showoff your retrofitted headlights

[trashboy]

planning to retrofit my headlights and just wanna get some ideas of what people have done with them (particularly if you didn't paint the housing black, and kept it chrome for a more oem+ look)

 

[Twisted Sid]

There is an "official" retrofit thread out there but I don't feel like looking for it so...
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3825644-post35412.html

 

[Robb235]

planning to retrofit my headlights and just wanna get some ideas of what people have done with them (particularly if you didn't paint the housing black, and kept it chrome for a more oem+ look)

Funny you should mention this. I posted a write up of my budget retrofit build. Personally I’m a big fan of blacking out the housings and using black shrouds, and blacking out the corner markers with Purple Power as well. Really updates the look of the truck, especially with a Satoshi grill. Retaining the chrome on these massive headlights just ages these trucks so much in my eyes.

Robb235's Cheapo DIY Projector Retrofit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SearsTom]

Have you considered checking out Robb235's budget retrofit build for ideas, especially since you're interested in a more OEM+ look without blacking out the housing?

 

[StangRunner]

I opted to DIY my OEM+ retrofit... it was not exactly 'budget' but considerably cheaper than other kits for sale with what I think are the highest quality components. I, like you, wanted to keep the vintage OEM look but with the benefit of the modern lighting. I really don't like the blacked out look, personally.

These are the components I used:

-TYC OE-style Housings from Amazon

-Motimoto Mini H1 projectors
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/bi-xenon-mini-h1-7-0-projectors-P-M-H1?quantity=1

-Morimoto X5-R Switchback Halos (Amber wired to turn signal, white wired to parking lights)
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/mini-x5-r-switchback-led-S-X5RLED?quantity=1

-SuperNova LED's three color LED bulbs (I like them because you can run amber, cool white, and soft white)
Supernova LEDs - Supernova LEDs V4 LEDs H1 - Quality LEDs for your Car

-6 gang generic relay box from Amazon, mounted next to the battery with riv-nuts
Amazon.com

-H4 adapter harness to control the relays and high beams and to avoid cutting stock wiring
Amazon.com

-Headlight Sealer
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077QJTJ2S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-Waterproof connectors
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C32Y4GVP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There was also a ton of soldering and custom harness building involved so it's not for the faint of heart, especially if you make it totally plug and play like I did. It was by far the most tedious mod I've done but its so worth it.

 

[trashboy]

I opted to DIY my OEM+ retrofit... it was not exactly 'budget' but considerably cheaper than other kits for sale with what I think are the highest quality components. I, like you, wanted to keep the vintage OEM look but with the benefit of the modern lighting. I really don't like the blacked out look, personally.

These are the components I used:

-TYC OE-style Housings from Amazon

-Motimoto Mini H1 projectors
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/bi-xenon-mini-h1-7-0-projectors-P-M-H1?quantity=1

-Morimoto X5-R Switchback Halos (Amber wired to turn signal, white wired to parking lights)
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/mini-x5-r-switchback-led-S-X5RLED?quantity=1

-SuperNova LED's three color LED bulbs (I like them because you can run amber, cool white, and soft white)
Supernova LEDs - Supernova LEDs V4 LEDs H1 - Quality LEDs for your Car

-6 gang generic relay box from Amazon, mounted next to the battery with riv-nuts
Amazon.com

-H4 adapter harness to control the relays and high beams and to avoid cutting stock wiring
Amazon.com

-Headlight Sealer
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077QJTJ2S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-Waterproof connectors
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C32Y4GVP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There was also a ton of soldering and custom harness building involved so it's not for the faint of heart, especially if you make it totally plug and play like I did. It was by far the most tedious mod I've done but its so worth it.

do you happen to have a guide that you followed for it? i dont really understand how all the connections are supposed to be set up.. i understand the process of installing the projectors etc, but how do you actually provide power to them? im interested in just running a projector with low/high functionality, don't really care for rgb or halos or anything like that

 

[Ed_C]

I ran blacked-out housings/shrouds/projector cutoff shields (doesn't affect light output) and corners. Dechroming shrouds and corners are easy; soak them in Purple Power or purple Zep degreaser, it takes about 10-15 mins of soaking to strip the shrouds and a few hours to do OEM corners, but aftermarket corners took about the same time to strip as the shrouds. Zep is a stronger formulation, I've seen videos of people dechroming OEM corners/signals after minutes of soaking.

