There’s an undeniable charm to the square-body honesty of a 90s Chevy truck. My old ’97 C1500 has been a reliable workhorse, a faithful companion on countless projects and backroad adventures. But as the years rolled on, its face began to show its age. The original composite headlights, once clear and bright, had yellowed into a hazy, cataract-like state. Night driving became a guessing game, with the dim, scattered beams doing little to inspire confidence. It wasn’t just a matter of safety; the truck looked tired. Every time I saw a modern truck with crisp, white LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), I felt a pang of envy. The challenge was finding an upgrade that wouldn’t betray the truck’s classic lines while bringing its lighting technology into the 21st century. This is a common story for any owner of a GMT400 platform vehicle—the C/K pickups, Suburbans, and Tahoes that defined an era. You love the truck, but you need to see where you’re going.
- Fitment - Compatible with 1994-1998 Chevy C10 pickup truck only; Fit 1994-1998 Chevy C/K 1500/ 2500/ 3500 Truck Models Only; Fit 1994-1998 Silverado; Fit 94-99 Suburban; Fit 95-99 Tahoe models only....
- OE Number Or Interchange Part Number - 5977460, 5977459, 5977738, 5977737, 5976838, GM2503101, GM2519135, GM2550148, GM2551148, GM2550145.
Before You Upgrade: What to Know About Aftermarket Headlight Assemblies
A headlight assembly is more than just a bulb and a lens; it’s a critical safety component and a defining aesthetic element of your vehicle. It’s the solution for foggy, damaged, or simply outdated original lights. A quality aftermarket assembly can dramatically improve nighttime visibility, enhancing safety for you and others on the road. Beyond that, it offers one of the most impactful visual upgrades you can make, capable of transforming a vehicle’s entire front-end appearance from dated to modern and aggressive. The right set can make a 25-year-old truck look a decade younger.
The ideal customer for a product like the PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly Smoke is the owner of a compatible 1994-1999 Chevy truck or SUV who is looking for a significant aesthetic enhancement on a budget. This is for the enthusiast who wants that custom, blacked-out look with the modern touch of an LED light bar, and isn’t afraid of some minor wiring to get the DRLs functional. However, this might not be the right choice for someone seeking a concours-level restoration with period-correct parts. If your goal is pure OEM authenticity, you’d be better off searching for new-old-stock or high-quality OEM reproductions. Similarly, if you demand absolute perfection in fit and finish and want a completely hands-off, install-and-forget experience, a higher-priced premium brand might be more suitable.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Fitment & Compatibility: This is non-negotiable. The PIT66 kit is specifically designed for GMT400 models with composite headlights. If your truck has the older, individual sealed beam headlights, this kit will not fit without significant modification. Always double-check your vehicle’s specific model, year, and original headlight type. Part numbers and interchange numbers are your best friend here.
- Light Output & Technology: This assembly includes a modern LED DRL strip, but the main headlight functions rely on traditional 9005 (high beam) and 9006 (low beam) halogen bulbs, which are not included. While the internal chrome reflectors are designed to maximize output, the ultimate performance depends on the quality of bulbs you install. Consider upgrading to high-performance halogen or compatible LED bulbs to get the most out of the new housings.
- Materials & Durability: The lenses are made of polycarbonate, a standard for modern headlights due to its impact resistance. The housing is plastic. The most critical factor, however, is the quality of the seal between the lens and the housing. A poor seal is the number one cause of premature failure in aftermarket lights, leading to condensation, fogging, and eventual electrical issues.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: A “plug-and-play” installation is the goal, but rarely the full reality. While the main headlight plugs should match your factory harness, the LED DRL bar requires separate wiring. You’ll need to tap it into a power source, like the parking lights or an ignition-switched fuse. Furthermore, the quality of the beam adjustment screws is paramount for long-term usability. Flimsy adjusters can make aiming your headlights—a critical safety step—nearly impossible.
Keeping these factors in mind, the PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly Smoke stands out in several areas, particularly its bold styling and all-in-one package. You can explore its detailed specifications and check compatibility here.
