Retrofit Options 2015

Erkelbot

Erkelbot

New member
(shielding face from rotten tomatoes)

This has probably been discussed at length, but I wasn't really able to find a good answer for it by searching...Just lots of scattered thoughts. Any consolidated help would be appreciated.

I just bought a 2015 TEP, and am looking into lighting options. I already bought a pair of high quality Sylvania H9s and 9011s for the halogen projectors (instead of dropping in HIDs into the stock halogen projectors), but am now thinking that perhaps a true retrofit would be in order. The trouble is, I don't see a writeup on the 2014 or 2015 that includes parts, how-to's, and a play-by-play.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Ideally there'd be a 'kit' that includes the new HIT lens and all the parts -- that's relatively inexpensive.

Bueller?... Thanks.
 
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Your truck comes with projectors from the factory. Buy a quality HID kit and slap it in. It'll work fine. Retrofitting something that has been fitted already...seems like that money would be more useful at your local bingo hall.
 
Yeah, I know. I just know there's also a ton of debate around the glare the halogen projectors produce, so I wanted to do a cost benefit analysis on both options. My guess is that the ballast and bulbs would be the best, most economical choice, and a simple headlight realignment would be in order.

Plus I don't feel like treating my headlights like shrinky dinks and oven heating them to split them open...

Aaaaaannnnd, wait for it...here comes the lighting police to flame me about glare...
 
regardless of the debate...i put 5k HID in my 08 WRX (halogen projector) and drove it for 2 plus years and never had an issue, sold it to a friend and they still work just fine... Cutoff wasn't anything less than HID projector. Call me ignorant or whatever...but light is light and when its brighter and I'm not getting flashed by oncoming traffic...I'm sold.
 
Erkelbot said:
Yeah, I know. I just know there's also a ton of debate around the glare the halogen projectors produce, so I wanted to do a cost benefit analysis on both options. My guess is that the ballast and bulbs would be the best, most economical choice, and a simple headlight realignment would be in order.

Plus I don't feel like treating my headlights like shrinky dinks and oven heating them to split them open...

Aaaaaannnnd, wait for it...here comes the lighting police to flame me about glare...
Click to expand...

Yep. And if you do a true cost benefit analysis you will only see cost - no benefit.

You will find there are very few regular members here that do piss poor or try to cheap out when modding on their 4Runners. When somebody here does something it usually is done right and high quality. The "HID" mod is controversial because doing it right costs a whole lot of money and not a lot of benefit, which is why people keep looking for cheap ass ways to do it. There is cheap way to do it and do it and a right way to do it. Very seldom are they the same. Even trying to do it right can be risky as evidenced in the "Unlimited Lighting" link I included above. Again, good luck.

I do have a question though: Do the headlights not put out enough light for you? Not white enough? Personally I find the 2015 headlights more than capable of lighting the road in both low and high beam. Even at 85 mph. Even with my 52 year old eyes. Just curious.
 
DRICHEY said:
Your truck comes with projectors from the factory. Buy a quality HID kit and slap it in. It'll work fine. Retrofitting something that has been fitted already...seems like that money would be more useful at your local bingo hall.
Click to expand...
If you consider fine excessive glare and hotspots. An HID kit in the halogen projectors won't hold a candle to a proper retrofit.
 
1engineer said:
I do have a question though: Do the headlights not put out enough light for you? Not white enough? Personally I find the 2015 headlights more than capable of lighting the road in both low and high beam. Even at 85 mph. Even with my 52 year old eyes. Just curious.
Click to expand...

It's a two-fold benefit for me. I like the output of the lights, but also enjoy the aesthetics. The stock H11s are fairly dim IMO (H11s being built for longevity over output), though I am certain they'll do the job for most city driving. The trouble is that in borderline rural MN we've got a fair amount of deer lurking in the ditches, so throwing good light is a nice feature to pick up eyes. I'm 35, and spotting shiny eyes early can be tricky in low-light situations. Add in winter driving, and you have an even greater need to identify threats early to avoid them...

Since I've already bought the H9s and 9011s, I might as well try them and see how they turn out. My guess is they'll function fine for 99% of the applications I want. Still, they won't be the 4300K output I became accustomed to when I had my S4 (or my 07 T4R SE with a PNP kit for that matter). Those lights were like runway lights on a Cessna...

Thanks for the input.
 
1engineer said:
Yep. And if you do a true cost benefit analysis you will only see cost - no benefit.

You will find there are very few regular members here that do piss poor or try to cheap out when modding on their 4Runners. When somebody here does something it usually is done right and high quality. The "HID" mod is controversial because doing it right costs a whole lot of money and not a lot of benefit, which is why people keep looking for cheap ass ways to do it. There is cheap way to do it and do it and a right way to do it. Very seldom are they the same. Even trying to do it right can be risky as evidenced in the "Unlimited Lighting" link I included above. Again, good luck.

I do have a question though: Do the headlights not put out enough light for you? Not white enough? Personally I find the 2015 headlights more than capable of lighting the road in both low and high beam. Even at 85 mph. Even with my 52 year old eyes. Just curious.
Click to expand...
If you are careful in your selection of parts and do the work yourself it should cost no more than $3-400. Thats a pretty reasonable price on a $35k+ car. Once you've driven cars equipped with OEM HIDs there's no going back, the projector halogens are okay but aren't nearly as bright or as wide as a good projector
 
103328d1385174942-2014-headlight-bulbs-img_2715.jpg

2014's side by side... both stock projectors. Not trying to debate but its all I can go by to help him figure it out.
 
