Headlight wire harness FJ60 and FJ62 (1 Viewer)

[TreadingLight]

Has anyone decided to make these kits and sell?

To sell, no, but I made one for my 70 and for an 80. I plan to make one for a friend's 40 and a 62 as well in exchange for some work.
At least for now I don't plan on making any others. You can make them using the diagrams @slcfj62 posted and the thread on Tacoma World. If you have any questions I am glad to help answer.

I know some prefer LEDs but I am in camp halogen. I don't like the radio frequency interference, appearance, expense, or snow/ice performance of LEDs. I also like that I can centralize my auxiliary circuits in one waterproof box.

 

[dnp]

Holley RetroBright LFRB135 Holley RetroBright LED Forward Facing Light - Classic White (3000K)

We all love the look of classic sealed beam headlights, but the dim halogen light output makes nighttime driving a potentially risky endeavor for you and your beloved classic. Holley's new RetroBright LED Headlights offer a number of advantages over traditional sealed beam headlights such as...

www.holley.com

Consider these if you want something that looks period correct but has modern performance.

I gotta say, even over the Toyota Koitos, this is probably the best solution I've seen.....especially considering they have a color temperature option that's very close to what would have come in a 60 from the factory.

I gotta say I love the lack of impact LED headlights have on a 60 low-amperage alternators!

 

[CruiserTrash]

@dnp Something is going on with the Koito headlight kits from Toyota. The cost was slashed and the amount in US warehouses plummeted. I retail those kits and had to refund a number of orders because I can’t get them. No idea what, if anything, this indicates for the future of the kit.

I’ve considered getting into the harness game, but I don’t have the space at the moment. I’d need a 4x8’ sheet of melamine so I can string the wire out the same way every time. Depending on the future of the Koito kit I’m considering making my own headlight kits, though I haven’t looked into sourcing the glass yet.

DNP & @TreadingLight I’m with you both on color temp. That’s what keeps me using halogens. If there was an LED option with 3800-4200K color temp, I’d at least try them out. So if I do kits I’d do halogen if I can’t get a good LED housing with the right color temp bulbs. The bright white does something weird to my eyes - at first blush it seems like more light, but I can’t see the road & surroundings as well as with halogen. They changed the streetlights to LED here in Denver a couple years ago and it’s the same thing: they’re blinding to look at but my eyes can’t make stuff out as well.

 

[dnp]

@dnp Something is going on with the Koito headlight kits from Toyota. The cost was slashed and the amount in US warehouses plummeted. I retail those kits and had to refund a number of orders because I can’t get them. No idea what, if anything, this indicates for the future of the kit.

I’ve considered getting into the harness game, but I don’t have the space at the moment. I’d need a 4x8’ sheet of melamine so I can string the wire out the same way every time. Depending on the future of the Koito kit I’m considering making my own headlight kits, though I haven’t looked into sourcing the glass yet.

DNP & @TreadingLight I’m with you both on color temp. That’s what keeps me using halogens. If there was an LED option with 3800-4200K color temp, I’d at least try them out. So if I do kits I’d do halogen if I can’t get a good LED housing with the right color temp bulbs. The bright white does something weird to my eyes - at first blush it seems like more light, but I can’t see the road & surroundings as well as with halogen. They changed the streetlights to LED here in Denver a couple years ago and it’s the same thing: they’re blinding to look at but my eyes can’t make stuff out as well.

I don't have a "round-headlighted" Land Cruiser any more, but if I did, I might be inclined to try out the Holley lights above. PROS: they have the look of a factory U.S.- spec headlight of pre-90s vintage, and they're available in color temperatures as low as 3000K; apparently, Morimoto worked with Holley to design them, so they're likely good a producing focused light. CONS: they're EXPENSIVE!

 

[CruiserTrash]

I don't have a "round-headlighted" Land Cruiser any more, but if I did, I might be inclined to try out the Holley lights above. PROS: they have the look of a factory U.S.- spec headlight of pre-90s vintage, and they're available in color temperatures as low as 3000K; apparently, Morimoto worked with Holley to design them, so they're likely good a producing focused light. CONS: they're EXPENSIVE!

Yeah the price is eye-watering, that’s for sure. They’re sold as singles, and without a harness so the pricing is more than meets the eye. We’ll see what happens on the Koito kits…

 

[dnp]

Yeah the price is eye-watering, that’s for sure. They’re sold as singles, and without a harness so the pricing is more than meets the eye. We’ll see what happens on the Koito kits…

With the super low draw of the LEDs, I'm not sure any type of harness would be necessary. If one is needed, Holley notes: "Older Toyota applications may require our switched ground harness H840"

 

[CruiserTrash]

With the super low draw of the LEDs, I'm not sure any type of harness would be necessary. If one is needed, Holley notes: "Older Toyota applications may require our switched ground harness H840"

I saw that other part number for the harness. Holley really gets you at every turn haha. It would depend on the interface between their (assumed) switched positive lights and the truck’s switched ground system. Maybe the lights play nice out of the box, maybe they don’t. It also depends on how crusty & corroded the original lighting portion of the truck’s harness is. You’re saving some current draw no matter what so that’s nice. I’ve got my electrical to where the Koito halogen headlights don’t dim at idle but it took me a long time to get there haha.

