Relayed headlights? Thoughts?

I am not happy with the light output of my headlights.

I do not want to do retrofits (at least not at the moment).

I plan on upgrading the bulbs to something a littler higher wattage.

I was thinking about relaying the headlights as well to handle the higher wattage bulbs - 40 amp relays and 8 gauge wiring.


I've built and installed relayed headlight harnesses for both my VW and my gf's VW and its made a night and day difference over the stock headlight harness/low wattage OEM bulbs.

I was wondering if any one on here has done this on a second generation Tacoma? I see no reason why this shouldnt work.

:beer:

 

You would be best to use a multimeter to see what kind of voltage you get across the bulb with stock wiring and go from there.

The truck already uses a main big awg lead to a relay which then goes to the lightbulbs, I doubt you will see much voltage drop to be honest.

 

The factory wiring can handle the Philips 80w lamps.
Unfortunately, you're doing well to get 6 months out of them.
I'd be concerned about the 100w lamps for a couple of reasons, first is consideration to other drivers, but I'd also be worried about the reflector melting.

 

Oh, the factory bulbs 80 watts? I'll have to see what mine are as they are super dim.

 

Are the headlights aimed correctly? I'm intolerant of poor headlights and find the stock lights pretty decent on the 2nd gens when aimed properly.

 

Try those Silver star Ultra's
I had them in my f-250 and they were much better than stock OEM's.

 

Yes, they are aimed correctly.

I may just try new bulbs to start with before building a harness

 

Factory bulbs are standard OTC 55/60w halogen H4 lamps.
There are lamps available that run an 80w high beam (I think it's a 65w low beam, not sure), but my experience with them was they did not last... I got 4-6 months from mine.

 

On old cars where all the voltage goes through the switch there is a huge difference with a harness. My old FJ40 and Mustang both saw a HUGE improvement when I made relay harnesses. But most modern vehicles have this kind of setup anyhow. I actually think for a stock headlight the Tacoma is pretty good. I added some Hella driving lights to mine for super-long distance at night but the low beams are great stock. I've tried a bunch of different bulbs from PIAA, Hella, Sylvania, etc. all claiming to be higher output on the same wattage and honestly thought they were all a waste of money. Especially considering none of them lasted a year. I have good luck with just plain higher wattage bulbs though. But I wouldn't use them in a plastic headlight.

 

I have 100/65''s in mine they work fine they are the same bulbs that were in my 97 that had "E" spec lights. They have got to be going on 9 years old. My 2011 head lights lit up second floor windows when I first got it they do a sucky job adjusting them from the factory.

 

+1
The stock system runs four fuses and I believe two relays, one for high beam and one for low.
Only low current goes into the cab.

 

Yes, you have the HEAD relay which turns main power onto the DIM relay... which switches between high and low beams. Power for the headlights goes from battery, to HEAD, to DIM to headlights.... a very short small circuit.

I will also say the headlights on the 2012+ tacos is MUCH better than the 2011- ... the new headlight design has such a nice crisp cutoff... run high beams and foglights and you got a nice full pattern for dark back country road driving.

 

Try new bulbs first. Over time halogen bulbs dim. My son's 2000 Blazer the headlights were horrible. Very dim and almost unsafe. New bulbs did the trick. Yes you can run a stand alone wiring harness triggered off of your stock wiring. The stock wiring is small gauge and only 10 amp fuses. I ran 12 gauge wiring, 30 amp fuses, relays and heavy duty ceramic headlight plugs. The weakest part of my harness is the bulbs.

 

Thanks for all the input.

Im gonna start by measuring the voltage at the headlight plugs to see if its even worth building a relayed harness.

Then Ill replaced the bulbs and see what happens.

:beer:

 

i doubt even with 100w bulbs the voltage drop of the stock harness compared to a "relayed" harness will be close to identical.

 

It's not a voltage drop that is the problem, it's the amp draw that will cause the problem. 100 watt bulbs will try to draw more power than the stock system is able to supply. What will happen is the bulbs will be dim and not last long. It will seek out the weakest point and that is were it will fail. Fuses relays wiring and headlight plugs might all take turns burning up. I would not put 100 watt bulbs with stock wiring.

 

Neither would I.


Change of plans. My buddy who builds retrofits has a spare set of TL projectors for me. Looks like its time to find a spare set of headlights