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Head light projection pattern?

Discussion in '4th Gen. Tacomas (2024+)' started by slater, Jan 17, 2025.

  1. Jan 18, 2025 at 9:20 AM
    #21
    batacoma

    batacoma Truck Wars

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    If there is an issue of the cutoff being to high and the manual level switch is aimed all the way down. I'm going to go to my #1 complaint of using a single reflector for both low and hi beam functions.

    I haven't seen enough 4Gs on the road to see if I find the headlights annoying to oncoming drivers. OEMs sometimes get the headlight optics wrong and have to fix it.
     
  2. Jan 18, 2025 at 9:32 AM
    #22
    OpeCity

    OpeCity Well-Known Member

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    You have a dial to adjust the lights. If you’re getting flashed, adjust them down even if you “shouldn’t have to.” It’s common courtesy. You won’t lose any of your own safety by lowering them slightly
     
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  3. Jan 18, 2025 at 9:50 AM
    #23
    CraigF

    CraigF Well-Known Member

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    There are very few requirements for new vehicles to have their new headlights properly aimed, these threads cover much of what headlights should be
    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-hid-vs-led-vs-halogen-h11-projector-headlights.589465/
    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/
     
  4. Jan 18, 2025 at 10:14 AM
    #24
    BabyBilly

    BabyBilly Well-Known Member

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    I get blinded by all of Toyota's projection headlamps. Maybe it's my astigmatism or something else but I hate those freaking things.
     
  5. Jan 18, 2025 at 11:50 AM
    #25
    JB_TN

    JB_TN Well-Known Member

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    Adjust them to what…..they are fine on the adjustment.
     
  6. Jan 18, 2025 at 12:08 PM
    #26
    OpeCity

    OpeCity Well-Known Member

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    I noticed mine were a little high on zero around town, shining into car mirrors at stoplights, etc. so I put them on 2 to be nice to others
     
  7. Jan 18, 2025 at 12:14 PM
    #27
    slater

    slater [OP] Well-Known Member

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    agree, everyone is allowed to have an opinion though, good or bad...
     
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  8. Jan 18, 2025 at 12:59 PM
    #28
    JB_TN

    JB_TN Well-Known Member

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    Which is what mine are set too and still get flashed. Only by cars though. Screw them.
     
  9. Jan 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
    #29
    OpeCity

    OpeCity Well-Known Member

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    Common courtesy might be to just put forth the effort to scroll down to 3 and see if that fixes it. But our society seems to have lost such a spirit
     
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  10. Jan 18, 2025 at 1:35 PM
    #30
    JB_TN

    JB_TN Well-Known Member

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    Sorry but no. The more I lower it and the more I loose visibility. I am not responsible if people have light sensitivity or drive cars that are lower to the ground.
     
  11. Jan 18, 2025 at 2:28 PM
    #31
    OpeCity

    OpeCity Well-Known Member

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    “I’m not responsible for being courteous to others”
     
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  12. Jan 18, 2025 at 2:51 PM
    #32
    JB_TN

    JB_TN Well-Known Member

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    Not when it comes to my family's and my safety, no. If I have to adjust my lights so low that I can no longer react in time to anything that might be in the road...Hopefully you see my point. But we can agree to disagree.
     
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  13. Jan 19, 2025 at 9:59 AM
    #33
    Bitflogger

    Bitflogger Well-Known Member

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    Shared responsibility goes back much farther than any modern statutes or regulations for vehicles. It's in most of the world's religions too. I'm very sensitive to this because a moment of someone not courteous with their driving killed a member of our family. The whole rotten mess was also a good reminder for the respect we owe to first responders, ER and trauma center staff.

    Closer to topic, I think most if not all the gen 4 Tacomas can adjust the LED headlights. Position 0 is only for an empty pickup with driver - p 234 of the owner's manual.
     
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  14. Jan 19, 2025 at 10:02 AM
    #34
    OpeCity

    OpeCity Well-Known Member

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    And even that requires that the truck tolerances don’t put the beam a fraction of a degree ooit of ideal spec. I roll around town at 2-3 and have no problem seeing far enough at city speeds
     
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  15. Jan 19, 2025 at 10:08 AM
    #35
    slater

    slater [OP] Well-Known Member

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    That being said, unless its a work truck, or you have some sort of build in the back, camper, overland, utility drawer system, etc....
    ide say majority of the daily drivers not including what ive already listed, aren't carrying a large load in the bed.......
    to justify, "I need to adjust my lights".....
    What happen to before 24 when there was no automagically turn the knob from the cab adjustment?
    Doubtful that anyone paid for a manual adjustment from time to time dependent on load...
    If they did it was to benefit their improved visibility, not worried about how our light effected others.
    Just being truthful here...
    Im going on a limb here assuming the prev gen tacoma didnt even have LED head lights?
     
  16. Jan 19, 2025 at 10:31 AM
    #36
    OpeCity

    OpeCity Well-Known Member

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    Before 2024, if someone posted a thread saying that they’re constantly getting flashed, people would tell them to adjust their lights or get the dealer to adjust their lights
     
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  17. Jan 19, 2025 at 1:11 PM
    #37
    Bertw192

    Bertw192 Well-Known Member

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    All the things!
    LED headlights became an option in 2020. The previous halogens and the LED's are easily adjustable with a Phillips screwdriver on the back, top side of the headlight unit. While a dealer would be happy to adjust them for you, it's easily done by a non-mechanic at home.

    https://youtu.be/gAE8OAlXSd4?si=DV0qJaPRpwgqWww-
     
  18. Jan 19, 2025 at 1:53 PM
    #38
    slater

    slater [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I know all this, but the average guy adjusting them to where he wants them, vs the specific guidelines of where they should be are totally different....
    I get it, its not rocket science, its just lowering your head lights...
    but you think you know what youre doing & they may truly be 6"-12" lower than they should be....
    Not optimum for what theyre designed for "seeing", but youre no longer being flashed so you feel you did a good thing in your mind...................................:thumbsup::frusty:


    Where they shouldn't have been touched at all cuz they were well within specs to begin with.....
    The issue isn't the light, or their position............
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2025
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  19. Jan 19, 2025 at 8:11 PM
    #39
    moladin

    moladin New Member

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    I would like to chime in on this one, but not relate the the light pattern. I have a trailhunter, and the truck obviously sits a bit higher than cars. When I am at a stop light. The headlight height adjustment setting at "0" will shine the light in their rear view mirror on a level road. So I actually dial the height adjustment a little bit lower. It doesn't affect the light distance that much to be of concern. I do wish Toyota has auto leveling headlight like German counterparts. I say this because I know the feeling of driving a car and a lifted truck is behind me at the stop light, even with a tinted windows the rearview mirror becomes a mini sunlight. LOL
     
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  20. Jan 20, 2025 at 7:30 AM
    #40
    slater

    slater [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I get what youre saying but think its a non issue, even a Honda Civic will shine light, residual light into a cars rear window, but not the main direct beam into the rear view mirror....
    All vehicles have a rear view mirror toggle to fix that issue....
    Not all vehicles have the luxury of adjusting lights on the fly....

    I have a truck thats lifted 2.5" just in the front, so I have more light projection than you.
    Would imagine a pro still has more rear rake than me...
    Im also sitting on 285 70 17''s...

    You can see from the pic, the main beam is about 2 feet + from the actual mirror....
    As stated, of coats youre going to get light into the window, won't matter what you drive....
    Just respectfully debating here....
    IMG_8753.jpg
     

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