Idiot's FAQs about upgrading stock headlights

With your same logic what do you think happens when you put a double output high performance halogen in? Those same squirrel spotters get brighter.

Also, the DOT requires squirrel spotters in all headlights. "Squirrel spotters" refers to the small amount of upward light the DOT mandates to illuminate reflective street signs in the USA. ECE (Europe) does not have squirrel spotters since signs are lit in Europe.

What you have is European spec or E-code which is technically illegal in the US.

 

I notice the Osram H4 bulbs are 75 watts. I assume these won't overload the stock headlamp circuit designed for 55/60 watt bulbs.
Has anyone used these in a 2nd generation? How did they work?

 

How do threads like these go 91 posts when the @crashnburn80 threads were linked on the first page? Definitive resource. Every opinion giver should have to state that they've "read his threads and..."

 

All I have to say is you should definitely run hid’s in the stock projector and also convince many others to do the same. Funny how many other vehicles on the road have factory hid projectors and they don’t have squirrel spotters from the factory and their lights are legal from the factory. But what do I know, halogen projector really means insert hid bulb.

Also to clarify both us and eu spec rx350 have no spotter. Only difference is the slant in the cutoff.

 

I can definitely understand your frustration with my response and question. There is A LOT of information on this site and I’m just trying to make sense of it all.

 

For best plug and play bulbs, with no work required, get the GE +130 H11s. Be sure to use the coupon code:
https://www.powerbulbs.com/us/product/ge-megalight-ultra-h11-twin

For fuller beam output, use the Hella Osram Hyper H9s. These will require trimming a tab on the bulb or making a simple conversion harness for a few dollars like several have done.
https://www.rallylights.com/hl78178-h9-12v-65w-xenon-bulb.html

Different H9s, but the right bulb has the upper internal tab trimmed off using a small knife allowing it to plug into an H11 socket.


For aftermarket HIDs it is the Wild West with everything made in China by non-OEM grade manufactures. The XD rebased Philips HID capsules are probably the closest you’d get to a quality aftermarket halogen based HID bulb, but the XD ballasts are off spec and overdrive the bulbs.

To properly run HIDs you need to do an HID projector retrofit, I’d recommend using Lexus RX350 Projectors. You can then use proper OEM grade D2S HID bulbs, I’d suggest using Philips or Osram made bulbs. Then for a ballast use OEM brand Denso ballasts. The setup will likely cost ballpark $1000 if paying someone to do the retrofit.

 

Is that link correct that the Hella Osram Hyper H9s are only $9.14? That's the deal of the century for having to simply cut a tab to get them to fit an

$5 H11 harness H11 Male and Female Wire Harness

H11 harness!

 

Yes that is correct. It is an absurdly good deal for the performance increase. The 2nd Gen guys pay 2x that for a Hyper bulb.

 

Thanks! I've read your thread three times, but need to ask a repetitive question - do the Hella Hyper H9s outperform the GE +130s?

Apologies for my continued stupidity on the subject.

 

I've upgraded to the mortimoto or w/e their called in the High beam and Low beam. They are bright, yet terrible in the winter as they ice over. led generates no heat causing the ice to build up rendering them useless.

 

Just dropping the H9 in, no. It will cause massive glare with no glare cap and the OEM fogs do not do a good job of glare control. But, if you do my Subaru fog mod, you get glare shields in the assembly like a headlight that while using a high power H9, actually produces less glare than the stock fogs. The Subaru pattern is much more forward facing though.

You can see details in post #403 and afterward here. I still need to update the original post in that thread with the updated info.

Not at all, once I've finished testing all the performance H9s I'll update the thread. I would run the Hellas, you will get a fuller beam pattern.

Bright, maybe. But LEDs do not project distance which is the entire point of a headlight. You can see the details below, it is long but highly detailed:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-hid-vs-led-vs-halogen-h11-projector-headlights.589465/

 

Yes. You are not alone though, so many people get sold on the marketing hype of LEDs without realizing what they are doing. And the seller certainly isn't going to tell you, they are trying to make money off you.

Read this as to why you should not be running LEDs in reflector headlights or fogs:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/why-leds-should-not-be-run-in-halogen-reflectors.454371/

Here is the appropriate upgrade for the 2nd reflectors for increased output, using halogen bulbs in a halogen reflector:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/

You'll notice there are many people in that thread that first did what you did, and comment how much better a real lighting upgrade is.

If you want to use LEDs in your fogs, you need to change out the entire assembly to one designed from the beginning for an LED light source. You can see my comparison of nearly all of the ones that fit a Tacoma below. I would highly recommend the KC G4s as the best all round product.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-led-sae-j583-fog-pod-fog-light-review.554813/

Which bulbs are you referring to? The Osram 75/70 Hyper bulb is the only 75w Osram bulb in the 12v product line. It is an exceptional bulb, but no longer available in clear. Be sure you are not looking at 24v bulbs for commercial trucks. You can still get the 12v Hyper in the All Season color providing only a 4% loss as I measured in post #1520 here in comparing the 85/80w versions. The 75/70w labeling is no longer listed for the bulb, but if you look at the spec sheet for the H4 All Season Super, you can see that it is the Hyper bulb in disguise. Fudging the numbers by 2w allows it to be sold in Europe as a stock wattage bulb, even though it is not. You can safely run the 12v 75w Hyper bulb on your OEM wiring.

 

Thanks. We have a new brighter hikari-like model coming out for projectors also Stay tuned for updates.

But for reflector fogs we have this now - new setup:
http://deautokey.com/product/dual-c...n-a-clean-white-hyper-3000k-yellow-at-anytime

 

I put in the H9's yesterday and they made a huge difference. Thank you for taking the time to help out with some quick answers!

 

where are you guys getting these. the above links no longer work, or are out of stock.

Hella Osram Hyper H9

and GE +130 H11

thanks in advance, Ski

 

The Philips H9s are higher performing than the Hellas. The Hellas turned out to not be a Hyper bulb.

The GE Xenon + 120s are higher performing than the GE Megalight +130.

See post #2 in this thread for the comparison data:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-hid-vs-led-vs-halogen-h11-projector-headlights.589465/

 

these h9's are that good?

$11 Philips 12361B1 H9 Standard Halogen Replacement Headlight Bulb, 1 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-12361B1-Standard-Replacement-Headlight/dp/B003YMPN3A

Ski

 

Yes.

 

Pretty sure you have most of this excellent information saved and paste for these repeated light threads haha. The only thing I would provide is based on my experience you should trim the large metal tab on the H9 bulb in addition to trimming the inner socket tab or using an adapter harness for inserting in the H11 fitting on the low beams otherwise have fun trying to cram a square peg in a round hole.