Drowning in a sea of information on headlights, help??

[pegdrag]

I set forth into the forum to find information on upgraded headlights for my about to be picked up new to me 2002.

I've upgraded old Porsches to modern headlamps, but I'm lost in the HUGE volume of postings about upgrading headlights for the 100 series, many of which seem to disagree. Can someone make suggestions? I'm sure that with time I'll figure it out, but perhaps a primer, with specifics. I'm a firm believer in old Porsches and have spent many, many happy hours and much blood from my knuckles on them (I'm a regular on rennlist which is the MUD for porsche addicts.)

However, I have lusted after LC for years.

Help a brother out??

 

[bamabrock]

How To: HID+Projector Retrofit on a 100 Series.

2000 100 using Morimoto Mini H1 with XB35 Bulbs and 35W ballasts. Start by unboxing everything. Tape off semi-imaginary cutoff line. Tape wheel location ( if you move the vehicle you can move it back l, not Needed if you test inside. But I'm not hauling a battery around. I am testing in...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[pegdrag]

Thank you!!

Looks like a neat and quick project. Only issue I can see is that it ruins the original headlights, unless I'm misunderstanding. I suppose one can find OEM headlights fairly easily?

No plug and play options?

 

[DTCsk8er]

HID projector retrofit is by far the best upgrade I've done to any of my vehicles. I do a fair amount of night driving, through deer populated areas, and these lights have been a blessing for me.

I used the following parts from the retrofit source:

Installed 4 years back, and running strong. Just changed one bulb out, but everything else is running smooth as glass.

While it does ruin the OEM headlight a bit, it is not that challenging of an upgrade honestly.. and absolutely worth it to me.

 

[pegdrag]

Thanks for the parts list!

 

[AlpineAccess]

Yep, I did the retrofit using the same stuff as DTCsk8er. I like them a lot, especially in snow/rain to improve vision.

You do have to modify your oem headlamps. You can get new headlamps if you want to go back to reflectors I suppose, but the HIDs have replacement bulbs that are easily obtained as well.

 

[pegdrag]

Alpine, its not that I'd want to go back to reflectors, just that for some cars, if you deviate from OEM or can't supply the OEM part, resale value plummets. I sold an old car a few years ago in which I'd upgraded the radio and every single person who came to look at it asked me if I had the original radio. I did, but why on earth would you put a terrible AM/FM radio back in your car?????? I used NEW BOLTS when I put it back together too.....and THREW AWAY THE RUSTY OLD BOLTS.

I'm not super concerned about it, but if there were a prebuilt headlamp assembly that were a reasonable price, I'd go that route and keep the stock headlamp in a box on my shelf with the rest of the "useless old stuff that some insane person would want if I ever sold the car". Its mostly idiotic, but it exists.

I've got no problems cutting up the headlights if that is the only route to better light!

 

[Gnarwgn]

HID projector retrofit is by far the best upgrade I've done to any of my vehicles. I do a fair amount of night driving, through deer populated areas, and these lights have been a blessing for me.

I used the following parts from the retrofit source:

View attachment 2725489

Installed 4 years back, and running strong. Just changed one bulb out, but everything else is running smooth as glass.

While it does ruin the OEM headlight a bit, it is not that challenging of an upgrade honestly.. and absolutely worth it to me.

x2 on this suggestion. I also replaced the DRLs with morimoto 2strokes. Its a bit obnoxiously bright as a DRL, but great as a high beam sidekick to the bi-xenon. I have also had not much issue since replacing other than a faulty harness that Morimoto replaced free.

Someday I'm going to step it up to the quad projector I think (google Lightwerkz Land Cruiser):

 

[AlpineAccess]

Alpine, its not that I'd want to go back to reflectors, just that for some cars, if you deviate from OEM or can't supply the OEM part, resale value plummets. I sold an old car a few years ago in which I'd upgraded the radio and every single person who came to look at it asked me if I had the original radio. I did, but why on earth would you put a terrible AM/FM radio back in your car?????? I used NEW BOLTS when I put it back together too.....and THREW AWAY THE RUSTY OLD BOLTS.

I'm not super concerned about it, but if there were a prebuilt headlamp assembly that were a reasonable price, I'd go that route and keep the stock headlamp in a box on my shelf with the rest of the "useless old stuff that some insane person would want if I ever sold the car". Its mostly idiotic, but it exists.

I've got no problems cutting up the headlights if that is the only route to better light!

I dont know of a pre built option, but if you find one please post about it here. It would be really interesting. I do know for awhile a few people were doing retrofiting for you, if you sent them your headlight cores after.

I've never heard someone caring about headlights in terms of resale value on a land cruiser; ever, but maybe someone out there wouldn't like my retrofits and wont want to buy mine. No matter how well they work or were installed. But then again no one can kick the tires when it's likely never going to be for sale

 

[thibaut]

If you want to keep the reflector factory, then your meaningful upgrade options are :
- HIR bulbs, the easiest and most reliable solution but obviously not a game changer in terms of illumination
- LED upgrades with new generation of products coming up. Not clear whether legal but now you get well known brands producing higher quality products with diodes arranged to use the oem reflector

there are threads covering both on the forum.

Landcruiser mentality is a bit different than porsche where oem is king. LC get adapted to suit the driver needs with recognised high quality suppliers. While you may not fully recoup your extra spend, and ARB bumper and decent underbody armour will boost market value of a truck, not undermine it.

