Proper headlight upgrade

The bulbs that came with the CAPA/TYC housings were plenty bright for mine, big improvement over my faded out originals, no harness needed either as they are the oem wattage.

 

I'm double checking on rockauto again - both units under the standard tab, if you go to the choose tab, both CAPA certified are either $83 or $99. 98 tacoma 6 cyl
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,1998,tacoma,3.4l+v6,1317633,body,headlamp+assembly,10762

Is DRL day time running lights? If so, I don't have that.

Seems like people are getting the harnesses from different places, whats a good one to go with that provides instructions, good quality, etc?

The wiring discussed above sounds a little tricky, I wouldn't want to screw it up somehow. Where does it connect to the light controls?

Has anybody just tried the projector setup completely, may be easier and around the whole price altogether? Any reason that this might not be a good idea?

 

What would be a wattage slightly above stock, and not quite to the osram level, a kind of middle ground?

 

Can you elaborate on how you did yours, I wonder if it's the same setup for my 98?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA07qAgvekE

Looks like they have halogen bulbs? I was thinking something with LED bulbs and LED housings...

 

FYI

Ok, thanks for the feedback.

Talked to the guys at the retrofit source, very helpful. Thanks to Jimmy and Andrew for answering all my questions. Think I'm going to go HID's! Need to get new housings anyway. Can just get the cheap ones, because will have to crack'em open and reseal anyway. I'll clear coat and wax the front, so hopefully not get the yellowing/fading down the road.

Here's a helpful thread: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1st-gen-retrofit-walkthrough-morimoto-mini-h1.213080/

After careful consideration, going to go with the D2S, good light patter and availability of replacement bulbs.

 

I am late to checking back in. I updated an earlier post to correct the info I had said in the early stages. If you have DRL, at least in my case and others, you are conventionally switched and need to disable the DRL before putting on the harness. I snipped the wire and put electrical tape on the ends. I have not driven at night yet, but in the parking lot, it was very noticeable. In addition, I ran the positive to my Blue sea fuse box and all seems good.

 

So what bulb is everyone recommending now that the Osram bulbs that were previously mentioned are discontinued?

 

Lower wattage osram bulb or another aftermarket high wattage bulb (most companies make them and you can find them on rock auto)

 

So I read a lot of the replies on here but wanted to confirm some stuff. I have an 02 Tacoma that I ordered some new headlights, TYC CAPA Cert from Rockauto.

Is this the wiring harness I need for a 1st gen Tacoma?
http://www.headlightservices.com/4runner3.html

Osram Super Bright? I couldn’t find the Allseasons mentioned.
https://www.powerbulbs.com/us/product/osram-super-bright-premium-h4

I read that this doesn’t work with DRL headlights which is fine because I was going to disable the DRL anyway by cutting the wire from the relay. If I go with the wiring harness from Headlight Services does that mean I don’t need to cut the DRL wire to disable it since the new harness would not work with the DRL?

Any other help info to do this mod for a 1st gen Tacoma would be appreciated.

 

Confirm if you have ground switched or not first (if you haven't already). That will tell you if you need the conventional switch or the ground switched harness.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...grade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/#post-11031383

The one you linked to doesn't LOOK like mine, though. Mine (iirc is ground switched) only has 2 relays, the one pictured has 3...

 

That is the only wiring harness I saw that was for a ground switch.

Like I mention on the other thread I will confirm I have a ground type switch.

 

Yeah, I'm just not sure about that 3rd relay.

Here's mine with the 2 relays.

 

My Osram 80w bulbs blew out pretty quickly, but that’s the price you pay for high wattage. You could go for something a little more tame like 65-70

 

So I follow the instructions on how to check for ground switch. Not sure if the 2nd gen Tacomas sockets are different but it mentioned checking the left side connector (vertical) for power. However the connector I got power from was the top connector (horizontal). So if my left side connector (verticals) has no power but my top connector (horizontal) does have power does that mean I have ground or conventional.

I also read that if I have factory DRL, which I do since I pulled the DRL (white/green) pin from the relay to disable them, then I must have a conventional plug?

 

@TacoJohn4x4 did you ever figure out which harness to get?

 

From Headlightservices
“As you noticed I sell two harnesses one is ground-switched, one is power-switched. You can use the power-switched harness in a ground-switched vehicle and the only thing that might happen is the dash high-beam indicator light may be dim. It maybe so dim you don’t notice it or it may be dim and you notice no difference. (Most people know when their high-beams are on.)
Electrically, the better harness is the power-switched harness.
If you are going to install LED headlight bulbs in a ground-switched vehicle you must use a power-switched harness for the correct polarity.”

I went with the power-switched harness. My 2002 has DRLs but I disable them. The harness was plug and play and works. The wires are higher quality.

I saw some cheaper harnesses on Amazon but some reviewers cut the wires and saw it was a smaller gauge wire.

 

Awesome thanks that helped a bunch. I disabled my DRL's too.

 

Just finished this swap with the 7x6 headlights into a glass and metal bucket.

A world of difference, used the mini h1 7.0,

Only issue is matching up the horizontal beams is extremely hard to get perfect because it has to be done by loosening the set nut on the bucket and tighten it, trial and error.

Otherwise probably the best upgrade

D2 are probably better if you can get them into your light housing.
They would not fit in the 7x6 bucket for me.

 

Looking to do this on my 98, just sourcing the buckets.