Headlight Upgrades for Hilux/4Runner
Submitted: Monday, Mar 07, 2005 at 11:33
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will21
Has anyone installed headlight upgrades to replace their sealed beams on their Hilux? Is it worth it? Any particular brand of upgrade?
Reply By: banjodog - Monday, Mar 07, 2005 at 12:06
Monday, Mar 07, 2005 at 12:06
For what it's worth, I have replaced the glass sealed beams in the '84 Hilux with polycarbonate ones from Autobarn. They were $35 each last year. The new bulbs I used were 60w/55w Philips +50 - on special at $29.
They have made a huge difference to the output. However, I also made my own HD wirinig loom using 20amp wire to maintain constant voltage to keep the lights white but that was probably not necessary.
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Reply By: drivesafe - Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 08:28
Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 08:28
Hi Will, if you are after better light from your standard factory fit headlights, then you would probably be better off doing a wire upgrade first.
If you just swap the globes you may find little improvement and have to do the wire upgrade anyway.
Toyota headlight wiring is a strange animal to work with but many of the Japanese ( and other ) vehicles are wired using earth switching.
If Tuco has the wiring diagram to suite you vehicle, take up the offer and do the wiring upgrade first. You then may find that the increase in light will be enough.
I upgraded my headlights with new globes and found that they made no noticeable difference.
One small point, if you do a wire upgrade, instead of worrying about the wire size that fits into the headlight socket. Simply cut the existing wire at the socket, leaving enough to put a standard 3 way automotive plug and socket on the wire and then you can use a much larger wire for the rest of the loom. I personally would not use anything smaller that 5 mm Automotive type wire.
Having thinner wire for a very short distance will have little to no affect on the final increase in voltage to the light globes if you have used heavier grade wire between the new plug and the battery ( via the relay ).
Don’t forget to use the heavy grade wire for both the negative and the positive wire going to the headlights.
By the way, it would, for over all better light, be better to fit
driving lights as you suggested.
Cheers.
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102034
Follow Up By: drivesafe - Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 08:50
Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 08:50
One more point I forgot to mention, upgrading your headlight/driving light wiring to the biggest feasible size, will not only increase the light power of your globes but it will also greatly extend the operating life of your globes.
So even if you only do your headlight wiring, it will have multiple benefits anyway.
Cheers
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