How To : Upgrade stock bulbs to 9012/9011 Or HIR1/HIR2

[Jrgunn5150]

Ok, so I don't think this mod is as widely known as the HID or LED type upgrades. I'm not an electronics whiz, like most, I hate wiring, don't want to think about ballasts, etc...

Any like most, my stock GMT400 headlights absolutely suck it. Since, I currently have about 1,000 into my truck total, I'm not about to drop 250 on a kit to get decent lights. Awhile back, my GF was complaining about the lights in our Trailblazer and how dim they were, and I was prepared to drop 250 on a top notch kit for the, them I came a crossed some posts at candlepowerforums.com . Those guy's, are total lighting nerds, and you'll learn way more than you want to about lighting there.

So I learned this, our Stock bulbs in GMT400's are,

9006 for lowbeams AKA HB4 These are 55 w, and put out 1,000 Lumens
9005 for Highbeams AKA HB3 (counterintuitive, I know) These are 65w and put out 1700 Lumens

These figures come from here, http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/bulb_types/bulb_types.html

So looking ahead, I learned that the 2015 GMC trucks, use a single type of bulb, the 9012. It's both the high and low beam. Maybe that's why I always thing those guy's are blinding me? Some more research showed me, that the connectors on these new, awesome 9012 bulbs, are the same as the older 9006 bulbs. The plastic lock tabs are slightly different however, but they are the same diameter, same connector. I'll get back to the locking tab in a moment Specs on the 9012 are,

9012 AKA HIR2 55w putting out 1870 lumens.. so nearly double

So I ordered up a set. I chose Phillips 9012 Standard Halogen bulbs for no particular reason, other than I know the brand and they were available on Amazon Prime.

Here's the new bulb next to my stock 9006 bulb,

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It should be pretty self evident what needs to be trimmed, but I'll go over it anyway.

Obviously this won't work...

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Maybe, this?

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And there we go... Before anyone questions the little bitty nub I left, one of them in my Trailblazer actually only has two tabs left, because I trimmed it wrong the first time. It's been fine for five months now, but hey, YMMV.

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So? How do they work? Well, let's go see...

Junk pile is 65-75 yards away,

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HIghbeams for comparision, see the yellow tint?

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Ten paces from the truck,

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So, it's basically a bolt in, I mean, I used a cut off wheel on a grinder, but you could use a hot butter knife to trim the tabs. The wiring, there is none... If you can change your stock bulb, you can do this. These are in my stock, yellow housings BTW. I made no effort to clean them up, I may not even own this truck by June.

So, all in all, a 45 dollar upgrade, I don't even feel the need to use my highbeams now, it's pretty effective, and the white color brings out animal eyes better, IMO. I like it, I'll be doing this to any vehicle I get. Enjoy!

 

[jkeaton]

Nice!

 

[volunteerff21]

Very Nice!! I'll have to give this a shot.

 

[kkirwan71]

Just spent the last 20 minutes over at candlepowerforums. Alot of knowledge over there

sent from my glade air freshner

 

[someotherguy]

I'll give you A for effort as you got them in and working but it's not necessary to trim a whole tab off. You can just nip one of them and still have 3 tabs. People have been putting these HIR's in place of 9006's for quite a few years now.

Richard

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I'll give you A for effort as you got them in and working but it's not necessary to trim a whole tab off. You can just nip one of them and still have 3 tabs. People have been putting these HIR's in place of 9006's for quite a few years now.

Richard

I didn't trim a whole tab off lol, and I'm certainly not trying to claim I came up with the idea lmao.... I asked here, no one had heard of it, I mentioned it, people asked me about it, so I provided a write to help people out.

Everyone's a critic

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[90halfton]

So now are your dims basically your brights? the results in the pics look awesome. cant wait for a bulb to go out so I can justify doing this.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

So now are your dims basically your brights? the results in the pics look awesome. cant wait for a bulb to go out so I can justify doing this.

My new low beams are nearly as bright as my old highs, correct.

I only swapped the 9006 low for a 9012 low. I haven't bothered to swap the old style 9005 high for the newer 9011 high in either vehicle yet. If a bomb goes out, that's the route I'll take though

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[Pampo'sTruck]

Thanks for sharing! I hate my headlights, now I know what to do about them.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Thanks for sharing! I hate my headlights, now I know what to do about them.

Thanks! I hope this helps some people, I know I got overwhelmed reading about HIDs and LEDs and all that nonsense, but I can change a bulb lol

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