97 4runner with factory headlight and factory/dealer installed Hellas is my setup and can barely see the damn lanes when driving in moderate rain at night. I know that’s a hard combination to see through anyway but do you guys have any suggestions on either bulbs, new fog lights, or anything else I’d sure listen...
Can’t see in the dark/rain on the interstate...
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phattyduck
Elite Member
How's the headlight aim? Also, you can upgrade to '99-'02 style headlights for an improvement.
Bulbs will be a personal preference.
-Charlie
Bulbs will be a personal preference.
-Charlie
Assuming you have aimed them properly (follow the guides), and have replaced the bulbs with something in the 4300k color range:
From order of least to most expensive:
1. Fogs in the 3000k color spectrum, HID's are great, TRS has a tiny projector for fogs and that looks fantastic
2. Light bars of some sort
3. Retrofit the headlights; a lot cheaper than it once used to cost
From order of least to most expensive:
1. Fogs in the 3000k color spectrum, HID's are great, TRS has a tiny projector for fogs and that looks fantastic
2. Light bars of some sort
3. Retrofit the headlights; a lot cheaper than it once used to cost
meRockboost
New member
Yeah I had the same thing happen to me this morning. I'm looking at the Rigid sae fog lights. $200 and I think it would help a lot.
https://autoplicity.com/8808349-rig...MIjdumws2M1wIVAqhpCh2sbg_3EAQYAiABEgKcCfD_BwE
https://autoplicity.com/8808349-rig...MIjdumws2M1wIVAqhpCh2sbg_3EAQYAiABEgKcCfD_BwE
Headlight aim is good. I ordered some yellow 3000k bulbs for the fogs and start cheap but I don’t think it’s gonna be the fix I’m looking for. The interstate I have the most trouble on is the newly paved and striped portion of 485 and there’s plenty of traffic on there so I have to be careful about blinding others. I might look into the Rigid or the led PIAA fogs. If I do that I may have to put those on top of the bumper and still don’t know if that will make a drastic improvement.... I like all the ideas so far.
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where I live the biggest night vision problem I have is snow.
I ordered, but not yet installed a light bar from amazon. It has 2 settings, one is white light, the other is yellow light. I hope this helps me out. It would have been cheaper to go with 2 different light bars, one white or one yellow, Fortunately I don't do much freeway driving.
the switch for it is funky, so I ordered 2 toggles, one says light bar one says fogs.
I did hook it to my battery the other night and it is bright in both white and yellow.
I have the fat lip bumper and will be mounting it down low in the lower "grille" area, where the license plate would sit, and Ill have to relocate the license plate
I ordered, but not yet installed a light bar from amazon. It has 2 settings, one is white light, the other is yellow light. I hope this helps me out. It would have been cheaper to go with 2 different light bars, one white or one yellow, Fortunately I don't do much freeway driving.
the switch for it is funky, so I ordered 2 toggles, one says light bar one says fogs.
I did hook it to my battery the other night and it is bright in both white and yellow.
I have the fat lip bumper and will be mounting it down low in the lower "grille" area, where the license plate would sit, and Ill have to relocate the license plate
I dealt with this and installed a set of Rigid D2's + H4 LED kit I had laying around. The H4 kit helped a lot but I've been contemplating to change it again as its doesn't help as much as my D2's. Those are by far the best investment(Christmas present from my dad 5 years ago), just insane, impossible to describe unless you've seen them 
. The H4 do a lot but I find with so many people driving new cards (80%+ running Xenon's), I will be going to switch to this way most likely.
I'm looking at these currently to replace my H4's. I was looking at these but [MENTION=65101]BrianSD_42[/MENTION] had retro's some correct setup, I've been playing around something similar but NOT nearly as beautiful as his.
. The H4 do a lot but I find with so many people driving new cards (80%+ running Xenon's), I will be going to switch to this way most likely.I'm looking at these currently to replace my H4's. I was looking at these but [MENTION=65101]BrianSD_42[/MENTION] had retro's some correct setup, I've been playing around something similar but NOT nearly as beautiful as his.
Toyotayoda
New member
I ordered LED headlight bulbs, $40 on amazon for ECCPP. 6k light output, super bright. I lost my high beam indicator, small price for cheap upgrade.
Yellowish light reflects back at the human eye due to poor absorption by black surfaces. If you go more towards the blue, then it is getting absorbed well into black colors hence you don't see the road. Stay close to yellowish light to see better, especially on a rainy day.
