GTR Lighting Carbide LED Headlights for 09-18 Ram
GTR Lighting Carbide LED Headlights for 09-18 Ram
With ANOTHER headlight housing, the people at GTR Lighting are back at it. This time, they applied their knowledge to the Ram pickup vehicle model from 2009 to 2018. They used only to have a small selection of headlights, but they are gradually adding more cars to their lineup.
We are eager to investigate this one because it seems promising. As usual, we'll test it out to see how much brighter it is than the Ram's original headlights. We will also discuss the characteristics of this LED headlight and walk through the installation process.
ABOUT
A minute has passed since the Carbide series housings for the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, C6 Corvette, and, more recently, the Toyota 4Runner were revealed back in October.
All of the GTR Lighting Carbide Series components for the 2009–18 RAM are plug-and-play. The electrical connectors and mounting locations are identical to those on your original equipment manufacturer's housing, making these headlights very simple to install. Wiring is solely used to plug in the Daytime Running Light harness (DRL), and we use that term loosely.
These headlights are nice because they are completely consistent with the OEM headlights' design language. The piano black paint job on the bezel gives it a crisp appearance. Another feature that makes these housings durable is the UV-protected lens. You will receive dynamic DRLs, enhanced design and quality, and this fantastic OEM look.
In relation to DRLs, the top and bottom of these GTR Lighting Carbide Series headlights display their DRLs. The DRL operates at maximum brightness when your truck is turned on, and your headlights are off. Other drivers will be able to see your truck more easily as a result. The DRL reduces to half of its initial brightness when you turn on your headlights, letting the low beams do their job.
The Ram's Carbide Series headlight features a sequential turn signal, just like the majority of aftermarket LED housings. Additionally, a "smoked" amber side marker is available for purchase. Just be aware that doing so indicates that they do not comply with DOT regulations.
Each headlamp has three LED projectors, all configured to turn on for low beam and high beam, respectively. The brightness surpasses that of the factory headlights, and the pattern is simply superb!
PERFORMANCE
The lights will be turned on and the vehicle parked 25 feet from the wall in order to obtain a precise and reliable result for every light we test. After that, a digital Lux meter will be used to gauge the lights' intensity. The test's key metric is the percentage increase from one headlamp to another, not the Lux rating.
First, at a maximum brightness of 220 lx, we tested the stock halogen headlights on a low beam. This is mediocre at best, but a bit low for OEM headlights. With a maximum brightness of 880 LUX, the Carbide Series headlights were 300 percent brighter than the factory ones. The enhanced beam pattern also features a more uniform distribution of intensity and sharper cut-off lines.
Going on to the high beams, the Carbide Series headlights exceeded the standard headlight by 30%, measuring 890 max. Lux. in comparison to 680 max. Lux in the test. Once again, deep and wide coverage contribute to a stronger beam pattern.
We have the Morimoto XB LED headlights for the Ram available as an extra precaution. Compared to the standard, the XB LEDs are 436 percent brighter on low beams (1180 max. Lux).
With a maximum brightness of 1940 Lux, the Morimoto XB LED headlights are 165 percent brighter than standard for the high beams.
The Carbide Series headlights are outstanding housings in several ways. Both perform better than the OEM housings. However, the Morimoto XB LED is the headlight to have if you want to ruin the OEM headlight's performance metrics entirely and are prepared to pay more. GTR Lighting's Carbide Series Headlights are an excellent choice if you want something a little less expensive without sacrificing quality or performance.
INSTALL
Tools needed for the job:
10mm Socket
Impact/Ratchet Wrench
Pry Tool
Needle-nose Pliers
Pop your hood and get your pry tool ready to start. Four tabs secure the plastic radiator cover; remove them.
Remove all four of the 10mm bolts from your 10mm socket, then. The grill has two on either side and two more in the middle. Be mindful that the thread of the inner two is coarser overall.
Only two clips at the grill's base will keep it in place after the four bolts have been removed. To remove the grill, grab it by the mesh and pull it in your direction. If this is your first time removing it, it can be a little challenging.
Make good movement to your fender. Two-thirds of the way to the wheel liner's top, a tiny trap door should be located. When you open this, you can push up a white tab with your hand. It's there, even though we can't show it on video.
After you've released that clever tab, two more bolts on the headlight's front need to be removed. To remove the bolts, use a 10mm socket.
The OEM wire connectors should be unplugged before the headlight is removed from the vehicle.
Two connectors are present if you have a reflector housing.
One connector will be present if you have a projector housing.
You can see the white clip we pressed up on before removing the headlight before we proceeded with the new housing. When you're finished, make sure to return and lower this white clip to secure your headlamp.
Wiring
The DRL harness must be connected before installing the new Carbide Series headlights. First, locate the F65 fuse by heading to your fuse box. Using your fuse puller or a pair of needle-nose pliers, remove the current fuse and insert the DRL harness connector.
Line up the longest end with the passenger-side headlight and the smallest end with the driving side. First, get this to the proper location. If everything fits and your headlights are working properly, you can tidy up the wiring.
Connect the factory connector and the DRL harness to the carbide headlights. Then, turn on your truck and test every feature to ensure the headlights are functioning correctly.
After confirming that your '09–'18 Ram has GTR Lighting Carbide Series headlights, you can tighten the fasteners and tidy up the DRL harness wiring.