Tail light conversion mulled-I value your input

[Ron Helmuth]

Okay so I have been studying up on tail light conversions. Bear with me guys-sometimes I need to see myself type the obvious before it really sinks in with me....

1/ I see a number of Ebay/Amazon sellers that have prices almost too good to be true. I can get a conversion pair of tail lights for less than a pair of stock replacement OEMs. Are there specific brands you want to warn me about? Spyder? DT Motorsports? what say you?

2/ I can make any conversion tail light I buy into an LED conversion simply by swapping out bulbs for LEDs- is that correct or am I oversimplifying?

3/ I have a 99 Runner-there was a harness change for the 01-02 3rd Gens? Is that a fact or just a marketing ploy by these Internet sellers?

I like the smoked look-the ones I favor at the moment are these:

96 97 98 99 00 TOYOTA 4RUNNER JDM BLACK TAIL LIGHTS

or these:

Toyota 4Runner 96-00 Tail Lights - Smoke :: Tail Lights :: CarPart4U.com offers high performance headlights and car parts

I value almost all of guys opinions-my rig is white. Let me know what you think/know please. I have searched and searched- I think I have read every LED tail thread out here and on YT.

I value real world experience with real products you have used and installed.

Fire away please....and if you have 01-02 tail lights to sell I am still on the fence about those, stock is good- up to a point....

 

[JohnsD90]

01 was a direct fit in my 97. I say go for LED's unless you get a good deal on 01's.

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

Here's what I have.

They're clean, look OEM, and perform great. I couldn't be happier with a set of tail lights.

Mine are made by Eagle Eyes but these are the DEPO equivalent.

DEPO 1997 1998 1999 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LED TAIL LIGHTS : eBay Motors (item 310217491255 end time Jun-01-10 00:04:27 PDT)

 

[steezemcqueen]

:iagree:

i am either going to get a pair of those or these smoked ones

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

i have had both the aftermarket and oem tails. the 01-02 tail light harnesses are different but they are plug and play into any other year 3rd gen. i honestly prefer oem over aftermarket.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

You could just replace the bulbs with LEDs, but they would not be as bright as the LED tail lights that are posted above.

Isn't your 4runner white? I don't think that the black would look really good.

 

[99yota4]

I'm saving up for a pair of those LED tails from ebay. I really like the smoked lens ones like the picture above and should look great with my jade mica green color.

 

[kellogg]

I like the ones Bodom has the best. I've seen his in person and they are super bright. IMO they look the cleanest.

 

[Spish]

I like the ones Bodom has the best. I've seen his in person and they are super bright. IMO they look the cleanest.

Yeah, go for the simpler look, don't make your ride look like a ricer. I lived in a Japan for 8 years, trust me, the ones you are looking at are not JDM. Just use VHT niteshades on your stock ones, cheap and easy.

 

[99_4Runner]

I have the first ones, I happen to like the way they look o my 99 Black Limited.

 

[Elton H]

im happy with the 60 dollars i spent on factory 01-02s all i did was get some bulb holders off marker lights at the junk yard trim the plugs a little and it works just fine

 

[MillerPKA]

Here's what I have.

They're clean, look OEM, and perform great.

Must be talking about that 311 sticker

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

Must be talking about that 311 sticker

:lol:

 

[danilomoran1]

I love the look of the Black JDM lights but they are a bit over done, I wanted to do them on my silver Runner but after seeing ChildrenOfBodom's lights, now I want those! I think it makes it look more "Grown Up"... if that makes sense!

 

[KellyJ]

My vote is for the OEM looking LED tails. They look completely stock when off (to the untrained layman's eye) and are super super bright. They light up reflective surfaces twice as far behind me as the OEM tails did, and I thought the OEM ones were bright. And the on/off crispness is to die for:banana:

 

[JohnsD90]

Ron i still say go LED unless a deal pops up, but here are 01 lights on my 4runner, (thanks Foneman).

<a href="http://s1008.photobucket.com/albums/af204/AYCTB/01%20tailights/?action=view&current=_SPZ1938.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af204/AYCTB/01%20tailights/_SPZ1938.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1008.photobucket.com/albums/af204/AYCTB/01%20tailights/?action=view&current=_SPZ1941.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af204/AYCTB/01%20tailights/_SPZ1941.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[werez12]

I'm saving up for a pair of those LED tails from ebay. I really like the smoked lens ones like the picture above and should look great with my jade mica green color.

Just to save you guys time and troubles. They don't make those red/smoked LED's. I bought some in Nov. They sent me all smoked ones. Dummy me never contacted pay pal about the return, so i couldn't get my money back cause it was over the 60 day period or something. So I've been calling them for the last few months and they keep telling me that they are hard to get and are on back order. So now I'm hoping to get the red/clears instead.

I think there was afew members on yota tech that tired getting and had same problems, but got there money back.

 

[Elton H]

ahh bummer i guess ill just go red clear

 

[Ron Helmuth]

appreciate the inputs guys

yes it was Children of Bodom's that really caught my eye.

And I sure like that install video posted up that was really helpful.

Okay I am pretty fond of 01-02s

Hey I never get any notice any more of replies to my posts nor of Private Messages. I check my USER CP area and all looks fine. Any suggestions what is going wrong in that regard? I will check back in a day or so...

 

[Ron Helmuth]

Can I get some photoshop love?

Well I am torn now. I like the look of the 01-02s but in a sense they look too stock.

Meaning they don't really seem like much of an upgrade. If I am making any sense whatsoever-if I am going to upgrade I want just a bit of bling factor to it...not gaudy or tacky-just a bit distinctive to set off against the white of my ride color.

I have seen many photos and thank you for them-like Johnsd90-and COBs and 99 4Runners- but everyone seems to have dark colored rides. Practically the only tails I don't like are those clear clears...that would look bad against my white... (I think)

Can someone do some photoshopping for me? Can I see a shot of my ride with all the choices plugged into a shot? One of the 01/02 lenses, one of the JDM look, one of the smoked look LEDs?

I can send a photo to a real email address-I am thinking of one shot in particular "Ron's Road" on my Facebook 4Runner album-that has a good shot of my butt end-err my truck's...

Am I seeking too much? Can I send some parts as a gratitude gesture? I have some stuff piling up in my parts cabinet...as you can likely discern photo hosting is tough enough for me to attempt...

appreciate the rapid responses guys. I see these taillights are a common upgrade and I guess I want to be looking more like youse guys....

And back to question #2, I take your varied responses as a yes-I can always plug and play some LED type bulbs to replace a regular bulb correct? NO worries about the ABS light coming on right? (let's limit the discussion to LED in the tails only- no center high stop light or license plate bulbs)

Sorry if I come across as a pain in the butt. I can't truly visualize the end result and that is the whole point if you get my drift.:hatsoff: