Do other motorists think your OEM LEDs are on high beam?

[ShadowsPapa]

I have a stock Overland with halogen headlights and I still get flashed by people who think they are too bright. I have upgraded to better halogen bulb, but I suspect part of the issue may be the height of the Gladiator compared to most cars. It seems to happen usually when I am cresting a small rise and the other car is in a depression where the low beam happens to hit them in the eyes.

They likely aren't correctly adjusted. Don't assume that because it's new and unmodified that they are correct.
Of course people with lifts are even worse, but in this country, new doesn't mean correct and that means lifted is even more incorrect.

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[ShadowsPapa]

I thought the halogens are super dim, surprised you get flashed.

Where did you get that idea? I've not had a Gladiator with halogens, but I have halogens in my car and have had them in past trucks and past Jeeps - and they are plenty bright. In fact, the halogens in my Silverado weren't much less than my Gladiator LEDs, they just weren't quite as white but bright they were.
The halogens in my Eagle are very blinding if not aimed correctly. (but they are fed via relays with 14 gauge wire so there's no real voltage drop to the lamps and they run at full system voltage)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Most drivers (and especially our older drivers) are used to the standard lighting which cars were once equipped with. Those individuals just aren't bright enough (pun intended) to understand the new technology and why the headlights are brighter. I would ignore anyone that flashes you... your factory LEDs are just fine. I occasionally get flashed in my GC Trailhawk and in the JTO... but in the JTO it's when I run the fog lights. If you drive in suburbia where everyone has a sedan, keep in mind your Jeep sits higher than their 'go-carts'.

That's BS for sure.
Seriously?
Blame the other guy for your lack of correct aim? I'd almost bet that if a CORRECT method was used to check aim on yours (and I don't mean the wall bit) that they'd be off. New or factory doesn't mean correct. Have you had yours checked by proper aiming equipment operated by someone that knows how to use it?
I guess you are the sort that just doesn't care - it's their fault, of course, they are old and don't get it? Right. OK. Wow. OK, kid.
Sorry, modern lighting has been out long enough now that people are used to them. It's the dopes that believe their lights are fine because they can see and it's the other guy's fault that are the problem.

There's a difference between perception and actually being blinded to the point of having spots in your eyes for the next mile by people like you.

 

[JET_83]

Where did you get that idea? I've not had a Gladiator with halogens, but I have halogens in my car and have had them in past trucks and past Jeeps - and they are plenty bright. In fact, the halogens in my Silverado weren't much less than my Gladiator LEDs, they just weren't quite as white but bright they were.
The halogens in my Eagle are very blinding if not aimed correctly. (but they are fed via relays with 14 gauge wire so there's no real voltage drop to the lamps and they run at full system voltage)

Funny most with the exception of you have complained at just how dim they are.

 

[JET_83]

Funny most with the exception of you have complained at just how dim they are.

The Silverado lights in my 2001 were dim as hell.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Funny most with the exception of you have complained at just how dim they are.

The LEDs are whiter, more usable light (you'll have to look that one up) but have a sharp cut-off because of this - halogens aren't as "bright" but with no cutoff actually illuminate better a bit farther out at speed and around hilly curves. My 2011 Silverado lights and those in our past Grand Cherokees I can't call dim. Not a crisp as the whiter LEDs, but much of that is due to the color of the light.
Would I go back:? No, not in these, because I believe the JT halogens are not as good as Grand Cherokee or Chevy halogens.

I have to wonder if some of those complaining about halogen headlights have been driving all that long......
With LED even the LOW beams need to be properly aimed, more-so than with most other types of lights

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The Silverado lights in my 2001 were dim as hell.

You realize that halogen lights, like most other types, lose luminosity with age/time, and you may also have had some issues like a lot of vehicles around here have - wiring issues. I see so many cars and trucks here that aren't even all that old that need headlights replaced because they are old, or have serious wiring issues. I have flashlights as bright as some of the headlights on 5 year old vehicles around here. And that's not due to their type, it's because they need to be replaced, or have their wiring fixed.

