HID Bulb Upgrade

The previous owner of my 4Runner installed the factory hid ballasts and bulbs out of a Lexus sc400 I believe. They were just plug and play and piss off all other drivers in low cars!
 
The previous owner of my 4Runner installed the factory hid ballasts and bulbs out of a Lexus sc400 I believe. They were just plug and play and piss off all other drivers in low cars!

You are the problem too. We should drive side by side someday, maybe we can melt paint off oncoming traffic.
 
It's not our reading comprehension that's the problem here. You NEVER ONCE said that you were running projectors, and if you are running projectors, why the hell are you taking issue with people who are talking about running drop ins with reflectors?!

And then there's the complete nonsense about not looking into oncoming headlights. They're in the ROAD IN FRONT OF YOU. That's where you look when you're driving.

My car has factory HIDs (and good ones at that) and it's extremely rare that I get brights flashed at me, and even then I suspect it's probably because they're so close together people assume it's the inside lights. If you're getting flashed on a regular basis it's because you're doing something wrong, and I don't give a damn how much your housings cost. You're the problem, not everyone around you who's being blinded.

I'm doing something wrong by trying to EXPLAIN my setup versus just SHOWING you guys! Professionally aimed, even your "monster 550 hp" BMW headlights won't outshine these badboys. I got the D's in there with the rabbit's on em.


412008451.jpg


BTW, I do run M3 projectors in my 890 WHP foxbody, I've experienced greatness. If you ever end up in WA bring your fancy lights and I'll be the problem and we can run em for fun. I'll like the road up for both of us on lowbeams. :cheers:
 
That's a good lookin truck man ^

Looked a lot like mine at first, my wheels I guess are Volk knockoff's essentially. I also have cheaper bumpers it appears, but I feel like I'm missing a roof rack now to complete the package.
 
Oh look out folks, we've got a badass here!

Let me know when you figure out how to make them do this and we can talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qMiPtpurLI


It's pretty damned petty that you're so worked up about this you've felt the need to add it to your signature.
Now, I'm done with this one, even if you aren't. :violin:

Nah, I guess I expected you not to act like a BMW driver and not be an uptight prick. I am screwing around and having fun with this banter. I said I was a smartass, to clarify the text to verbal tone barrier.

You noted your car and it's approximate HP, probably whatever they told you when you signed the check. Cool, a 1 series, **** man, props! See, that's me messing around, also like saying now you and all the college female freshman have the same car!

I'm a car enthusiast/gearhead first and a smartass right behind it. Life is short, especially when I'm gonna blind someone and get hit head on soon. If you knew me and my friends, well, you'd have to build your own car and not show off your headlights first off. Then you would realize it's all in good fun. I guess it's the wrong crowd with some of you here. Most people have families and you don't really flip shit wheeling, that's my fault for assuming.

If I wanted to "show off my money" like my comment about my housing costs, I'd probably have bought a BMW too. Your wrong though, I don't have money like I use to working 70 hr weeks. So, I'd probably have to get a 1 series like you, then I would be a tight ass and have less fun in life. Who wants that?

Enjoy those shoulder prowling headlights, always ready to visually pave the way for your pavement descent when it broke down again. I know where the low road is, good thing my projection still shines that high an I see you :hello:
 
Projector retrofit is the way to go.


But if you're adamant about a HID kit, avoid these designs...

H4_zpskfxbxzct.jpg

H4-DUAL-HID-Bulbs_zpsmsp2xiqo.jpg

H4-001_zpsmugztdgh.jpg~original

Vey minimal or no glare shield, in effect you'll be like driving with very bright highbeams on all the time.
Tiny halogen "high beam" bulb that's no brighter than corner lights. The HID "low beam" shuts off when you engage highs.


hid-bulb-h4-3-metal-613_zpsoafi5zcm.jpg

"bixenon" that moves the actual bulb to supposedly change the beam pattern from low to high. Highbeams aren't very effective. Those cutouts allow bulb output to illuminate the headlight's lower (highbeam) reflector all the time,causing glare.



