Gilderbeast,
1. It wasn't what I said in my previous post, it's what was said by a reputable company whose purpose is to test automotive lighting (and yes, they give very high praise to HID lights). I of course mentioned that in my replies AND their HR stamp is on the example photo I used. They said that small amount of light above the cut off is there on purpose. It is a design function that a few other lights and replacement bulbs have if you've done your research. In fact with some headlights, you need to indicate what country you are from when ordering (or make sure you are ordering the correct one for your country) as that extra bit of light above the cut off may be aimed slightly to the right or the left depending on which side of the road driving is done.
2. That tiny amount of light won't "light the entire interior" of another car. Get real. In addition, all rear-view mirrors have a turn-down function which has been standard in all vehicles well before LED's. Pretending it's an LED issue is simply false.
3. You are correct that HID, and LED bulbs have a different appearance/performance out of projector housings vs. reflectors. Projectors don't always equate to the best lighting or cut off though. REGARDLESS of what type of bulb you have, the type of housing will make a difference in brightness AND cutoff. The bulb is only part of the equation. Putting the same bulb in different housings will created different results. I also said that yes, there are brighter lights than the ones I installed.So you saying that the ones you have are brighter, is repetitive. For example JW Speaker projector LED's are much brighter than mine, but again, they are bug eyes, which I didn't want in my vehicle, so I purposefully avoided that brand. The O.P. is looking for 7" round headlights, there is a chance they might want to also avoid the bug eye look. .
4. I don't think that I ever recommended buying "cheap" lighting. In fact I specifically said DOT lighting from reputable manufacturers with warranties and not to buy "knock-offs". You saying "you pay for what you get" is reiterating exactly what I already mentioned.
5. Cost. My trucklites were $300 for the pair. JW Speakers (projectors) are about $400. Via the linked sources, plan on paying approximately a similar price for HID. And let's be realistic. Doing the wiring will not take 5 minutes as suggested and then you still need to install the housings and bulbs, perhaps cutting our trucks. Plenty of sources and videos out there mention a minimum of 30 minutes for just the wiring IF you know what you are doing. Of course some people CAN do it faster if they know what to do. Many people don't and it becomes either A. paying someone, or knowing someone to do it, or B at least an hour or more. I'm all for people learning to do new things with our trucks, but some people don't have the time or want the hassle at least in certain areas. Many a guy on this site and others has no problem rebuilding a carb, but hate dealing with wiring, or don't want to cut/bend anything on their trucks. Plug and play LED's fit very nicely for those folks.
6. Bulb life. HID bulbs, specifically the best and brightest 55w Morimotos have a lifespan of 2500 hours confirmed by the manufacturer and other testing sources. However it loses up to 20% of it's lighting ability during that time. HID's may also take several seconds when turned on (or depending on lighting configuration, going from a low-beam bulb to a high-beam bulb) to reach full lighting power and color . A trucklite LED has confirmed instant on lifespan of 25,000 hours, other LED's have confirmed lifespans of up to 50,000 hours. Granted either method of lighting will probably last as long as most trucks, but maybe not, as some have had the same truck in the family for over 40 years and might attempt to keep it another 40.
To the O.P. and other readers. I'm sorry that this thread has gone this direction. The post asked for recommendations and you got a few. I posted the link to my thread of what I purchased, why, and what I learned to help guide your decision making, regardless of what direction that might be, giving credit to other options of lighting. Unfortunately we were told that LED's, and mine specifically, will blind other drivers, fill the interiors with light, etc. There are some great comparative videos on youtube 7" round headlights as well as replacement bulbs. What you will typically find is, as mentioned, that if you go with reputable companies that warranty their products (which are DOT approved) you will get quality results regardless of what type of bulb (halogen included) or style you choose, but your housing will also be a factor. I hope you find what you like and enjoy the improved vision (and perhaps safety) it allows. The newer lights and bulbs are remarkably better than what our trucks typically have in them or was even available a few years ago. An upgrade is certainly a good decision and worth the cost (and/or depending on what you buy, the time and effort to make them work/fit in your truck) especially if you do much driving in the dark. I know my dark-driving on the way to/from archery hunting for example is vastly improved from last fall and more enjoyable than with my halogens and hopefully can help me avoid a deer/truck collision which could cost much more than the price of the lights. Have a great day.
