Headlight blackout mod vs tinting headlights

Hey guys, I've seen the blackout headlight mod thread and it looks awesome, even if I'm worried about tossing my lights in the oven. haha

I'm considering just getting the vinyl stuff or tint and adding a slight tint to my headlights so they are a bit darker instead of opening them up and spray painting the insides. I've seen completely blacked out headlights, and I don't want to do that. I just want them smokey so they don't contrast my black truck so much.

edit: I was thinking of getting the dark smoke tint, pre-cut, from this site.
http://www.rvinyl.com/2011-Toyota-Tacoma-Double-Cab-Custom-Headlight-Tint.html#.UNX7k7byB0k
they also offer them for much cheaper if they aren't pre-cut.

Thoughts? Thanks!

 

With tinted headlights you will lose light output, black headlight mod you will not. You can even buy aftermarket lights with the black headlight mod done. It's much cheaper to do it yourself though.

 

Yea I sorta like the stock headlights. I don't want to buy aftermarket unless they are OEM but black inside, then that's an idea.

I've heard you'll lose a little light output. The darker smoke tint for headlights you'll lose about 32% according to the site. So you'll still output 68% of the light. Then it's like 80% if I get the lighter smoke tint.

hmmm

 

I would never tint lights. There is too much risk. Just think of the possible consequences if you are involved in an accident at night and someone is killed. I would suggest you just paint the inside and be done with it. Don't paint the reflector of course.

 

Losing any light output at all seems counter productive. Not sure why anyone would want to see 32% less. I'd do the BHLM myself. Looks better than tinting IMO anyway.

 

Headlights are primarily for light output, secondarily if you want them to look good to you that is cool. Don't mix priorities. Don't tint lights. ever.

 

I would never tint headlights, ever! Or taillight a for that matter. Not worth the loss in light output, it would be a pain to open them up, but I would leave them alone before tinting them.

 

thanks for the suggestions guys. Plus I'd hate to get pulled over or a ticket for something as lame as that, even though most cops are pretty casual on that.

I might try the mod inside then, just seems like soo much work.

 

Is there any mod here that doesn't require work? We're truck owners not lazy ass civic owners. You want it done right you're gonna have to put some work into it. If you want to get pulled over and have a cop write a ticket for your shitty tinted headlights then go ahead but as said before it isn't recommended whatsoever

 

OEM style. Depo is a good manufacturer, and affordable.
http://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Tacoma...307916&sr=8-10&keywords=depo+tacoma+headlight

Or.... Projectors!

 

I know it seems like a lot of work and risky but really that mod is not hard. As long as you're cautious, which it sounds like you will be, you won't let your headlights melt if you follow one of the many walkthroughs. Bottom line is, you won't regret opening yours up and doing it right, and you will regret tinting them. Especially when you get pulled over since its illegal.

 

Do yourself and everyone around you a favor and do the bhlm.

 

haha well put, I'm just being a bitch and I'm certainly no "civic" owner...

ok ok boys. I'll do the mod myself. probably sometime after CES in January.. I'll be busy til then.

 

Rich was it difficult to find a paint match when you painted your reflectors? Or did you give the whole unit a quick scuff and spray it. Also is that clear DTRL/signal lense the one that came with the headlight assembly from depo? The picture on Amazon looks like it's tinted amber like some oem lenses.

 

I used RustOleum "all surface", which is the same as Krylon Fusion, in satin black (not flat).
I just wiped them down with lacquer thinner and gave them 3 or 4 moderately wet coats.

The front part matches the Depo satin, but I did repaint. I stuck the "BIXENON" stickers on and didn't care for the look of them being chrome.
Tried to peel them off and they were NOT coming off, so I shot the satin over them so now they are just raised letters.

I went back and forth on the turn signal lenses. They have the same light yellow look of the factory lenses... doesn't show in the picture, not sure why. I wanted to darken them with the Krylon stained glass paint, but after checking 2 JoAnn's, 2 Michaels, and a Hobby Lobby, I couldn't find it, so then I went back and forth on whether to leave them out or use them.

I briefly considered removing them and using the chrome/amber turn signal lamps, but I was also considering going LED, so I left the lenses in.

 

Super late here... but is this a retrofit or the speed d tuning headlight?