3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights

FYI. Just ordered those tungsram Nighthawk platinums from Amazon on 9/6. Said it won't be delivered til October. Just got an update thats its being delivered this Saturday.

Tungsram H11-55NHP/BP2 Nighthawk Platinum Automotive Bulb, 2-pack

Tungsram H11-55NHP/BP2 Nighthawk Platinum Automotive Bulb, 2-pack

Edit: just got another update. Will be delivered tomorrow. Don't let the expected shipping dates prevent you from getting a good deal.

 

I ordered mine on the 6th, delivery is still estimated for October 5th. Not in a hurry for them as my Philips H9s are still going strong.

 

Just a reminder that these people exist and drive on the road in multitudes.

 

Anyone know where these Tungsram h11 can be purchased in Canada?

 

Nice leds in projectors you have

Flat earth guy is back

 

Notice he was banned.

 

This guy has a great youtube channel about "forgotten" technologies and how they work. He makes things like old washing machines fascinating. Anyway, feel free to watch the whole video but skip to 15:40 for the relevant PSA. It's discussing turn signals instead of headlights but still a fantastic VISUAL demonstration of how bulbs and their housings are designed together.

 

I’m not seeing them on Canadian eBay or Amazon or Walmart. If you have a local Fred Meyer that would be a place to check. Otherwise they might have to be imported.

 

And don't forget, they think they look cool and out-perform their OEM bulbs too. Words fail me.

 

4runner OEM LED headlights



These units are LED low beam only, with the same halogen high beam as the halogen headlights.

These headlights are... odd. There is what I would call a UFO in the beam pattern, on both headlights just left of the hotspot. Very strange for an OEM product and would likely be distracting. For a projector the cut off is also not smooth/straight at all, it has a bizarre irregular wavy form. It will still serve the intended purpose fine as the variance isn't enough to cause an issue, but doesn't look as clean as you would expect from an OEM product.



The uplight on these is also not nearly as well defined or as intense as the 3rd Gen OEM LED headlights, it has a very soft appearance. It is important to note that these do have needed designed uplight, unlike aftermarket units like Morimoto. It appears the upper portion of the LED projector lens has a defusing texture to create the uplight, which would account for the soft/diffused appearance. I haven't seen that approach before, but it could be the culprit of the irregular cut off.



Tungsram Platinum H11 vs OEM LED (the OEM T4R halogen units have very poor focus compared to Toyota's Tacoma headlights)


Performance Tungsram Platinum H11 vs OEM LED


The OEM LED blows the halogens away, no contest at all. But also what is very impressive and surprising is the OEM LED headlight is a 5000k unit, not the typical 6000k higher color temp units like the OEM LED 3rd Gen Tacoma and most all OEM LEDs. However OEM LEDs are typically in the low-mid 70 CRI range, CRI is a a measure of how accurately the light will represent color and the T4R lights have a poor 62 CRI rating. I've not measured a white automotive light with such a low rating before. Low CRI makes it more difficult to see the difference between similar colors, such as blacks and browns for example.

The low beam pulls 18.4w. This is also surprising as it is less than the 3rd Gen Tacoma OEM LEDs (at 32w), but puts down higher peak intensity values. I think 3rd Gen has a wider 'hotspot' across the top of the pattern for a wider area of peak intensity illumination compared to the T4R.


Even compared to the best H9 upgrade in the T4R projector, the OEM LEDs are no contest.


Stock vs OEM LED, OEM LEDs are 2.7x higher output intensity


This was quite tricky to photograph, but the OEM units use a 4 emitter chipset in the projector.


I highly suspect the T4R Morimoto XB v2.0 run the same internals as the Tacoma Morimoto version utilizing the same 3 projectors, so output should be about identical. Comparing T4R OEM LED to the Tacoma Morimoto XB v2.0s. However note that Morimotos lack uplight unlike properly designed OEM lights.


There is another version of OEM LED headlights for the T4R that has an LED high beam. These units I have use an LED low beam only and the same 9005 high beam as the halogen assemblies. For maintaining the halogen high beam, the recommended upgrade is to swap from a 9005 to a 9011.

Stock 9005, 1700 lumens -> 9011, 2300+ lumens

For the 9011 I'd go with the classic Toshibas, which can still be had under the ACDelco brand. Note that Amazon recommends a newer version, but that is not a true HIR bulb, so I'd stay with the originals. Sylvania supposedly has come out with a newer more advanced HIR manufactured out of Asia, but it can be difficult to determine if you are getting that bulb or a reboxed Osram bulb out of Germany. I'd go with the high performing ACDelco/Toshibas unless you can confirm otherwise. You will need to trim an external plastic tab to fit a 9011 into a 9005 socket as outlined here.

$78 ACDelco GM Original Equipment HIR1 (25770739) High Beam Headlight Bulb

$32 ACDelco GM Original Equipment HIR1 High Beam Headlight Bulb
https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-HIR1...delco+9011&qid=1627438401&s=automotive&sr=1-6

Despite some minor imperfections, I'd recommend the T4R OEM LEDs over the halogen assemblies as a substantial performance upgrade, with the exception for those in heavy snow environments where the LED assemblies may freeze over.

Shout out to @Too Stroked for lending the T4R LED assemblies for test data.

 

I had one of these following this morning. To make matters worse, they had high beams on and fogs the same color. Holy batsh*t glare like no other, it felt like death was trying to swallow me into the light.

 

These should be the correct part numbers for different versions of the headlights.

Halogen only: ($217.25)
L: 81170-35571
R: 81130-35541

LED w/ Halogen High beam ($647.97)
L: 81070-35600
R: 81140-35610

LED Low/High beams ($697.30)
L: 81070-35610
R: 81140-35620

 

Joined the forum just in time for the new 4Runner headlight comparison! For someone who paid $0 for Morimoto V2s, would upgrading to the OEM LEDs be worth the ~$1500 (after tax)?

 

I ordered them from the US Amazon store (you can toggle the stores in the settings area within the app) $40CAD for 2 sets, incl shipping.

 

Good info!

I wouldn’t recommend the Morimoto assemblies due to lack of uplight and the units I tested had quality issues with a projector misaligned, but if you already have them and the lack of uplight isn’t distracting to you I wouldn’t pay to switch them out. Their low beam is higher output intensity than the OEM LED. I’ll have to test the 4Runner high beam for a high beam comparison.

 

Stoked to see the 4Runner headlight comparisons good sir!

You may have just convinced me to get a set of the OEM LED headlights. Do you suggest getting the Low Beam LED only variant and installing a higher performing Hi beam?

@daveeasa I may need a conversion harness when you have them in production

 

I ordered two pairs so far I think. So you would be 2nd in line. I think his are full LED though and I’m not sure they both use the same connectors? Maybe I should buy a T4R?

 

I’d definitely opt for OEM LED on the T4R with how poor their halogen assemblies perform, even with the best bulb upgrades. I don’t have the data though to make a recommendation on which high beam variant to choose. On Tacoma 3rd Gens the LED high beam is higher performing than the halogen one, but it is a completely different assembly so one cannot draw any conclusions from that.

 

I support the last notion