Upgrade bulbs to HID or LED?

Anyone have personal experience upgrading their bulbs to HID or LED? Diode Dynamics offers both styles. The LED is a simple swap I was told by their customer service agent where the HID is brighter but a more involved/difficult install.

Thanks!

 

Most people around here are going to tell you that your stock reflector housing is not designed for LEDs. I'm here to tell you that some LED bulbs are actually designed to copy the HID pattern so you don't have that "starburst" effect that other users report.

Check these guys out: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-temperature-and-compact-heat-sink/4445/9995/

Just be warned, most of these lights require you to remove the headlight housing to fit the heat sink.

 

Got some HIDs from XenonDepot and love em!

 

Same here! Put 1 on my 2017 Tacoma and my wife’s 2017 Highlander. Did you reuse the dust cover on the Highlander?

 

Ah ok. I have it off right now but XD stated they don’t like to keep it off. In order to put them on, I would have to drill a hole.

 

I guess I’m the only one who got stuck with static from my Xenen Depot HID’s. And twice I was told they would call me about it.

 

No issues here with static

 

Yeah I know! I'm the only one.

 

IMO HID is going to put out more light, yes LED will be bright, but that beam will not be as far as HID.
There's another thread here on TW or youtube where a dude tests both with a light meter.

 

HID will put out more light but is more difficult to install. To be safe a HID relay harness should be used which can be confusing to people that don't know how basic DC voltage works. LED puts out more light than OEM but less than HID. However it is plug n play and easy to install. I've had both. I currently have SL1 LEDs by Diode Dynamics

Here is my review on the Diode Dynamics SL1
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diode-dynamics-sl1-review.530289/

 

I went with opt7 led
Felt led would be longer lasting

 

I was worried about stories of ice formation on headlights...in case I ever drive north...so I went with HIDs for the low beams and LEDs for the highs. There's a thread on here (link) about some good quality ones from ebay on the cheap. I've been very happy with mine. The thread has all sorts of pictures on how to do it.

 

I went to your link and looked through the examples you shared, thanks for that. In the last photo I think you were showing that you also replaced the fog lights w/ LED? Is that correct? If so, do you recommend those as well?

 

So on my passenger side head light, My Hid melted the part where the bulb enters and you know how you have to line up the matching parts and then turn it so it locks, one of those taps melted, Sorry i not discbride to well. anyone have any ideas to fix, I really don't wan to go spend money on a new headlight which I'm looking to do but thats last resort

 

I know what you are saying but that sounds like you'd need a new headlight.

 

I have Kensun HID’s in mine, was straight plug and play. Took me about 10 minutes. HID is better for winter too if you live in an area that snows or gets ice.

 

Thanks for the kind words!

Also, to give you a visual comparison as to how much of a difference it can make for having an LED that you can adjust, see below:



This is in a 2018 4Runner (not a Tacoma, I know, but it's another Toyota H11 projector-style housing, so this will give you a pretty good idea of how it will look on a Tacoma), and the bulb on the left has the diodes oriented up and down (like 12/6 on a clock face), while the one on the right has them side to side (like 3/9). Trust me when I say it can be a huge difference in how your light output displays.

~Robert

 

These bulbs are in my High Beams, Low Beams, and my Fogs. Work great for me. At least as good as my Bi-Xenon HID's in my VW GTI.