H-9 to H-11??

Has anyone out there tired this trick before?

Watch the youtube link below

Modifying a much brighter H-9 bulb ( the one used in your high beams ) so you can use it in your low beam housing. Easy mods. Seems like a big bang for the buck too. You already have a strong cut off line in the projector housing for the lows but you may still get brighted for doing this??? Maybe worth a try for 10 bucks to see if it works I never can have enough light and always want more of it.

Yes, I've looked and the wires feeding both the high's and low's. They are the same gauge so that not an issues there.

Also, I would never recommended doing this mod for brighter lights.. this isn't even me typing... and if it was me typing I would never intentionally break the law buy running brighter lights.

Cheers,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mrbdQmck7E

 

No. This mod is garbage.

The problem with H9s in an H11 housing is that the H11 is designed to have end caps on the bulb and control glare to maintain a controlled beam pattern. The H9 high beam does not have end caps and emits glare everywhere, which is fine on a high beam, but on low beam where you need a controlled beam pattern to face oncoming traffic that is definitely not ok. You might as well put an HID in a halogen reflector and blind everyone with your glare.

I spent some time trying to come up with a better way to have higher performing H11s, this is what I came up with to double the light output:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-foglight-upgrade-not-led-or-hid.435419/

 

Just curious if you've actually tried it??? That is the bulb swap?? For $20 I just want to try it even if it's just against the garage doors? P.S. great detailed write-ups @crashnburn80

 

Are you saying this because of the reflector headlight housings on the 2nd gen?

Since 3rd gen has the controlled beam projector housing, shouldn't this work fine?

 

I did this mod on my third gen. There is no glare as the projectors cut the beam off. Haven't been flashed a single time, and it has been a good 6-7 months since doing the mod.

Top is before, bottom is after:



Double the lumens for $20? Yes, please.

Yup.

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My long-term plan is to do the Ultimate Headlight Upgrade mod.

 

I did this to mine, I used PIAA H9 bulbs for hi/lo/fog. Everything is perfect. As someone mentioned the glare is not as he described with a projector housing, really shouldnt make garbage comments like that as a general statement.

 

@0210 @CVOTRDSPORT

Thanks guys!!! This is exactly why I love this form. I wanted to hear from someone who's actually done it not someone who's guessing. Sould be he biggest bang for the buck mod out there. I'm doing it. Thanks again guys!!!!!!

 

I was thinking this would be a cool swap into the fog light housing?? Anyone try that yet?? I'd go LED don't have to worry about heat with the LED.

 

@CVOTRDSPORT

Is the mod to the bulb just as the video describes?? Anything else I should kno? Seems really easy. On a scale of 1-10 how would you describe the improvement? 1 being lame and 10 being totally AMAZING.

 

We've now tried three different LED set-up and I'm not impressed at all with the LED's. Some weren't even drivable... all were recommended thru this sight. I'm going to do the conversion to both Hi and Fog lights and see how I like it.

@CVOTRDSPORT Did it to his fogs. How was the result CVO?

Thanks for the info!!!!

 

As some one who has been blinded by on coming lights, I ask that people use caution with this stuff. We all want more light, until we crest that hill or round that corner and blind the on coming vehicle and then who knows what happens.

 

I totally agree. However, I'd also say that in a lot of situations the "stock" headlights are just unsafe. In Montana for example the speed limit is 80 MPH. Diving at those speeds with your low beams on is an experience with big game and livestock often on the road. For those of us who don't live in populated areas or cities with lots of people and travel long distances without seeing anyone else on the roads I don't have an issue running brighter bulbs especially when no ones flashed you.

I'd also suggest that some cars just come with amazing light stock... no ones is changing them.. thats how they came from the factory. Others comes with crap lights. Not all lights are equal thats for sure. Upgrading ours may very well still be below the light output of others that are simply stock.

Note: A friend of mine is a State Trooper and they run 65watt low and 100 watt highs all the time... everywhere.

