3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights

If I were to wager a bet as to what he would say based on all his data (see post #1) if it’s with the stock projector housing in 3rd gens then no, HID is a poor choice (as well as LED). They are designed for halogens and you will get the best results with halogens (best from his testing is phillips h9 which you have to modify by trimming a tab, followed closely by GE 130+ H11). The ultimate/best performing upgrade would be a retrofit (like with RX350 projectors).

 

How to get 16% higher output:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...voltage-booster-upgrade.604478/#post-20368718

 

The correct thing to do would be running halogens in your halogen projector, the best performing option would be the Philips H9s. Output will be far above and beyond the stock setup for low beam. To run HIDs correctly you should run an HID projector, which is designed for HID and doesn't have the squirrel spotters like the halogen projectors. The OEM RX350 projectors are widely regarded to be one of the best. The stock Philips H9 is the best bulb I have tried so far for the high beam, but I have the last sets of new bulbs ones arriving tomorrow to compare. Boosting the voltage will increase output of all the incandescent lights, although it will also reduce their life span.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-northstar-agm-battery-voltage-booster-upgrade.604478/

Nailed it.

 

Haha thanks I was second guessing myself after posting. One thing I have always questioned is are the RX350 projectors built for HID or LED’s or potentially both? I always see the word xenon thrown around and couldn’t figure it out with dr google.

Also, I got the harness that was mentioned here and modified it using a weller soldering gun with cutting tip so in the future my H9’s will be plug and play. It worked perfectly. Do the bulbs need to sit in a specific orientation once locked into their socket? It seems as though one side is sitting perfectly straight towards the ground and one is sitting slightly crooked but they are locked and sealed in perfectly.

 

Did you trim the metal tabs on the H9 bulb so they resemble the H11? It shouldn't matter if the radiation pattern is rotationally symmetrical around the filament axis, and I don't think the insertion depth is too much different if you don't. It still seems to go in nice and tight like prom night if you don't. But people talk about doing it so there is probably a reason.

 

The RX350 projectors are HID. A true LED projector will have the LED built into the unit, it won’t be a serviceable bulb.

‘Xenon’ can be misleading, as HID may be referred to as Xenon, as well as halogen bulbs that are filled with Xenon gas instead of halogen gas. Then their are the bulbs that market themselves as Xenon for trying to be ultra white to look like HID.

As mentioned the filament should be in the axial center so as you rotate the bulb the filament doesn’t move in position, meaning if the base is slightly cocked it should be fine. I have seen manufacturing flaws where the collar isn’t mounted in perfect alignment, which causes the off angled base that you are seeing when the bulb is seated. I bet one of the bulb collars is slightly misaligned. What bulbs are you running?

Talk about trimming the collar? It depends on the bulb and the housing. It is a tight fit but some bulbs actually won’t fit. The only ones I’ve had that case with on the 3rd Gen lights are the Xencn bulbs. Some have been tricky, but all the rest I’ve tried fit with some patience.

 

I was wondering if the H9 bulb is really inserted correctly because sometimes I can't seem to rotate the bulb so the connector is facing down (vertical), and I'm pretty sure the insertion depth is important. Some people talk about trimming the tabs/lugs with a dremel. Not sure if the tab just prevents you from entering the mount, or whether it also prevents you from rotating the bulb fully into position because there is a stop molded into the female plastic housing. It looks like the rotational orientation when you start inserting, might matter.

 

When I put my H9s in the low beams projector housing, they wouldn't fit at first. I simply twisted the tab with needle nosed pliers. They fit in easily then, and turned to the correct vertical position. No dremel needed.

 

I haven't ever modified the tabs. I hook one of the tabs behind by inserting the bulb at an angle, then rotate to insert the other two tabs. I will try your needle nose pliers technique, thanks.

 

The 70w H9s showed up. We’ll see if they are any good. Annoyed that I ordered 2 sets of these, and only 1 set showed up.

 

Nope didn’t trim the metal tabs. Maybe that’s the culprit?

Sweet, thanks for the clarification. I am running the phillips H9. I might have to mess around with trimming the collar later today.

 

Just now I tried taking about 3 mm off the left side (as shown in the pic) of the top tab, with tin snips. Worked great. Side cutters will likely work too. Don't think a dremel is the best tool for the job.

Wear latex gloves while you are doing it, it is hard not to touch the glass while you are handling the bulb!

 

I tried that with tin snips for an H9 that didn't fit and had a hard time, I think my snips are too large. I used a dremel with a small cut off wheel but you have to be really careful to not nick the bulb seal. I put some cardboard behind the tab and in-front of the seal as a guard against nicking the seal and it worked well. You definitely want to wear gloves.

 

$6 Hakko-CHP-170 Micro Cutter - Red

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FZPDG1K?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

Someone had mentioned these micro cutters on another h11 to h9 thread.....they work well trimming the plastic ridge inside the plug housing and also trimming the metal tab. Cuts right through the plastic. Just indent the metal tab where you want to cut with these then grab that piece and twist it off. Each bulb took me less than a minute.

 

That cutter is similar to the one I used to trim my h9's. Quick and clean.

 

Thanks for keeping us in mind.

In my opinion the best way to see is to install it for yourself and see how it looks in real world driving (they have a no hassle warranty/return so you have nothing to lose if you are not 100% happy). But I think you will be very happy as I have also doubted there really was a LED solution until I saw them in person.

But this is my person experience with deAutoLED and in no way, shape or form taking away from what Crash said in this thread and what he suggests. It is all preference but wanted to give you my honest opinion.

@crashnburn80 keep up the good work as I always enjoy reading these thread!

 

That is quite a bit smaller than the one I had tried to use. But you shouldn’t need to trim the Philips to fit, they will seat in properly.

 

I just put Philips H9’s in my HB and LB with the modified adapter plug extensions for LB. I couldn’t get the bulbs to snap into the projector with the connector straight down on the LB. they are in and secure, just not clocked like the bulbs that came out. Same thing happened when moving my GE +130’s to my fogs. Could not get them to snap in the same orientation of the bulbs that came out. If I twisted any harder on any of them, something was going to break.

 

Does anybody sell a modified RX 350 HID headlamp assembly to retrofit into my 2018 TRD OR?

Listening to crashnburn80 has me talked out of putting any sort of LED or HID bulbs into my stock headlamp housings...

And I do appreciate his H9 bulb modification- really helped night time driving.

 

@hyper15125 might be able to shed some light. Are you looking to DIY a retrofit, or have them retrofitted by a pro?