Consolidated Lighting Info Thread

[MyanRagahis]

Is anybody using Element LED lights?

Thinking of picking up one of their ditch light bundles.

All Products — Element LED

Or these and some ditch brackets from Amazon.
Amber Cannon LED spotlight (pair) — Element LED

 

[rob_dixon]

Xenon Depot site is great, but I am still overwhelmed with the choices. Even this guide makes my head spin. Is there like a "GO TO" forum set up....the "most recommended" configuration in terms of cost and quality? The greatest thing about forum enthusiasts is the trust of info provided, but its also paradoxically the downside. I could literally spend 4 hours reading about lights between this site and others.....its like information overload.

 

[Angelo]

Even this guide makes my head spin... the "most recommended" configuration... information overload.

Ha!

Sorry man, if it was easy there wouldn't be a need for this thread! I always recommend the h9 / 9005 halogen swap for starters. It's by far the best bang for your buck in lighting improvements. The issue is that every other improvement that we have so far has a negative aspect that makes it not the "best" or "greatest".

My best advice is to keep reading and not change anything (and especially don't spend any big money) until you understand the mod you're considering. If you have a specific need or question about something let us know.

 

[Tuco Ramirez]

What You Should Know Before Buying a Xenondepot HID Kit

Insert a log diatribe here.

Xenon depot seemed to go out of their way to help you as best they could. Seems the issue is on your end due to something you’ve done wrong. The chances of that many parts being bad are too low.

 

[kyle13]

I’m on my 3rd set of headlight bulbs. I just installed the hikari katana LED bulbs and so far they even blow the HID’s I had out of the water and they are $48! The other led bulbs I had were dim and the HID’s I had burned out after a month! I saw a YouTube video saying they were the second brightest in projectors so I bought them to replace the burned out HID’s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[XenonDepot]

Xenon Depot site is great, but I am still overwhelmed with the choices. Even this guide makes my head spin. Is there like a "GO TO" forum set up....the "most recommended" configuration in terms of cost and quality? The greatest thing about forum enthusiasts is the trust of info provided, but its also paradoxically the downside. I could literally spend 4 hours reading about lights between this site and others.....its like information overload.

Shoot me a PM and I'll help you personally!

 

[ravenrunner]

This is all helpful stuff, especially because lighting can be tricky, and can make for expensive mistakes.

 

[JP421]

I have had moisture issues on the drivers side headlights after installing XenonDepots HID kit. I was working on it over the weekend and looked at the bulb and noticed it looks pretty warped, this looks like it could cause seal issues.

I emailed XD but have not gotten a response yet. Just curious if anyone else thinks this could be an issue.

 

[XenonDepot]

I have had moisture issues on the drivers side headlights after installing XenonDepots HID kit. I was working on it over the weekend and looked at the bulb and noticed it looks pretty warped, this looks like it could cause seal issues.

I emailed XD but have not gotten a response yet. Just curious if anyone else thinks this could be an issue.

Extremely sorry about that! I will get you fixed up. A CS rep forward that email to me. Will get it taken care of!

 

[JasonXP]

I brought a HID kit from Xenon Depot for my new 4runner last month, but I was very disappointed with the customer service. I tried contacting them several times through the email address listed on their website and got no response. I also tried calling them and no one answer the phone. I even sent them a DM on instagram and got no response.

 

[XenonDepot]

I brought a HID kit from Xenon Depot for my new 4runner last month, but I was very disappointed with the customer service. I tried contacting them several times through the email address listed on their website and got no response. I also tried calling them and no one answer the phone. I even sent them a DM on instagram and got no response.

Jason! Shoot me a PM of your email and order number if you have it, I'll help you out personally!

 

[axel1]

So I recently got around to doing the Tundra LED fog light replacement which has worked out great. I would love to get the rest of my lights over to the cool white color temperature so everything looks relatively consistent.

What's the current general consensus for low beam lighting upgrades? I'm not looking for more light output necessarily; just want to move things to the cooler color and possibly upgrade in the process. It seems like from the reading I've done everybody has their own opinion but I'd love to know what seems to work the best for the most people.

Do cool white halogens exist? That would be the simplest solution. I'd love to stick with halogen to avoid the few annoyances that come with an LED or HID retrofit, mainly the potentially dangerous beam patterns you get. But if there's a nice LED kit out there that won't blind oncoming cars I'd be all for that as well. HID is probably out of my price range for now but I'd consider it if there was a really good deal.

