

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Count Laszlo

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I am not very good working on cars. I have never replaced a headlamp on any car. However, after reading this thread, bought the recommended lamps from Amazon. The manual says that the first thing to be done is to take the grill off by pushing the four tabs down and then pulling the grill off. Well, I have failed miserably at the first step. I have pushed the tabs down and top part of the grill came loose. However there is something to which the bottom part of the grill is attached. Can anyone please provide instructions what to do next to take the damn grill off? Thanks...

You just need to yank the bottom part out, don't be scared. But at the same time, don't haphazardly do it and scratch the front bumper. The attatchments to the bottom of the grill are on the lower outside edges... So grip those two areas and yank. I also recommend a towel placed on the bumper, especially when you're removing the headlights. The headlamps are heavy and one can scratch the bumper. And... When you pull up the tabs to remove the headlamps, pull on the outer part of the light first, then the inner part and it'll slide out easier. It's not that hard tp get the grill and lights out, just take your time!
 
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neelic

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Thanks. Over the weekend, I could successfully change the bulbs. The bulbs make quite a bit of difference in the light output.
 

Count Laszlo

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That's great to hear and glad you like them. The output is fantastic, I'm very impressed with Philips.
 

suvowner

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i have the 2011 lux so i have the factory hids, did the extreme high beam upgrade, and the fogs per the part numbers listed by the count laz......and i love the high beams as they now get way out there, as I did this a while back, just did the upgrading the fogs and def gives them more pop.....and seems to color match the factory hids very well....so now b/n the hids/led/ and now xenon like fogs it all looks really nice.....
 

cypress822

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I am sold for sure. However...quick question. I am going to purchase the low beam replacements. However, has anyone noticed a need/difference with replacing the fogs and/or high beams???

What is the exact part number for the low beams? I have 12362 S2......but everything i find has a CV at the end. ???
 
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Count Laszlo

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I am sold for sure. However...quick question. I am going to purchase the low beam replacements. However, has anyone noticed a need/difference with replacing the fogs and/or high beams???

What is the exact part number for the low beams? I have 12362 S2......but everything i find has a CV at the end. ???

The fogs and low beams are the same H11 bulb. The high beams are H7 and Philips CVs aren't offered. Not sure why they added CV to the part number.

I recommend replacing both low and fogs, you'll get amazing output and your lights will all be the same color. The stock low and fogs are yellow-ish.

Even HID owners are replacing the dim H11 fogs with CVs because the color matches the HIDs, you they're getting better light output.

Hope this helps.
 
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suvowner

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i have the 2011 lux so i have the factory hids, did the extreme high beam upgrade, and the fogs per the part numbers listed by the count laz......and i love the high beams as they now get way out there, as I did this a while back, just did the upgrading the fogs and def gives them more pop.....and seems to color match the factory hids very well....so now b/n the hids/led/ and now xenon like fogs it all looks really nice.....

i had a loaner and the difference in light output from the non hid loaner to my set up above is very significant.........it seems like nearly 100% more light, and a much nicer whiter light as compared to the loaner...
 

cypress822

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I did this myself today in about 30 minutes. If I can do it, anyone can do it. It is a tad different than the video (actually a bit easier). The light difference really is much improved. It is much whiter and much brighter. Very glad I decided to do this!! Thank you all in this thread for the advice!

A few tips. The grill is more difficult than expected to remove at the bottom portion. Just be sure to pull straight out---not up. There are two side inserts that need to be pulled out of their plastic insertion piece.
Also...regarding the two levers on each of the headlamp assemblies that need to be pulled up to remove the assembly: DAM* that was not easy at all. Mine were like cemented in there. There was NO way i was simply going to use my fingers to lift them up. I ended up having to use some pliers to lift them up. Steady firm pulling proved to work with the pliers.

If anyone has any questions, ill be more than happy to help.
 
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crewcabrob

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Personally, the Philips halogen bulbs included (if you have halogen's not Xenon/HID) are a little weak IMO. I replaced the H11 low-beam and fogs with 55w H11 Philips Crystal Vision Ultras and the high-beams with 55w H7 Philips X-treme Power (they do not make this bulb for H11.)

The replacement was the best money I have ever spent!!! The road is so nicely lit, just amazing and so safe. The Crystal Vision Ultra bulbs are new from the EU (still very hard to get, see eBay), made in Germany of course, and have won a lot of awards. They are so bright (DOT approved) and beautiful that I cannot personally see the difference between these halogens and the Xenon/HIDs. It's as close as you'll get to HID without swapping out the lamps - and this was also noted by Philips.

And although Philips describes them as blue/white light, they are only blue/white from a beam perspective, not blue if you look at them from outside the truck, which is great, because they don't look cheesy like you see on modded Hondas running PIAA extreme white/blue-look. Also, the H7 high-beam X-tremes are nice, but a little yellow, but since they are high-beams, it's okay, as they all work together very nicely.

And another tid-bit, I read that the EU has banned the "blue/purple-Xenons" of yesterday because they have mercury in them and hard to dispose of, so if you notice, all new BMW for instance, there Xenons/HIDs are on the pure white light side, not that blue/purple look you once saw on the road that was so popular a few years ago. My wife's 2005 BMW has the purple-blue look, but my 2008 M3 HIDs were pure white.

Anyway, I HIGHLY recommend this upgrade.

Philips Crystal Vision Ultra - H11 (low beam and fogs) Part 12362 (the 12362 S2 are North American versions) and the 12362 are the European version. They run about $37 USD for a pair/ea.

http://www.lighting.philips.com/us_e...=0&id=&lang=en

Hi,

It looks like they are now offering the H7 in the ultras. I am checking with a seller on ebay to see if he combines shipping. I need the H11 for my fogs and the H7s for the hibeams.

Rob
 

Finlayforprez

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Hi,

It looks like they are now offering the H7 in the ultras. I am checking with a seller on ebay to see if he combines shipping. I need the H11 for my fogs and the H7s for the hibeams.

Rob
Hey Rob,

Thanks for the information. I just replaced my factory bulbs with the H11s and ordered another pair of the H11s for my fog lights. They should arrive on Wednesday, so I will replace them on Saturday. I very seldom use my high beams, but if the H7s are available in the CV then I will definitely replace them as well.

Are these the lights that fit the high beams (H7, part 12972):

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Cysta..._1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1302536736&sr=8-1

Thanks so much!

-David.
 

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