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Brighter headlight bulbs standard housing

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by JakeF, Dec 22, 2024.

  1. Dec 22, 2024 at 7:04 PM
    #1
    JakeF

    JakeF [OP] Active Member

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    I’m looking for new headlight bulbs that are hopefully brighter than the factory. It’s a 2013.
     
  2. Dec 22, 2024 at 7:58 PM
    #2
    Lost Coast Adventure

    Lost Coast Adventure Active Member

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    I have the GTR Ultra 2.0 bulbs and they are a big upgrade over stock. They fit in the standard housing on my 2014.
     
  3. Dec 22, 2024 at 8:09 PM
    #3
    JasonLee

    JasonLee Hello? I'm a truck.

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    How foggy and hazy are your current headlights? Are they the OEM housings?
     
  4. Dec 22, 2024 at 8:40 PM
    #4
    OPTIMUM

    OPTIMUM YotaWerx Authorized Retailer OptimumTuning.com

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    I've ran Hikari LED lights on my Tacoma and RAV4 and they're great. They're miles brighter than the oem halogen lights but remember to aim them. Any top brand LED on Amazon such as lastfit and auxbeam should be good.
     
  5. Dec 22, 2024 at 8:44 PM
    #5
    crazysccrmd

    crazysccrmd Well-Known Member

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    No, they’re not better. They look brighter because they spew light everywhere but the actual illumination on the road in front of you is a shorter distance.


    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/
     
  6. Dec 22, 2024 at 8:55 PM
    #6
    OPTIMUM

    OPTIMUM YotaWerx Authorized Retailer OptimumTuning.com

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  7. Dec 22, 2024 at 9:00 PM
    #7
    crazysccrmd

    crazysccrmd Well-Known Member

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    Opinions are great, empirical testing is a whole different thing. I ran LEDs (and HIDs before LEDs were available) and they just don’t work properly in a halogen housing. The physical characteristics required to focus the light produced are drastically different between the types of bulbs and they aren’t interchangeable.
     
  8. Dec 22, 2024 at 9:08 PM
    #8
    b_r_o

    b_r_o Gnar doggy

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    LEDs in halogen housings are great for locating owls up in the trees as you drive down the road at night
     
    DocJ, williams63, 2015WhiteOR and 7 others like this.
  9. Dec 22, 2024 at 9:09 PM
    #9
    kodiakisland

    kodiakisland Well-Known Member

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  10. Dec 23, 2024 at 8:24 AM
    #10
    hinmo24t

    hinmo24t MAhole

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  11. Dec 23, 2024 at 9:02 AM
    #11
    reallifedog

    reallifedog wat.

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    Everyone has opinions, the link they posted is actual data.
     
  12. Dec 23, 2024 at 11:03 AM
    #12
    Rob MacRuger

    Rob MacRuger Well-Known Member

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    I have been using the Sylvania Silver Star Ultra's for several years. A very nice upgrade from stock. They don't last as long as stock bulbs but worth it to me.

    I just tried the Philips Ultinon Sport 9003. Not expecting much improvement I was impressed at the difference.
    Kind of like going from stock to Ultra's on steroids. These LED bulbs are flat two sided and produce light like the halogen in a reflector housing.
    They have a decent upper cut off and don't scatter light. Too bad they are still graded as off road legal only or I would keep them installed.
    The only downside I see is that they do show all the imperfections in the older refinished plastic headlamp housings which is not noticeable in daylight.
     
  13. Dec 23, 2024 at 11:09 AM
    #13
    Bajatacoma

    Bajatacoma Well-Known Member

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    And blinding on-coming drivers, especially those who are older or may have other vision problems, so that now you have several thousands pounds of barely guided missile hurtling towards you. :eek:
     
  14. Dec 23, 2024 at 11:31 AM
    #14
    ABA180

    ABA180 It burns when I pee....

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    Such as my wife, or my mother. Both of whom aren't able to drive at night due to people doing this sort of stuff. Hopefully those people are proud of themselves.
     
    DocJ likes this.
  15. Dec 23, 2024 at 11:32 AM
    #15
    ABA180

    ABA180 It burns when I pee....

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    What housings do you have on the two vehicles?
     
  16. Dec 23, 2024 at 11:32 AM
    #16
    ProStar197

    ProStar197 Well-Known Member

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    I have VLED bulbs in my Tundra and Tacoma and have been extremely happy with them. They are not cheap but they are great quality in my opinion. There is a big difference in cheap led bulbs and good ones. I definitely have a cutoff line like a halogen bulb.
     
    Rob MacRuger likes this.
  17. Dec 23, 2024 at 11:35 AM
    #17
    Peter603Taco

    Peter603Taco Well-Known Member

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    Stirring the pot since I know everyone on here hates LED in halogen housings, for good reason when they scatter light poorly and blind others. However, I found these LEDs on Amazon last year (ordered and tried a few since they're so easy to swap) and found they had surprisingly had exceptionally good cutoff with just a tad of uplighting just like the OEMs. Photo for reference, OEM halogen on left new LED on right.

    Had to drop the LED just a tad to maintain the height, and yes I dropped my SS3 fogs after this photo which was right after install. The LEDs have been going strong a year now no complaints, high beam projects correctly as well. No clue on actual lumen output but they do feel slightly brighter, I got them mostly for the whiter light. The fogs did the most for me performance wise by far since they light up the sides so well and cut through fog/rain/snow/better. Fog light anytime mod as well helps with high beams on.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097BWYYLC?ie=UTF8&th=1

    IMG_1974.jpg
     
    Rob MacRuger likes this.
  18. Dec 23, 2024 at 12:03 PM
    #18
    scocar

    scocar hypotenoper

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    AND ANNOYING AND BLINDING ALL THE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. Except Tesla drivers. because they are staring at their screens while their headlights ALSO FUCKING BLIND EVERYONE ELSE.
     
  19. Dec 23, 2024 at 12:47 PM
    #19
    2015WhiteOR

    2015WhiteOR Well-Known Member

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    If you want more USABLE light, go yellower, not whiter/bluer.

    This is because it works with the biology of the eyeball and yellower hues are more compatible with how our brains process images.

    And yeah stay the f away from LEDs in halogen housings.
     
    lowmower and scocar like this.
  20. Dec 23, 2024 at 3:10 PM
    #20
    No Shoes Nation

    No Shoes Nation Well-Known Member

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    Hmm . . . none as yet, that's why i'm here . . .
    Search on TW for headlight upgrade put in 100/80W halogen, light up the night and you can see where ur going.
     

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