9011 HIR vs H9

ok i know my headlights are h11 but hear me out. im upgrading the high beams right now, and looking for the brightest option that isn't HID. right now im really only considering the h9 and 9011 as options. either connector is readily available and both will fit with just a bit of tab trimming. ive done both swaps to different cars at different times. since they are going in high beams i do not care about beam pattern or oncoming glare though both bulbs have filaments in similar locations to the factory h11. the HIR bulb is certainly more rare so finding even raw lumen output is difficult. cars that came OEM with HIR bulbs include bmw z8 and dodge viper.

pros for 9011:
-highest output other than h4(wont work) and hid(not yet) @2350lm
-fairly inexpensive(20 a piece for wagners)

cons for 9011:
-no aftermarket "upgrade bulb"
-rareish bulb. if one goes out, not everywhere stocks them. and they likely burnout quicker due to HIR making filament burn hotter
-65w probably wont melt anything but im up in the air on a 2016.

pros for h9:
-very high output for a "normal" bulb @2100lm
-very inexpensive for basic bulbs, even osram SS are affordable (40-50 pair)
-available in many aftermarket "colors"

cons for h9:
-still 65w vs h11 @55w

so what say ye? thoughts, theories and experiences with either bulb are welcome! though i think im going to order a pair of h11 to 9005 connectors and go with the 9011 bulbs

 

The H11s in the 3rd gen are low beam, you have H9 for high beam. Assuming you are talking about high beam, no modifications are necessary to run an H9 in your high beam.

9011 HIR is a suitable replacement for 9005, but I have not heard of replacing it for use in an H9 housing, nor does that seem like a good idea for the best optics.

The latest HIR bulbs are 3000 lumens, and HIRs actually last significantly longer than an H9:
http://www.rallylights.com/vosla-9011-hir1-9005-65w-halogen-infrared-bulb.html

65w H9 is stock. You can also run a 3000 lumen 100w H9 bulb, but would require a standalone wiring harness:
http://www.rallylights.com/h9-12v-optilux-extreme-xenon-xb-bulb-pair.html

The big difference is obviously bulb life, where the lower wattage HIR significantly outlasts the high wattage halogen. I've run HIRs before in 9005/9006 housings and been impressed for performance for stock wattage, though not the latest Vosla version.

If you are talking about upgrading your h11s check out this for a 100% improvement:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-foglight-upgrade-not-led-or-hid.435419/

 

Good info, my 16 taco has h11 in fogs lows and highs. Know both h9 and 9011 bulbs can work in h11 housings with a bit of tab trimming. The 9011 requires a harness to convert from h11 to 9005 but they are only like 6 bucks on Amazon. Id be nervous running 100w lights without more people doing it first, headlights for this truck are not cheap and im afraid to melt em or id have done proper retrofits by now.

Good looking out on those 9011's though! 3000lm is up there in hid territory for brightness!

Pretty sure im going to try the 9011's since they are fairly close in watts and i have the bulbs at work pretty cheap (just wagners but should be quite bright compared to oem h11)

 

You have H9 for your high beams.

Several 3rd gen owners have run the 90w H11s in their low beams with no known issues, but again you would want a standalone harness with ceramic connectors for heat protection.

Double check your research. With an H9 in your high beam I doubt an 9011 is the correct swap, you are likely wanting a 9012 HIR using a 9006 connector, not the connector you mentioned above. But again, I'm still not convinced on the H9 to 9012 compatibility.

It is too bad HIRs didn't really catch on before HIDs rolled out as it is pretty impressive bulb technology at a very affordable price.

 

Ill double check when i get to work but iirc 9006 is a low beam and 9005 is typically high beam. 9005 is the same as a 9011 which is why i was planning on running it for a high beam use. Think the output is a hair higher and the 9012 might be capped for low beam use. Ill also double check whats in there but im 99% sure i test fit h11 leds in there. Dont quote me on the last part but i was pretty convinced i had h11 in all 3 forward lighting stock on my 16 trd

 

Dang i should open my hood more often. Yeah its h9 in there now. Oh well harnesses are ordered. Still going to mod a pair of 9011's to fit h9 since i got it in my mind the high beams are getting an upgrade

 

Right, I had the bulb numbers crossed thinking of your talk of using an h11 bulb (low beem) to HIR bulb. Yes, the 9011 and 9005 are high beam.

It would be interesting to swap one bulb and then do a wall shot at about 25ft to compare beam pattern and brightness to stock.

 

If nothing else ill have something to tinker with. Most these whack ideas come from slow days at work (i do car parts) so we shall see. Didnt realize the h11 to 9005 harnesses were coming from china and wont be in for a week or 2. Ill def compare to the stock h9 and probably try swapping out one of the piaa led headlights so stay tuned