While the PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly Smoke is an excellent choice for a specific type of owner, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- Compatible With: 03-06 Avalanche 1500 / 03-06 Avalanche 2500 / 03-06 SIlverado 1500 / 03-06 SIlverado 1500 HD / 03-06 SIlverado 2500 HD / 03-06 SIlverado 3500 / 03-04 Silverado 2500 / 07 SIlverado...
- 【Compatible With】2007-2013 Silverado 1500 / 2007-2014 Silverado 2500 HD, 3500; Does NOT Fit 2007 (Old Body) Classic Models; Fits Models with Halogen Headlights Only
- 【VEHICLE COMPATIBILITY】Headlights Assembly Compatible with 07-13 Chevy Silverado 1500, 12-14 Chevy Silverado 2500, 07-14 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD, 2007 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Classic, 12-13 Chevy...
First Impressions: A Smoked Lens with Modern Promise
Opening the box containing the PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly Smoke felt like unwrapping a fresh identity for my old Chevy. The kit is comprehensive, including the main headlight housings, corner lamps, and the lower bumper-mounted turn signal lamps—a full 8-piece set. The first thing that grabs you is the aggressive aesthetic. The smoked polycarbonate lenses and black internal housings are a stark, dramatic contrast to the chrome-laden OEM units they replace. They feel surprisingly lightweight, a common trait of aftermarket plastic components, but the lenses themselves seemed thick and clear. The integrated LED strip is neatly diffused, promising a smooth, modern light signature rather than a series of disconnected dots. Holding one of these next to the faded, 25-year-old factory light I was replacing, the difference was night and day. It was a tangible piece of modernization, promising to shave years off the truck’s appearance before it was even installed.
What We Like
- Complete 8-piece kit provides a unified, custom look
- Dramatic aesthetic upgrade with smoked lenses and black housings
- Integrated LED DRL bar adds a modern lighting signature
- Very affordable price point for a full front-end lighting overhaul
- DOT and SAE certified for street legality
What We Didn’t Like
- Widespread reports of poor seals leading to moisture and fogging
- Adjustment screws are low quality and prone to stripping or failing
- Occasional quality control issues like missing parts or incorrect components
Putting the PIT66 Headlight Assembly to the Test: From Garage to Open Road
An aesthetic upgrade is one thing, but a headlight’s true worth is measured in its installation, performance, and ability to withstand the elements. We put the PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly Smoke through a comprehensive evaluation, from the moment the tools came out to its performance on dark, rainy nights. What we found was a product of intriguing contradictions: brilliantly conceived in its design, yet frustratingly inconsistent in its execution.
Installation: A 10-Minute Job or a Weekend Project?
On the surface, swapping the headlights on a GMT400 truck is one of the easiest jobs you can do. It requires basic hand tools—typically a Phillips screwdriver and a 10mm socket—and can be done in under an hour. For the most part, the PIT66 kit holds to this promise. The main housings and bumper lights lined up with the factory mounting points on our ’97 test vehicle without any need for drilling or modification. The factory wiring harness for the high and low beams plugged right in. However, calling it purely “plug-and-play” is a slight overstatement.
The star feature, the LED DRL bar, requires its own power. The lights come with a pair of simple positive and negative wires that you must connect yourself. This isn’t complex for anyone with basic electrical knowledge, but it’s a step that the instructions (which are not included) fail to mention. We followed the lead of another user and tapped these wires into the parking light circuit. This allows the LED bars to illuminate with the parking lights, giving you that DRL look without needing the main headlights on. It’s a clean and effective setup, but it’s an extra step that beginners should be aware of.
We did encounter some of the minor fitment quirks mentioned in user feedback. One of the side marker pieces felt slightly smaller than the original, leaving a tiny, almost imperceptible gap. It still seated securely, but it lacked the perfectly flush fit of the OEM part. In another instance, we’ve seen reports of users needing to reuse their old mounting brackets or finding the bulb socket holes for the turn signals to be slightly oversized, requiring a bit of ingenuity to get a snug fit. While our installation was relatively smooth, it’s clear there are some manufacturing tolerances that can make the experience vary from one kit to the next.
