headlight bulb recommendations

You don't have to modify the harness, just cut some tabs off of the bulb connector, it is an easy process, takes about a minute for each bulb. The improvement is quite impressive, and the cost is $8-$9 a bulb.

 

The Tungsram bulbs do not require a harness. They are plug and play 2015.

 

Thank you I will replace them.

Have you done a test of fog lamps for standard fog lights like the excellent H4 one?

I have seen the one for aftermarket units

 

Before decent LED units came about I had experimented with a few high power halogen upgrades. But modern SAE LED assemblies allow higher intensity output with better cut offs for superior performance while drawing less power. They make the high power halogen upgrades obsolete.

 

I haven’t found that exact bulb.

This is what I have found:

1) Tungsram Megalight Ultra +120%
2) Tungsram Nighthawk Xenon

Which one should I get?
Thanks.

 

The Xenons. They can be hard to find right now with the rebranding from GE -> Tungsram.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tungsram-H11-Nighthawk-Xenon-Halogen-Bulb-2-pack/313412664

 

Thank you!

 

Just installed the Philips Racing Vision 150s. Might have improved low beams a tad... but nothing to jump up and down about. In the past I have seen better results with Sylvania Silverstars on various vehicles

 

Do you think these Xenons are the GE +120 - rebranded.

Tungsram 2022 PDF has gone back to the Tungsram Megalight Branding +120 +150 +200 - which they did not use before .

I just want 2000 lumens on Hi Beam.

I am spoiled by using the Osram 64205 70/65 watt H4s .

I noticed the GE Megalight in one test by a British company was about 1900 plus lumens .

I know higher candela and focus improves throw but they are lowering output with the blue coloring.

In Florida there are people with super bright LEDs which can cast a strong shadow at 1000 feet , light up half a Walmart parking lot , lol.

So properly aimed Police do not care about obsolete DOT restrictions on Halogens .

The sweet spot IMO for Halogens is probably just where the Osram Rallye was [ I burned out my second pair ] [ no more available ] ..about 75 to 78 watts on high beam at 13.5 volts and about 2200 2400 lumens .And about 1500 on low .
Beam focus / hocus pocus / lol- the Osram 64205 has a lot of throw in a standard reflector and natural spill to the side of the road .....
Very slightly hotter than stock bulbs , I never had problems.

So I am looking at theNighthawk Xenons ,9003 hoping they are the GE +120 megalight / rebranded.

I am hoping Tungsram will make an 'off road ' slightly over-wattage bulb .

I am no lighting tech but the filament for the high beam on the Osram Rallye 70/65 was clearly thicker - and I got many hundreds of hours out of them.

So the newer Tungsram Megalights are listed on 2022 PDF but not available yet .

I tried a Philips +130 which had an unimpressive hi beam .

So - anything on hi beam 70 watts or less [ at 12 volts ] up near 2000 lumens should do it .

 

Welcome! Those Osram Rallyes were awesome bulbs. It is unfortunate they are not available anymore. GE and Tungsram used to be a partnership, Tungsram bought out GE’s stake and all the GE automotive lighting products are now sold under the Tungsram label, but are still the same products.

Anything beyond the Philips +100s have reduced output high beam, as they started placing a coating over the high beam filament. The latest Racing Vision GT200 +200s have outstanding low beam, but pay the price with the high beam losses.

If you are looking full incredible high beam performance, follow the recipe in this thread:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/

I'm not aware of any mildly boosted high beams anymore. All seem to be stock wattage or 100w, which will require an HD relayed wiring harness.

I'm fairly certain I have actual GE +120 Megalight H4s new in box if you want them. You can have them for the cost of UPS ground shipping.

 

My truck (2014) had LED lamps installed in the headlights when I got it, and while the low-beams were very good except on wet roads, the high-beams I'd describe as marginal at best. Reading here about the issues with them in an assembly not designed for them: I blamed the LED's, and swapped them out with a pair of 9003 Sylvania Silver Star Ultra lamps. The low beams were a step up: excellent: brighter, good coverage side-to-side, forward, and cut off. High beams: just fair... No blast of light out straight ahead... Might as well be aimed at the sky. Pulling up to the garage shows a hazy, scattered pattern. Low beams are bright and oblong beam right where it should be. I verified the bulbs are installed correctly and tight the headlamp.

So I'm wondering: is this a trait of these headlamps or is it just me/my truck? To be fair, it could be that my expectations are high because my previous vehicle had excellent projecter-beam headlamps and potent high-beams.

 

LEDs lack focus so pattern performance in the reflector is poor. The Silverstars put blue coating over the high beam, which greatly reduces output, so the high beam performance will be weak.

This will give you a significant high beam performance Boost, as well as the low beam.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/

If looking for stock wattage plug and play bulbs, Tungsram Platinum or Tungsram Nighthawk Xenon +120 are the best performance bulbs that don’t have a performance robbing blue coating over the high beam filament.

 

Thank you for the response. I appreciate it. I'll look for those bulbs you recommended. The Silverstars are brighter than the LED's that were in it even with the blue coating, which is slight. Comparing to the halogen fog bulbs, they appear slightly whiter than the fog bulbs, but just barely.

I'd love to take a crack at that mod you came up with. You did a lot of work. The light pattern, coverage and distance (reach) all appear to be outstanding. I could use it with my "approaching senior" eyes now. lol

 

I'll admit I'm a slow reader. But good God after reading for nearly A-day and a 1/2 and still not being done with the thread I gave up. And yeah I forgot everything I read 17 hours prior or whatever.
I am 100% with you. There should be a simple easy one paragraph Reed that says this is the 1 that works that's it. Then if you want to get into all of the other BS and as to why they think that is the best then continue reading on by all means.

Why can't there be a simple:
Here's what works best and is 100% plug in play...
Here's what works best if you want to do minor modifications..
Here's what works best if you want to do Is moderate modifications...
And here's what's best if you were willing to go all out and completely build your own personal headlight housing

 

While I agree with you in that there's a lot in there, a couple of points. First @crashnburn80 does keep that thread updated with the very latest information. That said, you only have to really read the first 3 or 4 pages to get it all. Second, @crashnburn80 is a pretty prolific contributor here - and other places. He does tons of truly independent testing and reporting 100% on his own dime. (If you only knew what he spends on test equipment and products to test.) A little slack here might be in order.

 

Re: LED's in winter climates: I thought of this way back too when they started appearing on vehicles: no de-icing power while warming up and brushing off the car and even worse when driving through wet snow or freezing rain. You see it on vehicles approaching you in these conditions, and you experience it in your own as the headlights slowly reduce their output because there is minimal/no heat production. It makes a good case for staying with incandescent/halogen, even in other fixtures, like tail lamps. Especially in cold area of the country.

 

No disrespect ment toward crash or anyone else.... I'm just saying that after reading for hours and hours I became even more confused than I was when I started reading it in the 1st place.

 

same here...

 

Nobody owes you anything. It’s a forum.

 

@crashnburn80 are these bulbs plug and play for second gen? (2012). Phillips racingvision have been hard to come by besides international sellers. Not opposed to it, but if these are “better” for just plug and play, I’ll get a set until the harness is upgraded. Thanks!