The BEST LED Lighting Upgrades for the 2009-2014 Ford F-150

With its F-Series pickups, Ford has set the standard for the American truck market since the late 1940s. As America's favorite truck, it became better every year. The F-Series trucks continue to be the best-selling vehicles in the US today. With this vehicle, you really can't go wrong, and the lighting shouldn't be an issue, either.

Even the best-selling vehicles, such as cars and trucks, have issues. This also applies to the F-150. For almost every use on your vehicle, we have tested hundreds of different lighting products. Today, we'll discuss some of the most significant LED modifications for your 2009–2014 Ford F-150.

ABOUT THE F-150 RAPTOR

Although the topics we are going over today can be applied to any F-150 manufactured from 2009 to 2014, we are focusing on a Raptor variant. A street-legal off-road racing trophy truck was the inspiration behind the design of the high-performance F-150, which debuted in 2010. Your tires are designed for a variety of surfaces, and you have your regular four-wheel drive and mid-travel suspension system.

It has a 5.4L V8 engine with 320 horsepower right out of the factory. However, you could choose the 6.2L V8 engine with 411 horsepower that was available for the Super Duty at the time. The Raptor was only available with the 6.2L Super Duty engine after its first model year. The Raptor moniker has been associated with performance since 2010. The construction of a Ford Bronco Raptor for the 2022 model year was only recently announced.

LED UPGRADES

However, what if the incredible off-road performance and horsepower are insufficient? You may want to update your interior illumination or boost the underwhelming performance of the stock headlights. You've arrived at the ideal location!

Headlights

We have already evaluated a variety of headlamp housings. Four distinct headlamps that can meet a range of customer needs were identified. The Morimoto XB Hybrid headlamp is the perfect choice if you want the finest performance and price. The premium XB LED housing offers excellent light output numbers and the most amazing fit and quality of all the ones we tested.

Morimoto consistently outperforms the competition with their LED headlamp housings.

We also had a great time with Recon. In addition to encouraging the user to switch from the factory halogen bulbs to HID ones, this one retains all of your original headlamp components. It turned out that Recon's headlight was 206% brighter than the factory one.

One of the best-performing LED headlights available is the Alpharex headlight housing, which is a great option if you want the appearance of a quad-LED projector. In our tests, the Nova edition's headlights were 210 percent brighter than the original ones.

We just evaluated the GTR Lighting Carbide Series LED headlamp, and we were pleased with it as well. It has an excellent fit, is simple to install, has a distinctive appearance, and produces light that is 157% brighter than stock. Not to mention how alluring the pricing is.

If you don't like the entire housings, we tried a variety of LED bulbs from more brands than we can remember. S-V.4 bulbs are among the best available. On low beam, they outperformed the factory F-150 bulbs by 383 percent and had an excellent dispersion of colors and beam patterns. They then measured 202% brighter than stock while on a high beam. Although the GTR Lighting Ultra 2.0 has a stronger high beam, its performance metrics are comparable to those of the S-V.4.

Both are excellent options and as long as you choose an H13-size bulb, installing a pair on your vehicle will be trouble-free.

Grill Lights

These grill lights are unique to the Raptor variant of the F-150. The tires on our test car, which have been driven frequently, need to be replaced. Compared to the stock ones, they are significantly brighter and have a more distinct color.

The lights can be replaced by unscrewing the bolts on the rear with a screwdriver. Due to the delicate nature of these bolts, DO NOT use an impact or ratcheting wrench. The XB LED Grill lights should be installed after unplugging the lights from their clips.

Bumper Side Markers

Using the Morimoto XB LED Side Markers helps us maintain consistency. With a 2-year warranty and four pieces in a box, these are a great deal, especially considering the price.

Using a pry tool, place the two amber ones in the front. Installation of the amber side marker requires unplugging the OEM component. In the pressure fit hole, insert the Morimoto side marker.

Before you can install the side markers on the back bumper, you must remove the taillight. After lowering the tailgate, unscrew the two taillight bolts using an 8mm socket. Then, pull the taillights in your direction and unscrew each bulb.

