Upgrading the headlight to HID vs. LED

I've recently completed an HID low-beam retrofit with the 5000k Diode Dynamics HID kit and Heavy Duty Relay and I'm VERY pleased. The wiring is very high quality and is an easy install. The output is vastly improved from the stock Halogen.

At the same time, I went with the Diode Dynamics 5000k LED high-output fogs, and am also very impressed.

I would recommend the 5000k set because they match the LED DRLs almost perfectly. They look OEM.

I did the Diode Dynamics setup, and there is no apparent vibrational issues either.

Yes, the stock projector is designed for halogens, but from experience, with HIDs the distribution is almost perfect. There is a very crisp cutoff, and they are properly staggered to be lower on the drivers side to avoid shining into oncoming traffic. The only minor issue that I have noticed is that with the increased output, there are some very minor reflections from the rest of the headlight enclosure. Shining on a flat white wall in absolute darkness in the garage, there is some VERY MINOR reflections above the cutoff coming from the reflective surround (not the actual projector). In real world useage, I doubt that this would be any issue.

 

If you to save a ton of money, have a lot of light output, and NOT risk screwing up the truck electronics......try converting a pair of H9 bulbs (65W) to use in place of your H11 (55W).

The bulb is only $8:

$14 Philips 12361B1 H9 Standard Halogen Replacement Headlight Bulb, 1 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003YMPN3A

All you need are tin snips to cut a metal tab off the base of the H9, and a razor blaze or cutting tool to cut the soft plastic tab out of the base plug on the H9. Pictures here:. Tools I used:
-

$17 Crescent Wiss 9-3/4" MetalMaster Compound Action Snips - Straight, Left and Right Cut - M3R

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00002N5KQ/
-

$16 Xcelite 170M General Purpose Shearcutter, Diagonal, Flush Jaw, 5" Length, 3/4" Jaw length, Blue Grip

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002BBZIS/
- also used small needle nose pliers to help pull out plastic plug bits
- a razor blade may work on the plug
- I did use a dremmel to clean up the metal cut, but I think that isn't required, or you can use a file.

The H9s have a whiter output than standard H11. It is like the pure white of a Philips Xtremevision H11. They are about 2k lumens per side. It is just like running high beams all the time, but safe for other drivers due to the projection lens. Haven't been flashed yet.

Where else can you get ~4000 lumens for $16 and ten minutes of effort?

 

Yes the staggered lower left side is typical of all projectors in the US and other places where oncoming traffic is to your left. The problem is the projectors are designed with fresnel lenses to diffuse the light and they also have "squirrel spotters" which are designed to put light out above the cutoff line to spot overhead freeway signs and stuff. It's much better to use a tuned projector built for hid use. When you see the difference in person you realize how much better light output, cutoff line, and the concentrated hotspot are.

 

I've "seen the difference". My other car has very nice OEM adaptive HIDs so I am familiar with proper OEM distribution.

"It's much better to use a tuned projector built for hid use" may be a bit strong. Yes, it would be better to use a HID projector, but the cost/benefit analysis does not work out. The OEM halogen projector on the Tacoma are 95% of an HID projector to my eye and MOST IMPORTANTLY I do not see any safety issues about blinding oncoming drivers. If we were comparing a reflector style halogen headlight, to a HID projector, then the cost/benefit would be different.

 

Here you go. Best of luck.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/both-headlights-out.465051/

G.

 

He did not use use a proper relay harness and potentially melted wires and/or blew fuses.

 

Opt7 LEDs in lows and fogs. Plug and play. No issues.

 

NICE WHEELS!!!! haha I think you helped me out a lot since I have the same wheels too. Thank you! I am going through a lot of information about HID vs. LED... I even called Diode Dynamics and the guy STeve recommended HIDs vs. LEDs.. I am NOT about to Void a warranty on a new truck tho.. F*** that.

 

100W HIDs

 

You and I have the same truck FANTASTIC. I have used Diode Dynamics before and I was leaning towards them more.. Your kit was $180 correct? I know we can get a 5% discount if they have our email address. Is that what you paid?

 

All Tacoma trucks come with Halogen bulbs from the factory.

I love my Low Beam Morimoto 2-Stroke LEDs ($120). No problem with blinding on-coming traffic; nobody has flashed me.

