What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

My feeling is that it’s like anything else, if you are trying to be helpful, then it is a good thing to let someone know that they are blinding others.

Being helpful means that you give them a couple quick flashes, as opposed to pounding on all the off-road lights and leaving them illuminated in order to blind the person who has LEDs or a light bar can use.

So much today, people opt for the second alternative - trying to win the “blinding battle.” That kind of behavior would absolutely cause the opposite reaction.

However, I think there are still plenty of people out there who think that they’ve done themselves a favor with a headlight upgrade, but if enough people politely flash them to let them know that there is a problem, they might at least take it in to get looked at.

The way I approach it is a couple quick flashes. Usually, if the person is paying attention, and their highbeams are not on, they will flash their highbeams as well to let me know that those are their lows. If I get no reaction from them, I flash the hellas at them. But I leave it at that, because there’s no reason to road rage my lights at them (even if it feels good). I’ve let them know that they have an issue.

Well, I guess I do leave my Hellas on in the case where they have a full array of light bars turned on, and don’t turn them off after I flash them. But then, they deserve it.

 

I just put some Matrix seats in my truck and same "high in the saddle" result. I actually like it at 5'11", but I can see anybody more than an inch taller than me having a problem. The inside legs of the Matrix seats are flat on the floor and the outside legs needed about 1 3/4" spacer blocks to stay level side to side.

I like the new position. Makes it feel like the truck has a lift. I do slide the seat back when I exit and it makes getting in easier.

 

Any pics? How did they bolt up? What year/model matrix?

 

Been a few months work fixing it up lots of new parts lots of grinding and painting underneath. Got this pig on the road again, registered and driving around now with 300k

 

I'm around 5'11" too. I wont be heartbroken if the seats mount up the same as in my kids 4runner. I feel like I can see over the nose a little better. I keep the seat leaned back pretty far, so there's worry about head room. But I'd prefer to try and lower the seat closer to original.

 

This is essentially what I do, but for different reasons. I don't flash them when we are close, and would never consider brighting them as revenge. I figure if we are both blinded there is a good chance of a crash. Self preservation is more important than teaching them a lesson. At least it is for me. The fact that I drive a school bus for a living might have something to do with that, or maybe just that I don't want to die.

 

this would all come to an end if dummies would stop putting LED/HIDs in reflector bowl headlights designed for halogens. also people that are buying aftermarket sae fogs and don't know how to aim them, . the whole lighting industry just sucks tbh

 

Honestly-yeah, I’d change it if people started flashing their lights or if I felt I was blinding others. I don’t think these are doing that. If I get the impression otherwise, I’ll switch them out. They just don’t seem that bright to me. I feel like I have a more “normal” view ahead of me now, as compared to our family vehicle with no LEDs.

Edit: but random guys on tacomaworld jumping on me out of the blue will likely just make me dig my heals in.

 

Just because you don't "feel" like you're blinding people doesn't mean that you aren't. Do you have a picture of the cutoff? If you have a clean cutoff, you're good. If not, you're blinding people...

 

Little all day retro hid project

 

that's pretty neat. i likey

i have the same exact setup haha. looks like d2s 5.0 and pana shrouds

 

I have a full set of the helicoil kit to do the plug, can get you the part number if you like.

Honestly, I've always felt ANY aluminum head ought to have these in it, or put in at the first sign of wear. Aluminum heads are just too soft to take something too many people overtorque on install (plugs)

I did my #4 on the side of the street at midnight. Took about 90 minutes, as I'd never done it before, was working by flashlight, and being super cautious to keep as much frag out of the hole as possible. There's several good YouTube videos on the subject. I can't find any now because Work blocks YouTube. Remind me and I'll find the video I followed.

 

I usually don't flash people cause there are always people behind them or in front of me and I don't want to upset everyone around them too. Most just dig their heels in and wouldn't change their LED's out anyways.

 

With all this headlight talk. What would be the best halogen bulb to put in my stock housing? I can’t afford $500 for hid headlight upgrade and don’t want to blind people.

Also just finally did the wiper fluid relocation. just need to get a self taping bolt for the second hole since I was only able to for one bolt in right now.

 

The problem is, you're blinding everyone ELSE on the road.

Been there, done that. They got thrown away.

The issue is that they don't build these bulbs to the engineering spec of the originals.... so the light comes from a different point in the reflector, and goes everywhere.

 

I have these and have been happy with them.

$29 PHILIPS X-treme Vision +130% Headlight Bulbs (Pack of 2) (H4 60/55W)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NMEEOV2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I've tried it both ways. I flash people, I don't flash people. It doesn't make a difference. They're fucking clueless out there these days or too self absorbed to give a shit.


I had a guy in a ford behind me in a construction zone last month - shitty LED upgrade, shitty high beams, and a light bar. All on. It was bright enough to read in my cab, even with an auto dimming mirror and a dark tinted rear window for a solid 20 minutes while I was stuck with this asshole behind me.

Fuck that.

 

I'm running these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QJWUPC6
I'm pretty happy with them.

 

thanks! How long have you had them?

 

Now that I have a commuter car that has rear view mirrors at the same height as most peoples headlights, I absolutely detest people who combine the wrong bulb with the wrong housing. And its easy to tell. Cheap LED's in reflector housings light up the freaking tree tops but dont go very far at all, yet somehow morons think its an "upgrade."