Headlight Upgrade

We have a great 2005 Toyota Tacoma H4 Philips LEDs Review on our site. It's not the exact year range you're talking about here, but still in an H4 reflector-style housing. Our H4 Xtreme LED PRO kits are designed very similarly to the Philips (and are a bit brighter, to boot). I have a review for those as well: 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser H4 LED Kit Review - again, not the exact same vehicle, but an H4 reflector-style housing so you can see how the beam pattern matches up.

~Robert

 

How do those hella housings compare to oem?

 

Far superior, but only available for 95-97 Tacoma’s.

 

Haven't tried the LED headlight game since burned by BriteAssLEDs. Actually, thrilled that one of them started to fail which led me to do a bunch of reading on LED Headlights here on the forum. I did try several of those cutoff piece ones where they claimed to be ok for halogen housing - agree, negative they did not work at all. Now they may have been improved upon since I tried but I'm cool with good ol' halogen headlights...

$88 SYLVANIA - 9003 (HB2, H4) SilverStar zXe High Performance Halogen Headlight Bulb - Headlight & Fog Light, Bright White Light Output, HID Attitude, Xenon Fueled Technology (Contains 2 Bulbs)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005KDO9C2

If I need that extra amount of light on a deserted dark road, ditch lights ON.

I have adopted a new level of FU for people who insist on blinding me with cheap ebay/Amazon LEDs in their oem housings. ARGH. really is annoying - sorry if that offends anyone who insists on the LED route.

 

Coated bulbs like ZXE have lower output than stock. Coatings, while making the light whiter, reduce output. High precision non-coated bulbs are the highest performing way to go at stock wattage. Another member ran a test with a light meter showing Philips Xtreme +130 were 3x brighter than the ZXE.

 

How do they compare to the Sylvania Ultras?

 

The zxe's have been installed since October 2016. When they fail, I'll research the Philips option.

 

Silverstars are also full coated to appear whiter and will have similar performance being lower output than stock.

 

Well, then I guess I'm gonna give the Phillips a try.

 

See the ‘Other Bulbs’ section at the end of this thread in the original post. It has a list of true high precision performance bulbs with more info including pros/cons:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/

For example, Philips xtreme +130 have outstanding low beam performance (but there is better) and their high beam still is coated reducing high beam performance.

 

I upgraded mine, they look like this now.

Catinbow H4 (9003, HB2) LED Headlight Bulbs Hi /Lo Beam 7200LM Super Bright COB LED Headlight Bulbs Conversion Kit Plug & Play Automotive Headlamp Bulb 6000K Cool White (2 Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073JFP2HR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fMM5AbZVHAKKC

 

Definitely not an upgrade. I’m taking it you missed this link earlier in the thread:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/why-leds-should-not-be-run-in-halogen-reflectors.454371/

 

I’m running custom retrofit headlights with:

• ACME H1 HID's
• 6,000k Bulbs
• 90mm Morimoto XB RGB Rear-Mounted Halos
• 80mm Morimoto XSB Switchback Front-Mounted Halos
• Gatling Gun 2.0 Shrouds

Really makes the look of the truck, and the light it throws is great. Retrofits are rather pricey but if you’re going for performance over look, proper Halogen or Xenon bulbs in the stock housing is the best way to go. Avoid LED.

 

Frankly how it looks is important only for a Christmas tree. For headlights it is important how they perform - not only for you but also for other drivers.

For that reason in my truck all bulbs are LED (including bulbs inside switches) ... except headlights. I'm lucky to have first series model of the 1st gen so I have Hela E-code with Silvania H4 bulb. With Hela E-code I never needed higher watage bulbs.

 

Yeah I did miss the prior conversation. Really in depth detail on what to use and what works best. I like the new bulbs they give me good coverage. But the above pics look awesome love the design and fished look.

 

Looks sick

 

Update. Hella lights installed with ceramic harness. Work fine. Brighter for sure. Was glad that the harness I got allowed me to operate the lights like the stock lights, as it plugs into the old headlight plug. Thanks for all the help guys.