C-tube red LED tails for 2016-2021 review

I usually customize my rides with cool tails. I haven't found anything I liked for the 3rd gen in the 2.5 years I've owned mine. I personally think the Winjet raptor style just don't look right and I don't like many of the other designs. I'm not a big fan of black or smoked tails because I've found the red in stock tails helps break the colors up a bit and I don't like the white LED tube, individual bulbs and the inside molding exposed that come from clear lens black tails.

I reluctantly picked up a set of the C-tube LED tails in red on eBay for I think $270 total with tax with a 90% certainty I was going to return them. They are manufactured by Spyder which I have had decent luck with on other vehicles. Recon seems to have a set but they are $600!!! They kind of look like the new Chevys but they have a look of their own. I didn't think I would like them and I thought I would convince myself to stick with the pro tails and ship them back.

I actually REALLY ended up liking them. They look cool, kind of stockish and brighter than the OEMs in every capacity.

Here is one mounted. It does really look stockish. It fit well with no gaps to the body panel or tailgate. It also doesn't protrude any more than the stock lens. It won't get me pulled over and I like how it pops against the grey and black.



I ended up really liking the running lights, probably my favorite feature. It gives a custom look and fills up more of the taillight area. Here it is vs. stock.



Looks good, right? Again, kind of Chevy-ish but different enough.



Backup lights are whiter and brighter. You can see the light on the ground to the right of the picture vs. the stocker on the left.




Turn signal (first pic) vs. stock was even in brightness and view-ability. Brake light (2nd pic) was the same also. No brighter, but equal.




I'm keeping them. They install kind of weird, they use the stock bulb bodies and then plug into them where the bulbs would go. Definitely tape over them when they are connected prior to install; I would recommend that cold-fusing shrink tape over electrical tape so they don't get sticky.

Fingers crossed they are well sealed and don't get condensation.

 

Looks really good, and different from most Tacoma's on the road.

 

I want to like the ones you posted, but I'm not sure about those reverse lights. Maybe you'd need to provide a better picture, because to me it looks like OEM illuminate the ground better.

I love everything about my 2020 with the exception of the taillights. I feel that they are basic <insert white girl with a Starbucks cup and Ugg boots here> compared to the headlights.

 

Let me drive on them for a bit specifically regarding the backup and give you feedback. The LEDs are brighter, but I'm not sure if the beam pattern is any better or not. Really, the question is whether it illuminates well for the backup camera or not and out the side mirrors, so maybe I can do a comparison. I'm willing to do a back and fourth swap to answer this.

 

Thanks for review bro - I truly hate OEM taillights - could not stand chrome. Like 17-19 look- just hate they aren’t LED. I have tech package/ LED headlights and cannot believe how much I dropped to have such crappy/basic halogen stock taillights. At same time like you, I didn’t like any of the aftermarket taillights I’ve seen with the exception of what you have. I’ve been considering them for a while . I’m currently running pro taillights with LED bulbs .

Definitely appreciate the review and more info/ pics as I’m considering getting these too. I like the look as they are clean and close to OEM .

 

Toyota's method of only chroming certain parts (i.e. tail lights) drives me crazy. Thanks for the review!

 

I like em!

 

Couple more pics.







Here you can see the bulb connectors that I sealed with cold shrink tape

 

That’s a damn good looking truck.

 

Reminds me of a Chevy Silverado for some reason, the lights.

 

Nice, but don't want my Taco lookin' like a Cheby.

 

looks like a chevy lol. Looks good though

 

Dusk pics. It does look a little Chevyish but the LEDs look so much cleaner and more modern on the truck than stockers.



Running lights



Blinkers



Brakes

 

Dude they look awesome! Clean! Look good on your truck. I think I’m gonna pull trigger ! I see spider has them/ also see some on Amazon/ eBay . I assume they all same- who did you go with / pay ? I have cement too and want them to match my LED headlights.

Thanks for all the pics ! Nice set up .

 

They're all the same, spyder is the manufacturer. I got them off eBay.

 

I considered a different taillight setup, but then I won a MESO Total Taillight kit in one of his competitions, and man does it make a hell of a difference. It's brighter, the lighting pattern is different and you get the amber turn signal which I particularly like. Oh and don't forget the reverse lights, they are sooo freaking bright and with the wide angle of illumination, you can see clear as day thru the reverse cam at night.

 

Sounds good, thanks! I’m sold

 

I would have gone that route too but I got so sick of waiting. Maybe a year?

 

If you guys ever find yourself going through Colorado, give me a heads up and we can easily take care of those connections. Converting those tail lights to a true plug and play would be super easy.

 

Looks good and they're different from a lot of what is out there already.