 

[ax0n]

I inherited a set of Koito 8000k with the wiring harness. Not sure I am going to install them. Worth $100 + shipping?

 

[CruiserTrash]

I inherited a set of Koito 8000k with the wiring harness. Not sure I am going to install them. Worth $100 + shipping?

Koito 8000k?

 

[ax0n]

 

[ax0n]

View attachment 3379023View attachment 3379024

 

[CruiserTrash]

I’m confused, are those halogen or LED? You said the light temperature is 8000K so that seems to indicate the blinding white style LEDs, but the instructions say halogen…

 

[ax0n]

@CruiserTrash - you are right. I am not sure. I was under the impression that they were the LED, the way they were referred to when the seller said he would include them… but now I don’t know. I will try to figure it out and report back.

 

[CruiserTrash]

@CruiserTrash - you are right. I am not sure. I was under the impression that they were the LED, the way they were referred to when the seller said he would include them… but now I don’t know. I will try to figure it out and report back.

Those are sold with Sylvania halogen bulbs. The housings are not meant for LEDs and won’t provide a good beam pattern unless you use halogen bulbs. I really like the Osram Nightbreaker Lasers.

 

[NookShneer]

I saw that other part number for the harness. Holley really gets you at every turn haha. It would depend on the interface between their (assumed) switched positive lights and the truck’s switched ground system. Maybe the lights play nice out of the box, maybe they don’t. It also depends on how crusty & corroded the original lighting portion of the truck’s harness is. You’re saving some current draw no matter what so that’s nice. I’ve got my electrical to where the Koito halogen headlights don’t dim at idle but it took me a long time to get there haha.

You don’t need a harness for the Holley Retrobrights. TorFab modules and they work on 60’s. No mods needed on 40’s iirc.

The “Classic White” from the Holley Retros are really period correct. Slightly more yellow than OE but still.

If price has you worked up don’t look at Dapper Lighting 7” rounds.

You can either get better headlights or add accessory lighting.

There is a trade off to everything though.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Just reading deeper into this thread and realizing there was one of these kits in the 60 I bought last year. Unfortunately some of the wiring had been damaged so I got rid of it. Looked like nice stuff though. @slcfj62 do you remember shipping one of these to somebody in Boulder, Colorado? Trying to piece together my trucks' past life.

 

[slcfj62]

For a few years there, I built and shipped hundreds of headlight harnesses and Aux relay boxes to nearly every state as well as Australia, Canada and Europe. So, I don't remember anything specific for Boulder, and I apologize, but I am rocking a new computer since I retired from harness building, and the headlight harness records didn't make the cut. If you would have known, I would have repaired it for you....

 

[CruiserTrash]

For a few years there, I built and shipped hundreds of headlight harnesses and Aux relay boxes to nearly every state as well as Australia, Canada and Europe. So, I don't remember anything specific for Boulder, and I apologize, but I am rocking a new computer since I retired from harness building, and the headlight harness records didn't make the cut. If you would have known, I would have repaired it for you....

No problem that you don’t remember. It looks exactly like all the photos so I bet it was one of yours. Maybe I ought to pick up the torch and carry it since you put it down … hard to compete with some of the cheap mass produced stuff you can find online though.

 

[slcfj62]

One of the reasons I quit building them was I was only making about $15 an hour when all was said and done, and the price for materials kept going up (copper). I would have to bump up the price to at least $350 to make it worthwhile, and I don't think very many guys would cough up that kind of coin, so I put down my crimper. Besides, I was starting to see these things in my sleep, so that was another reason to hang it up.

 

[Turnbro]

One of the reasons I quit building them was I was only making about $15 an hour when all was said and done, and the price for materials kept going up (copper). I would have to bump up the price to at least $350 to make it worthwhile, and I don't think very many guys would cough up that kind of coin, so I put down my crimper. Besides, I was starting to see these things in my sleep, so that was another reason to hang it up.

I understand that, I have built a few engine swap harnesses for people. And if I could have paid someone else to do it (and trust them) it'd would have been a no brainer.
Wiring is definitely an under appreciated skill. I'd have no problem paying 350+ for a top shelf, tested product.
Especially nowadays with all the frustrating supply shortages and price hikes.