E46 style shroud, cutoff shields painted black (AKA passive demon eye) on a G5-R projector

MH1 7.0 projectors with the same shrouds and black passive demon eyes. Scuffed the housings and painted with either Krylon or Rustoleum satin black

I have another retrofit in the works but in chrome, the shrouds I've selected (haven't seen anyone use them on a 3rd-gen) won't make it look too "bug eyed"

 

[trashboy]

I have another retrofit in the works but in chrome, the shrouds I've selected (haven't seen anyone use them on a 3rd-gen) won't make it look too "bug eyed"

which shrouds are you planning on using? i was also looking for something that is less bug eyed, was thinking of the panasquare shroud maybe..

 

[mtbtim]

TEQ Customs in Raleigh, NC makes nice sets of retrofit headlights. They also sell DIY kits if you want to assemble them yourself.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L3LOKMx2WWE?si=LjIV5HE2kAuUs-jl" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[snydmax]

TEQ Customs in Raleigh, NC makes nice sets of retrofit headlights. They also sell DIY kits if you want to assemble them yourself.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L3LOKMx2WWE?si=LjIV5HE2kAuUs-jl" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

TEQ’s “OEM+”

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[trashboy]

for those that have done the retrofit, does it matter if i use a 99+ housing on a 98? i looked it up and apparently they have different mechanisms of spraying the light out (one reflects, one doesnt). would it matter in my case? also, does it matter if the lens is plastic vs glass?

 

[phattyduck]

for those that have done the retrofit, does it matter if i use a 99+ housing on a 98? i looked it up and apparently they have different mechanisms of spraying the light out (one reflects, one doesnt). would it matter in my case? also, does it matter if the lens is plastic vs glass?

All US housings are glass front. They are mechanically compatible where they bolt to the chassis and line up to the body between the clear and fluted lenses. Use the later housing if you are doing a projector retrofit.

-Charlie

 

[shadow247]

for those that have done the retrofit, does it matter if i use a 99+ housing on a 98? i looked it up and apparently they have different mechanisms of spraying the light out (one reflects, one doesnt). would it matter in my case? also, does it matter if the lens is plastic vs glass?

You'll want to use 99 and up headlight housing for the clear lens. 96-98 have a grid pattern etched into the lens. I don't think it would work out too good.

 

[Ed_C]

for those that have done the retrofit, does it matter if i use a 99+ housing on a 98? i looked it up and apparently they have different mechanisms of spraying the light out (one reflects, one doesnt). would it matter in my case? also, does it matter if the lens is plastic vs glass?

Use the 99-02; you want clear lenses, not fluted like the older ones.

If you still have the OEM lights I suggest reusing the mounting frames. I've used a few aftermarket OEM replacements and the fitment for the corner lights and the filler panels between the headlights and bumper are never as good as OEM

 

[trashboy]

thanks for the replies guys, i ordered some 99+ headlights and was about to order the rest of the supplies needed, but am a little confused on how everything gets wired up.

would something like this kit be sufficient?
https://www.morimotohid.com/morimoto-elite-9006-hid-system?quantity=1
35w ballasts
9006 4000k bulbs
9005/9006/9012/h10 wire harness

is the antiflicker capacitor nessecary?

for context, i am planning on ordering the square mini d2s projectors from morimoto with a panasquare shroud.
https://www.morimotohid.com/morimoto-mini-d2s-5-projectors?quantity=1

 

[Ed_C]

thanks for the replies guys, i ordered some 99+ headlights and was about to order the rest of the supplies needed, but am a little confused on how everything gets wired up.

would something like this kit be sufficient?
https://www.morimotohid.com/morimoto-elite-9006-hid-system?quantity=1
35w ballasts
9006 4000k bulbs
9005/9006/9012/h10 wire harness

is the antiflicker capacitor nessecary?

for context, i am planning on ordering the square mini d2s projectors from morimoto with a panasquare shroud.
https://www.morimotohid.com/morimoto-mini-d2s-5-projectors?quantity=1

Interesting, TRS is undercutting their own dealers (they've been told to do MAP pricing for a few years now) with that discounted price on the square 5.0's

Wrong bulb and wire harness selection. No antiflicker capacitor needed.

If yours is equipped with DRLs, bypass them, there are a few how-tos on this forum, and run a Motocontrol harness https://www.morimotohid.com/morimoto-h4-motocontrol-wire-harness?quantity=1 But if you're not scared of doing your own wiring a basic relay harness with 9006 connections and some diodes and H4 plugs will do the job.

