3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights

^^^there's an rx350 test in this very thread, and a later test of the same lamps that shows the effectiveness of the higher cost performance burners from both osram and philips.

Edit- around page 270ish??? Can't find my bookmarks.

 

since we're spoon-feeding
page 276
post 5506

 

I'm not a fan of retros for vehicles with excellent OEM LED headlights like the 3rd Gen Tacoma and 4runner, as you have an excellent high quality OEM headlight available rather than trying to take apart an assembly by baking it in your oven, modify it (hopefully well) and try to seal it back together. You can end up with un-level beams, bad aim, leaking assemblies etc, of course it can also be done well too. Some vehicles have no good OEM headlight options, and retrofitting is the only option for good output.

For retros you want to use OEM projectors that uses a legitimate HID capsule like D2S, the Lexus RX350 D2S units are regarded as some of the best. You can buy the parts from The Retrofit Source, no need to buy full OEM assemblies. Avoid aftermarket retrofit projectors by Morimoto and the like, for both HID and LED. They do not have uplight, meaning you end up with a super high contrast cut off and are literally blinded by your own lights as you are unable to see past the low beam. All OEM lights have uplight, light above the low beam cut off so you can see past your low beam and illuminate things like signs further down the road. Using a legitimate HID based projector also gives you access to the best German HID performance bulbs by Philips and Osram. Many retrofitters may suggest something like the Morimoto mini H1 units for ease and cost. But then not only do you lack uplight in the pattern, an H1 is a halogen only bulb. No legitimate HID manufactures make an H1 HID, because there is no such thing as a legitimate H1 HID projector, just cheap aftermarket Chinese ones people put into their vehicles. So then you are limited to only cheap Chinese bulbs. Lots of effort wasted for a sub-par product. For ballast, there are again advantages to OEM as shown in the post below. But if necessary an aftermarket 35w unit would work, just won't last as long, start as fast and may cause interference in the vehicle.

RX350 post:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ctor-headlights.589465/page-276#post-26704071

 

My bad. Went back to the first post thinking it would be the same as the high beam and fog light threads

Thanks! Trying to figure out options on the Morimotos I mentioned a bit back. OEM 4Runner projectors don’t package that well into the Morimotos

 

Don’t forget the problem that a lot of Tacomas have with the low beam projectors of bouncing. I had the XD system with the Phillips bulbs and also had a set of XDs branded bulbs. Those Phillips bulbs were some of the best quality available. I tried all of them and the all had an annoying bounce when going over bumps that drove me fking nuts, I pulled out the whole setup and sold it.

The bulbs were all solid in the projector mount, not the slightest budge when installed when yanking on the installed bulb. The problem is in the projector assembly itself, it’s well documented on this forum and a good number of guys had this issue.

For some reason I have no problem with any halogen bulbs and others with similar results. I have H9s installed now and they are beyond sufficient.

 

I’m sure it’s been gone over a many times in this thread but I don’t have time to look through it all, so my question is, what do I have to do/modifications to make the H9’s work? Step by step and photos welcome as I’m a lil slow. TIA

 

Remove green plastic inserts on H11 connectors. One time and done for good.

Insert H9’s to low beams directly
Or
Trim metal tab on H9 to match H11 using flush cutters (avoid any dangling shards) then insert.

If you trim the metal tabs, do 4 bulbs at a time to make it worth your while and stash 2 in the glove box for spares.

Replace every year in the fall.

 

Remove this little tab, using the $7 wire cutter, that's it.
There is no modification needed on the metal tabs. Keep your truck 100% stock, not 99.9%.

$7 wire cutter(made in Italy, I've had mine for 15 years, everybody should have one regardless)

$6 Hakko-CHP-170 Micro Cutter - Red

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FZPDG1K

2 minute installation video:

 

Or keep the H9 in the glove box as spares(I did), replace it if the H11 burned out.

That's why I opted out not to change anything on the factory harness, I can still use the OEM H9 bulbs.

 

If you’re trimming one tab you may as well do the other while you have the cutters right there. Removing the green inserts isn’t anything to be concerned with since you can still use h11s without them or put them back in if you wanted to for whatever reason.
Popping the insert and then fidgeting with the bulb to get it in is the simplest route.
It’s all about path of least resistance.

 

I'm against pulling the green inserts is if I leave them in, I won't lose them.

I will not be able to find them when I need them. Never fails.

 

My point is you won’t ever need them, but do what works for you

 

Packing or duct tape them to the back or top of the inside of your glovebox. If you do that, you’ll run across them every year or so when you change your cabin filter.

 

I put the green tabs, with the bulbs that I took out in the light bulb package

 

Why would you ever want them?

 

Just picked these Phillips H9 up on Amazon and to my surprise both were German.

 

Total crap shoot. Ordering online you can receive either. You got lucky.

 

Made in South Korea:
HELLA H9 2.0TB High Performance Bulb, 12V, 65W, 2 Pack

$31 HELLA H9 2.0TB High Performance Bulb, 12V, 65W, 2 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078SHPZWQ

These are the “best” readily available H11s. I don’t know where they are made. I’ve never used them.
Tungsram H11-55NHP/BP2 Nighthawk Platinum Automotive Bulb, 2-pack

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

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B8Y259H

 

For H11s, the Tungsram Platinum as @BillyE posted. For Philips H9s, the part number is the same for Germany or China, doesn’t matter what a website might show in a pic, Philips does not differentiate so an order can contain either. The bulbs are very close in performance, the China ones would still be a great upgrade.

Tungsram manufactures out of Hungry.

 

See post #2 of this thread