So my wife,

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has two 4Runners. A 2014 SR5 with 342K miles and a 2023 ORP with 18K miles. She has noticed quite a bit of difference in brightness of the headlights between the 2014 and the 2023 and has inquired about upgrading the 2014 for Xmas. Do I need new housings along with LED bulbs to do the upgrade? The housings on the 2014 are losing their protective coating on the top side of he housing and could use an upgrade.

You can do it two ways.

1) There are plenty of drop in bulbs that you can use that offer an upgraded over the stock halogens. There is a lot of animosity towards them here as a drop in bulb is technically not ideal in a halogen projector housing. Personally, I really like my Lasfit drop ins and have had them for close to three years now. They are a noticeable upgrade IMO. But, I'll leave that up to you to do more research on what bulbs you can go with. If you want to get new housings for them do to the fading I'm sure you can find them pretty cheap somewhere from someone who swapped them out for a Morimoto or something. You can also go HID in the stock housings.

2) Find someone selling a set of factory LEDs. They are almost plug and play with just a quick plug change on the back of them I believe. This is the much more expensive option, but it's an amazing light as you know and you get your new housings.

I’m running HID on both my K2500 Suburban diesel rigs. I use euro clear lenses with cups over the low beams to cut light reflection above a certain height. Also using All-4-On-Hi relays to keep the lows on during that time that the high beams are warming up. The HIDs are vastly superior to the OEM halogens and they are ridiculously cheap now vs halogen bulbs. The issue is finding space to mount the ballasts.

Do you get oncoming drivers flashing their high beams with the lasfit LEDs?

Did some research and online pricing for OEM LED housings is $756 each, so that’s not happening. Looked at and bought the Lasfit.

Low beams:
Toyota 4Runner 2014-2020 Custom H11 LED Bulbs with Dust Cover | Pro-DC

High beams:
Brightest 9005 LED Bulb White｜Lasfit

If it were my vehicle I’d pick up a cheap set of used stock housings from someone who upgraded (up thru 2019 I believe all were halogens). There are many folks who upgraded to aftermarket units, so good condition used stock units are out there. Check OfferUp, Craigslist, and forums. Post a WTB here and I’m sure someone has a set in the garage.

Then I’d upgrade using quality plug in LEDs. Since you have projector lows, the right led drop in will be amazing.

I’ve used many aftermarket headlights and always found them lacking; either in performance, output, or build quality.

You don’t know me or have any reason to believe me over anyone else, but VLED’s has the best stuff. Use there vehicle finder tool to get the right bulbs.

Their high beam is designed especially for the 4Runner and offers both the DRL and high beam to be LED too, without flicker or any issue. It gives amazing light while upgrading the cosmetic appearance too.

Yes, they’re more expensive than other stuff but you get what you pay for. All plug & play too. Both low beam and DRL/high beam are available and currently on sale (I’m not affiliated).

I have a 2022 with the stock LED headlights. In these later models (like your ORP) the area that used to be the DRL/high beam is now simply an ugly halogen DRL. On your 2014 you are able to upgrade both. Believe this, the stock 2022+ led high beam is just a flap inside the projector and the high beam is nowhere near as effective as it would be in the stock older style location.

In my 2022 I unplugged the stock DRL and installed 9005 led bulbs from VLEDs, then used an aftermarket 9005 harness to switch them on/off, triggered by my stock high beam circuit. The difference is literally night & day. (see my build thread for details).

Good luck with whatever way you choose to go.

Hoppy

Edit: I was typically while you replied. I’ll leave the post as it may help someone else.

Agree on the quality of aftermarket housings. In general they turn yellow and hazy in about half the time it takes OEM housings to reach the same condition.

i know you already got the LED's. but i'm still rocking HID's in the OEM projectors. no flashing from oncoming drivers. I also got them half off. they also came with a new rubber grommet with the wires already fed through so its no problem mounting the ballasts. xenonpro . com

I also ran HID's in my 2014 in the halogen low beam projector and was extremely happy with the results.
Ran LED's in the high beam only.

We’ll see how these go. I needed a Xmas present for my lady. She has developing cataracts, so driving at night has become increasingly difficult.

She also wants a new gun😎

There was a thread here or the other site, where people were swapping OEM LED headlight assemblies into pre 2020 T4R's, changing the small harness to work at reduced pricing IIRC.....

She'll enjoy the new gun more when she has new eye lens put in.....as me how I know!

She’s enjoying the new shoulder that she got last year. Actually came bragging to me how she can easily shift the ORP transfer case.

sounds like a great excuse for some nice optics too

Haven't tried it yet, but why not use Sylvania Silverstars?

I put them on my truck and it was a huge difference. Haven't tried them in my '14 LE just yet.

I just put the Lasfit low beams in my 2020 SR5P. I love them, but I am now "That Guy" who is getting high beam flashed by a lot of oncoming traffic. Not everyone, but way more than usual.

You getting flashed when just Lo Beams are on? Is it due to stray light from the housings? Can the housings be adjusted to lower the headlight beam?