What type of Hids for an 2014
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philsey
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![newssheriff[1].jpg](https://www.toyota-4runner.org/data/attachments/87/87198-509c95b0417da6afed85f03b4f57b84b.jpg?hash=0iPWg7j2km "newssheriff[1].jpg")
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Marshal,
Could you please explain why the stock projector will not work with a HID PNP kit? How is the projector any different from the projector on the 2014 Land Cruiser? I don't want to hear about the squirrel spotters, it has already been discovered that the 2014 shield does not have them.
Antman,
Lol, you never cease to amuse me.
Could you please explain why the stock projector will not work with a HID PNP kit? How is the projector any different from the projector on the 2014 Land Cruiser? I don't want to hear about the squirrel spotters, it has already been discovered that the 2014 shield does not have them.
Antman,
Lol, you never cease to amuse me.
marshal
New member
it will work, with a cut off better than whats available with a reflector - but you're not getting the full monte.
the factory projector is designed for an incandescent bulb, with its element that runs from side to side. when you put a rebased HID capsule in, the arc point of the bulb is in a different place as well running from fore to aft of the capsule. its entirely different light. you will get more light from an HID capsule vs an incandescent bulb purely by lumens created, not from efficiency.
projectors that are designed with HID's in mind will have a better cutoff, better throw and better sweep. further, they're designed to get every remaining lumen out of the bulb with minimal LUX loss.
why say no when it feels so good to say yes?
the factory projector is designed for an incandescent bulb, with its element that runs from side to side. when you put a rebased HID capsule in, the arc point of the bulb is in a different place as well running from fore to aft of the capsule. its entirely different light. you will get more light from an HID capsule vs an incandescent bulb purely by lumens created, not from efficiency.
projectors that are designed with HID's in mind will have a better cutoff, better throw and better sweep. further, they're designed to get every remaining lumen out of the bulb with minimal LUX loss.
why say no when it feels so good to say yes?
Even though I don't think such a poor argument deserves a response I don't want people to be misinformed. First of all, how do you substantiate you statement that they are not the same besides the words "they are not the same"? As I said earlier, I was told by a Toyota Master tech that the projectors were the same less the whole HID setup that is included in the Land Cruiser from the factory. This makes sense as both vehicles are manufactured in Japan and probably use many of the same components. Second, you state that you can see squirrel spotters from looking at the front of the lens which is simply just simply not true. This is not a viable method to see squirrel spotters in the first place as you can not see anything looking through these lenses. Sometimes I think I can see my ex girlfriends beautiful box inside there if I look hard enough but I know I am just seeing things. Instead, place a piece of dark paper in front of the lights when they are on to identify squirrel spotters. Regardless of our measly attempts to find squirrel spotters the issue has already been answered in another thread in which BTLAW acquired a salvaged 2014 headlight and tore it apart and confirmed that the shield does not in fact have squirrel spotters.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/165959-retrofit-source-group-buy-interested-2.html
mace.
New member
Generally, in regards to HID lighting, the term "squirrel spotter" is used to identify a hot spot above the expected cut-off line. Another way to put this is an intense area of glare above the cut-off line.
Some halogen projectors (including the circa 2012 Highlander, which we own as well) have optics such that a small amount of halogen light is projected upward in a controlled manner in the area above the cut-off line. Close against a wall, the Highlander seems to have 2 rectangles of light (dimmer than the headlight below the cut-off). These are intentionally designed to throw lights vertically higher (for road signs, etc.) but the amount of light this high is FAR less than the regular headlights for use on the road itself. example here - 3rd picture in this post
Anyways, perhaps the OEM 2014 projectors don't have intentional road sign lighting. That is not the only thing that makes HID lighting in halogen housings undesirable.
There's some significant glare from the OEM 2014 projectors with HID bulbs.
example here - particularly against the garage door
1engineer
Moderator
Oh boy. Just because a vaunted "Toyota Master Tech" told you something you think it's true? I have met dumbass physicists before and conversely brilliant ditch diggers. It's the person dude not the title. Just because something "makes sense" (Toyota using LC parts on a 4Runner?) does not make it so. You have no better argument than anyone else unless you have P/N cross references or something.
The best thing you can do (and the only way to prove it) is mod it however you like, document the hell out of it with pictures and post it up here. Take a headlight out, bake it, take it apart and post pictures. Otherwise you are just pissing in the wind. That's the ONLY way to not "misinform" people.
Generally I would agree with all of you that a Toyota Master Tech would just be a tittle and not a good reference for a argument regarding components on a particular vehicle. In said case, this particular Master Tech is a good friend of mine and has access to date that is relatively difficult to come across from searching the internet. I will ask him if he could snap some pictures of the data he used to inform me that the two projectors are the same. Until such time I thank all of you for the constructive criticism. As far as the lack of squirrel spotters on the projector shield I would like to again point out that BTLAW has torn apart a 2014 projector and has "said" not "shown" that they do not exist. I would also like to point out that I do not have a HID PNP kit installed on my rig but am heavily considering pulling the trigger on this mod sometime soon.
philsey
New member
Damn! I was gonna stay out of this, but Andy (pardon me, but) your ignorance is showing. I would hope you'd become better informed about this lighting technology before you accept opinion as fact. Here's your homework assignment. HiDplanet : The Official Automotive Lighting Forum
Your "Master Tech" knows not of what he speaks. From Toyota.com / Landcruiser/specs/headlights:
"Projector-beam High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights with auto level control and auto on/off feature, headlight cleaners and integrated Land Cruiser logo".
Other than being glass, and round, HALOGEN projectors, and HID projectors will APPEAR similar, but the design and technology are not.
Riddle yourself this: Howcum an RX350 which is standard with halogen projectors, offers HID projectors as a $900 option (if they are so similar)?
I am so gonna catch it from Jeff.
roktoy
New member
I haven't pulled my 2014 projector apart, nor do I have access to a landcruiser projector. But the designs are different to handle different bulbs, there is no way these are designed the same, they are similar but the reflector design is different, along with all the other self leveling stuff the HID's have from the factory. Your mastertech is misinformed or you misunderstood him. Maybe meant that they are the same minus the hid setup, which includes the reflector. Why don't you post this at the HIDPlanet site, and see if they can rip you a new one.
I have done the HID conversion in my 2014, but I can definitely see glare, its not horrible like with a reflector housing, but still enough where it could bother oncoming traffic. My plans are to pull the projector housing about and bend the spotters tab down, or wait for a retrofit kit.
Here is a picture I took with a paper in front of the headlight, you can see the light output including the squirrel spotters and the bleed out of the flap from the bulb being wider than the standard halogen bulbs.
I have done the HID conversion in my 2014, but I can definitely see glare, its not horrible like with a reflector housing, but still enough where it could bother oncoming traffic. My plans are to pull the projector housing about and bend the spotters tab down, or wait for a retrofit kit.
Here is a picture I took with a paper in front of the headlight, you can see the light output including the squirrel spotters and the bleed out of the flap from the bulb being wider than the standard halogen bulbs.
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simplemind
New member
I'm assuming she's now with a guy with a proper retrofit...
Kidding aside, EasyAndy... The light housings are different. I understand the 2014 is relatively decent when dropping an HID PNP kit into the OEM housing. However, it's not that difficult to be "relatively decent" compared the the HID in projector "mod" that seems to be so popular.
You sound pretty set on your HID PNP kit. The best option is a full retrofit, but that's also the more expensive option. Just be sure that you consider oncoming traffic when you make any changes.
