The ultimate headlight upgrade H4 (not LED or HID)

grad3r · Oct 1, 2024

I just discovered when you are using High Beams it's disable Low beams.
Anyone using this mode to run High and Low together?

https://www.aspireautoaccessories.c...oyota-tacoma-2005-2015?variant=39341361889344

Or it's will be to much heat?

Too Stroked · Oct 1, 2024

grad3r said: ↑

I just discovered when you are using High Beams it's disable Low beams.
Anyone using this mode to run High and Low together?

https://www.aspireautoaccessories.c...oyota-tacoma-2005-2015?variant=39341361889344

Or it's will be to much heat?
Click to expand...

Too much heat. Don't try it.

outdoorgb · Oct 2, 2024

Got flashed for the first time in two years yesterday morning. I did a quick high-0ff mode, and the dude left his on. Wonder how he behaves h the new LED and Jeep bros.

Coopsdaddy · Oct 12, 2024 at 6:28 AM

Pretty amazing and overwhelming post.
Thanks for that.
2012 tacoma factory housing cleaned and cleared.
Whats the best plug in play bulb with some longevity as of today that are available?

Norton · Oct 13, 2024 at 12:03 AM

Coopsdaddy said: ↑

Pretty amazing and overwhelming post.
Thanks for that.
2012 tacoma factory housing cleaned and cleared.
Whats the best plug in play bulb with some longevity as of today that are available?
Click to expand...

Covered in post 1 of this thread.

crashnburn80[OP] initial post: ↑

Stock wattage performance bulbs
Stock wattage high performance bulbs do not actually put out more light, instead they use smaller high precision filaments to make the light more focused and intense for the headlight to use more efficiently and project a brighter hotspot further. You can see an short article by Philips explaining how these bulbs work here.

These are currently the highest performing stock wattage bulbs on the market:

Philips Racing Vision +150 or +200 - Best low beam, reduced high beam output. See updated +200 review in post #3169. Followed by Osram Nightbreaker +200 in post #4066.

GE Lighting H4 NHX/BP2 Nighthawk Xenon Replacement Headlight Bulb, 2-Pack

GE Nighthawk Xenon +120 - Full performance high beam

Which bulb is best? Depends on your needs. The +150 bulbs are going to provide excellent low beam performance, but coat the high beam reducing performance. The Philips are rated at 200hrs. The GE +120s have a blue coating on the tip but leave both the low and high beam uncoated giving superior high beam performance with a slightly lower low beam performance over the other bulbs. You can compare lux performance over stock in the above charts.

Other bulbs
Hella 80/100w

Philips vs Volsa:
While Osram and Philips are constantly compared and about equal when running the latest version of each bulb, I hadn't seen any comparison with Volsa +100, which was marketed as a replacement to the outgoing 70w Osrams. So I took the opportunity to compare them on a 1st Gen later in the thread here.

Note that Sylvania Silverstars (different than Osram Silverstars) are not on the list, as a fully coated stock wattage bulb is lower performing. The Silverstar XZE have an output of 1500/910 lumens and a life of 150hrs.
Here is a breakdown from Candlepower.
Click to expand...

South_Ga Taco · Oct 14, 2024 at 6:30 PM

So I have a 96’ Tacoma xtracab, and I just did the swap. Went with headlight services headlight harness (Mr. Mike was a huge help and very nice!!) and got the Hella e-codes with the osram bulbs. Holy crap, what a huge difference, the e-codes provide a awesome light cut off that is very well defined and once the high beams are cut on, well no deer stands a chance hiding on the side of the road!!! 10/10 recommend this upgrade! Spend the extra money and go with headlight services, the harness is sooo well made, and HEAVY DUTY!!!!

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