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[cb1111]

One thing that is vital is aiming your lights properly.

Here are the correct procedures.

 

[SidKo]

Video: SL1 H11 Low and CougarMotor 9005 High

If anyone is interested, I did a video of using the SL1 H11 low beam and the CougarMotor 9005 high beam.

YouTube

It's been a year since installing them. I drive in NYC and the rurals areas of NY state. I have used them in all four seasons. Only issue is that it doesn't produce enough heat to melt off snow or ice accumulating on the headlight housing.

Using the Diode Dynamics SL1 H11 for low beams and the CougarMotor (from Amazon.com) 9005 high beams.

The low beams were re-aimed (as per Toyota specs) when the LED bulbs were installed. I noticed I was annoying drivers in front of me as I pulled behind them at stop lights. I was also annoying drivers from the opposite side approaching me. I eventually lowered the driver's side only by another 2 inches. I stopped seeing the faces of disgust after this adjustment.

Despite this adjustment, it still did an excellent job of illuminating ahead of me. In the video, you can see the that the SL1 has an excellent cutoff.

When engaging high beams, the video shows it being bright at first and then coming back down. That's the camera adjusting the exposure setting. I've been pretty happy with the CougarMotor LED high beams.

 

[Sp00ner]

So I recently got around to doing the Tundra LED fog light replacement which has worked out great. I would love to get the rest of my lights over to the cool white color temperature so everything looks relatively consistent.

What's the current general consensus for low beam lighting upgrades? I'm not looking for more light output necessarily; just want to move things to the cooler color and possibly upgrade in the process. It seems like from the reading I've done everybody has their own opinion but I'd love to know what seems to work the best for the most people.

Do cool white halogens exist? That would be the simplest solution. I'd love to stick with halogen to avoid the few annoyances that come with an LED or HID retrofit, mainly the potentially dangerous beam patterns you get. But if there's a nice LED kit out there that won't blind oncoming cars I'd be all for that as well. HID is probably out of my price range for now but I'd consider it if there was a really good deal.

Thanks for the help in advance!

I just swapped in a set of the Morimoto 2Stroke 2.0 H11's a couple weeks ago and other than being a pain in the ass to get twisted into place they've been pretty great. Much whiter but not blue, brighter but don't appear to be too bright for oncoming traffic, no need to modify the dust cap. Just pop open the dust cap, swap em in and close it back up.

 

[Redsoxx1918]

I just swapped in a set of the Morimoto 2Stroke 2.0 H11's a couple weeks ago and other than being a pain in the ass to get twisted into place they've been pretty great. Much whiter but not blue, brighter but don't appear to be too bright for oncoming traffic, no need to modify the dust cap. Just pop open the dust cap, swap em in and close it back up.

I just installed the Morimotos, as well, in my Voodoo blue Pro. I couldn't stand the the look of the yellow headlights next to the nice bright white LED fogs. I find the color to be a very good match.

 

[Sp00ner]

I just installed the Morimotos, as well, in my Voodoo blue Pro. I couldn't stand the the look of the yellow headlights next to the nice bright white LED fogs. I find the color to be a very good match.

After a few weeks with them, I have to say that the fans are way louder than I'd expected, or like. I'm not sure if they're self regulating based on a temperature sensor, but once they've been on for ~20 mins I can hear the fan hum in the cabin easily if nothing else is on in terms of music, etc.

I love the look, color and brightness, the noise of the fans is (and the pain in the ass of twisting them into place) is the only compliant I have thus far.

 

[PrettyGoodSam]

So do not be that moron who is driving with blinding low beams waiting to be flashed. Just do the proper procedure of adjusting your headlights. And for the god's sake don't put LED bulbs into pre-2014 4Runner (the one with non-projector housing), regardless of what seller claims how good they are.

what is the story behind pre 2014 4runners and not using LED lights? whats the alternative?

 

[KP Texan]

whats the alternative?

H9s, which are better than LEDs anyway.

 

[Signal]

So after reading this thread I have a question. Is there a brighter option for turn signals and markers? I did highs, lows, reverse, and would love to do turn signals and markers and tail lights. I just want brighter. After moving down here we have noticed that people around here have no clue how to drive, so I want bright!