Look for these. Basically the more glare shielding the better. Bulb kelvin ratings in the 4xxxK to 5000K region, higher Kelvins get more blue in color and loss in lumens (brightness), if you wonder why HID projectors sometimes have that deep blue/purple color but still light the road well, it's the prismatic effect of the projectors themselves, it's only a narrow section of the beam (at cutoff) has that intense color,the remaining beam output is white. Use 35 watt ballasts, 55 is just too much for a reflector headlight no matter how well shielded the bulb is.

2009_5_5_52725_172933_zpsmrxnp6zo.jpg

Xenondepot (vendor on this forum) sells this type.

H4LoBeamCapsule_zpsosbs1w83.jpg

Best H4 HID bulb design. Shield wraps around more and even shielded in front,though the front cone shield isn't necessary on our vehicles since stock headlights already have them.

And there lies a another disadvantage with a HID kit versus projector retrofit, a lack of a useable highbeam.

And speaking for projector retrofits, the latest crap you'll find on ebay etc...
2015-hot-selling-55W-H4-mini-bixenon-lens-bi-xenon-Projector-lens-car-hid-projector-lens_zpsxgovoks9.jpg

They claim "plug and play" and other BS for H4 headlights, not true. I speak from experience,made the mistake of trying these out.
The factory bulb glare cap has to be removed,you can sneak it out without disassembling the headlight (ie warm it up in the oven or heatgun) with tin snips and long pliers, but risk scratching the reflector and you can't return the headlight back to halogens because the glare cap is in pieces. You also have to cover up all those open areas otherwise the stray light reflects all over the housing and you're back to the same glare issues as HID kits. The highbeam pattern of these bixenons aren't useable at all either.
 
A little off topic but projectors actually can get you flashed too. Driving a 3" lifted truck is pretty difficult to not shoot your light in a low rida, going over hills and such is here I get flashed. Nothing I can do about it really. I've aimed my projectors pretty low any lower and I wouldn't be able to see without shining my brights.
 
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A little off topic but projectors actually can get you flashed too. Driving a 3" lifted truck is pretty difficult to not shoot your light in a low rida, going over hills and such is here I get flashed. Nothing I can do about it really. I've aimed my projectors pretty low any lower and I wouldn't be able to see without shining my brights.


Assuming you're referring to a 4Runner as a "truck", even with 3" of lift your headlights are lower than many fullsize pickups and SUVS that are bone stock. Aimed correctly your cutoff line should be under the mirrors of any vehicle in front of you. If they aren't you still have some aiming to do.

My 4Runner is lifted in excess of 3" and the headlights in my stock height F350 (which has projectors) are still 5" higher at the centerline of the lens. Haven't been flashed one time and my travels are constantly in hilly areas.
 
They're aimed correctly bud. I'm saying for the 2 seconds going over a hill is when a low car will flash me. There's nothing I can do about that
 
Right. So if a monster truck had projectors and just aimed them correctly there would be no way it blinds low ridas?

It does make a difference even though it's very slightly
 
Up here in the Northwoods, we all drive with HID's in standard headlight housings. People get pissed off, people piss me off. Oh well. That's why in Wisconsin, it's always important to bring roadie with you. Pissed off? Take a sip. :reddance:
 
So I am going to upgrade to HID bulbs. I know I need the ballasts but would anyone recommend a brand that is cheap? I want to be able to have HIDs in high and low beam. Do I need two sets of bulbs or one special HID bulb?

Don't put HID's in your halogen housings otherwise you'll be in with the "aholes".
 
Right. So if a monster truck had projectors and just aimed them correctly there would be no way it blinds low ridas?

Your point as you wrote it was specific to cresting a hill. Every vehicle has the headlights pointed higher than normal to oncoming traffic at some point when cresting a hill. Think about it.

And again, your lifted headlights are still lower than many non-lifted vehicles.
 
Up here in the Northwoods, we all drive with HID's in standard headlight housings. People get pissed off, people piss me off. Oh well. That's why in Wisconsin, it's always important to bring roadie with you. Pissed off? Take a sip. :reddance:

Finally someone who gets me. Remember to always drink wisconsinbly
 

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