LED DRL and High Beam for LX and LC

[Luke111]

@Luke111 Did you ever get an LC to adjust on? I have black depo 1 pieces on my 99 LC that I'd be interested in sending your way to be retrofitted. I'd even donate my stock ones to your cause if you needed them, they're sitting in my garage taking up room currently.

I have not found one but the Land Cruiser retrofit is really pretty easy and you have a set of lights sitting around to practice on. I can walk you through the details outside of this thread if you want to give it a shot. Feel free to call me 703-371-8494

 

[JAntosch]

That would be good information we thought that 2003 LC was the year some had it and some didn't

Upon closer inspection, it appears I do have the OEM DRL resistor?

Interesting that there is no mention of it in the EWD...

Anyways, I'd still be interested in the updated resistor and harness to restore the DRL's, let me know how to proceed!

 

[jerryb]

That's the fuel pump R. At least it appears so.

 

[JAntosch]

That's the fuel pump R. At least it appears so.

Yeah, looking back through the EWD I see that now. Thanks @jerryb! It would appear that not all '04 LC's have the OEM DRL resistor.

 

[jerryb]

Probably a 05/2005 facelift year thing. Lou's made up resistors with stock plugs makes it as easy as it can get.

 

[LonghornLX]

Was your question answer? I know that any LC or LX that has a DRL resistor this kit is plug and play. You replace your resistor with the one in the kit, run the harness , install the bulbs and remove the RH high beam fuse (don't ask )...make sure your emergency brake is off and they'll fire right up



I have never seen the output of the HIR 9011 or seen a comparison but as I stated earlier in the thread..the idea was to have a DRL that was close to the same color as the HID for those who did the retrofit. I have to believe the output would be a little better and it would no doubt push you into retrofitting your low beam location with a D2S and than you'd have some serious output running 4 high beams




It's about the same but you'd have to open up your high beam lens, extend the threaded shaft and trim the new shroud

I know it says not to ask but is removing RH high beam fuse part of the process for the final revision? I didn't do this and am curious to see if it is causing my issue.

I am having issues with the driver's side lighting consistently in DRL mode, passenger side works all the time (both DRL and high beam)

The driver side bulb does work as it fires the high beam with no issues even when it doesn't fire in DRL mode.

It's just DRL mode that is hit or miss on drivers side.

 

[jerryb]

one thing that must be done is to verify those 9005 connectors, the two prongs, are correct and consistent across all connections. Thos are not highest quality and can easily be bent over when you plug the stock cars plugs into the harness adapter plugs.

the removal of the extra fuse is so the remaining path is the only one available for the dtrl. Not removing it will cause that one side's resistor to get really hot. Not removing it shouldn't cause any functional issues but it's not the correct way.
It was put there for people that miss that step on fuse removal. The resistor can handle it but be aware, that s*** causes fires.

realize that those two LEDS don't need big fuses, they don't really draw anything significant.
you could put a a ten five amp fuse in there if you like to run the dtrl and the high beams combined. I strongly reccomend swaping to a 7.5 amp fuse, 10 is ok also.

the harness alters the dtrl path.

if there are ignition issues or mismatches in time to ignition it almost has to be in the adapter 9005 plugs. There isn't any other cutting or wiring, just plugging.

Every harness was tested with separate LED 9005 bulbs for functionality. Also diode testing (all) before wrapping them up.
not saying I couldn't have made a mistake, it could happen. But I suggest going through all connections and checking prongs and for backing out of the male pins in those black 9005 connectors.
in your case, go check the drivers side dtrl connection.

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

A quick review of the the Morimoto Stroke 2.0 LED DRL with Luke and Jerrry’s resistor and wiring harness...

I have now run these for about 40 hours in the last several weeks and am very pleased with the quality and craftsmanship of the harness and the bulb.
The only comment I have would be the thickness of the bulb tabs that lock it into the light housing. They are just a hair too thin and don’t twist into place with the same resistance as the stock light bulbs did. That being said, I’m not concerned that they will slip out but I wouldn’t hose down my light housings or do any water crossings with them for fear of water getting in.
Actually, I wouldn’t do either due to my HID retrofit and the fact that it’s not an off-roader. I have a 40 & 80 for that.

All in all, these lights look great with their 5700k bulb temperature and really do update the look of the LX. The DRL is very bright from straight on but they are not very visible from front side angles, especially in bright sunny clear weather. The high beam function providers a perceived improvement over the stock type Sylvania halogen bulbs that were previously in the vehicle.

Hope that helps any one who may be looking into these.

Thanks Luke and Jerry for making these available to us!

