The ultimate headlight upgrade H4 (not LED or HID)

So I pretty much gave up looking for a new set of the TRD smoked sport/pro housing for my 2006. They all seem to be older version before it got TSBed. So now I'm looking for the regular clear headlights that Toyota sells for my truck. Do you guys know if there was a TSB on those as well?

 

Yes, they had the same issue. The pre and post TSB part numbers are available in the TSB link in the original post.

 

Tungsram Nighthawk Platinums are now available in 9003:
https://automotive.tungsram.com/en/documents/Tungsram-NIGHTHAWK-Platinum-Sellsheet-A4-EN(1).pdf

These were shown to outperform the Xenons in 3rd Gen projectors, meaning they potentially could be the best performing stock wattage bulb without reducing the high beam. I’d need to test in the 2nd Gen assemblies to confirm. I’ve looked for them several times in a 9003/H4 and hadn’t seen them till now. Looks like Walmart out of all places is the first to carry them.

 

Figures. Got my harness in on Monday and my osrams just today. Haven’t even driven at night yet with the 2G

 

Must be doing a closeout deal on these... $10 each for anyone that needs some!

OSRAM Super Bright Premium 9003 (HB2/H4) Lamp | PowerBulbs US

 

Are those the stock wattage or do you need the aftermarket harness for those?

 

Not stock wattage! You WILL need a harness. It's the next best bulb to the unavailable Osram 85/80w Super Rallye bulbs on page 1.

 

Would these need the harness?

 

Were those really selling at $22/each? Admittedly I hadn't needed to order them for like 2 years, but I think Inpaid like $8/each last time I bought them.

>reminds self to stock up on rapidly-inflating assets before I'm priced out foreverrrrrrrr

 

No, those should be a stock wattage bulb. However, nearly all vehicles with a halogen headlamp bulb will benefit from a relay harness, as they are made with shorter runs of heavier gauge wire and usually much lower resostamce connectors than the factory circuit.

 

I honestly don't recall. I thought they used to be around $12-$15ea, but I don't remember them being $22!

I think he was referring to the Osram Superbright H4's. At 100/90w... I don't know how long the OEM 18ga (I think?) headlight wires would last?

 

I was referring to the nighthawks that crashburn referenced earlier. Thanks @Toy_Runner good to know.

 

Hopefully (not going to try it personally) the 10a fuses for the lowbeam circuit would pop before a pair of super-brights burned the factory harness

 

I figured.

I put off installing a harness in my 4runner for years, then I made a homebrew one with 14ga wires and plastic bulb sockets and saw a notieceable bump in output from the same bulbs. I eventually went with a headlight services harness, and it has been well worth the money. Again, even with a stock wattage headlamp bulb, you will see a small but noticeable bump in output.

The tradeoff with a relay harness for stock wattage bulbs is that they will reduce bulb life by some amount. Thats the tradeoff with halogens. Higher voltage = more output, but less lifespan. But bulbs are a very cheap (even the pricey ones) consumable that small upgrades to has a massively outsiszed cost:benefit analysis tied to. Better performing headlamps reduce your chances of an accident/animal strike, and spending $20/50/100 a year to save [deductible] + [potential rental car expenses] +[vehicle totaling/vehicle devaluation] + [potential medical expense] is a no-brainer. I always cry a little when I see people complainimg about having to replace a bulb every year/year and a half.

 

One of those things were companies use the cover of inflation to fucking gouge hard! I always get sticker shock when I buy those rare purchase items (unlike the grocery store), but what you gonna go…

 

I put off installing my harness for close to a year. Sitting there in the box, took all of 15 minutes. Hah.

Speaking of, anyone have cool tricks on relay mounting for these HS harnesses? I am zip tying right now, behind the fuse box. There are good fender threads right there but the relay plastic hole is tiny, I'd need to do some sort of bracket to adapt it, small bolt on the relays and then the Mwhatever for the fender (12 maybe?)

 

I just ran a self tapper into the fender with one of the mount and then ziptied the wiring up out of the way where I could.

 

Absolutely!! But I don't know how long will the wires and connectors last? 18ga wire at 5ft you have almost 1vdc drop. I've seen a 65w H9 melt an H11 socket, granted it was on a GM car. lol

 

Can you use a Rago Fab relay holder? I think I’ve got one in the garage that I never used.

 

^^ yeah, I have one in one of my bins and was thinking I’d try to locate it. Not sure it holds those suckers though.