bigger headlight wiring question (1 Viewer)

[coldtaco]

so, tried search, apparently I can't find the wright words for the search. I want to upgrade the headlight wiring to bigger wires to get max performance. I keep hearing about the headlights being wired differently than "normal" cars. Anyone got a wiring diagram or good explanation of what I need to do? I'm not good with electrics, but can follow directions Thanks.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

12V or 24V

 

[coldtaco]

12V

 

[cruiseroutfit]

You can buy a pre-made harness (such as the IPF we offer, bottom of page) or build your own:

(Pretty old school diagram found on web, search "headlight harness wiring upgrade diagram" and you'll find a bunch)

 

[coldtaco]

Is this for our 70 series? I keep reading that our headlights are wired differently but don't understand how. Like negative switched or something?

 

[roscoFJ73]

A kit is the way to go. I didn't think they were wired differently. I cant see why they would be.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

No difference in wiring, we've run the IPF kits on them. Even if they were grou switched you would just swap around the switch leg (86/85) on the relays.

 

[jblueridge]

Usually, the current runs from the battery (or power source) to a switch, then to the device, then routes back to the battery.

It seems that Toyota puts the switch in line After the device. The switch is on the negative or ground sde of the device.
So battery, line to relay, relay, switch, then gounded to frame of car.

For your idea, its the wires connecting relays to lights, connections 85 and 87 on Kurts diagram, that you want to beef up.

 

[jblueridge]

I had to totally re-engineer my 24v fog light controls.
I did it exactly as shown by Kurt. I never thought to look for a kit.

 

[deepseacruiser]

I just tackled this exact job on a 24v and it took a few trial and errors with alligator clips and wire to make sure I had it right before I build a new wiring harness. I was having issues with getting the high beams to work properly by sing the original wiring harness as my "trigger for new relay. I was also using LED lights which had issues apparently because of the power draw. I ended up eliminating the original relay below the steering wheel and found which wires were for the headlight switch and which wires were for the H/L dimmer switch and tapped into them for the relay triggers. I then ran 12gauge wire direct from the battery through a custom relay/fuse block I put in to work the headlights. If you want to know more about the wires I tapped into shoot me a pm

 

[AirheadNut]

I have one of the IPF harnesses lying around; they are really beefy. If you want some detail photos of it to copy I would be glad to be of service.

 

[gkanai]

How much does the beefier wiring help light output? The OEM lights are woeful, so I was planning to change to LED or ideally Halogen/LED combos, but changing wiring also sounds like a good idea.

 

[coldtaco]

How much does the beefier wiring help light output? The OEM lights are woeful, so I was planning to change to LED or ideally Halogen/LED combos, but changing wiring also sounds like a good idea.

Bigger wires should provide more amps to the lights for brighter lights.

 

[gkanai]

I have one of the IPF harnesses lying around; they are really beefy. If you want some detail photos of it to copy I would be glad to be of service.

Would love to see more detailed photos, please?

 

[AirheadNut]

Would love to see more detailed photos, please?

Here are some photos of mine. The main loom from the relay box to the lights is 10-12 gauge wire, and the wiring from the battery to the relays is dual 8 gauge (I think). The relays and fuses are 25A each.

View attachment 1402385

 

[gkanai]

AirheadNut- thanks!

IPF does not sell that same product in Japan, which is weird. They do sell two products that together might do the same job?

A low beam H4 harness
Amazon | IPF ヘッドライト ハーネス 2灯式 4灯式 ロー WH-2 | ハーネス・スイッチ | 車＆バイク

and a hi beam H4 harness

Amazon | IPF ヘッドライト ハーネス 4灯式 ハイ WH-3 | ハーネス・スイッチ | 車＆バイク

I have an email into IPF asking if these two products together will do the same job as the one you have. Although thinking about this, the two harnesses would only work on 4 headlight models like the 62 perhaps...

 

[AirheadNut]

Probably if you were to take both harnesses and run jumpers from the harness plugs (high, low and ground) to the headlight plugs you would have the same thing. Basically it would just be the same as splitting my relay box in two, running four separate looms instead of two, and just joining them at the lights.

Disclaimer: this rambling might not work or make any sense, but I think I can see how it would work

 

[gkanai]

Basically it would just be the same as splitting my relay box in two, running four separate looms instead of two, and just joining them at the lights.

Yeah, I can see that too- but if I have to hack the two Japanese harnesses, why not just buy the one from the US instead? I'm just confused as to why IPF does not sell the product in Japan that ARB sells for them in the US. That's why I have an email in to them. Will share what they say.

 

[AirheadNut]

That is interesting that they don't sell that harness in Japan. Mine came hooked up to some 9" IPF Super Rallys on my Prado, and I am pretty sure that they were installed before the vehicle came to NA.

 

[gkanai]

I am pretty sure that they were installed before the vehicle came to NA.

Hm. Well maybe they were sold in the past? I can't seem to find it on the IPF Japanese website. Either way, I have emailed them to see if they sell that harness you have in Japan.