The ultimate headlight upgrade H4 (not LED or HID)

I'm getting above my pay grade here. I can replace the factory socket and not have to rewire?

 

It's just two wires. And I see you have 2015, so it's an H11 socket (I was thinking earlier 2nd gen )

 

Snip wires behind the socket and strip them. Then they just clip into the new socket?

 

I see how it goes, just connecting the wires. Thanks for the help man.

 

Make sure you match the polarity since you have led fogs.

 

AGREE- don't get the polarity wrong or your fogs will only work south of the equator, where toilets swirl counter-clockwise!

 

Do you have a favorite H11 socket brand you use?

 

Haven't had to replace an H11 socket yet. I used Dorman 9005 sockets when the factory H10 connector burnt up.

 

Dorman is a good way to go and available at Orileys.

 

I like brighter lights, especially when, it does not affect oncoming traffic.

 

Installed the Headlight Services Harness and Osram 100/90Watt H4 last night. They showed up the same day so it was meant to be. I should have done this years ago!!!

 

I went with the GE Xenon +120 halogen headlight bulbs. I haven't gotten my new headlight assemblies yet (should be here this Mon. or Tues.) so I decided to try them in my old assemblies just to see if I liked them. They do make more noticeably more light than stock 9003 bulbs. I couldn't tell much about their range due to the heavy rains here while I was driving last night. I'll have to try them in the mountains during good weather to really be able to tell. If I'm not satisfied with them, or they don't last very long, I'll probably get the high wattage bulbs, and wiring harness, and hope I don't get busted during inspection, or by the police.

I can see why people were always flashing me after meeting another Tacoma on the road. It was in an area with street lights, so I could clearly see that is was in fact a Tacoma, and that the lights were on dim, due to the fogs being on, the lights looked normal color, so I'm assuming they were stock, but they do glare some, and did hurt my eyes. I don't think the low beams in the Tacoma are very friendly to on coming traffic. I'm sure someone sitting lower, as in a small car would fare much worse. I find the low beams much better than the ones on the 2008 Subaru I had as far as my visibility, but I do think they can bother other drivers. I have lowered the headlight aim twice, and I don't get flashed as much now, but still more than I'd like, especially in the mountains where it's very dark, and everyone's eyes are well adjusted for darkness. I can see why the IIHS rates most headlights as only fair, and many as poor, but only a very few as good! When we went away from sealed beams, it was a big mistake for night driving safety in my opinion. The lights on my '76 Chevy were much better than anything I've had since, and I didn't get flashed by every 4th car I'd meet...

 

My 63 Falcon has FoMoCo original sealed beams (non halogen) and I might as well have them off. Terrible, just terrible.

 

Sealed beams were poor lights back in the 70s, 80s & 90s. I used to replace them with Cibie halogens. The beam pattern and cutoff were superior to anything available off the shelf at that time.

 

I had Bosch with Osram lamps. Nice cut off & very bright too.

 

The OEM fogs actually produce more glare than the headlights, especially the high power 12-15 or 16+ TRD H11 fog units. Fogs don't have a housing glare guard like headlights that ensures more light direction control, and therefore produce some glare, however the glare is within legal SAE J583 levels when using a stock wattage bulb. Other things can also affect how much light hits oncoming drivers, like headlight aim, lifting, or leveling without adjusting the headlights afterward. Even throwing something heavy in the bed, or putting a shell on will cause the same effect as leveling, and can cause the headlights to point too high which isn't glare per say, it is the beam pattern is no longer properly aimed to keep the lights from blinding oncoming drivers.

 

Installed mine this morning.
Be sure to unplug the grey harness on the right of your battery if you have DTRLs
Lights are working and warm lol. Can't wait to see how they look on my way to work tonight


headlight harnesses






Dual relays


Positive (w/ 2 in line 20a fuses) andnegative terminals



Old bulbs(left) vs new
Osram 55w vs Osram 100w
Both are H4

 

It was the main low-beam headlights that bothered my eyes, not the fogs. I agree that fog lights often have more glare than the main headlights. Fog light glare may be worse for low profile vehicles.
I got a good look at the Tacoma I met, and it didn't appear lifted, or sagged in the rear. I can't say if the lights were aimed properly. I know that when I first got my Tacoma, every other car I met would flash me. It passed dealer prep, and state inspection that way. I could see that the lights were too high, so I lowered them, and they were still a bit high. After the last lower adjustment they seem to be about
right to me by where the high beams fall on a level road. I'll try to do a proper alignment after I get, and install my new headlight assemblies.

I agree the old non halogen sealed beams were weak. I had replaced the OEM's with halogens on my '76 Chevy in the early 80's, and that was a big improvement. I still say that overall, the sealed beam halogens, were better than any lights I've had since the sealed beam only law was changed. The sealed beams were glass, and didn't haze, discolor, or crack with age. Impacts could of course crack them.
I think they were better lights, and that we should have stuck with sealed beams. I have read articles by vehicle safety people saying this as well.

I'm sure the glare is within legal DOT specs, but I still think the Tacoma's lights have more glare than that from many vehicles.

 

@ because_minitruck, are the Osram bulbs the ones with the blue crud, or are they clear? I'm confused, you wrote old bulbs on the right, but ones on the left look old by the pin condition...

 

Good catch! Osram 90/100s are on the right.

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