It is no secret that Morimoto’s line of XB LED headlights is a bit pricey. You most definitely get what you pay for, and we stand by that. However, we also believe that everyone deserves to have high-quality lighting, no matter their budget. With Morimoto’s Hybrid-R model for the 2018-2020 Ford F-150, you can achieve just that.
Morimoto rolled out their first entry into what we hope is a long line of affordably priced LED headlight housings. We have really enjoyed their XB and XB hybrid headlights in the past, and what they have brought to the table here is a great vision of the future of the company.
While some of the major features that make the XB LED and XB Hybrid lights are missing from the Hybrid-R, that is not to say these lights are lacking in any important way. Priced at $750 for a pair, you will still find high-quality daytime running light (DRL) and the OEM-grade housing. You are also receiving an OEM+ performing headlight that is compliant with all SAE, DOT, and FMVSS108 regulations when aimed properly.
Aiming is super easy with the integrated vertical/lateral adjusters. Installing these is also incredibly easy with the factory mounting points and connectors. Where the Hybrid-Rs begin to differentiate themselves from the XB and XB Hybrid is their use of a few stock lighting components.
The XB Hybrid-R headlights have a powerful, wide, and bright LED low beam reflector, and a dedicated LED high beam reflector too. For those who aren’t a fan of razor-sharp cutoff lines and prefer a more comfortable spread of light produced by reflector-based optics, the Hybrid-R is a prime spot to be in the Morimoto LED headlight lineup.
You will need to reuse the incandescent turn signal bulb and the original T10 parking bulb. Of course, you can swap both out for LED bulbs down the road. If you want to replace the turn signal bulb, we cannot recommend the GTR Lighting i-LED bulbs, enough. For the T10 parking bulb, Morimoto makes a really great option that you can purchase here.
Appearance-wise, these lights look fantastic. If you are not a fan of the LED projector look of the XB headlights, these are a nice option. They keep that OEM appearance, while subtly adding LED technology to the DRL and low/high beams.
We should also mention that you receive the same 5-year warranty that comes with Morimoto’s other LED headlight housings.
Morimoto tested these by parking the truck 25 feet from a wall and measuring the light via a digital Lux meter. We go into what Lux means and why the Lux percentage difference is important here. In short, you want to pay attention to the percentage difference from stock to understand how much brighter the Hybrid-Rs are.
The stock headlights come in at 390 max. Lux and 930 max. Lux for the low and high beams, respectively.
With the Hybrid-R, you are getting 770 max. Lux on the low beam, a 97 percent increase over stock. To put that into perspective, the premium XB LED headlight was rated at 1310 max. Lux, a 101 percent increase from the stock headlights.
For the Hybrid-R’s high beams, it was tested at 1200 max. Lux, a 29 percent difference in brightness. The XB LED headlight housings were tested at 1690 max. Lux, otherwise a 78 percent increase.
Tools Needed for the Job:
Impact/Ratcheting Wrench
Phillips Screwdriver
10mm Socket
T10 Torx Bit
6" Extension
Pry Tool
Starting with the driver’s side, turn your wheel to the right to access part of your fender liner. Remove the two 10mm bolts. Repeat for both sides.
Once the bolts are undone, pry back the plastic trim piece slowly, and remove it from your truck.
Pop the hood, and using a pry tool, remove the 14 plastic pins pointed out in the image below. This will allow you to remove the radiator cover.
Unscrew the four 10mm bolts on the top of the grill. Once removed, pull out the grill harness and undo the plastic tab holding in the grill harness.
Move to below the headlight housing and remove the 10mm bolt closest to the grill. Repeat for both sides.
You can now remove your grill and set it to the side.
Remove the two 10mm bolts beneath the headlight housing. Then, use a pry tool to move the plastic duct away from the headlight housing.
On the outer side of the headlight housing, there are three 10mm bolts that need to be removed.
On top of the headlight housing, there are two 10mm bolts and a plastic pin that also need to be removed.
You can now remove your old headlight housings. Be sure to disconnect the OEM connectors before removing the light fully.
Before you can place the Hybrid-R headlight onto the car, you need to transfer the plastic bracket from the OEM headlight to the new headlight. To do so, remove the three screws and reinstall it on the Hybrid-R housing.
You can also transfer your OEM turn signal and parking lights to the Hybrid-R housing or use your LED bulbs as we mentioned before.
Open your fuse box and remove the T10 fuse shown below. Then, plug in the DRL harness in place of it.
Run the shortest wire to the passenger side headlight, and the longest wire along the radiator support to the driver’s side headlight.
Take your Hybrid-R headlight and plug in the factory connectors and connect the DRL harness.
Before fully mounting your headlights, be sure to check if they are working properly.
We are really satisfied with Morimoto’s new Hybrid-R headlights for the ’18 – 20’ F-150. It presents a great opportunity for newcomers to the brand to join in on the XB fun, as well as getting people who want an upgrade to their truck, but not looking to break the bank, a very viable option as well.
Overall, this leaves us hungry for what else Morimoto could have in store for the Hybrid-R line in the future.
Until then, keep an eye out on this space for any future Morimoto product releases and more! If you have any questions about the Hybrid-Rs, drop us a comment below or contact Morimoto’s customer support through their contact form at the bottom of their home page.