Erkelbot said:
(shielding face from rotten tomatoes)

This has probably been discussed at length, but I wasn't really able to find a good answer for it by searching...Just lots of scattered thoughts. Any consolidated help would be appreciated.

I just bought a 2015 TEP, and am looking into lighting options. I already bought a pair of high quality Sylvania H9s and 9011s for the halogen projectors (instead of dropping in HIDs into the stock halogen projectors), but am now thinking that perhaps a true retrofit would be in order. The trouble is, I don't see a writeup on the 2014 or 2015 that includes parts, how-to's, and a play-by-play.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Ideally there'd be a 'kit' that includes the new HIT lens and all the parts -- that's relatively inexpensive.

Bueller?... Thanks.
Click to expand...
really your best option is to do a lot of reading at hidplanet. you'll get a better idea of what you want from a retrofit, what projectors may or may not work etc but in the end you'll have to actually get your hands dirty and plan and design your own retrofit, its not a bolt on affair and requires some critical thinking skills and craftsmanship, what seems to be lacking a lot here.
 
Erkelbot said:
It's a two-fold benefit for me. I like the output of the lights, but also enjoy the aesthetics. The stock H11s are fairly dim IMO (H11s being built for longevity over output), though I am certain they'll do the job for most city driving. The trouble is that in borderline rural MN we've got a fair amount of deer lurking in the ditches, so throwing good light is a nice feature to pick up eyes. I'm 35, and spotting shiny eyes early can be tricky in low-light situations. Add in winter driving, and you have an even greater need to identify threats early to avoid them...

Since I've already bought the H9s and 9011s, I might as well try them and see how they turn out. My guess is they'll function fine for 99% of the applications I want. Still, they won't be the 4300K output I became accustomed to when I had my S4 (or my 07 T4R SE with a PNP kit for that matter). Those lights were like runway lights on a Cessna...

Thanks for the input.
Click to expand...
Well, you can't put a cost on "like" now can ya lol. If you are truly worried about deer then I suggest you install this: FLIR PathFindIR Thermal Imaging Cameras - FLIR Infrared Cameras
Headlights, even super duper HID specials can't come close to FLIR. A friend of mine has one installed and it is amazing.
I live in rural mountains in a state with the highest deer strikes per miles driven. I have at least half a dozen in my yard in the evenings. I worry about hitting them on my mountain bike more than in a vehicle.
 
A pnp will never get color and flicker like this. One of my old retrofits, g35 projectors with a clear lens swap and shield modding, 4300K 85122+ bulbs
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Bro, do you even retrofit?

Seriously chill out...I searched your name and it's like your on an anti HID mission. I am by no means an expert on lighting systems. Not ashamed to admit that. He wants it for looks and minor improvement...let him do it. What do u care? Danger... gimme a break...let us list all the DIY mods and see where HID's fall in the Danger Zone. I think you should invest your enthusiasm for lighting dictatorship elsewhere.

Im overseas right now and it's nice to read about whats on the minds Americans back home.....HID or Haloogen, C/O's or Springs, Baja or Gobi....nice dilemmas to have IMO. Not seeing a bunch of desperate FOR SALE posts - Need food/clothing/shelter.

RELAX!
 
Heh, I always get a chuckle out of these threads. I came from oem HIDs in an Acura TSX so I thought I'd "upgrade" my 4Runner headlights with PIAA bulbs. You think you're getting more light output but you aren't really and the bulb life is very short. Tried a few other bulbs with the same results. Now I run HIR bulbs in my high beams and $15 a bulb Osrams in my low beams. They work just fine because if I really need the extra light I flip on the high beams and if it's really bad, then I turn on the off road lights. If you really need powerful lights for back road driving then auxiliary lighting is the way to go. That way you aren't blinding other drivers all the time with HIDs.
 
DRICHEY said:
Bro, do you even retrofit?

Seriously chill out...I searched your name and it's like your on an anti HID mission. I am by no means an expert on lighting systems. Not ashamed to admit that. He wants it for looks and minor improvement...let him do it. What do u care? Danger... gimme a break...let us list all the DIY mods and see where HID's fall in the Danger Zone. I think you should invest your enthusiasm for lighting dictatorship elsewhere.

Im overseas right now and it's nice to read about whats on the minds Americans back home.....HID or Haloogen, C/O's or Springs, Baja or Gobi....nice dilemmas to have IMO. Not seeing a bunch of desperate FOR SALE posts - Need food/clothing/shelter.

RELAX!
Click to expand...

I'm not anti HID, I'm anti PnP, there's a big difference. Here he is looking into doing it the proper way, and you come in and say to just get a PnP kit and put it in the halogen projectors, so clearly he would want some input on HID retrofits....
 
[MENTION=105884]DRICHEY[/MENTION]
That pic you posted? It hurt my eyes - lord knows what they look like at night. Spend some time on HiDP, get informed, 'kay?


[MENTION=96708]Erkelbot[/MENTION]
Seriously? You can afford an S4 and/or a new 4R, and you've driven high quality HIDs, and still you come on here asking advice? Or, are you just seeking affirmation? EDIT: Go to HiDPlanet, where they know stuff, and ask questions there.

You can have professional-level retrofitting done, using the best oem products available. Cheap? No. You think your S4s were good? ... get some tuned RX350s, or RX330s retrofitted in.

PM'd.
 
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