Headlamps

Looking to replace the headlamps in my 2005 Tacoma 4x4 . Too much glaze and too many scratches from winter gravel and road salt . Over 240,000 kms and want to keep it in top running order . Any suggestions from other owners appreciated .

 

Try to find takeoffs in good condition....... It's hard to find aftermarket that don't leak and have good optics.

 

Welcome!

 

Thanks for that . I get the feeling that the elbow grease to clear the road haze is the best place to start. What is the consensus on Black Diamond headlights for Tacoma ?

 

Meguires plast x, powerball mini and drill

 

Stick with OEM or DEPO brand, which can be found on eBay or Amazon.

 

Thanks for that recommendation , Meguires has good reviews . I will look for or order it .

 

Local auto parts shop should have both

 

Thank you for the recommendation . Picked up the Meguires Plast x and the powerball on Friday . Cleaned the lenses Sat. and they look great .
Will be driving at night this Tuesday so will have a chance to get a brighter outlook on the deer in the ditch munching away on the grass . Will give you some more feedback then .

 

Mequires makes good stuff. However the solution is only semi-temporary. The UV protection of the lamps is gone, and sanding the surface will remove whatever was left, meaning that the lights will oxidize much quicker in the future. Looks like that plastx might have a UV stabilizer, though they don't come right out and say it, just claim a water resistant durable coating to keep clear plastics clear. I'd look to reapply the plastx every several months to keep up the UV protection.

If/when you decide on replacements go for OEM or look for CAPA certified headlights. They will cost more but are tested to meet the exact specs of OEM. Most everything else is going to be junk.

Edit: BTW welcome to the forum!

 

There is headlight replacement notice from Toyota out right now that ends in November. It's regarding melting turnsignal or daylight running lights. I was going to trade mine in but I did the BHLM on my lights and that disqualifies them. The turn signal lens is plastic and it gets discolored or melts. The new ones are made of glass. Do a search it should pop up.

 

Thanks for the welcome and the good information . I had a pkg of Turtle wax protectant that I added after the cleaning , assuming this might add more protection against the road grime in the winter . I will keep vigilant about the condition of the lenses . My 60 year old eyes like clear visibility when driving at night , and that's 5 days a week in the winter .

 

Happy to help

 

Do you have a link for this? I'm not finding it.

 

Here is a thread with a link to the TSB:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/drl-melting-lense.46860/

 

This really seems like good stuff: Meguires Headlight Protectant
Apparently it is good for new lenses, as well as restored lenses. It's supposed to provide a month or two of UV protection. I just applied it a couple days ago and it made my lenses super slick and shiny. Here's my initial review and a link to a description on autogeek.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/meguires-headlight-protectant.394591/