 

[pegdrag]

If you want to keep the reflector factory, then your meaningful upgrade options are :
- HIR bulbs, the easiest and most reliable solution but obviously not a game changer in terms of illumination
- LED upgrades with new generation of products coming up. Not clear whether legal but now you get well known brands producing higher quality products with diodes arranged to use the oem reflector

there are threads covering both on the forum.

Landcruiser mentality is a bit different than porsche where oem is king. LC get adapted to suit the driver needs with recognised high quality suppliers. While you may not fully recoup your extra spend, and ARB bumper and decent underbody armour will boost market value of a truck, not undermine it.

That’s helpful information! I’m new to the land cruiser world. You are right, you can modify your Porsche extensively, but doing something like putting a small block Chevy engine just isn’t done. Ive got the original headlamps and a set of lamps modified to run modern lights for my old Porsche. they are interchangeable, just unlatch the headlight assembly and pull it out.

thanks

 

[DTCsk8er]

I dont know of a pre built option, but if you find one please post about it here. It would be really interesting. I do know for awhile a few people were doing retrofiting for you, if you sent them your headlight cores after.

I've never heard someone caring about headlights in terms of resale value on a land cruiser; ever, but maybe someone out there wouldn't like my retrofits and wont want to buy mine. No matter how well they work or were installed. But then again no one can kick the tires when it's likely never going to be for sale

Only thing I can say against someone doing the retrofit for you.. you'd still have to complete all of the wiring work, mount the ballasts, adjust the headlight direction, etc.

LED might be an option (4 years has given technology a bump I am sure), but when I went with the HID retrofit, they were definitely not comparable in terms of light output. Probably a decent upgrade against OEM however.

 

[KliersLC]

HIRs are pretty much plug and play, the only modification is the bulb base needs to be trimmed a bit. I'd go 9011s in all four sockets. This is what I ran on my 80, and I was very happy with it. I have the projectors on my 99, and while they are good, they are not so amazing that I would do that mod on my daughters rig vs, going with HIR bulbs. I also have the HID mod on my wife's LX--way better than stock, but still not noticeably better than my 80 was. I will say that if you go the spendy route and do the projectors right, they will certainly outperform the HIRs. The kicker for me, is that I can buy a 9011 or 9012 pretty much anywhere if I lose a bulb, and in a pinch you can use the original 9005/9006. If you have an issue with the HIDs, you have to figure out whether it is the ballast, ignitor, bulb, or relay. Then you have to source that part. Simple is better.

Hope that helps.

Dan

 

[Stephen Lugo]

Dan,
Are you saying 9011 can be used in all four slots? For an Lx? Thanks for the insight.

 

[tabraha]

LED might be an option (4 years has given technology a bump I am sure), but when I went with the HID retrofit, they were definitely not comparable in terms of light output. Probably a decent upgrade against OEM however.

They've narrowed the gap but there's still a gap. Saw a nice demo on TRS's FB page a couple months ago comparing the latest greatest LED's to HID's. Both are miles better than halogen but xenon is still king for output.

FWIW, I have had a similar setup to DTC since 2013 and the only thing I've had to do is change out the OSRAM bulbs once a year ago. One blew and the other had simply aged and lost some output. Now 8 years later it looks like I may have a ballast nearing it's end of life so I'll probably swap those out soon.

 

[KliersLC]

Dan,
Are you saying 9011 can be used in all four slots? For an Lx? Thanks for the insight.

No, the 9011s can be used on all four slots on an LC, and also for the high beams on the LX. My LX already had the HID conversion done when I got it, so I don't know what the original bulb for the LX fake projector was. stand by and I'll take a look.

 

[KliersLC]

No, the 9011s can be used on all four slots on an LC, and also for the high beams on the LX. My LX already had the HID conversion done when I got it, so I don't know what the original bulb for the LX fake projector was. stand by and I'll take a look.

So it appears that the original bulb for the lx oem projector was the 55w H1 bulb. So, if there is a higher wattage bulb available in that style, then that could be an ok, and very simple improvement.

 

[Stephen Lugo]

So it appears that the original bulb for the lx oem projector was the 55w H1 bulb. So, if there is a higher wattage bulb available in that style, then that could be an ok, and very simple improvement.

Thank you for checking and clarifying.

 

[TheForger]

HID projector retrofit is by far the best upgrade I've done to any of my vehicles. I do a fair amount of night driving, through deer populated areas, and these lights have been a blessing for me.

I used the following parts from the retrofit source:

View attachment 2725489

Installed 4 years back, and running strong. Just changed one bulb out, but everything else is running smooth as glass.

While it does ruin the OEM headlight a bit, it is not that challenging of an upgrade honestly.. and absolutely worth it to me.

Yep, I did the retrofit using the same stuff as DTCsk8er. I like them a lot, especially in snow/rain to improve vision.

You do have to modify your oem headlamps. You can get new headlamps if you want to go back to reflectors I suppose, but the HIDs have replacement bulbs that are easily obtained as well.

Any pictures of yalls setups??

 

[DTCsk8er]

Any pictures of yalls setups??

Here is mine.. currently working on the 4x4labs bumper, so had a recent photo for once:

The shrouds on the projectors need to be trimmed a bit to fit inside and allow for adjustment. Ill try and dig up some pics of my install.