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Which color looks best on white truck with the Platinum tailgate?

  • Keep it red / clear

    Votes: 12 38.7%
  • Smoked red / clear

    Votes: 5 16.1%
  • All clear / chrome (has red reflectors)

    Votes: 3 9.7%
  • Smoked clear / chrome (has red reflectors)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Black housing / clear lens (has red reflectors)

    Votes: 1 3.2%
  • Black housing / smoked (has red reflectors)

    Votes: 10 32.3%

Which LED Tail to Use on White Platinum?

9K views 46 replies 13 participants last post by  Q-DawgVFR 
#1 · (Edited)
So at some point I want to swap tails on my truck, but I have been wondering what would look good. Yesterday I saw a white F350 with clear LED tails (non Platinum) and was wondering what would look the best with the Platinum's silver tailgate cover.

So let me know what you think, post some pics if you have any.

What is the verdict on who makes the best LED tail light? Anzo, Recon, Spyder, or someone else?

I realize some of these color choices are specific to certain brands of tail lights.

I'm kind of leaning towards the smoked lens with chrome housing, or clear / chrome, but I'm not sure how good it will look with the red reflectors. I was thinking the smoke /clear might match the tailgate and tone down the stark contrast of the red reflectors in the housing.

Thanks in advance!
 
#5 ·
On a side note Dantron my mirror lights from recon whistle on the hwy. Looks like Ill be pulling them out and hard wiring them in to get rid of that stupid huge connector and then siliconing them in. I just hope they dont crap out, like the rest of recons products....
 
#6 ·
Recon sucks as a whole but there are very limited choices for lights right now.

Other than the recons, I do not like the any of the tail lights. I looked at the anzo's yesterday and they look like something you would see on a riced out Honda civic (in my personal opinion)

As for headlights, the only options I see if you can't do it yourself, is sending the OEM ones to get painted and have HID's installed, which will still be about the same price as recons. Which if you have problems with the HID's, your SOL until you get them fixed, and many local places I've experienced won't touch em. With the recons, at least you can still have your OEM's as backup in case you have issues.

Like I said, from what I've read is recon's quality and customer service has sucked for many. I have their 3rd brake light and mirror lights. The mirror light connection is crap, but they do work, and my 3rd brake light has been fine (knock on wood)

One thing about tail lights, is my coworkers son in law was just rear ended at a stop sign by a car going 40. He was in a truck stopped at the sign, his truck was dang near folded in half.

The cop ticketed HIM for having tinted tail lights! I think this is absurd for a TON of reasons anyone with common sense can manage (i.e. there was still a stop sign there lol) however other than that, it's still something to think about and would make me think twice about going fully tinted rears as opposed to like a tinted red type rears.
 
#7 ·
I have a bunch of recon stuff for over 3.5 years now and everything works well :dunno: Guess i got lucky
 
#8 ·
I have no issue with recon. Always use them and will continue to use them.

What would look good on your truck, a regular set of recon LED tails, and then have the chrome insides painted white to match your truck with clear lenses. I think it looks great. Check out some of Plain N Simple builds on Facebook or Instagram.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the idea. Good point. A clear or light smoked light could offer some possibilities for pulling it apart and customizing, as I am planning on doing full disassemble on the front headlights with paint matching and more.

I might actually do this as all the light choices have a few things that I don't care for, and I could instal some extra LED strips to make them really bright.

Another idea was to do an less intense outline LED that stays on, similar to the tail lights on the newer Explorers.

Darn, this was supposed to be a plug and play plan, but I could be led astray to full customization without too much of a fight.
 
#11 ·
Here is what you could do if you got the clear recons. You could pull them apart and paint the chrome white: (photo credit goes to Plain N Simple)



Or, you could get the smoked recon's abd only partially paint them to match something like this:

 
#12 ·
SHOWOFF, thanks for the pictures!

It is definitely a consideration for me to got that way. I might throw something on and drive it for a bit until I get around to doing the headlights and doing it this way, if paint to match is the option I choose.

I really like the idea of doing something different. Seems like EVERYONE has LED tails up here, and I still like the look, but I have yet to see a set painted to match on an Superduty.
 
#15 ·
I'm just going to be honest. I really don't like ANY aftermarket light that doesn't look stock when turned off. A very good point was made in a previous post that referenced a "ricer" look. I don't think any 2006+ Super Duty should have teenager looking lights on their truck. That being said, I do like the look of LED taillights, just not smoked out or chrome or painted or any of that jazz. I just ordered Spyder Version II LED taillights for my 2011 in Red/Clear. They should be coming in early next week (sooner I hope). They look like modern stock LED taillights. This is one area that RAM got it right on their newer trucks. I don't understand why it is taking so long for trucks to adopt technology that cars have had for years. Shoot, I had push button start/keyless touch door unlock, Radar Cruise Control, FRONT and rear parking sensors, and LED taillights in my 2004 Lexus LS.... 10 years later and non of that stuff is even optional in a 2014/15 Super Duty (that can cost about the same amount). You can get all of that on a RAM though..... Hopefully 2017 will be our time again). Since the capabilities of RAM, GM, and Ford are all about the same now, alot is going to come down to ergonomics, features, and comfort. I hope that Ford addresses all the in the next gen SD. It looks like the 2015 F150 has it right.
 
