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aftermarket lights

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by Yota013, Jan 1, 2020.

  1. Jan 1, 2020 at 9:58 PM
    #1
    Yota013

    Yota013 [OP] Active Member

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    I bought new headlights for my 2019 toyota tacoma off of tacomabeast website. they are the projector headlights w/sequential turn signals and they come with different bulbs. i want leds and want to know what are the best. if anyone has and suggestions that would be great thank you.
     
  2. Jan 1, 2020 at 10:04 PM
    #2
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 Vehicle Design Engineer

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    Best was your stock OEM assemblies. TacomaBeast is a significant downgrade from stock.

    Best performing LED I’ve tried is the Hikari Ultra, which is the only replacement LED I’ve tested as higher intensity than stock at distance. Although the Hikaris cannot match peak intensity of performance halogens.

    See post #3 in this thread for the Hikaris and other LEDs:
    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-hid-vs-led-vs-halogen-h11-projector-headlights.589465/
     
  3. Jan 1, 2020 at 10:07 PM
    #3
    Jason TRD OR

    Jason TRD OR SIBI BUILT LLC

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    Sibi Built LLC Placentia, CA
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    King suspension w/ compression adjusters custom valving and 700# coils. Icon DJ uca. Icon RXT leafs Option #3. Durobumps. Demello rock sliders. Demello 30” Light Bar Baja Hoop bumper with Smittybuilt X2O winch w/ Amber baja design fogs w/ single row Baja Designs S8 amber light bar. Brute force Fab HC rear bumper. Behind Grille Light bar. TRD Pro Skid plate. Pelfrey Mid and Transfer case skid. TC spindle and cam tab gussets. Pop and lock. Method NV wheels 16”. SpiderTrax 1.25” wheel adapters. Yokohama Geolandar M/T (315/75/16). CMC. Radiator core reinforcement. Pro grille. Tailgate inlays. Baja Designs A pillar Ditch lights. Leer 100 XQ shell w/ power locks. In bed mounted spare. Blacked out emblems. Bed Mat. Bed Stiffeners. K&N air filter. Black Headlight Mod w/ LED projectors. Wrap Armor Anti glare hood and bedside decals. American flag decals. Northstar 24F AGM Pro battery. Differential breather relocate to rear tail light. Prinsu Designs Cabrack and Cap rack. OVTUNE Sibi Custom performance 4.88 91 fuel AGM . Nitro Gear 4:88 gears. Mountain hatch tailgate insert. In bed mounted Krazy Beaver shovel with Relentless quick fist bedrail mounts. MESO ultimate turn signals. AJT Designs Quicksand Key Fob. ECGS front needle bearing bushing replacement. Tepui LoPro 2 RTT.
    X2
     
  4. Jan 1, 2020 at 10:10 PM
    #4
    Mo86

    Mo86 Well-Known Member

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    Icon Lift, SCS wheels, BFG KO2, TRD PRO grill, 3TPAM
    I have the same. I completely agree.
     
    Yota013[OP] likes this.
  5. Jan 1, 2020 at 10:26 PM
    #5
    Spazum888

    Spazum888 Well-Known Member

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    I have GTR Lighting Ultra series 2 and love them.
    Super bright, crisp, clean. Really happy with them, just kinda $$$.
    I debated getting these, MORIMOTO 2STROKE 2.0, or the Diode Dynamics H11 bulbs. Ill see if I can upload the video of stock vs these.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    Yota013[OP] likes this.
  6. Jan 1, 2020 at 10:44 PM
    #6
    Spazum888

    Spazum888 Well-Known Member

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  7. Jan 1, 2020 at 11:54 PM
    #7
    Yota013

    Yota013 [OP] Active Member

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    wow that’s a huge difference @Spazum888
    is that just in the stock headlights? or those aftermarket?
     
  8. Jan 1, 2020 at 11:56 PM
    #8
    Joe.Dirt

    Joe.Dirt Well-Known Member

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    /thread
     
    crashnburn80[QUOTED] and Chew like this.
  9. Jan 2, 2020 at 6:12 AM
    #9
    Color_Me_Taco

    Color_Me_Taco Well-Known Member

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    ADD, Rigid, ToyTech, DBcustomz, Methods, Nittos, Powertank, Morimoto
    I'm running the Morimoto headlight and I'll comment a couple things. I had LED bulbs in the factory projectors and they worked great. Very bright. To the point I had many people "flash" me in oncoming traffic. I've always heard led bulbs in projectors for halogens is not the perfect set up.
    After installing the morimoto, I've no longer had this issue and they are very bright. I also love the turn signal and look. I do have a bit of a fitment issue(gap) that I'm trusting will be resolved.
    Lastly, I've read TacomaBeast mixed reviews of the TacomaBeast product line. I hope you ultimately find the set up you like.
     
    bbartol likes this.
  10. Jan 2, 2020 at 6:26 AM
    #10
    Taco_Coma

    Taco_Coma That's a lovely accent you have. New Jersey?

