HDJ81 headlights: OEM to DEPO (1 Viewer)

[HillCountryTX]

I just purchased a set of DEPO glass lens headlights for our HDJ81 (Right hand drive) Land Cruiser to replace the original OEM headlights that are designed for right hand driving in Japan. Since I am in the states, we were getting flashed by other oncoming cars about 25% of the time and it was just time for a change.

It is my understanding that the HDJ81 OEM headlights have the following bulbs:

H4 (dual filament) - low beam/high beam (outer bulbs)
H3 (single filament) - fog lights (inner bulbs) activated by the fog light button to the right of the steering wheel.

With the DEPOs I will have:

H4 (dual filament) - low beam/high beam (outer bulbs)
H1 (single filament) - high beam (inner bulbs)

And based on multiple searches it appears that the HDJ81's have a "hidden" H1 plug that is not used from the factory, but it is still bundled with the other H4 and H3 connectors.

So, my question is...I don't need any additional wiring harnesses/adapters/etc. to be able to switch from the OEM headlights in my HDJ81 to the DEPO lights and still have both low and high beams, correct? I will lose my H3 fog lights in the transition.

I should be able to use the existing H4 bulb and connector and then use the "hidden" H1 connector and buy some new H1 bulbs and then I just won't use the H3 fogs. Is this correct? Can anyone verify this for me? So this would mean that when I have my brights on that the H4 and the H1 will be on.

I'm also not sure if when the brights are on whether both filaments stay on in the H4 bulb, or just one.

 

[dan1554]

Just to throw another option out there - have you considered a xenon conversion? It is a very worthwhile upgrade.
Bi-Xenon Retro-Fit Simplified!

 

[vwluv10338]

I have been researching this exact last week. I'm pretty sure when I looked on top of my headlights that my foglight bulb was an H1. Since I love my fogs I was planning on running amber H1 bulbs there. If I don't like it I will install Amber rigid D2 led fogs and install white H1 as an extra driving light.

 

[IanB]

@HillCountryTX , I believe everything you've typed out here to be correct. On my '91 I used DEPO's and they were straight plug and play, I was able to find the hidden H1 connector in the harness, and you'll lose your fogs, but could easily add aux lights and use the H3 plug and foglight switch for those.

On my '93 I had a projector/HID retrofit done on the DEPO's prior to installing, and used a standalone harness to power them, taking only the signal from the factory H4 plug to activate them. On the '93 I was unable to locate the hidden H1 connector, but I didn't need it, so maybe I just didn't look hard enough.

The stock DEPO's are better than stock, but the HID retrofit is just excellent, to the point that my aux lights are redundant with the high beams on.

 

[HillCountryTX]

Thanks @IanB ! It helps to know about the "hidden" H1 connector...that is the missing link in all of this. Since I have a 1991 HDJ81 I'm hoping my has the hidden H1 connector as well. I'm going to give the stock DEPOs a try before I think about a projector/HID retrofit. I just wanted to make sure that I'm not having buy an additional adapter/harness/etc. to make this work initially. If I do go the project/HID retrofit route I would also think about doing a standalone harness, like you mention.

 

[HillCountryTX]

And does anyone have a recommendation on protective film for the DEPO glass lens? Or is it even necessary? I've tried contacting @IdahoDoug both via PM and through his email and no response for the 3M protective film product he sells. Is it worth it, or am I just wasting money there?

Also, can anyone confirm if the fancy HDJ81 headlight washers fit with the DEPO install? These "washers" are the spray nozzles located below the headlight that allow the driver to hit a button in the cab and it will spray the headlight with wiper fluid for cleaning

 

[IanB]

The headlight sprayers work just fine with the DEPO's.

 

[vwluv10338]

Checked last night and my lights are definitely stamped H4 and H1

 

[84lumberman]

I have a 1992 HDJ81 and I see most people suggest DEPO headlights. I've seen the bulbs but are there complete swap outs for the whole units for sale somewhere?

Also, I've seen some Altezza lights but no one mentions if they are any good. Has anyone seen them? Are they any good?