Non-DRL, you can also run a basic harness minus the diodes.

It's cheaper running NHK G3 ballasts, and a much lower failure rate than those Morimoto ballasts AMP: NHK G3 38W Ballasts – Lightwerkz Global Inc I suggest getting Philips or Osram D2S bulbs and the premium AMP-to-D2S adapters from Lightwerkz also

 

[trashboy]

Interesting, TRS is undercutting their own dealers (they've been told to do MAP pricing for a few years now) with that discounted price on the square 5.0's

Wrong bulb and wire harness selection. No antiflicker capacitor needed.

If yours is equipped with DRLs, bypass them, there are a few how-tos on this forum, and run a Motocontrol harness https://www.morimotohid.com/morimoto-h4-motocontrol-wire-harness?quantity=1 But if you're not scared of doing your own wiring a basic relay harness with 9006 connections and some diodes and H4 plugs will do the job.

Non-DRL, you can also run a basic harness minus the diodes.

It's cheaper running NHK G3 ballasts, and a much lower failure rate than those Morimoto ballasts AMP: NHK G3 38W Ballasts – Lightwerkz Global Inc I suggest getting Philips or Osram D2S bulbs and the premium AMP-to-D2S adapters from Lightwerkz also

thanks for the reply

i dont believe mine has non-drls, for context i'm on a 98 limited.

im a little confused on why the bulb and wire harness selection is incorrect. the mini d2s says that it includes "2x 9006 Solenoid Input Pigtails". doesnt that mean that i would need a 9006 bulb for the projector?

read through alot of the official retrofit guide and watched some youtube videos, but no one ever talks about the wiring part (which i feel like is more confusing than the actual installation process)

 

[Ed_C]

thanks for the reply

i dont believe mine has non-drls, for context i'm on a 98 limited.

im a little confused on why the bulb and wire harness selection is incorrect. the mini d2s says that it includes "2x 9006 Solenoid Input Pigtails". doesnt that mean that i would need a 9006 bulb for the projector?

read through alot of the official retrofit guide and watched some youtube videos, but no one ever talks about the wiring part (which i feel like is more confusing than the actual installation process)

The 9006 pigtails are for the projector's highbeam solenoids; the projectors use D2S bulbs, hence the "D2S" in the projectors' name.

Relay harnesses are triggered by the OEM headlight wiring, on a H4 system the lowbeam power is cut off when highbeams are activated. A Motocontrol harness (or standard relay harness with a diode) keeps the HID ballasts powered when highbeams are on.

 

[trashboy]

The 9006 pigtails are for the projector's highbeam solenoids; the projectors use D2S bulbs, hence the "D2S" in the projectors' name.

Relay harnesses are triggered by the OEM headlight wiring, on a H4 system the lowbeam power is cut off when highbeams are activated. A Motocontrol harness (or standard relay harness with a diode) keeps the HID ballasts powered when highbeams are on.

so from doing some more research and based off what you said, i could go ahead and use
- 2x d2s bulbs
- 1x motocontrol (h4/9003) https://www.morimotohid.com/morimoto-h4-motocontrol-wire-harness?quantity=1
- 2x 35w ballasts AMP: NHK G3 38W Ballasts – Lightwerkz Global Inc
- 2x mini d2s projectors

from my understanding, the flow goes like this
battery -> motocontrol -> ballast (1 on each side) and original factory plug -> bulbs (1 on each side)

does that sound correct?

 

[Ed_C]

so from doing some more research and based off what you said, i could go ahead and use
- 2x d2s bulbs
- 1x motocontrol (h4/9003) https://www.morimotohid.com/morimoto-h4-motocontrol-wire-harness?quantity=1
- 2x 35w ballasts AMP: NHK G3 38W Ballasts – Lightwerkz Global Inc
- 2x mini d2s projectors

You'll also need AMP-D2S adapters Premium AMP > D2S Ballast Adapters – Lightwerkz Global Inc

from my understanding, the flow goes like this
battery -> motocontrol -> ballast (1 on each side) and original factory plug -> bulbs (1 on each side)

does that sound correct?

Pretty much. Only the original driver side bulb connector plugs into the Motocontrol, passenger side is left unplugged. The power connectors to the ballasts and bixenon solenoids are the same type but they'll be labeled, and the ballast ones will have seperate grounds.