3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights

Keep in mind, this is the target size for proper focus:


Focus is the #1 most critical design component for a replacement LED in a halogen assembly. Even the very best opposing emitters on a blade style LEDs have not yet achieved this focus. Morimoto 2 stroke 3.0 is the closest. Any LEDs today using more than 2 sides will be massively larger than the target size, providing no focus at all and be a complete failure. Definitely not recommended.

 

Makes me want to try this: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bestest-brightest-replacement-headlamps.793243/#:~:text=2023 at 11:-,16,-AM

What are your thoughts on this project?

I retrofitted some RX350 HID projectors into a Legacy GT I had a while back and the results were really good.

 

I’m unsure what project you are referring to. That thread links back to this thread and primarily discusses an H9 swap or OEM LED swap.

RX350s were covered in this thread as well, those are extremely nice, and one of the best setups possible, especially with upgraded bulbs. But they do require retrofitting and have the added complexity of HID, vs the OEM plug and play LED assemblies (with adapter harness).

 

I'm sorry if that was obtuse, read post 20 (retrofitting late model OE toyota LED projectors into the Tacoma lamp, the Camry or Corolla projectors). I have a collection of OE LED lamps off these cars at my shop.

 

Ah, I see. I haven’t heard of anyone doing that swap specifically but don’t see why it wouldn’t be feasible. The OEM LEDs tend to have pretty large heat sinks, so that would be something to look at and factor. You can check the specific years on IIHS headlight ratings for some understanding on which might be better.

 

That's a great idea to look at IIHS ratings. Thanks for that info.

 

Wow. RIP.
https://www.hidplanet.com/

 

Wow! It's gone? I've been on there for a long time. What happened?

 

The site goes down from time to time, it's happened before.

 

lost power, lights went out

 

Talk in other headlight groups that is that it is gone. Unknown. Seems like the site is unreliable at best, TBD I guess. Looking more the site has been down for extended periods many times before.

 

Has anyone tried out these HIDs? They are almost $330 bucks but I'm hoping they might be as good as the German Phillips 4300K HIDs which seem to be discontinued.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/H11-Ultra-Series-HID-System?quantity=1

Or I may go for the cheaper Morimotos on the site. they're only like $200

 

Call TRS and check but I believe in a projector set up you'll want the H11B as the H11A will put the ground strap in the output field of the bulb and make a shadow. I put a Morimoto kit in my wife's 2018 Civic which uses H11 bulbs in a projector and TRS said use the B ones. They've been in there for 4 years and 80,000 miles trouble free.

 

While I wouldn’t recommend putting HIDs in a halogen projector due to the blinding amounts of uplight that halogen projectors allow which is based on having a halogen light source, I’m pretty certain the Tacoma takes H11B.

 

It definitely does.

 

Yes my friend told me to get the H11B for sure. Just wish they had Phillips 4300k bulbs still. So no one has bought the GTR Ultra HID? I am trying to improve my visibility at night.

 

Unfortunately I have not but we are very happy with the Morimoto kit in my wife's Civic.

 

It is interesting GTR is placed above Morimoto in price on those, as Morimoto is supposed to be the premium brand and GTR the budget friendly one. I have no data on them. If you are replacing an old setup, keep in mind bulbs dim over time, so new bulbs should be brighter. HIDs are far brighter than stock, I wouldn’t suggest putting the brightest HIDs possible in a halogen projector as you just end up blinding everyone else on the road. To properly run HIDs you should run a retrofit with an HID projector that won’t blind others, then you can use one that takes proper D2S HID bulbs rather than the cheap Chinese ones you are looking at. From there you could run vastly superior and far brighter performance German HID bulbs from Osram and Philips.

 

Speaking of retrofit projectors, are there any LED or HID aftermarket options that you would recommend? Or find some OEMs to pull apart to use as a retrofit?

 

just search RX350 projector on this site. Lots of posts.