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Dim headlights on 98' Ram

The headlight illumination on my 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 (Cummins) is so dangerously bad....I do not drive this vehicle at night. I have called the local dealership and they have no record of such a problem...and no ideas as to how to recitfy the problem. Last year I replaced the bulbs with PIA 9004-65?45 watt...small improvement. I can drive at night on high beam...all the time. Nobody flashes at me....including the folks I drive behind. The lenses look clear. Are the reflective surfaces breaking down? Is this an electrical problem....grounding...voltage? I think these are the same lights as the infamous Caravan headlights. Is there an aftermarket drop-in replacement that works? Do I have to sell this vehicle due to inadequate headlight illumination?

Reply to
guylawrence
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I have had a pair of Slyvania H-6054 lose their "silvering" and become exceptionally dim, but the newer Ram lights aren't the old sealed beams either. If the lights still look "bright" when you look at them in the daylight (lights off) the silvering is still good, if they look dark, they need to be replaced. Lot's of guys, (me included) have retrofitted the "Sport" quad headlights and gotten good improvement in lighting. Generic Sport lights are available as well as genuine Sport lights from the dealer. For your '98 you'll need to do a little sheet metal surgury behind the lights to fit them if you you gennies. I "think" the aftermarket ones will fit w/o the sheet metal work. The gennie lights are reputed to be better quality and I got mine used from eBay and polished them up to look good and clear.

I've heard of and used "better" bulbs with my original lights and never noted any real improvement. YMMV.

Reply to
BigIronRam

Reply to
Robert Francis

#1 cause for dim lights of any kind (dash, headlight, etc) is a poor ground. Chase down the grounds and clean themn up. Or you could just run a new ground wire.

Reply to
.boB

How about the lenses on the front? Sometimes they can become etched and hazed from years of sand and grit hitting them at high speed.

JAM

Reply to
Bill Dukenfield

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