Headlight upgrade harness FJ60 and FJ62

[slcfj62]

EDIT: My final design for the headlight harnesses I build changed, so I deleted the drawings in this thread. Please see my for sale threads in my sig line for the latest drawings.


Some time ago I upgraded my headlights in my FJ62 to H1/H4 European style headlights. At the same time, I purchased a kit to build an upgraded wire harness. Well, the instructions were defective and I finally gave up on them. I then designed and built my own wire harness. It worked great, but I wasn’t satisfied with how it looked. So I started looking for a better solution. In the meantime, I tested and refined my design and also adapted the design to the FJ60. I finally hit upon a really great looking and functional solution. I have decided to offer various configurations for sale—see my ad in the Vendor Forum by clicking on the link in my Sig Line.

One of the really great features of MUD is the sharing of information. I have certainly benefited from the wealth of information here, and have tried to reciprocate. The self help info here is awesome and most of us are here because of that. So in this spirit of sharing I am posting up the headlight diagrams I have developed for both the FJ62 and the FJ60. If you are handy with auto electrics, you should be able to build a harness like the one in the first pic for the price of the parts, which is about $60.

The first pic is a prototype harness I built for an FJ60. The other two pics are the schematics for the FJ60 and the FJ62. You can build a harness like the first pic from the schematics. In addition to building the harness, you will need to cut a wire at the base of the steering column. It is the Red/Green wire which is the wire that goes to the Low Beam position of the Hi/Lo switch. That's all there is to it!

And how do you know if you need to upgrade your headlight wiring harness? If your headlights look yellow and dim. That's how you know. Upgrading will make even your stock sealed beam headlights much brighter.

EDIT: Refer to post 24 for a pic of the wire you cut at the base of the steering column. Also refer to post 25 and 26 for additional schematic drawings for this harness design.

 

[saucebox]

Great, something else to buy. I already had the relays/etc. from your windows/locks thread on the list.

J/K, I'll be saving. I'd rather buy something from a member than from an unknown (to me) source.

 

[slcfj62]

If you already have the relays, you are about a third of the way there. All you need are the wires and connectors.

You can get the wires and mesh conduit from here:

GenuineDealz.com - Marine Electrical, Boat Wire & Cable, Custom Battery Cables

And the connectors you will need from here:

Automotive Connectors

Addtionally,

McMaster-Carr

is a good place for heatshrink and crimp on connectors.

 

[pismo62]

slcfj62 will this make a standard set of head light on my 62 bright like normal driving lights? Also, whats involved in running the H1/H4, like the cost to order those lights?

 

[slcfj62]

slcfj62 will this make a standard set of head light on my 62 bright like normal driving lights? Also, whats involved in running the H1/H4, like the cost to order those lights?

Well....it depends on what you mean by "normal driving lights." When a high current device like a headlight is connected to the battery through skinny wires and dirty switches (as in our rigs), some of the voltage is lost in the switch and the wires. Essentially it's like connecting your headlights to a 10 volt battery. Upgrading the wire harness replaces the switch with relays and the skinny wires with big fat ones. As a result, the full battery voltage is presented to the headlights, and even stock sealed beam headlights are much brighter.

Upgrading the headlights to H4/H1 such as Cibie or Bosch, not only allows you to use higher wattage light bulbs, but these vastly more expensive lights also have a better beam pattern. The difference is amazing. These high wattage headlights REQUIRE a wiring upgrade.

Upgrade your headlight harness first before you buy expensive lights. You may be satisfied with just the harness upgrade.

 

[pismo62]

slc thanks for the response. I was thinking the samething but wanted to hear your input. I'm about ready to upgrade. Thanks Guy

 

[Devils Paw 80]

At the same time, I purchased a kit to build an upgraded wire harness. Well, the instructions were defective and I finally gave up on them. ..

Not, by chance, the aftermarket IPF harness that is available through certain retailers?

 

[slcfj62]

Not, by chance, the aftermarket IPF harness that is available through certain retailers?

Actually no, it was the Daniel Stern kit. I don't wish to disparage Mr. Stern. He is a great source of lighting knowledge. But he probably doesn't own a Landcruiser, and his wiring instructions for the build of the wiring harness did not work. I can't speak for the IPF harness, but mostly what I have read on MUD seems to be positive.

 

[Brock]

yeah that is why I went with the IPF/ARB harness sold by Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters....as I heard the Stern Harness was not plug and play and took some interpretation and modification to work correctly.

I can attest the IPF harness is truly plug and play....not to take anything away from slcfj62 and his work here....but it really was quite good. The same ease of installation with some better or more robust parts like he is proposing would make it a no brainer. Price is slightly more but for some really robust hardware would be worth it I think.

Good luck.

 

[slcfj62]

Your endorsement of the IPF harness seems to reflect the experience of most folks that have purchased them. I think it is a fine option. And Kurt is a great guy to support. The IPF harness for an FJ60 is $105 and the harness for an FJ62 is $180. I want MUD to know that you can build a harness for about $60 that is every bit as good as the IPF harness.

The harnesses I build and sell have more features than the IPF harness. I build the harness around the Bussmann fuse/relay panel that is a vast improvement over a bunch of relays and fuses laying around your engine bay. In addition to your headlights, you can control two auxiliary circuits like fog lights or off road driving lights. Since I don't build the harness until you order it, I can also customize it for you. For instance, if you want your driving lights to come on with your high beams, I can do that.

But whatever you choose, be it ready made or build-it-yourself, I highly recommend upgrading your headlight wiring harness for safety's sake.

 

[Brock]

Yep, hope i did not come across as doubting you...I was hoping to confirm the IPF harness...while also endorsing your harness as being well worth it because of better hardware and the ancillary capabilities you have included.

I would get one if I had not already made the change during Summer...

x2 on upgrading headlights as they are not only dismal in brightness and performance...they are unsafe in my opinion if doing any driving at night.

 

[CKaya84]

Maybe I missed it, but where does the relay box mount at for an FJ62?

 

[slcfj62]

With the first harness I built--using parts from the Daniel Stern kit--I routed the wires across the front beneath the radiator. It was easy because I had the bumper and grill off prepping for repaint. It wouldn't be so easy without things take apart. So I recommend routing the wires back across the firewall and up the other side. If you build your own harness using relays, you could position and mount them anywhere along that path. The relay box is a little bigger. I mounted it on the drivers side inner fender wall at the top of the wheel well where I removed the non-functioning cruise control unit. The relay box can be mounted sideways with no problems.

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

Out of curiousity, what gauge of wire are you using SLCFJ62? Sounds like a great upgrade, esspecially up in my neck of the woods.

TK

 

[Chuck Wagon]

I have my harness ordered with SLC62 and he has been great to work with . When he say he builds them to order he means it. He is making up a harness for my 62 to run 60 headlights(grill conversion) with a dual battery and second fuse box. I will post up some pics when i get it installed if anyone want to see. I am pretty happy that i saw his post, no nightmares for me. I hate messing with wires

 

[slcfj62]

Out of curiousity, what gauge of wire are you using SLCFJ62? Sounds like a great upgrade, esspecially up in my neck of the woods.

TK

The main wire to the battery is 10 gauge wire protected by a fusible link. All the load bearing wires--the wires that run to your lights--are all 12 gauge wire. The control wires are 16 gauge wire. I use marine wire throughout.

You definitely need good lights up there. You at least want to get a good look at that moose before you plow into him!

 

[5280Hawk]

Hey im liking this!

PM sent!

 

[mmw68]

In addition to building the harness, you will need to cut a wire at the base of the steering column. It is the Red/Green wire which is the wire that goes to the Low Beam position of the Hi/Lo switch. .

So on my last truck I had a Wyanne Harness, and it used a diode and resistor. So how are you accomplishing this? I need my bright idiot light to pass inspection. Is this why you cut the red wire? Can you explain?

thanks - Mark

 

[slcfj62]

So on my last truck I had a Wyanne Harness, and it used a diode and resistor. So how are you accomplishing this? I need my bright idiot light to pass inspection. Is this why you cut the red wire? Can you explain?

thanks - Mark

As you know, Toyota designed these headlights using switched ground theory. So, when you turn your headlights on, a relay closes providing 12 Volts to all the headlights. If the HI/LO switch is in the LO position, the LO Beams circuit is completed through the switch in your steering column and to ground. When you switch to HI Beams, the LO Beam path to ground is broken and the HI Beams circuit is completed through the steering column switch and then to ground. When the LO Beam path to ground is broken, the + side of the HI Beam indicator light "floats" to twelve volts through the LO Beam headlamps and the dash indicator illuminates. Because the current draw is so small for the dash indicator light, the LO Beam headlight filaments act as a wire to + voltage. If both your LO Beam lights burned out, your HI Beam indicator would never light. All that ground current from the headlights through HI/LO switch + wires is a problem after 20 years.

I changed things around from switched ground to switched 12 Volt theory. With a harness of my design installed, all the stock headlight wires are disconnected from the headlamps. My harness plugs into one of the HI/LO headlight sockets. Now when you turn your headlights on, the 12 Volts from the vehicle headlight relay turns on Relay 1 in my diagram. If the HI/LO is in LO, then 12 volts is fed directly from the battery through Relay 1, through the Relay 2 Normally Closed (NC) contacts and to the LO Beams headlights. No path to ground is required (or desired) back through the steering column. When you select HI Beams at the steering column, the HI Beam path to ground though the steering column selector completes the relay coil circuit for relay 2 and 3 and they both turn on. Relay 2 lights the HI Beams in the dual filament headlight, and Relay 3 lights the second set of HI Beams for an FJ62 as well as provides 12V back through the stock headlight connector plug to the dash to light the HI Beam indicator for both the FJ62 and FJ60.

So far so good. Now comes the problem. If you reach up and pop the HI/LO selector back from HI to LO, there is a split second when the LO Beam path to ground is completed before Relay 3 opens and there is a direct short to ground for Relay 3. This doesn't happen every time, and it took me awhile and a few fuses to figure it out. Cutting the wire to the LO Beam switch stops this from happening, but still allows the HI Beam indicator to light. Should you wish to return to stock configuration, you simply repair the cut wire with a splice.

Make sense?

(By the way, I have studied the stupid FSM wiring diagram so many times that I answered your question without even looking at it. It is burned in my brain.)

EDIT: And I won't tell Wayne you called him Wy-Anne.

 

[mmw68]

And I won't tell Wayne you called him Wy-Anne.

Dhooo! That is what I get for drinking a beer and typing. Great explanation thanks. -MMW