Latest headlight bulb recommendations?

[atalarico]

Hey all,

About 4 years ago I got some LED bulbs for my 97 4Runner that were just a drop-in style replacement. I got them off eBay after a recommendation from the forum here, but I can't recall what they were really. They've been great at short distance, but honestly kind of terrible at longer distance since the light diffuses very quickly.

I was wondering if there have been any improvements in the LED realm since I bought mine, or are they still suffering from distance issues?

The other option I was thinking about was going back to a halogen but something like the PIAA XTreme White Plus bulbs I saw on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00067BVDC/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3B9AG6T3QPCOZ&colid=70LKSRZK88V5

or maybe just back to the Sylvania Ultras and being OK with replacing them more frequently. The 4Runner isn't my daily any more, so they won't be getting as much use as when it was, so I'm guessing I could eek out a couple years on the Sylvanias anyway. I'd trade useful distance at night over cost these days really.

Thanks!

 

[octanejunkie]

The issue with LED/HID in halogen housings is that the reflectors are not designed for the amount of light the former two emit - so the results are undesirable at one end of the equation, usually to the oncoming driver.

The Amazon link you posted to 4000K Halogen bulbs seem a better fit for stock housings. Many guys upgrade to retrofit projectors - but that is a whole different kettle of fish and not a drop in solution by any means.

FWIW, 4300K is the optimum temp for lighting when it comes to visibility and penetration, I'd look for that temp bulb, not to exceed 5000K if you want to stick with halogens.

 

[atalarico]

The issue with LED/HID in halogen housings is that the reflectors are not designed for the amount of light the former two emit - so the results are undesirable at one end of the equation, usually to the oncoming driver.

The Amazon link you posted to 4000K Halogen bulbs seem a better fit for stock housings. Many guys upgrade to retrofit projectors - but that is a whole different kettle of fish and not a drop in solution by any means.

FWIW, 4300K is the optimum temp for lighting when it comes to visibility and penetration, I'd look for that temp bulb, not to exceed 5000K if you want to stick with halogens.

That's great info, thanks! It makes total sense that it really is more of a limitation of the reflector housing than the bulbs per se. I was blown away when I got my 2016 Golf R with VW's premium lighting package, and I think it's just a result of better technology in the last 20 years I guess.

Any recommendations for a bulb in that temp range? It looks like the Sylvania Ultras are around 4100k, so is that close enough?

I guess I can look into a retrofit of the headlight housing from the 00's or 01's (whenever it is they got that upgrade)? That's probably not horrendously expensive if I get them from a yard (YotaYard is near me in Denver), and it would go a longer way at throwing more light, eh?

 

[SpidermanGeek]

The other problem is your lenses. the '96 to '98 lenses were terrible.
For a nice upgrade, you should look at getting '99-'02 lenses.

I don't do much night driving, so I'm fine with my original '97 lenses, but I did cut my DRLs and dropped a set of Sylvania SilverStar Ultra bulbs in (color temp is rated at 4100K).

There was a noticeable upgrade in light output that basically now makes it "adequate" to drive at night, whereas it was much less than adequate with regular bulbs before. They're now good enough for me anyway.

One of the main reasons I cut my DRLs as well is because the SilverStar Ultras have a somewhat shorter lifespan due to them burning hotter than a regular bulb. So hopefully these bulbs will last a good while before burning out.

 

[atalarico]

The other problem is your lenses. the '96 to '98 lenses were terrible.
For a nice upgrade, you should look at getting '99-'02 lenses.

I don't do much night driving, so I'm fine with my original '97 lenses, but I did cut my DRLs and dropped a set of Sylvania SilverStar Ultra bulbs in (color temp is rated at 4100K).

There was a noticeable upgrade in light output that basically now makes it "adequate" to drive at night, whereas it was much less than adequate with regular bulbs before. They're now good enough for me anyway.

One of the main reasons I cut my DRLs as well is because the SilverStar Ultras have a somewhat shorter lifespan do to them burning hotter than a regular bulb. So hopefully these bulbs will last a good while before burning out.

Yeah, I'm actually grabbing a set of the Tyc 99 headlights and just going to drop those in, and then put in a set of the Sylvania Ultra's to boot.

It's still basically my weekend vehicle, but with the season change, I'm finding myself driving more at night in rural Colorado than I used to with it. I think I'm just going for it and it'll be enough of an improvement to make it safe again.

Thanks for the input!

 

[octanejunkie]

Yeah, I'm actually grabbing a set of the Tyc 99 headlights and just going to drop those in, and then put in a set of the Sylvania Ultra's to boot.

Make sure those headlights are GLASS and not plastic lensed

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

TYC? i've read about complaints about their headlights being bad.

you're better off getting a pair of OEMs from a junk yard or from a part out

 

[atalarico]

Weird! I was looking at some old threads here and Tyc seemed to be one of the few after market ones that got good reviews (aside from their mounting brackets). I guess I'll head to Yotayard then and get a set.

