05 headlight replacement

[r2ellis]

I just replaced both headlights. There are 3 bolts at the headlight that are easy to find but you will also find a bolt inside the fender wheel well. Take off the bottom 2 bolts of the fender well located at the front of the tire and fold back the plastic wheel well. You will have to reach up into the fender and use the same 10 mm socket to reach the bolt. After removing this bolt, the light was removed and replaced with fairly ease. It took 1 1/2 hours on one side and 15 minutes on the other, after learning. Well worth the time and effort. The front of my salsa red 4Runner with 200,000 miles is beautiful again.
:cheers:

 

[TRDCal]

Decent write up but no pics?!?! I want to replace my headlights too but I just can't decide on whether to get 06+ oems or some fancy ebay halo projector style ones.

 

[sonerick]

I'm in the same boat here. I've got one headlight that's all fogged up, and the other is scratched badly. I'm thinking about getting some used OEM lights, but there's a lot of ebay options as well.

 

[r2ellis]

I got my headlights off of Amazon for $74.00 for the pair. Sorry for not having pictures, too busy installing.

 

[TRDCal]

Sorry for not having pictures, too busy installing.

Haha I tend to do this too.

I'm thinking of getting the 06+ ones. Here's a link: Amazon.com: TYC 20-6762-01 Toyota 4 Runner Driver Side Headlight Assembly: Automotive. Is it just me or does it looked smoked or almost blacked-out?

Does anyone know if anymore 4th gens came from the factory smoked headlamps. I thought they all came with chrome but there's this OEM one on ebay: OEM HEADLIGHT HEAD LIGHT LAMP HEADLAMP TOYOTA 4RUNNER 4 RUNNER 06 07 08 09 SPORT | eBay

 

[chaz]

the sport comes with smoked grille & headlights, its not as dark as the pictures appear & isnt black like the one ad says, but it is darker than the chrome & imo looks better. so when ordering headlights if you dont see the word sport they are chrome.

 

[JG1911]

Decent write up but no pics?!?! I want to replace my headlights too but I just can't decide on whether to get 06+ oems or some fancy ebay halo projector style ones.

From what I've read on this forum, the projectors really aren't ALL THAT great/improvement... Plus, you'd have to get the front body /grill parts and you still have that gap. I'd just stick with the ones from our years, that what I plan to do, but my lights still have some life to them.

 

[TRDCal]

the sport comes with smoked grille & headlights, its not as dark as the pictures appear & isnt black like the one ad says, but it is darker than the chrome & imo looks better. so when ordering headlights if you dont see the word sport they are chrome.

Thanks chaz!

From what I've read on this forum, the projectors really aren't ALL THAT great/improvement... Plus, you'd have to get the front body /grill parts and you still have that gap. I'd just stick with the ones from our years, that what I plan to do, but my lights still have some life to them.

I thought all you needed was the little trim piece that goes under the headlight.