Quote:
Originally Posted by pluton
New housings, OEM(old style) or TYC, plus brighter bulbs, plus the upgrade wiring harness are recommended.
Keep in mind that your original 97 reflectors are yellowed and coated with dust, as mine were. They are probably outputting less than half the amount of light compared to when they were new. I replaced the old 97 headlight assemblies with new OEM '97-style housings. I also use the add-on wiring harness.
The original 97 headlights are universally acknowledged to be at least a bit inferior to the later 99+ headlight design.
Unfortunately, Toyota ran out of OEM 99+ units a few years ago, so you're left with aftermarket 99+ units, like the TYC. The TYC units are very close copies of the OEM 99+ headlights and most users seem satisfied with the quality and the better reflector/lens design.
For a while, you could get Philips 67/60w bulbs, which are a step brighter than the stock 55/60w bulbs, without being 'blasters'. I've had trouble finding the 67/60w units lately---some retailers will sell you packages that say 67/60w on the outside, but inside are standard 60/55w bulbs. I may try the 100/80w bulbs if I can't find the 67/60w bulbs.
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New OEM '97 style housings look to be about $200/piece. Why they still stock the '97 style but are out of the '99+ style escapes me. I'd prefer to upgrade to the '99+ style but several Amazon reviews indicate that the TYC units have a problem with the position of the bulb shield on the driver's side units. It appears they're using the passenger side bulb shield in the driver's side assembly. I suppose I could roll the dice and see what they look up when they show up and return them if they look off.
Would using 100/80w "blasters" be a problem for oncoming traffic if they're aimed correctly? I don't want to be "that guy" and spend my days getting flashed by oncoming cars.