 

3rd gen bro... We have projector

 

@adventure box. Sorry it took so long to reply. Heres my feedback. I have had aftermarket HIDs in my HD's with reflector housings and they really suck for oncoming traffic. They are blinding, but in my case I wanted to be seen and since I didn't ride much after dark they weren't as offensive. The only good HID in a vehicle is a factory installed ones! Thats why they will cost you a grand for a set or more. Every aftermarket ones I have seen are friggn out of control, especially these bozo's that go with 8k-12k color scale in a reflector housing.
I had 2 Infiniti's with HID from the factory. in 10 years never had one go bad, of course the 05 G35 cooked the lenses from the bugs and heat and had to have them polished out every year.
I have a Lexus with factory projector LED's Friggen junk if you ask me. LED lighting performs well in short distances, but LED light does not project any distances, I can drive around with the high beams and no one flashes me back. Do it with the H9's and I get flashed.
To answer the question of on a scale of 1-10, I would say they are about 8-10 for me and heres why. I drive around with lows and fogs on, I live in a forested canyon, the work very well the fog housing is low and wide, it helps looking for deer.
High beams are the normal H9 hi beams but the PIAA bulbs are a 5k-6k color and look bright and will blind people, I do have to drive responsibly, but can be an ass if I have to. As you all know the H9s are 10 watts more than the H11s were.
I absolutely love them, bang for the buck it beats all the heat and wiring of HIDs and for way less than half of HID costs with wiring issues. Its been a year now and still is good. In my case I would have to order a PIAA one if one were to blow, but I can always put an old H11 set in until it comes in.

As an informational note. 99% of people who put big tires or lift their trucks do readjust their lights.

 

Great response! Thanks for taking the time to answer!!!!

 

Glad to be of help. Good luck with your decision.

 

Stock headlight being unsafe, yes that needs to fixed, maybe by the manufacture, but honestly I am sure they are with-in what our government deems safe (right or wrong). If your driving with your low beams on, that would lead me to believe there are other vehicles around who should also be lighting the road, if no other vehicles around then shit put on the freaking spot lights as your not putting other drivers or yourself at risk of being blinded. Ever come on a vehicle quickly and not been able to see, I have a few times and it sucks, once almost went off the side of the road.

I have many miles behind me in Moose, deer and other wildlife country, and your dam right I want to be ready for them. Now at 80 miles an hour do you think you will have much of a choice if you see an animal 350 feet in front of you? Shit even 500 feet.

Oh and just because no one flashes doesn't mean it didn't blind them, that just means they don't want to be an asshole and potentially blind you and cause an accident. Maybe they live by treat others how you want to be treated.

And in my first post, all I asked is lets be considerate of other's eyes and every ones safety.

 

All very good points @bcrobbin. Keep in mind I haven't done anything yet and totally 100% agree on not being an ass. Most people here agree too.

So what have I done: I have installed two led light bars for when no one is coming and I can light the road up. Lots of light.

I guess my overall point was that even within the different brands of cars and truck out there on the road there is a massive discrepency between one "55 Watt" low beam and another "55 Watt low" beam. It's a nearly impossible scale to judge other than what your eye tells you... one is brighter than the other. All I can tell you is that my 2016 Tacoma's low beams are not nearly as bright as many other low beams I've seen and compared them to. My girlfriends 2014 Ford Escape has more low beam light in a side by side comparison.

So the possibility running more wattage on my low beams may just get me to her ford Escape standard... maybe not.. but we will see. That is my overall intention is... to have more light and be on par with what I see out there on the road while not be offensive to others. Do I care if it takes a 100 watt bulb that gets me to the "Normal" standard... no. I just want good clean no yellow light. I don't want to piss people off and I certainly don't want to cause anyone else issues. My set up won't do either... but it will have more light.

 

Nice light bars by the way. And again I agree, lights are important and we all should be on equal lumens and what not. As one who struggles with bright lights in my eyes, I will continue to encourage every one to not take it too far.