Headlights

Anyone have any input on oem headlights vs aftermarket. My oem headlights were amazing. Perfect visibility and no patches of light. Of course being stupid I order cool looking after market ones and they are junk. Before I go hunting for another oem set how do you guys feel about aftermarket headlights? Are the oem ones actually the best for visibility?

 

If you want to stay with reflectors, OEM will be best performing. I'd suggest the smoked OEM lights from the Pro, or smoked OEM sport lights for the earlier trucks as a better looking headlight over the standard bright chrome option.

Anything overly flashily looking (aside from custom made retros) will have worse optics than stock.

 

2006 regular cab 4x4. The factory lights on my truck preformed great. Better than any other factory lights on my other vehicles. Why would you suggest the smoked ones. Just for looks or performance. I would prefer to get oem ones because I know they work the best for what I'm looking for and I'm tired of wasting money on gambles.

 

I just mention the OEM smoked ones as I think they look a little better. No other reason. You can see side-by-side comparison to non-smoke and get the part numbers with cheapest place to buy I've found under point 3) in this thread:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-not-led-or-hid.398066/

 

OEM headlights and the ultimate headlight upgrade will give you the best "bang for your buck."

 

Definitely OEM is the best way to go. Even for a retrofit I like to use OEM instead of cheap aftermarket parts

 

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Damn it must be my bulbs, because I am not impressed with the OEM headlights at all. My other cars have self-levelling HIDs, so I just figured it was going back to conventional bulbs. Not to hijack, but what bulbs are people running?

 

Crash has to have this link hotbarred or something, as he is mentions this thread every headlight thread that gets started. Ha. There is a lot of good information in there though, a very good read.

 

Yeah I'm gonna have to study that thread, tons of information. Thanks!

 

I have been too scared to change headlights. I'm too concerned about moisture/leaking that usually a problem with almost every after market or OEM replacement light.

Smoked headlights will lead to poor visability. Is this what you got?

 

When I reference smoked, it is the OEM chrome reflector is a smoked chrome reflector, not that the lens is smoked which would reduce light output. An OEM replacement is no more likely to leak than your existing OEM lights, unlike aftermarket.

 

Here is a pic of the above stated headlight upgrade (Ultimate Headlight Upgrade) using the Osram 85W/90W with the harness in completely stock housings. Notice the very proper cut off and how well they light up this wall which is 30 feet away.

 

So you mean blacked out headlights. Smoked does refer to the lense.

I like the blacked out look. More ideally I like paint matched headlights, but impossible to find.