So the 4runner fails headlight tests with a "poor" rating
- Thread starter zonzin
- Start date
MyanRagahis
Member
The stock headlights don't do it for me. Maybe my vision just isn't good at night but the stock halogens don't have great coverage in my opinion. Installed the XenonDepot 5000k HID kit today and I'm anxious to drive home tonight when I get off from work at 12. I could already see a difference just in the parking garage.
RyanEJ25
New member
HID kit is the way to go. I have new projectors to swap in just haven't had time. This will make the cutoff sharp and better spread.
Personally I have ran DDM tuning for years. I have had a few bulbs go out or ballasts but I go to their storefront and get either a new ballast or pair of bulbs free. They have a lifetime warranty and never had an issue. I bought the 35w kit before but upgraded to the 55w kit and Phillips bulb and that output is awesome. I snapped a quick pic my driveway is full and couldn't get a clear shot.
Personally I have ran DDM tuning for years. I have had a few bulbs go out or ballasts but I go to their storefront and get either a new ballast or pair of bulbs free. They have a lifetime warranty and never had an issue. I bought the 35w kit before but upgraded to the 55w kit and Phillips bulb and that output is awesome. I snapped a quick pic my driveway is full and couldn't get a clear shot.
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transistor
New member
Why is everyone going for HID over LED?
Friggin Idiot
Senior Member
Considering conditions is important too! Driving with stock lights in a well lit city, you might not notice that they aren't that grand. On the other hand, driving a remote road in the deep country at night, it's pretty obvious.
I travel the backwoods of TN several times a year, and work nights and early morning shifts, so lighting upgrades are very useful to me. I did a XenonDepot HID 4300k low beam conversion (3200 lu) last October, added a 20" Baja Design OnX6 (14,700 lu) & Squadron-R Sport fog lights (1800 lu) in Jan, and the DDM Tuning 40w Saber Pro high beam LED conversion last week (3500 lu). Write-ups and pictures in my thread, link in signature.
Most nights I drive a well lit city, it's bright enough about 1/3 of the morons here don't turn on their headlights, using the DRL or street lights only and driving as slow as a drunken grandmother in the snow. So the only difference I see low beam is mostly reflected road signs in the city, although away from city lights the low beam is brighter and filled out wider. In the city, traffic density means high beams aren't really used, and the light bar is flashed as a night time middle finger for idiots who dangerously cut me off.
This past week in the deep mountain woods of TN, it was a different story. The HID upgrade was bright, but not distant useful enough to stand on its own. It was on the verge of too bright in the dense mountain fog that comes with the rain, the Baja Design Squadron-R Sports were great though. The Saber Pro 40w high beams were bright and clear, with good high and distant pattern, and more than safe enough to use faster than the 45mph speed limit if I wanted to.
Flipping the switch for the light bar was like turning on daylight ahead of the truck. I scared off a doe 1/4mi down the road, and the light may have started frying mosquitoes in the beam near the bumper.
:jaw:
But not everyone needs a light bar, nor the upgraded low/high beams though they are an improvement over OEM. To each their own devices and opinions, but consider your wants vs needs, practical use, legalities, and budget.
I travel the backwoods of TN several times a year, and work nights and early morning shifts, so lighting upgrades are very useful to me. I did a XenonDepot HID 4300k low beam conversion (3200 lu) last October, added a 20" Baja Design OnX6 (14,700 lu) & Squadron-R Sport fog lights (1800 lu) in Jan, and the DDM Tuning 40w Saber Pro high beam LED conversion last week (3500 lu). Write-ups and pictures in my thread, link in signature.
Most nights I drive a well lit city, it's bright enough about 1/3 of the morons here don't turn on their headlights, using the DRL or street lights only and driving as slow as a drunken grandmother in the snow. So the only difference I see low beam is mostly reflected road signs in the city, although away from city lights the low beam is brighter and filled out wider. In the city, traffic density means high beams aren't really used, and the light bar is flashed as a night time middle finger for idiots who dangerously cut me off.
This past week in the deep mountain woods of TN, it was a different story. The HID upgrade was bright, but not distant useful enough to stand on its own. It was on the verge of too bright in the dense mountain fog that comes with the rain, the Baja Design Squadron-R Sports were great though. The Saber Pro 40w high beams were bright and clear, with good high and distant pattern, and more than safe enough to use faster than the 45mph speed limit if I wanted to.
Flipping the switch for the light bar was like turning on daylight ahead of the truck. I scared off a doe 1/4mi down the road, and the light may have started frying mosquitoes in the beam near the bumper.
:jaw:
But not everyone needs a light bar, nor the upgraded low/high beams though they are an improvement over OEM. To each their own devices and opinions, but consider your wants vs needs, practical use, legalities, and budget.
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007Tacoma
New member
...it is worth noting that in most states of the United States (and several parts of the world) that auxiliary (or non-OEM) lighting is not legal to use on public roads. Unfortunately, this has precluded me from using my light bar or my ditch lights from seeing what is out there when my headlights are inadequate.
Several of the United States' laws regarding road lighting are antiquated in comparison to... well... almost everyone else.
MyanRagahis
Member
Drove home from work tonight with the new HIDs. The difference was night and day. Stock on bottom. 5000k on top.
e60ral
Banned
HID is much better at projecting light to see further, LED is fine for fog or flood lights
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
johnbt
Member
I've been blessed with excellent night vision my entire life, and I honestly don't like super bright lights on the pavement directly in front of the vehicle. I like the before picture. The intersection appears to be better lit in the before pic even though the vehicle is farther away than in the after pic. Look at that dark area at the intersection - it's not nearly as dark in the before pic.
Like you said, to each their own.
John
Like you said, to each their own.
John
philsey
New member
Correct. Those headlights need aiming. Way too much light too close to the truck.
Saker
Senior Member
Yep, Morimoto from TRS is what I have used in my last 2 vehicles with HID upgrades.
Never had a failure. Probably going on 3 years with current.
Look at my build thread.
Saker
Senior Member
You should try just the HID kit first.
Tearing into these housings are not as easy as the older ones were to retrofit.
The adhesive for the front lens is not near as forgiving and any retrofit that requires removing that will be a challenge for a novice.
That being said, it has been done.
IIWY, I would purchase good aftermarket housings and work those.
MyanRagahis
Member
You're right. This was the closest before and after picture of the same area was all. I installed them during the day and this was the first time I really saw them at night. I reaimed them right after.
I agree. I have photos with the stock ones looking brighter taken with my older Note 4. The halogens was actually taken under manual settings with my S8 last week before install. Taken at 1/10th at 200 ISO. I have JPEG and RAW of it. I think the S8 is locked under an aperture of 1.7. The HID photo was under auto and is a bit brighter than in person. Gonna try again with the same settings tonight.
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e60ral
Banned
make sure the metering mode is the same also, i don't know enough about how to do that on a phone
007Tacoma
New member
There are apps such as "RAW" for iPhone and Android that will let you set exposure level, shutter speed, and lock all kinds of settings to get exactly what you want to see.
EDIT: 500px app "RAW" no longer lets you set all of these, but there are other apps out there that do.
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zonzin
Member
Looked at your build thread and was curious as to why you omitted 2 wire on the passenger side when the RS says it is a PnP install.
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