Read through a whole lot of headlight threads

2007 Prerunner just back from the body shop with "new" headlights. They refurbished mine.
What aftermarket headlights have held up over the years? Are any of them looking good after 4 or 5 years?
Show me what you have.

 

None of the aftermarket lamps are going to hold up to what OEM will. They're built with cheaper materials and finishes to meet a lower price point.

If they "refurbished" your headlights, you need to ask what they did. If they just buffed the haze off of them, then you need to protect the bare polycarbonate with something thay has good UV protection and bonds to the plastic. I would suggest picking up a can of "LiteRight," which will UV cure and crosslink to the popycarbonate. Your next best bet is a can of 2k clearcoat. You'll need a respirator and organic vapor cartridges to protect your lungs when using that for sure.

If the reflectors of your refurbished headlamps are visibly dull, then you could try cleaning them with warm distilled water and a very weak/diluted simple green solution, by removing the lamps from the truck and gently swishing the solution around in them, then rinsing many times with distilled water, and allowing them to dry at a very low temp in the oven (set them on a piece of wood). If this doesn't improve them much visibly, or there's spiderwebbing/cracks/pitting in the reflective finish, no point in protecting the polycarbonate lens. The reflective material is shot, and you need a new headlamp.

 

If you read through a whole lot of headlight threads and are still asking, you must have missed the definative one for 2nd gens.

Search for 'the ultimate headlight upgrade'

 

I did read all of that. Not looking to retire the front end.

 

No comprende

If you meant 'rewire' it's pretty PnP

Or you can use bulbs he suggests that dont need a harness upgrade.

Just depends on your usable light goals

@crashnburn80

 

I cleaned my front lenses on my 2006 Tacoma with a paste of baking soda and vinegar. I of course cleaned them with windex first and then used a cloth pad on my electric drill with a foam pad I picked up from HFT. Worked ok, surface is smooth and much clearer lenses than before. Good enough for now.l

 

The bare polycarbonate will be damaged by salt spray and UV. You should make sure to coat it with something like I referenced to sealnthe lenses and keep them clear.

 

All of the correct work was done. I’m asking what aftermarket headlights people have had success with.
Thanks for all of the direction, but I don’t need that.

 

Not sure if owners get super bright headlights immediately taken care of. The life expectancy of super bright headlights not so long, so far as what I’ve read. Humorous side note: My aging 20/20 vision getting sparkler like spike flares looking at very bright headlights at night. Dimmer older lights, not so much.