I am running HID for High Beams (cheapo $30 OPT7), with no problems. They do take a bit of time to warm up and get to full brightness.

 

I have the Opt7 lows and fog lights. They are on Amazon for about $100 a pair and work perfect. Takes 10 minutes to install. I can't compare them to the halogens because after a hr of owning my truck I already had them replaced. Some people don't like how they don't throw far out but from my understanding there a adjustment on the back of the headlight (haven't messed with yet). For the price and easy install it was worth the money for me until I decide to go with a retro fit.

 

I personally would advise against using HID for high beams because you usually need them to activate quickly (not warm up slowly).

 

Haha what?

You aren't the only one who thinks this and I'm not sure where yall get it. The point of a projector is to project the light to a particular area - more specifically to create a cutoff so that you don't blind oncoming drivers. The stock projector does this very well, as it was designed to. "Retrofitting" an aftermarket projector does nothing in terms of "properly" housing an HID bulb. The stock projector is perfectly capable of holding an HID bulb without blinding on coming traffic. What's comical is "retrofitting" better aftermarket projectors only serves to give you more light output because of the superior glass which in terms of blinding oncoming traffic makes it worse than stock.

The whole "do it right and retrofit a projector for HIDs" only applies to vehicles that come with reflector style headlights. If the vehicle comes with projectors and halogen bulbs there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting HIDs behind them.

TLDR: there's no such thing as a "halogen projector" and "hid projector"... a projector is a projector and is capable of holding either type of light source (halogen, HID, LED, etc) without blinding on coming traffic - it is the whole point of it in the first place

 

It's understandable if you want to go the cheaper route, but don't act like there is no difference in a projectors. Will pnp hid kits work in the stock projector? No doubt. Will a tuned projector with a larger/wider bowl and clear (non frosted/fresnel lenses) designed for hid use, create a much better cutoff and produce less glare for oncoming traffic? Also yes. I was not saying there is anything wrong with a drop in kit, like there is in reflector type housings. I was saying that if he is going to modify his headlights, might as well do the best.

 

That's a stretch/exaggeration in my book but to each their own. I wasn't saying aftermarket projectors aren't better, merely that installing aftermarket projectors is far from necessary to use HID bulbs.

 

Nah, if you see the difference in person you would be able to see why people spend the $1000+ to retrofit. Like you said, it's surely not necessary to be able to use hids, but when you get that super crisp cutoff with a really nice pruple/blue strip of "flicker" and that wider perfectly even hotspot, you see why. To each their own. Exactly why some people are willing to pay for icon or king suspension, and other will only pay for spacers and blocks. Again, it's not necessary but the benefit is there.

 

I have seen the difference and I get it. No where near worth the coin or having to chop up the headlights for the difference in my opinion but as always to each their own. Fwiw, the stock projectors with a set of quality HIDs produces that blue strip. As for even light output - they could be better.

I'm on the other side of the fence for suspension though...

 

Why do you keep saying this?

My other car that sits 5' away from my tacoma has very nice OEM adaptive HID projectors that was a couple thousand dollar option. The difference IS NOT WORTH $1000 and having to break open an expensive headlight housing to retrofit a Tacoma.

My truck has a "perfectly crisp cutoff", has a "blue flicker", and an "even hotspot". Have you seen quality HIDs in a third gen Tacoma?

 

My stock Halogen bulbs on my '17 trd pro produce the "blue strip" as well, but they sure don't do it like our '13 tacoma with tuned acura TL with oem Phillips xtreme vision d2s bulbs do. Lol, its all about value to the person spending the cash though! I'm about to do morimoto d2s 4.0 mini on my trd pro, with CBI bulbs. Worth the money to me!

First off, your other car's headlights probably suck then! Lol. Next, your truck does not produce a perfectly crisp cutoff, and neither does your other car if they are the untuned factory projectors with the fresnel lenses as I've stated a few other times. Third, there is no quality re-based hid bulbs imo, and that is exactly what you'll be getting for your h11 projectors. I wouldn't use anything other than an OEM hid bulbs. I understand if you don't wanna drop the coin, but there is a big difference! I guarantee you our '13 tacoma with TL retrofit and philips XV's would blow your other car's headlights out of the water! Was it worth the money to me? Yes. I was just making a recommendation to you. You don't wanna go that route, no big deal.