VLED 2000LM H4 install and review on 2001 T4R

[bubbaleenc]

Glad to help! Yeah, the 3000LM are using a new LED set that looks to be even more robust according to CREE's tech sheets. I bet the 3000 will also give a better cutoff since the LED chassis is angled slightly on the low beam LED. Make sure to google VLEDS coupon to see if you can get a discount code!

 

[bubbaleenc]

Headlight Housing Washout

I have seen a lot of crud accumulating in the light housings since I removed the dust boots to run with the VLEDs - which is not surprising. It became even more apparent when I had the passenger headlight unit replaced from a recent wreck. As a cheap fix, I removed the driver side unit and washed it out using Tide detergent and filtered water. Two rounds of about 10 minutes each of swishing the soapy solution back and forth got out all the crud without damaging the brightwork in the unit. I rinsed with about 10 rounds of filtered water (Distilled would be better if you have it). I then used a can of compressed air to blow out water from the nooks inside the light housing. Next, I blew inside and outside the unit with a hair dryer to try and get more water to evaporate.

When I was satisfied that the unit had only a minimal amount of water remaining, I reinstalled it on the truck without the dust boot. I installed a Halogen bulb the next morning (condensation was present) and drove about 20 miles on the interstate with High Beams on (use good judgment here - It was sunny and I didn't run brights when I was nearest to on-coming traffic so as to not blind drivers). This increased airflow behind the open unit and provided as much heat from the bulb as possible to vaporize remaining water. I left the light un-booted for the next couple days (highs around 90 and sunny) to ensure no more fogging.

Next, custom dust boot fabrication...

 

[vanion2]

For a moment I was very interested in considering these for the 4R over a HID retro fit but then I read the comment about how these merely increase the intensity over halogen bulbs.

I did a HID retrofit on my MR2 and while the intensity is there below the cutoff it is the horizontal spread that the halogen housing can't compete with. You don't even need fog lights anymore because I can light up a 3 lane highway and both the medians a good 10 feet without blinding oncoming traffic. And it looks like these LEDS are $200 a set now which makes a $300 HID retro fit from TRS much easier to swallow.

Still, this was a very good review. I bet if you install them in a proper projector you will be amazed and I would definitely be interested in seeing that review. The stock halogen housing seems to be your greatest limitation at this point.

 

[bubbaleenc]

Custom Dust Boot Fabrication

After much research I have decided to fabricate my own light dust boots using Marine Vinyl fabric. Marine Vinyl has a cold crack temperature below -10F and melting temp above 320F. It is highly resistant to UV, salt, stretching, contraction, water and oils. It is moderately flame retardant when labeled as such (I specifically bought some that was). It is also very easy to cut and work with and inexpensive - I got 1/2 of a bolt yard in a safety orange for $4.50. Enough to experiment with size and have enough left over for my kids' art projects.

*I used a large stadium cup as a circle template to mark the basic diameter.
*Cut out the 2 circles (one for each light housing) with standard scissors. *Fold each circle in half - then in half again to leave a point in the center of the circle.
*Cut the point to a size a bit smaller than the radius of the LED heat sink. (This makes a hole in the exact middle of the fabric that will snugly fit over the LED heat sink without blocking the majority of its length or any of the grooves.)

Now the hard part - custom cutting holes for the bulb retaining clip. This will be easier if the light housing is removed, but can be done with it in place as well.

*Fit the vinyl over the LED Heat sink (Make sure cooling fan is removed)
*Mark the vinyl where the longer side of retaining spring connects to housing on both ends (do not mark the shorter side of the spring)
*Remove vinyl and cut a notch at the two marks big enough to allow clip to pass through
*Slide longer side of spring clip through the first notch, leaving shorter side between vinyl and LED.
*Slide vinyl back over heat sink, pressing short side of spring clip against LED unit.
*Press long side of spring clip so that vinyl is sandwiched between clip and LED unit and fasten clip end to the housing through the second notch.
*Get 2 hose clamps (screw-tightening style - 1 for each housing) large enough to fit over the light housing where the OEM dust boot fit.
*Fit clamp over vinyl and light housing (either folding the vinyl around the edge or notching and overlapping - whichever you prefer) and tighten enough to ensure nothing rattles loose.
*Reinstall fan and wiring harnesses.

This should be more than sufficient IMHO to keep out most dust and moisture - in fact, after looking at the OEM boot design this may function even better despite the Frankenstein look!

Pics to follow...

 

[bubbaleenc]

For a moment I was very interested in considering these for the 4R over a HID retro fit but then I read the comment about how these merely increase the intensity over halogen bulbs.

I did a HID retrofit on my MR2 and while the intensity is there below the cutoff it is the horizontal spread that the halogen housing can't compete with. You don't even need fog lights anymore because I can light up a 3 lane highway and both the medians a good 10 feet without blinding oncoming traffic. And it looks like these LEDS are $200 a set now which makes a $300 HID retro fit from TRS much easier to swallow.

Still, this was a very good review. I bet if you install them in a proper projector you will be amazed and I would definitely be interested in seeing that review. The stock halogen housing seems to be your greatest limitation at this point.

Thanks!

I have read mixed reviews about using the VLEDs in projector housings. The VLED design is to mimic the directional lighting design of the halogen bulbs (low beam fires upward into light housing, high beam fires upward and downward into the light housing). If this was used in a projector, the cutoff and horizontal would be nicer, but the forward distance scatter would be limited due to H4 bulb & LED design firing vertically instead of forward. How much limited? Discussions have varied.

But if it were a matter of redoing the entire housing to add projectors, I'd just go HID and skip the LED. The VLED option (especially when they are under $200 with discounts and/or specials) is more of a budget upgrade for potential aesthetic and real lighting distance improvement. Even with the custom dust boot mod above, I'd say the VLED route has a mod difficulty factor of perhaps a 2 or 3 on a 1-10 scale (1, tire change; 10, engine rebuild). Once we start rebuilding the light housings to add projectors, that bumps cost and difficulty. The benefit of such effort is very real! But it is out of budget or ability / desire for some modders out there.

VLEDs LEDs are the middle-of-the-road option, IMHO.

 

[bubbaleenc]

Pictures as promised...

Cut Out of Marine Vinyl and the hose clamp.

installed and clamped. Not half bad!