'03-'05 Spec-D Headlight Review

[sonerick]

Did you use any relays with your setup?

thanks

josh

Nope, it was completely plug and play other than the wiring for the halos and small LED's, but that's because the wire taps they supplied me seemed to be for the wrong gauge wire. I ended up mounting the HID ballasts to the left and right walls of the engine bay using homemade brackets and a couple of self-tapping sheet metal screws. I also re-wired the halo's and small LED lights into the parking light circuit using a homemade wiring harness and quick-disconnect connectors, in case I ever need to remove the lights for repair or replacement.

I installed a set of 5k HID's from DDM tuning in the fog light location at the same time, also plug and play. The only issue I had was that I needed to reverse the polarization of the fog light wires, which required me to flip one of the connectors on each side. As a result it didn't snap together and I had to tape it.

 

[Runner04]

Have you had any problems with blinding people with the HID fog lights? I have considered doing that as well.

 

[tannerk15]

I was wondering if anyone could explain what the 'Warning Canceler' is and whether or not I need it. I have a 03 4Runner Limited. Not exactly sure what it is. Any info would be appreciated

 

[sonerick]

Have you had any problems with blinding people with the HID fog lights? I have considered doing that as well.

No, fog lights don't project high enough to blind oncoming drivers. They are also adjustable, I made sure to aim mine properly.

 

[sonerick]

I was wondering if anyone could explain what the 'Warning Canceler' is and whether or not I need it. I have a 03 4Runner Limited. Not exactly sure what it is. Any info would be appreciated

No warning canceler needed. That's for high end vehicles that have an indicator light when a headlamp bulb goes out. Not a problem with the 4Runner.

 

[tannerk15]

No warning canceler needed. That's for high end vehicles that have an indicator light when a headlamp bulb goes out. Not a problem with the 4Runner.

How long have you had the Spec D's installed? Are you happy with them or do you wish you would have done a true retrofit? I am also looking to get the projector / halo headlight, but am leaning towards just buying the projectors and completing a custom retrofit.

Also, do you know of anyone on here with a 4th generation that has made a thread with instructions on how to do a retrofit? I dont know that much about it so I am in need of info on what parts I will need.

 

[sonerick]

How long have you had the Spec D's installed? Are you happy with them or do you wish you would have done a true retrofit? I am also looking to get the projector / halo headlight, but am leaning towards just buying the projectors and completing a custom retrofit.

Also, do you know of anyone on here with a 4th generation that has made a thread with instructions on how to do a retrofit? I dont know that much about it so I am in need of info on what parts I will need.

I've had them now for almost 2 years. Aside from what I've written, no major complaints. Overall I'm happy with them, but I knew that they would not be as good as a retrofit before I bought them. If I had the time to devote to a retrofit, I would have gone that route, and have thought of still doing that many times.

Not sure about a thread with instructions, you'll have to search around a little bit. I'm sure they are out there, seen many on this forum that have done them.

 

[waileepai]

I installed a set of these blacked-out Spec-D light assemblies into my '03 4Runner last weekend and here's my feedback from the process.

I purchased from ProTuning Labs with the 6500K HID bulbs already retrofitted into the assembly, and all HID wiring harnesses included.

• Headlamp assembly mechanical install was straightforward and fit was OK (definitely not perfect, and gap between headlamp assembly & lower trim differs for passenger and driver side)
• Wiring relatively straightforward thanks to information on this forum and the internet, note there are NO electrical installation instructions included in the shipment
• Low beam cutoff is poor
• The low beam light output onto the road by the 6500K HID's are DIM compared to my previous OEM retroreflector stock halogen bulb headlamp assemblies
• The passenger side low beam has a MEGA hot spot

I will replace the 6500K HID's with 4300K HID's to see if that provides more low beam illumination, right now it's way too dim, not acceptable IMO.

The high beams were initially pointed WAY HIGH, so I'm attempting to aim those. There are three screws on the bright lights for adjustment??? If anyone knows of a procedure for aligning the HIGH beams in these assemblies, or for aiming high beams in general (where to point the beams) I'd love to know about it, thanks!

 

[J-Roc]

Anybody else's low beam projector housings "Shake"/"Rattle"?
My left one does and it's driving me crazy. Just wondering if anyone has had to tighten them? And how...?

 

[earthrealm]

had some lightwurkz superbright halo rings lying around since 2013, set me back 200 bucks back then, now am thinking of opening up the spec d assy and sticking the lightwurkz halos in there, as the halos that came with the spec d are pretty useless,,very dim.
anyone gone this route before?. would appreciate any tips

 

[haro]

Anybody else's low beam projector housings "Shake"/"Rattle"?
My left one does and it's driving me crazy. Just wondering if anyone has had to tighten them? And how...?

I have mine on for about 4 years now and the left one is loose pointing down. I think this happen after I had 55w hid kit from ddm tunning for about a year. Im thinking a plastic piece holding the projector inside melt.

