New LED headlights terrible light output

Plot twist: I don't have a Tacoma.

I have changed out my headlights on my Mercedes E320. Half was vanity, half was functional. I wanted clear headlights with projectors, so I got Spec-D headlights. I knew output would be crap, so I immediately did a Mini H1 7.0 retrofit on it, with much better light output than stock. Halos I added myself, partially vanity and partially for safety: increases daytime visibility. Also for this reason I didn't get Spyder halo headlights, as the Spyder ones are too dim to be visible during the day. I changed out interior bulbs for LEDs. Functionally brighter and looks better. I changed the dash backlight for red LEDs. Looks nicer than the stock yellow and easier on the eyes at night. Chrome gauge trims purely for vanity. Switchbacks in the rear with the white wired to the reverse LEDs, actually lets me see out the rear window at night, plus I think it looks cool to have 4 reverse lights in stock housings. Going to be switching out the taillights for clear lens LED taillights, not smoked, and modifying it for brighter brake LEDs.

Everything I have done on my car, I have made sure it will not compromise the safety or functionality of it. Most of my mods have improved its functionality or safety to use. It is also with this mentality that I will not go to large rims, as there is no functional benefit, and hurts performance and mpg. Your LED headlight bulbs on the other hand are purely vanity, and worse, compromise the safety and functionality of your truck.

The only things that would actually help you avoid deer are slowing down and using your highbeams as appropriate. By the time you see a deer in range of your fog lights, it is way too late for you to do anything unless your fog lights are aimed way too high to actually function as fog lights.

 

No, clearly you do not understand.

If you want to do it correctly, you do a retrofit designed for HID/LED light sources like the projector retrofits others have helpfully mentioned in this thread. If you want to keep the stock halogen reflectors, you do a halogen upgrade designed to work with halogen reflectors like the one listed below.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-not-led-or-hid.398066/

Daniel Stern is only one of the most widely respected headlight subject matter experts in the automotive lighting field. For you to even attempt to mis-quote the content is a complete joke.

If you want correct, it is full retrofits, or halogen upgrade.

 

Unless you happen to have a JK Wrangler. Then you have this:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/usmcdoc/lights/

In any case, for 99.99% of cars out there, if the factory housing is designed for halogens, you should use halogens. And so on for HIDs and LEDs. LEDs can get very close to emulating halogens bulbs, but they're not there and I doubt they will ever be there, at least for what can actually fit in the size of a halogen bulb.

 

And I may get flack, but I always promote halogen upgrades for halogen reflectors:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-not-led-or-hid.398066/

 

Haha. I thought you were making a reference to the actor.

 

I don't really like the daytime amber lights, but I think being in VA I don't have much of a choice. That's cool that your state allows for the turn signals to be white.

Coot

 

Yes, North Carolina allows turn signal to be either White or Amber. I've been running White for the past couple of years due to hating the Amber daytime running lights. The only downside was the turn signals were white also due to no switchback's working with the Toyota wiring system. Virginia should allow White daytime running lights as most new cars come with them. But may only allow Amber turn signals. Up recently no switchback worked (that I could find) with the 3 wire Tacoma harness. I finally found Switchback LED's from VLED that work. They have a built in controller that works perfect. Just plug and play and you can even order plug in Resistors to stop hyper-flash.
Everything is all plug and play. No cutting the factory wires, no messing in the fuse box, no drilling or modifying.
Nothing. And takes about 10 minutes to install. They are not cheap though, about $150 but I guess you get what you pay for. They come in either Switchback, Solid Amber or Solid White

 

I wonder if NC has been ok with white turn signals for a while or is this due to new vehicles having white turn signals lately? It seems to me for VA that either through the lens or the bulb itself, there needs to be an amber light emission from the turn signal for VA or you will get rejected during inspection. Those are def interesting. So you can switch the color of the turn signal from amber to white with that individual unit?

Coot

 

I haven't seen any new cars with White turn signals. I do see many new cars that have White daytime running lights and then and an Amber bulb or lens elsewhere for the turn signal. I have seen a few cars from Audi, Porsche and Dodge that have the LED daytime running lights switch to Amber for the turn signal then back to White when cancelled. Hence (Switchback) That is what the VLED's do. They have White and Amber LED's build into one single unit. They burn White for daytime running then when you engage the turn signal they turn Amber and flash Amber. When canceled they turn back to White for the daytime running lights. You can get solid colors though if you wish that don't change. I'd be willing to bet $$ the Switchback's would pass inspection in VA.