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    Have you tried the new hikaris?
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XP24CN...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
     
  11. Jan 2, 2020 at 6:58 AM
    #11
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 Vehicle Design Engineer

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    Those will perform poorly. The LED emitter does not replicate a halogen filament, meaning it will not have focus. Note those are the low end Hikaris, not their premium Hikari ‘Ultra’ line that I would recommend for those looking for a replacement LED headlight bulb in 3rd Gen. So while they are the ‘new’ model, they are the new poor low end model and not as good of a design as their premium Ultra model.

    The ultras have a white box, the lower end Hikaris are in a black or red box. I’ll also point out the statement on the box about being DOT Compliant is a lie, since replacement headlight LEDs are not compliant or legal.
     
    Taco_Coma[QUOTED] likes this.
  12. Jan 2, 2020 at 1:54 PM
    #12
    Spazum888

    Spazum888 Well-Known Member

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    OEM headlines. Just changed out the bulbs.
     
    Superdave1.0 likes this.
  13. Jan 2, 2020 at 2:51 PM
    #13
    Supa White Taco

    Supa White Taco Well-Known Member

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    OP there is tons of info about LEDs in our stock projectors and almost all of them perform worse than stock. If you have to have LEDs go with the Hikari Ultras, they are relatively affordable and there is data supporting its an actual upgrade in our headlights.
     
    Hoff likes this.
  14. Jan 2, 2020 at 4:50 PM
    #14
    TacoTurboMan

    TacoTurboMan Well-Known Member

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    I've had these aftermarket LEDs installed for almost a week now. I love the Hikaris
     
  15. Jan 2, 2020 at 5:04 PM
    #15
    Joe.Dirt

    Joe.Dirt Well-Known Member

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    Just so you know, crashnburn80 is the most knowledgeable person on this whole forum when it comes to lights. He has extensive research done on tons and tons of lights that definitely tell you everything you need to know about them. Trust him.
     
    WARPED5 likes this.
  16. Jan 2, 2020 at 5:15 PM
    #16
    TacoTurboMan

    TacoTurboMan Well-Known Member

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    Vouch...I chose the Hikaris based on his posts while researching my best options for LEDs to swap my halogens with. I also shot him a PM recently with some questions I had. Very willing to help and a reliable source!
     
  17. Jan 14, 2020 at 4:28 PM
    #17
    E1402

    E1402 New Member

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    Have you been able to test the gtr ultra 2 yet or read anything about them?
     
  18. Jan 14, 2020 at 6:11 PM
    #18
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 Vehicle Design Engineer

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    Welcome! I have not yet tested the GTR Ultra 2. Headlight Revolution makes a lot of marketing claims that I would call, well, marketing. Promoting things like more adjustability! is actually a bad thing, not a good one. And claiming things like optimizing the position of the LED for perfect alignment doesn't work if the design is adjustable. It is difficult to tell for certain in photos, but the emitters look a bit large, which will result in lack of focus, meaning more foreground light and less distance projection which is not a good thing. Typically that may be done to build a brighter light, but brighter with less distance projection isn't a good thing. You want small emitters for a more focused light, which will have better concentrated intensity and project light further and have a better light pattern distribution. You also want the distance between the emitter faces to be as small as possible for the same focus reasons, the photos make it difficult to determine how far apart they are. It would be interesting to measure with a digital caliper. The best I've tested are the H11 Hikari Ultras.
     
  19. Jan 14, 2020 at 7:14 PM
    #19
    E1402

    E1402 New Member

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    Dont know if this helps any

    20200114_211309.jpg
     
  20. Jan 14, 2020 at 8:09 PM
    #20
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 Vehicle Design Engineer

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    Would help if the quarters were the same to use markings for reference.

    7D037E87-08B9-4B4E-AA8E-C1C57FBC444A.jpg

    The GTR emitters look like they are offset from the plate more, which isn’t good for focus, though the critical measurement is distance between the emitter faces.
     

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