 

[waileepai]

I had HID bulbs in mine for a few weeks and there was slight shaking on the passenger side. The spring clip that holds the bulb in place is just not up to the task of holding the bulb securely in the socket.

Also I swapped out the H1 HID 6000K Xenon bulbs for H1 4300K Halogen bulbs to see if that would help increase the illumination and provide a better beam pattern. And while the H1 halogen bulbs do seem to fit better in the socket, the passenger side is still slightly shakey, and the illumination is way dimmer than the HID bulbs.

So I'm going to swap back to the HID bulbs for now, but if I can't find a way to make these things illuminate properly I'll probably end up replacing the headlamp assemblies with something else.

 

[J-Roc]

I had HID bulbs in mine for a few weeks and there was slight shaking on the passenger side. The spring clip that holds the bulb in place is just not up to the task of holding the bulb securely in the socket.

Also I swapped out the H1 HID 6000K Xenon bulbs for H1 4300K Halogen bulbs to see if that would help increase the illumination and provide a better beam pattern. And while the H1 halogen bulbs do seem to fit better in the socket, the passenger side is still slightly shakey, and the illumination is way dimmer than the HID bulbs.

So I'm going to swap back to the HID bulbs for now, but if I can't find a way to make these things illuminate properly I'll probably end up replacing the headlamp assemblies with something else.

I feel the same way. Should have just bit the bullet and done a retrofit, or gone with the 06'-09' replacements.
Also thought it was because the bulb was not sitting properly in the housing with that shitty metal clip.
Pulled them out and inspected, the whole projector housing is loose and wiggles around. Not really sure how to tighten that up.

 

[nghiS4]

Wonky beam pattern

Just installed the Spec-D silver housing projectors. I didn't want to spend big money on a retrofit. So here's the unadjusted beam pattern with the standard halogens, parked slightly pointed down in my driveway. I did not wire up the halos nor 3 LED "eyebrows" & probably won't (too ricer-ish).

WTH is going on, on the right side ?????

I have a set of Philips HID 4300k bulbs from [MENTION=12905]XenonDepot[/MENTION] awaiting install but figured I'll run the halogens a bit to check them out.

 

[riceandpho]

its the projector itself, its crocked from the manufacture, that is why us with the true hid retrofit always suggest ditching the aftermarket halo projector headlights and spend it on a real retrofit, you save money and headache at the end.

 

[nghiS4]

Installed the [MENTION=12905]XenonDepot[/MENTION] 4300k Philips into these crappy Spec-D housings. Now considering maybe doing a retrofit of new projectors into the Spec-D's. Asking Retrofit Source their opinion now...

 

[earthrealm]

had some lightwurkz superbright halo rings lying around since 2013, set me back 200 bucks back then, now am thinking of opening up the spec d assy and sticking the lightwurkz halos in there, as the halos that came with the spec d are pretty useless,,very dim.
anyone gone this route before?. would appreciate any tips

GOT around to opening the lights.
installed the lightwurkz halos, they are super bright.pictures on this thread.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...alo-led-projector-headlights.html#post2729873

 

[nghiS4]

I just learned from Retrofit Source, that they have a "Retro-Quik" bracket with Mini H1 projectors, for Spec-D lights $50-$80. They do "suggest checking out the bolt pattern to make sure it matches." If this works out, I could have an easy retrofit using my existing
XenonDepot 4300k Philips bulbs & wiring, & replacing my existing crappy-beam-pattern Spec-D projectors without any cutting. Has anyone tried this route before?

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/c...o-retroquik-spec-d.html?preselect=51266,50408

 

[earthrealm]

I just learned from Retrofit Source, that they have a "Retro-Quik" bracket with Mini H1 projectors, for Spec-D lights $50-$80. They do "suggest checking out the bolt pattern to make sure it matches." If this works out, I could have an easy retrofit using my existing
XenonDepot 4300k Philips bulbs & wiring, & replacing my existing crappy-beam-pattern Spec-D projectors without any cutting. Has anyone tried this route before?

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6YRS AFTER...did you end up doing this...did it work?. am sick of the poor illumination of the spec d headlight assy. i need to swap the projectors with something better!!!

 

[riceandpho]

6YRS AFTER...did you end up doing this...did it work?. am sick of the poor illumination of the spec d headlight assy. i need to swap the projectors with something better!!!

I suggest you to buy new oem housings, and do G5-brt projectors, great aftermarket performance.

if you don't have the time do this, a retrofitter like lightwerkz.net does a really good job, new oem housings and projector retrofit, and any paint, will start you off in the 1200 i think, also use oem bulbs like osram and phillips, you can get to like 1500+ in headlight mods, assuming you also need ballast, hyluxtek is really reliable.

there is other people on here that do headlight work, some people got ripped off by others, be aware of what projectors are used, lots of folks paying too much for those H1 projectors jobs, I suggest using the D2S projectors, that way you can use osram and philips bulbs.