Aesthetics and Visual Impact: A Dramatic Transformation
This is, without a doubt, where the PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly Smoke shines brightest. The visual transformation is nothing short of stunning. The smoked lenses and black housings instantly delete the dated chrome and give the front end of the truck a modern, slightly sinister appearance that pairs exceptionally well with any body color. When the LED DRL strips power on with a crisp, white light, the effect is complete. It bridges the design gap between the 90s and today, making the truck look custom and cared for.
We parked our test truck next to a stock model, and the difference was staggering. The PIT66 lights made the stock truck look tired and old-fashioned. They don’t just replace the lights; they redefine the truck’s entire character. During the day, the blacked-out look is sleek and understated. At dusk, when the LED bars kick on, the truck has a presence it simply didn’t have before. For anyone whose primary goal is to achieve a modern, custom look for their classic Chevy, this kit delivers an incredible amount of visual punch for the price. If you’re ready to completely refresh the face of your GMT400, this assembly offers one of the most effective visual upgrades available.
Light Performance and The Adjustability Problem
With new 9005 and 9006 bulbs installed, the light output from the PIT66 housings was a definite improvement over our clouded, 25-year-old originals. The internal chrome-plated reflectors do a decent job of casting light down the road, creating a brighter and wider field of view. The beam pattern has a reasonably defined cutoff for the low beams, preventing excessive glare for oncoming drivers, provided they are aimed correctly. And therein lies the problem.
The single biggest functional flaw we encountered, and one echoed loudly in user feedback, is the abysmal quality of the beam adjustment screws. These tiny mechanisms are essential for aiming the headlights up/down and left/right after installation—a legal and critical safety requirement. The adjusters on our test unit felt flimsy and imprecise. One of them began to strip with only minimal torque applied. We’ve seen numerous reports of users receiving lights with adjusters that were already broken, missing, or just spun freely without moving the reflector at all. This is a massive issue. If you cannot aim your headlights, they are not only unsafe, but they may also fail a vehicle inspection. Some resourceful owners have managed to swap the adjusters from their old OEM lights onto the new housings, but this is a tedious process that shouldn’t be necessary. This single point of failure is a serious compromise on an otherwise promising product.
Durability and Weather Sealing: The Achilles’ Heel?
PIT66 advertises these lights as having a “fully sealed heavy-duty housing” that meets DOT standards and features a one-way vent to dissipate moisture. In practice, this appears to be the area with the most significant quality control lapses. Within a week of installation, which included a heavy rainstorm and a car wash, we noticed a fine layer of condensation forming inside one of the main headlight housings. While it eventually dissipated thanks to the vent, its appearance was deeply concerning.
Our experience was mild compared to what others have faced. We found multiple credible reports of these lights leaking profusely, filling with water, and fogging up so badly that light output was severely compromised. In the worst cases, this moisture intrusion led to short circuits and failure of the LED DRLs. This points to an inconsistent application of the sealant between the lens and the housing at the factory. It’s a gamble: you might get a perfectly sealed set, or you might get one that fogs up after the first rain. Because of this uncertainty, we strongly recommend a crucial preventative step for anyone buying this kit: before installation, run a thin bead of clear, waterproof silicone sealant around the entire seam where the polycarbonate lens meets the black plastic housing. This five-dollar, ten-minute precaution could save you from the massive headache of a failed headlight down the road.
What Other Users Are Saying
Our findings align closely with the collective experience of other owners. The feedback is consistently polarized, praising the aesthetics while lamenting the quality control. One happy owner of a ’97 Suburban noted, “Installed these… giving it a clean look with some modern design. Big difference from the original lights… very easy to install.” This sentiment captures the primary appeal of the kit—it’s an easy, high-impact visual upgrade.
On the other hand, the frustrations are just as consistent. One user stated plainly, “Fits well and looks good but adjustments are low quality, stripped out.” This highlights the critical aiming issue we also discovered. The most damning feedback, however, relates to the poor sealing. A Yukon owner had a terrible experience: “Great for a week until it rained. Fogged up inside and they leaked. Bad seals. Now only one side light works.” This is a catastrophic failure that turns a cosmetic upgrade into a functional downgrade and a safety hazard. These firsthand accounts confirm that while the design is appealing, the execution can be a serious roll of the dice.