Using the pry tool, you can remove the side marking and rubber grommet. Then, you can swap out the OEM part for the red Morimoto XB side marker. It is advised that the rubber grommet be installed prior to placing the XB side marker.

Taillight Upgrades

Please allow us to install a set of GTR Lighting i-LED bulbs while your taillights are being removed. We had previously used a resistor to attach the Carbide 2 series lights. Since an integrated resistor is used in the i-LED bulb, that is not necessary. You can connect this to the brake light socket on your 3157. For the lower brake light, you can do the same.

Remarkably, the red i-LED bulb will function best with your taillights since they have a red lens. This is true for turn signal housings with amber lenses as well.

Assembling their collar correctly is another crucial aspect of installation. The little screws should be inserted to match the OEM bulb mounting tabs. However, you can find a detailed tutorial on how to accomplish that here and here.

We suggest the T10-size GTR Lighting Ultra Reverse Light for your reverse light. Reinstalling this bulb in the taillight housing will require twisting it into place with a little push.

Cargo Light

This is the most straightforward outside light to replace. To expose the two T15 (or T10, if you prefer) bulbs, remove the transparent lens with a Phillips screwdriver.

We used the GTR Lighting 10-Chip LED bulbs in this application, but you may alternatively use the Ultra Reverse light we discussed when working on the taillight. The 10-chip 10-chipill be less expensive.

As they are polarity-specific, it may be necessary to rotate the direction of the lightbulb for these to function.

Mirror Side Markers

The puddle light and the side marker turn signal are two readily replaceable lights on your mirrors.

To install the Morimoto XB LED Side Mirror Lights, we will first remove the ugly old mirror light. Beginning with the outermost side, pry forward using a pry tool. Next, draw the housing in your direction. It is held in place by two prongs on the driver's side and one on the passenger side. The installation is the same except for that.

Next, remove the puddle lights with a pry tool to access the mirror wiring. T-tap the XB LED wires to the rear-facing turn signal, reach up and grab the cables that supply electricity to it. To strip the XB LED wires, insert them into the prong holes and then pull them out.

When T-Tapping them, make sure the wires are the right color and head to the same color. You will need to enter the cables into two tiny holes.

After installing the XB LED Side Mirror Lights, you can unplug the original OEM puddle light and replace it with a set of Morimoto LED side mirror lights if you'd like. These are quite useful if you frequently park near puddles or are off-roading in the dark.

Interior Bulb Options

OEM lighting components have always been inferior. They are sufficiently bright only to let you view your immediate surroundings; anything outside of their field of vision is dark. Have some French fries fallen? It is now time to use the flashlight on your phone. However, your vision will be considerably clearer if you use even a 6-chip LED bulb.

The good news is that these enhancements are incredibly customizable and reasonably priced. There are variations in brands, colors, and light output. We decided to use the same T10 GTR Lighting 10-Chip LED bulb that we used for the cargo beam.

To install the map light, open your sunglasses holder and press on the two black tabs. Next, use needle-nose pliers to unhook the two lights, then remove the lens and swap it out for the desired bulbs. To finish the installation, reapply the lens, insert your bulbs, and press the map light housing into position.

Your dome light requires one 42mm festoon bulb. The Armor Series festoon bulbs from GTR Lighting are pretty good. We truly appreciate their heat sink, which helps keep the bulb from overheating.

This can be swapped out with a pair of needle-nose pliers and a pry tool. After that, you can put the dome light lens back in place.

CONCLUSION

Our goal at Ledlightjeep is to ensure that you are purchasing the best goods available. Good lighting products are a part of our goal to keep you and your F-150 safe while driving. We took care of the tricky part, so you don't have to waste time looking for and utilizing defective bulbs or lights that don't work well.

You don't have to stop here, either; you can add fog lights, rock lights, pod lights, and numerous more application-specific LED lights to your 2009–2014 Ford F-150. To view all of the things we have for your truck, navigate to your website here.