 

[JET_83]

You realize that halogen lights, like most other types, lose luminosity with age/time, and you may also have had some issues like a lot of vehicles around here have - wiring issues. I see so many cars and trucks here that aren't even all that old that need headlights replaced because they are old, or have serious wiring issues. I have flashlights as bright as some of the headlights on 5 year old vehicles around here. And that's not due to their type, it's because they need to be replaced, or have their wiring fixed.

They were dim as hell when the truck was brand new too

 

[JET_83]

Anyways nowadays tbh all new vehicles should have standard LEDs, halogens shouldn’t even be a thing anymore

 

[JET_83]

Look all over YouTube and across the web most Jeep gladiator owners that got the standard over the LEDs have complained about them being way too dim.

 

[ALVagabond]

That's not correct and it's too bad it's wrong.......... but it is.
Factory and dealers do not set the lights properly.
Don't even think that the factory does it right, they do no, and dealer prep doesn't touch headlights either.

I've recently posted this in another thread about this exact same thing as it keeps coming up - from: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

But in North America most people don't know or care much about lamp aim, figuring—very incorrectly—that if they're not getting flashed at night the lamps are OK. Most states and provinces long ago stopped requiring periodic aim checks. The few remaining areas mostly use an unreasonably sloppy go/no-go standard that can only catch vehicles with lights pointing down on the bumper or up in the trees.

U.S. and Canadian Federal law doesn't require new vehicles to come with the lamps correctly aimed, so even a brand-new car doesn't necessarily have the lights pointing where they should. It's such a problem that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety checks, but doesn't adjust the aim of the headlamps on cars they test. They do it this way because most new cars don't get the aim corrected before delivery, and since poor aim worsens the headlight performance rating, this test-as-received policy of IIHS is an effort to push automakers and dealers to do a better job.

So "close enough" really isn't good enough; make the effort to get the lamps aimed carefully and correctly, very preferably with an optical aiming machine.

I never said the factory aligned them correctly. I implied that they don't align them correctly. I didn't communicate my point very well, but you missed it entirely.

But judging by you're other replies in this thread, maybe you just want to argue with everyone. Meh.

 

[JET_83]

I never said the factory aligned them correctly. I implied that they don't align them correctly. I didn't communicate my point very well, but you missed it entirely.

But judging by you're other replies in this thread, maybe you just want to argue with everyone. Meh.

Good point, you nailed it bud

 

[seven30]

Funny most with the exception of you have complained at just how dim they are.

Anyone remember the highway patrol pulling over cars for failure to dim? That was a thing back BEFORE LEDs.

Mine seemed dim until I aimed them. What tipped me off was getting flashed all the time.
Added some better bulbs after that.

Years ago I worked at an observatory. Headlights were strictly forbidden. Oddly I found parking lights were excellent because my eyes were adjusted to darkness. We used red lighting to preserve it too. The LED spectrum is the exact opposite. Your eyes are set for noon day. Anything not in the beam is black. Extra bad for oncoming traffic.

Until some senators mom crashes from getting blinded spectrum and pattern will remain a distant concern.

 

[dcmdon]

You realize that halogen lights, like most other types, lose luminosity with age/time, and you may

This is definitely true. Its especially true of low beams because they are on probably 20x as much as high beams. I replaced the low beam bulbs on my Volvo shortly before I got the my Gladiator and the difference was HUUGGEE. The glass of the bulb was discolored on the inside which dimmed the bulb a lot.

Re: getting flashed. I put about 5000 miles on my Gladiator in the first 2 months. I never got flashed. I recently put a RSI SmartCap on my truck and within a week got flashed. Just once, but if it happens regularly. I'll lower the left side first and see what happens.

It doesn't take much to throw things off

 

[Rockabillyroy]

This is definitely true. Its especially true of low beams because they are on probably 20x as much as high beams. I replaced the low beam bulbs on my Volvo shortly before I got the my Gladiator and the difference was HUUGGEE. The glass of the bulb was discolored on the inside which dimmed the bulb a lot.

Re: getting flashed. I put about 5000 miles on my Gladiator in the first 2 months. I never got flashed. I recently put a RSI SmartCap on my truck and within a week got flashed. Just once, but if it happens regularly. I'll lower the left side first and see what happens.

It doesn't take much to throw things off

No need to even wait. Pull it up to a wall. If it's high, re aim it. Takes just a few minutes.

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