Thanks!

 

[octanejunkie]

I guess I'll head to Yotayard then and get a set.

Make sure nothing is broken or missing from junkyard headlamps because they are usually one of the first things to go from yards around here - if they are still there by the time I get to it, there's usually something wrong with it. LOL

 

[atalarico]

Make sure nothing is broken or missing from junkyard headlamps because they are usually one of the first things to go from yards around here - if they are still there by the time I get to it, there's usually something wrong with it. LOL

Dang. So yard is out then I guess. I'll figure something out then. Maybe Certifit then instead. They have a location in Denver.

 

[octanejunkie]

Go check your local yard, I'm just commenting on my experiences in LA

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[StreetCreeper]

I'm probably going to go back to the PIAA bulbs. I had them in 97 housings and they were a good improvement on over stock even with the older lenses. But they didn't last as long as I would have preferred.

However, I'm not all that thrilled with the cheaper Sylvanias I replaced them with once they had burnt out. Since I don't feel LED has come far enough that in terms of price/quality and I just don't want to mess with building HIDs — I think I'll return to the PIAA bulbs and with the expectation for them to be replaced every two years until I try something else. I think the PIAAs will be quite nice in my newer 99+ style headlights actually.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/193551-piaa-h4-xtreme-white-plus-headlight-bulbs.html

 

[atalarico]

I'm probably going to go back to the PIAA bulbs. I had them in 97 housings and they were a good improvement on over stock even with the older lenses. But they didn't last as long as I would have preferred.

However, I'm not all that thrilled with the cheaper Sylvanias I replaced them with once they had burnt out. Since I don't feel LED has come far enough that in terms of price/quality and I just don't want to mess with building HIDs — I think I'll return to the PIAA bulbs and with the expectation for them to be replaced every two years until I try something else. I think the PIAAs will be quite nice in my newer 99+ style headlights actually.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/193551-piaa-h4-xtreme-white-plus-headlight-bulbs.html

Oh! That's a great recommendation. I think I'll do the 99 housing and the PIAA bulbs then. I honestly don't care about the longevity as much since it's not my daily so I can probably squeeze a lot more life out of them. Every two years is reallllly not that bad considering the Sylvanias I had barely lasted a year back when it was my daily.

 

[12BYotaFan]

Phillips xtreme vision +100 are what I run. Best bulbs I have found.

Any bulb with a tint will produce less total light. A blue tint will cut a serious amount of output, b3cause a typical halogen produces about 10-15% total light output in the Blue-Indigo-Violet range.

I have the same bulbs in my sisters '97, and it was a very noticeable upgrade over whatever bulb was in there prior, but not as noticeable as compared to swapping bulbs around in my '99.

 

[amalik]

Oh! That's a great recommendation. I think I'll do the 99 housing and the PIAA bulbs then. I honestly don't care about the longevity as much since it's not my daily so I can probably squeeze a lot more life out of them. Every two years is reallllly not that bad considering the Sylvanias I had barely lasted a year back when it was my daily.

IIRC, keep in mind 99+ have to be 'aimed', something us 97 folk are not used to. Maybe [MENTION=115590]StreetCreeper[/MENTION] can validate?

 

[Scramble]

Yeah, I'm actually grabbing a set of the Tyc 99 headlights and just going to drop those in, and then put in a set of the Sylvania Ultra's to boot.

It's still basically my weekend vehicle, but with the season change, I'm finding myself driving more at night in rural Colorado than I used to with it. I think I'm just going for it and it'll be enough of an improvement to make it safe again.

Thanks for the input!

TYC are the best aftermarket headlights for our trucks & they are glass.

I have them paired with GE Nighthawk Sport Bulbs. I paid $16 when on sale & they are excellent.

https://www.amazon.com/Lighting-900...-2013-199-3-0&sr=1-39&ymm=1999:toyota:4runner

 

[StreetCreeper]

IIRC, keep in mind 99+ have to be 'aimed', something us 97 folk are not used to. Maybe [MENTION=115590]StreetCreeper[/MENTION] can validate?

I plucked mine from the wrecking yard and they were aimed perfectly when I installed them – so I can't rightly say one way or the other.

 

[613runner]

Here are my LED headlamps - very pleased.

https://blacktop.racing/gtr-lighting-ultra-series-led-headlight-bulbs-h4-9003-3rd-generation/

The foglamps are the original halogens, and they will soon be replaced by LEDs, as will all the other lamps on the vehicle.

Leon

 

[Team_Jake]

I just installed some PIAA 10704 H4 Night Techs (here on Amazon), and they are perfect for what I'm wanting. They are very bright, supposedly long lasting, and most importantly, NOT BLUE.

 

[Boslla Lighting]

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