Also, make sure you have OEM head lights.
Also, make sure you have OEM head lights.
SpidermanGeek
New member
Until you can get your hands on some 99-02 headlight housings, start by changing the bulbs in your current headlights if you haven't already done so. Light output from Bulbs degrades over time.
Are the 99-02 housings that much better? Do they still use the 9003 bulb? Will they fit without modification?
octanejunkie
Elite Member
I had the same issue on my 99 until my retrofit projector upgrade, now I can see!
96-98 the issue most don't like is the mottled headlight glass, 99+ has smooth glass. If you retrofit, the reflector bowl isn't used so it's not an issue; I painted mine black. I'm not sure if the glass only can be interchanged only, so if you go through the effort to retrofit stock housings you might want to upgrade to smooth glass 99+. My total project cost was around $250 for a 3" DS2 kit from DDM with halo shrouds but it can be done for less than that - although I don't recommend buying the cheapest kit out there, many have, I just don't know how they hold up over time. If I were to do it again, I'd buy better ballasts.
I tried 5000K bulbs at first but found them too bright/blue and went back to 4500K. All car manufacturers agree, 4300-4500K is the best visible, penetrating temp range for all road conditions, fog, rain, snow, etc. Brighter will bounce back in adverse conditions.
96-98 the issue most don't like is the mottled headlight glass, 99+ has smooth glass. If you retrofit, the reflector bowl isn't used so it's not an issue; I painted mine black. I'm not sure if the glass only can be interchanged only, so if you go through the effort to retrofit stock housings you might want to upgrade to smooth glass 99+. My total project cost was around $250 for a 3" DS2 kit from DDM with halo shrouds but it can be done for less than that - although I don't recommend buying the cheapest kit out there, many have, I just don't know how they hold up over time. If I were to do it again, I'd buy better ballasts.
I tried 5000K bulbs at first but found them too bright/blue and went back to 4500K. All car manufacturers agree, 4300-4500K is the best visible, penetrating temp range for all road conditions, fog, rain, snow, etc. Brighter will bounce back in adverse conditions.
octanejunkie
Elite Member
Yes, the question was will 99+ glass fit 96-98 housings
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
So, I’m thinking starting out with changing to the 99-02 housings and maybe some quality led bulbs would be a good cheap start and then if I’m not satisfied either do the projector mod or go with some Rigid dogs where my “stock” Hellas are now. Does that sound about the right order of progression? I need one new headlight anyway because I noticed one of the plastic adjustment screws was broke about a year ago so I had to train them and glue it back into place so it wouldn’t move. That makes that purchase a little more easy to justify up front. This 20 year old plastic is starting to show its age on a few things!
octanejunkie
Elite Member
HID and some LED bulbs in halogen housings will torment oncoming drivers by throwing too much light in the wrong places. Don't be that guy.
There are several threads/guys here running LEDs in stock housings. I'd search for those to see what brands/bulbs have proven most compatible. I know there is a PIAA LED option but it was over $200 last time I looked.
traben27
New member
I was having the same problem in the dark/rain on the interstate and just switching to the 99-02 housings made a huge difference. Mine aren't even OEM (TYC off of Amazon), but they made big enough of a difference that I decided to not do the projector retrofit.
wake_rider
New member
Just do a retrofit. 3 hours of work and ~$300... best money and time I've spent on my truck so far. It has completely changed my night driving experience in this truck.
I also have a light bar, but it only comes on when offroad when I need more floodlight, or when I'm on a wooded backroad with no oncoming traffic and I want to get more light out to the sides for rogue critters and such. I have no need to use the lightbar whenever driving normally or even in rainy conditions. The retrofit projectors with 35w HID's completely resolve the low lighting issue. Don't just get HID's though; make sure you get projectors. Having that clean cutoff line keeps oncoming traffic from thinking you're a major d-bag, and it actually makes the light output so much more focused and precise.
I also have a light bar, but it only comes on when offroad when I need more floodlight, or when I'm on a wooded backroad with no oncoming traffic and I want to get more light out to the sides for rogue critters and such. I have no need to use the lightbar whenever driving normally or even in rainy conditions. The retrofit projectors with 35w HID's completely resolve the low lighting issue. Don't just get HID's though; make sure you get projectors. Having that clean cutoff line keeps oncoming traffic from thinking you're a major d-bag, and it actually makes the light output so much more focused and precise.