#16 ·
My original vote was for the red lenses, but I've reached a point where clear lenses with paint to match insides will complete my truck. I want to get some Spyders because they're the same as Recons and less expensive, but they're on a manufacturer back-order everywhere I look. Anybody know where I can get some clear lens tail lights right now???
 

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#17 ·
I vote no led tail lights
 
#19 ·
Why not? I switched out the stock interior bulbs with LEDs and I couldn't believe how hot the stock bulbs would get after being on for 30 seconds. LED technology sh!ts on the century-old incandescent light bulb. They light up quicker, glow brighter, last longer, omit less heat and consume less energy.
 
#21 ·
I love LEDs but aint sold on the led tail lights. One they arent the best looking unless you get all smoked and cant see the insides, plus they dont use very many leds and arent as bright as oem led tail lights you see on most vehicles. 2 of my buddies have the ebay 150 dollar led tail lights and so far after a year or two neither have any leds out but one thing i do notice is that the bright ness difference from running lights to brake light isnt as noticeable as id want it to be. in fact i remember someone saying something about their recons they seen after being drove home by a friend following his own truck. for as much as them tail lights cost you'd think they'd be better quality but if you think about it and try to replace an oem led tail light for example a 2011+ explorer tail light your prolly looking at $600+. I like what plainANsample is doing with the paint to match though. looks good.

I like the way the factory tail lights look. I wish someone would come up with an LED tail light that looked like the 08+ lights. i decided to just use led bulbs in my factory lights. same instant on off and a 1:6 brightness ratio from running light to brakes.
 
#33 ·
Hey Dantron, I know that you've had experience working with Plain an Simple. Maybe you can give me a better feel for them. I called them several weeks back because I was thinking of using them to do my retrofit. The gentleman who answered the phone turned down my request because I wasn't using the FXR projector. I wanted the Mini 2.5" because I thought it looked better. He felt it was too small and "wouldn't reflect well of the type of work they are use to". He then spent the next 5 minutes ranting about how they do 1000s of 2011+ F250s and finally ended by telling me he had a customer that just walked in and would call me back....which he never did.

I had a pretty poor experience with them and would probably avoid them in the future.

My question... Did you feel they were a bit quick and rude when you worked with them? Did I catch them on a bad day? I just don't like dealing with companies that don't put customer service first....especially during the pre-sale.
 
#34 ·
I could definitely see that incident happen. It's not really a company people should refer to as "them". It's basically Robert (the owner) and a very limited staff of highly trained spider monkeys. You probably spoke with Robert. He does sound like he's ranting at times. It stays pretty busy over there, he needs a secretary. It took me a few tries to get my foot in the door. I think the serious clients will be given priority over the hundreds of inquiries he receives probably every week. It's safe to say there's plenty of business for the company to stay above water. I wouldn't beat around the bush or try to haggle down the price if you want to be taken seriously. The best way to contact him is through text message... Why don't you try doing the 2.5" FX-R projector lens? I was given the option between 2.5" and 3.0" lenses a few weeks ago? It could have something to do with using the Mini...
 
#36 ·
Ohh! I was thinking you were interested in having work done by them right now. I didn't realize you were talking about the time you called before eventually doing your own retrofit...

He's a nice guy. Once you start working with him and become an actual customer, he's courteous and accomodating. Plain N Simple is specialized in truck customizations, which includes truck lights. I don't think the HID Factory does anything other than the retrofit portion...
 
#37 ·
The HID Factory was going to charge me $250 for labor, plus $100 to paint any color i wanted, even factory match. I had all the parts already. Did you ever get yours completed?
 
#39 · (Edited)
Looks good! Couple questions though. Why are there red wires visible on the top of each light inside of the housing? Also, why is the reflector bowl in the driver side light so angled up and not matching the passenger side in regards to placement? Something doesn't look right. I know that the FXR projectors are essentially epoxied into place, but that angle seems kind of extreme. It's very easy to break the tabs off of the reflector bowl when removing it and I wonder if that is what happened. I actually purchased an extra set of headlights just in case I messed up. They are my "oem" lights if I decide to get a 2015 truck and want to trade mine in.

I like the color though. Can't wait to see them installed.

Oh, I just noticed they are still apart in that picture. My bad
 
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