HID Noob

I would like to get an HID setup. I understand it is dumb and dangerous to put a HID bulb in stock housing. Is there any way to retrofit this housing with projectors or something else so that the HID is actually doing its job well? I have an 03 btw. Also what manufacturers or websites are good to get retrofits from?

 

You need to purchase retrofits or have a retrofit done, it is not cheap. There are some in the FS section:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/d2s-projector-headlights.392317/

Instead I would strongly recommend this upgrade, I did it on my 03 DCSB:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-not-led-or-hid.398066/

 

The retrofit source is probably this most well knows supplier of projector retrofits but it can be extremely pricey. You can use HIDs in mirrored housings but not recommended. Depending on your skill level and how comfortable you are with baking open your headlights. You may decide to buy housings pre built with projectors

 

Do you have pictures of your light output. I've seen that thread before.

 

How are the spyder headlights the angel eyes or the Euro hid ones?

 

not good from what i hear, i have no experience with them though

 

I do not have pictures from the light output from my 03. You can see the delta with stock compared to upgrade in the first pic in that thread, my 03 was very similar.

 

Was the wiring straight forward?

 

Yes, the harness is plug and play. If you can plug in a headlight bulb and connect a positive and negotiable terminal on a battery you can do the wiring.The 03 is ground switched, not conventionally switched like the 2nd gens. There is a link in the thread for the ground switched harness.

 

And you retain high and low beams right?

 

Correct. Operation from the driver perspective will be identical.

 

Whats the deal with the lights not being "legal" for highway use. Is it even possible for a cop to notice these? They are stock color.

 

Anything over 60/55w is not legal for highway use, meaning the bulbs themselves are legal but not to use on public roads. That is a DOT standard.

Cops won't notice because the beam cut off is like stock, so to oncoming vehicles the headlights do not appear brighter, unlike HIDs or most LEDs. The lights are a little whiter than the stock bulbs, but still in the halogen specrum so it doesn't scream illegal retrofit. I pulled up right behind cops with my lights on several times, and despite my truck being higher than their car, the beam cut off keeps the lights out off the rear view. Never once been an issue on any of the 4 trucks I've done this on, or my gf's escape which has the same mod.