How Does the PIT66 Stack Up? A Look at the Competition
While the PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly Smoke caters to a very specific niche (GMT400 trucks), it’s useful to see how it compares to other types of headlight products on the market in terms of philosophy and target audience.
1. DWVO 2005-2011 Tacoma Headlight Assembly Chrome
- Compatibility: the headlight assemblies are compatible with 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Tacoma; high/low beam bulb type: H4; bulbs are not included
- Improved illumination: the integrated metalized reflectors of this headlight assembly increase light distance for better visibility & driving safety in any dusky conditions
The DWVO assembly for the Toyota Tacoma represents the other side of the aftermarket coin: the OEM-style replacement. Unlike the aggressive, custom look of the PIT66, this product is designed to be a direct, factory-style replacement that restores the vehicle’s original appearance. It features chrome housing and amber reflectors, prioritizing a clean, stock look over radical customization. A buyer choosing the DWVO is likely trying to fix a damaged or faded headlight and wants a reliable, no-fuss solution that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor. It’s for the owner who values restoration over modification.
2. OPT7 Aura Pro Halo DRL Headlight Accessories
- Vibrant Halo Light Show: Transform your Dodge Challenger into a showstopper with unlimited lighting effects! Whether you're going for a chill blue halo or a fierce red demon eye, take full control...
- Seamless Dual Control: Tap to ignite! Use the included remote control to effortlessly switch between 12 bold colors, 24 dynamic modes, and 10 levels of speed & brightness. Want even more...
The OPT7 Aura Pro kit isn’t a headlight assembly at all, but rather a set of customizable LED halo rings that you install inside your existing headlight housings. This is a product for the dedicated DIY enthusiast. It offers far more customization than the PIT66 kit, with multi-color capabilities and app control, allowing you to create “demon eye” or “angel eye” effects. However, the installation is significantly more complex, requiring you to open your factory headlights (a process that often involves baking them in an oven). This is the choice for someone who wants a truly unique, custom lighting signature and has the skills and patience to undertake a more invasive project.
3. AmeriLite Altima 4Dr Sedan Projector Headlights Chrome
- Fits: 13-15 Altima Base, S, SL, SV 4-Door Sedan Only; Do not fit: Factory Xenon HID Version
- Meets or Exceeds DOT & SAE Standards
The AmeriLite assembly for the Nissan Altima introduces another key technology: projector lenses. Unlike the reflector-style housing of the PIT66 kit, projectors use a lens to focus the light, creating a much sharper, more defined beam cutoff. This generally results in superior light control with less glare for oncoming traffic. While this particular model has a chrome housing for a brighter look, it represents a step up in lighting technology. A customer for this product is likely looking for both a style upgrade and a tangible performance improvement in their vehicle’s light beam pattern, prioritizing optical precision.
The Final Verdict: Is the PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly a Smart Upgrade?
The PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly Smoke is a product of compromise. It offers an absolutely phenomenal aesthetic transformation for an incredibly low price. For under the cost of a single OEM headlight, you can get a complete, 8-piece kit that will make your classic Chevy truck or SUV look a decade younger. The modern DRLs and blacked-out styling are executed beautifully and deliver a massive visual impact.
However, this value comes with significant risks in quality control. The poor-quality adjustment screws are a serious functional flaw, and the inconsistent weather sealing is a gamble that could lead to moisture damage and premature failure. We can only recommend this kit to a specific type of buyer: the hands-on enthusiast on a tight budget. If you are comfortable with performing preventative sealing yourself, potentially troubleshooting minor fitment issues, and have the patience to possibly deal with faulty adjusters, then the visual reward may be worth the risk. For anyone who wants a guaranteed, reliable, install-and-forget solution, it would be wise to look at more premium-priced options.
If you’ve decided the bold style of the PIT66 LED DRL Headlight Assembly Smoke is the right fit for your project truck and you’re prepared for the potential challenges, you can check its current price and purchase it here.
Last update on 2025-10-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API