LED/HID/Retrofit upgrade

[tantrum007]

Good day eveyone. I have a new to me 2013 TE and I really like everything about the vehicle except the headlights. I would be interested in a retrofit or something similar but I am having trouble finding anything for the pre face lift 5th gens. Any help or guidance would be great!

Here is the old gal.

 

[El Dusty]

Here is the old gal.

Your 13' low beams use the same H11 bulbs as all the newer 5th gens. If you ever need to find bulb part numbers the link below is super useful.

| SYLVANIA Automotive

For replacement options you can get any H11 bulb / kit in Halogen, LED, or HID. You can also convert to H9s which seams more trouble than its worth to me...

Im running H11 HIDs w/ Ballasts and like them so far. For the ballast you will have to drill through your dust covers and install the ballast in the engine bay.

 

[Angelo]

Any help or guidance would be great

How much do you want to spend? lol. I did a big write up on the 5th Gen lighting system that is linked in my sig if you're interested in a little reading. [MENTION=275184]El Dusty[/MENTION] is mostly correct- I would add that you can spend hundreds of dollars trying this or that "drop-in" lightbulb upgrade that for various reasons aren't great solutions. The OEM side mount projectors are crappy and not intended to control serious lighting like HID, and "back/front" LED style bulbs don't have the right geometry (360 degree light). A full retrofit to LED or HID projectors usually costs north of $1k, for good reason- if you price out the components necessary you're talking $700 or more in supplies alone.

I personally think that the H11->H9 incandescent swap is still the pound-for-pound best $20 total upgrade you can do to the low beams. Modifying and installing the bulbs takes literally 10 minutes, and the low beams are noticeably brighter with better throw while still being controlled well by the OEM projectors. The only downside is that the bulbs usually don't last as long (~2 years).

Good luck.

 

[4Rums]

The early 5th gens use H11 in the low beam and 9005 in the highs. The following thread has a bunch of info with measurements of light output for the low beams. If you want function (i.e. the most amount of light) regardless of the light "color", look at the numbers and help yourself (post #2 has the recommendations).

3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights | Tacoma World

 

[tantrum007]

Could anyone recommend a reputable retrofitter? I have messaged a few people and they have been unresponsive.

 

[NW.OH.T4R]

Could anyone recommend a reputable retrofitter? I have messaged a few people and they have been unresponsive.

Lightwerkz in NJ.

Also - DIY is not that bad. I spent about $400 including donor headlights for my retrofit, but it's post facelift.

 

[TheBlandRunner]

I retro fitted my own headlights. Its really not that hard to do. I found a set of used headlights locally for a steal and below is a list of parts I ordered.

I can get light cutoff pictures if wanted. These are sooo much better than the factory lights.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/105823749@N08/50480079917/in/dateposted-public/" title="DSC_3830"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50480079917_f619e26fa0_c.jpg" width="800" height="533" alt="DSC_3830"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/105823749@N08/50479239248/in/dateposted-public/" title="DSC_1233 zoom"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50479239248_756ea00a7c_c.jpg" width="800" height="533" alt="DSC_1233 zoom"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

All parts were purchased from the retrofit source. I bought most of this during a sale.

Bi-Xenon Projectors
2 x Bi-Xenon: Morimoto Mini H1 LHD (7.0) $119.00

Optional Precision Bulb Holders
2 x Mini H1 MotoHo1ders $15.00

Shroud Preference
2 x Apollo 3.0 (Black) $25.00

HID Ballasts
2 x 35w / AMP: Morimoto XB Ballast $100.00

H1 HID Bulbs
2 x H1: XB 5500K $25.00

Wire Harness
1 x HD Relay: H11/H9/H8/880 $25.00

Optional Housing Sealant
1 x Black: RetroRubber $12.00

High Beam: Profile Hi-Lens LED
LED High Beam Projectors
2 x Profile Hi-Lens LED Projector $80.00

2 x Splitter: 9005M > 9005F / 9006F $10.00

 

[tantrum007]

I retro fitted my own headlights. Its really not that hard to do. I found a set of used headlights locally for a steal and below is a list of parts I ordered.

I can get light cutoff pictures if wanted. These are sooo much better than the factory lights.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/105823749@N08/50480079917/in/dateposted-public/" title="DSC_3830"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50480079917_f619e26fa0_c.jpg" width="800" height="533" alt="DSC_3830"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/105823749@N08/50479239248/in/dateposted-public/" title="DSC_1233 zoom"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50479239248_756ea00a7c_c.jpg" width="800" height="533" alt="DSC_1233 zoom"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

All parts were purchased from the retrofit source. I bought most of this during a sale.

Bi-Xenon Projectors
2 x Bi-Xenon: Morimoto Mini H1 LHD (7.0) $119.00

Optional Precision Bulb Holders
2 x Mini H1 MotoHo1ders $15.00

Shroud Preference
2 x Apollo 3.0 (Black) $25.00

HID Ballasts
2 x 35w / AMP: Morimoto XB Ballast $100.00

H1 HID Bulbs
2 x H1: XB 5500K $25.00

Wire Harness
1 x HD Relay: H11/H9/H8/880 $25.00

Optional Housing Sealant
1 x Black: RetroRubber $12.00

High Beam: Profile Hi-Lens LED
LED High Beam Projectors
2 x Profile Hi-Lens LED Projector $80.00

2 x Splitter: 9005M > 9005F / 9006F $10.00

Want to do another set for $800? lol

 

[Jono.ful]

A full retrofit to LED or HID projectors usually costs north of $1k

This made me laugh. I put morimoto mini projectors in my '12 as one of the first things I ever did to it. 8 years later they still work flawlessly. I'm sure components have increased in price since, but between the Philips hid bulbs, projectors, and shrouds from The Retrofit Source I spent less than $400, and installed them my self over parts of two days.

Super simple, and tons of how-to's online.