Swapping LED Headlights for SR/SR5

Needs a timer and relay just like the SR halogen to LED harness. And some female H9’s. Presumably any OEM LED to halogen harness requires a frame ground as halogens need 5 grounds while the LED assembly needs only one.

 

Will anyone here test the DRL wire (circuit) on an OR? Does it turn OFF when Turn (s) is selected? I think the pcb board inside the headlight assembly assigns priority to TURNS vs DRL. Just like to confirm that.

 

If it turned off you’d lose DRL on the non turn side.

 

@moon22 what you want to do is possible. It isn’t super straight forward as pointed out by @caribe makaira but it is possible. If you want the DRL amber, then we could build something with a switchback controller. If you wanted the DRL to be white, with Amber turn signals, then you might be able to get away with just a switch back. If you’re serious about the swap, let me know, I can make it happen. I like to imagine a tear running down @daveeasa cheek every time I build one….

Also, if you want a set of SR headlights in good condition, I will have a set soon hopefully. The SR all all chrome inside, the SR5 will have some black accents. Assuming I get them out without breaking anything, I’d let them go for shipping. Not much demand for downgrading to a set of full chrome non-LED DRL headlights

 

The DRL stays on with the turn signals

 

So my guess was correct, it's the pcb that controls it, thanks fellas. Mas café...

 

Multiple tears

 

Maybe this:

 

I was just going to recommend these https://www.diodedynamics.com/s1-switchback-module-pair.html You can tie the outputs together to achieve the desired effect

 

Many choices...

 

Didn't someone make am amber board for the OR LED DRLs. If op wants amber running lights might that be more straightforward?

@moon22 , you are probably a couple hours from me. I'm all down for a swap!

 

MESO resoldered amber emitters. At one point he tinkered with producing an acrylic filter to create an amber “C”. Diode dynamics makes an amber board for the TRD halogen headlights with LED “L” DRL as well. Both of those routes require cracking the headlights open at which point it’s tempting to BHLM the chrome bits. I am not sure I call this path more straightforward but I haven’t ever attempted to bake a set.

Switching from OEM LED to TRD Halogen is the path discussed in the aforementioned thread.

Morimoto xb v2 is an option for amber DRL as well. But not sure if they make a harness for the OEM LED MX-150 connector.

OP seems to dislike both the LED low / high beam (perhaps the 6000k color as much as anything?) and the DRL white vs amber? The last guy to make the swap seemed to be primarily concerned with the aesthetics of the headlights on the truck rather than the headlight performance or color. But it can be difficult to surmise the full intent from a few posts.

It’s tough to know how much boils down to cosmetic preference vs performance concerns of headlight color. A 5000k or 4000k OEM LED option would be fantastic, no argument from me on that. Also, I do love the 9011 HIR high beams in reflectors in our Odyssey. Still, I haven’t ever felt that a halogen projector for low beams either looks good or performs well, even with an H9 swap, in any vehicle. They all seem to perform poorly to me and look like fish eyes.

The H4 halogen reflectors on 2nd Gen Tacoma and 1st Gen Tundra are significantly better than halogen projectors in terms of light output, both measured and subjectively (my opinion there). A reflector just seems superior to a projector in terms of headlight output from a bulb if minimizing headlight size is not the primary design goal. The widespread adoption of halogen projectors seems to be a vehicle styling and cosmetic decision which had a measurable decrease in performance and is now addressed with LED headlights.

Proper headlight aiming is also critical and takes a long time. None of my headlights are aimed well right now, they are all too low after suspension changes. I need to make time to adjust all 3 but I don’t have a good location selected yet.

 

Thanks for the info on the amber board. I understand why Toyota went with a white DRL but that same LED strip in amber was sharp looking.

Having switched my high beams to the Hikari Ultras I have to say that I prefer the ~6k high beams over the ~3400k H9s. Although running H9 lows with LED highs may make a slightly warmer overall beam. Comparatively the H9's and Halogen highs in my wife's highlander makes me miss my LED high beams, the halogen high beams just lack any sort of "punch" even if throw is slightly less.
That said, I tried the same LED bulbs in my low beams and really disliked it. A 4000-4500k bulb there would be great though, IMHO.

I find it VERY surprising that OP couldn't tell the lights were on in the rain, if anything I find the backscatter from my LEDs to be worse in those conditions and makes them very obvious.

The big difference in the old lights (reflectors) and the new lights (projectors ) is SIZE. At least for LED emitter (I dabble in building flashlights) the size of the optics makes a BIG difference in the downrange power. Halogen should be the same.
As far as reflector vs projector otherwise, well for a high beam yes, but in a low beam the extra beam control is very important.

Aiming sucks, especially on the soft Tacoma. I have my (H9) lights aimed down further than I like, but with the rear end squat this truck has it still puts the cutoff into the eyes of oncoming traffic if I accelerate moderately hard. For aiming I use a cheap self leveling 2axis laser. Point it at the side of the truck and make sure it is level (make sure to account for any rake your truck has), then point it out the front and measure the drop of the cutoff away from the laser line at whatever distance you want/need.

 

I believe @crashnburn80 has tested Hikari to be lower output than H9 in the high beam reflector spot? I could be wrong on that.

A straightforward way to enable the turn C amber emitters for DRL use would serve many. I’ve yet to stumble on anything that can trick the board to doing that.

Bigger optics help a lot, one reason I like my older trucks as much as I do. The third Gen pairs well with OEM LED and it’s great that we have the option.

 

I tested them myself as well. I have an Opple light meter that has shown to be quite accurate. My results were here https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/eye-of-megatron-led-review.788088/

Conclusion? Higher intensity at 25', 50', and 100' but it was dropping faster than halogen (as expected). At realistic distances of 300-500ft it likely has less intensity than an H9. In driving with them now for a few months that jives with what I "feel" about them as well, no improvement in distance vision, but no loss either. That said, the instant on, higher color temp, and what feels like a slightly wider hotspot, has me preferring them over Halogens.

 

That sums up my completely anecdotal experience with them. No big gain in the high beam, but no noticeable loss either. I have a set of headlights I built from the halogen TRD, and I did switchbacks for the turn signals. This left the turn signal bucket open, so I was going to cram a couple H1 bulbs in there as well. Using LEDs, I wasn’t worried about amperage or anything, just wanted to make the high beam brighter. Would it have worked? No idea

But these fit those 7440 holes nicely.

AUTUT 2 Pcs Aluminium Light Bulb Base Adapter Conversion Kit Bulb Holders Adapters Compatible with Mercedes Benz 320 if Applicable

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07PFJT144?ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

If you assemble it, maybe others will buy...

A pair of 18awg from the added relays in the cab to the added harness relay (pin 86) Post #28. One wire per side. Relay can be mounted on fender (like @Puppypunter SR solution module)

 

If this can be done with no irreversible changes to the truck, then I am very serious about it! I'll have to check out some SR vs SR5 headlights but I may be interested in your offer if they're in like new condition (can't bring myself to not only 'downgrade' but also put worn parts on a new truck

Sorry about that...that said I was thinking maybe I should check my aim before jumping to any conclusions.

Sorry - keeping the lights, at least until I know I'm going to stick with whatever swap I may wind up with.

 

Yeah, it can be done, no permanent changes. The biggest issue you run into on these type of swaps is the ground. The LEDs only have one small ground, so we’d need to ground to the body as well. There are bolts right by the headlights for this. Other than that, it would be a tool-less install, all plug and play. Shoot me a PM and I can price it out for you.