 

[LonghornLX]

one thing that must be done is to verify those 9005 connectors, the two prongs, are correct and consistent across all connections. Thos are not highest quality and can easily be bent over when you plug the stock cars plugs into the harness adapter plugs.

the removal of the extra fuse is so the remaining path is the only one available for the dtrl. Not removing it will cause that one side's resistor to get really hot. Not removing it shouldn't cause any functional issues but it's not the correct way.
It was put there for people that miss that step on fuse removal. The resistor can handle it but be aware, that s*** causes fires.

realize that those two LEDS don't need big fuses, they don't really draw anything significant.
you could put a a ten amp fuse in there if you like to run the dtrl and the high beams combined.

the harness alters the dtrl path.

if there are ignition issues or mismatches in time to ignition it almost has to be in the adapter 9005 plugs. There isn't any other cutting or wiring, just plugging.

Every harness was tested with separate LED 9005 bulbs for functionality. Also resistor testing (all) before wrapping them up.
not saying I couldn't have made a mistake, it could happen. But I suggest going through all connections and checking prongs and for backing out of the male pins in those black 9005 connectors.
in your case, go check the drivers side dtrl connection.

@jerryb

1. I removed the size 20 fuse.

No real change in behavior upon removal. As heat brings up resistance there is a small but unlikely chance that having the fuse may have reduced the voltage down (stretching my know how here) to where it only fires one bulb (??? ). I can verify this tomorrow from a cold start.

2. I verified all connectors and pins. Only one pin was loose but snapping it in did not change the behavior of the lights.

At this moment I am only able to fire one light at a time in DRL mode ( by disconnecting combinations of the lights) . Changing the polarity of the X2 bulb connectors does not change the outcome in any combination. I am also not noticing a huge difference in light output between HighBeam and DRL modes. Though I will note that Highbeam mode DOES fire both X2 lights.

Considering both lights work and the harness appears functional, could it be the resistor?

Strange I know. Thanks for the help

 

[Luke111]

A quick review of the the Morimoto Stroke 2.0 LED DRL with Luke and Jerrry’s resistor and wiring harness...

I have now run these for about 40 hours in the last several weeks and am very pleased with the quality and craftsmanship of the harness and the bulb.
The only comment I have would be the thickness of the bulb tabs that lock it into the light housing. They are just a hair too thin and don’t twist into place with the same resistance as the stock light bulbs did. That being said, I’m not concerned that they will slip out but I wouldn’t hose down my light housings or do any water crossings with them for fear of water getting in.
Actually, I wouldn’t do either due to my HID retrofit and the fact that it’s not an off-roader. I have a 40 & 80 for that.

All in all, these lights look great with their 5700k bulb temperature and really do update the look of the LX. The DRL is very bright from straight on but they are not very visible from front side angles, especially in bright sunny clear weather. The high beam function providers a perceived improvement over the stock type Sylvania halogen bulbs that were previously in the vehicle.

Hope that helps any one who may be looking into these.

Thanks Luke and Jerry for making these available to us!

Have you tried tightening the 3 screws on the ring that holds the bulb? May just need a 1/4 turn to secure the bulb.. I had to loosen these to install the 2 Stroke when testing and tighten them to secure the bulb

 

[Luke111]

@jerryb

1. I removed the size 20 fuse.

No real change in behavior upon removal. As heat brings up resistance there is a small but unlikely chance that having the fuse may have reduced the voltage down (stretching my know how here) to where it only fires one bulb (??? ). I can verify this tomorrow from a cold start.

2. I verified all connectors and pins. Only one pin was loose but snapping it in did not change the behavior of the lights.

At this moment I am only able to fire one light at a time in DRL mode ( by disconnecting combinations of the lights) . Changing the polarity of the X2 bulb connectors does not change the outcome in any combination. I am also not noticing a huge difference in light output between HighBeam and DRL modes. Though I will note that Highbeam mode DOES fire both X2 lights.

Considering both lights work and the harness appears functional, could it be the resistor?

Strange I know. Thanks for the help

I can send you another harness tomorrow. PM me your name and address. Are you running HID lights

 

[OEMGUY0720]

Hi Lou, I have an existing hid kit (Xenon bulb + 35 watt ballast) installed now on my LX oe projector lenses. I really don’t like the spread and light distribution of these so I would like to change to Morimoto. I already have a pair of Morimotos Mini H1 7.0 projectors (I got from Amazon awhile back), and then I saw your Mini H1 Retrofit bracket, will the bracket be plug and play? Anything else I need to make the retrofit a success?

Also, I believe the MM H1 7.0 has a high beam feature, will the high beam work outright or should it need some rewiring/splicing to the high beam wire to make it work? Looking also to execute a quad projector setup similar to what you posted I think on page 13. Awesome work!

 

[jerryb]

@LonghornLX what year are we talking about?

the resistor shouldn't get hot, maybe a little warm. For comparison's sake, the stock fuel pump resistor in these trucks gets hot enough to scorch your skin. If it does get too hot to touch then something is wrong, also I would measure voltage, turn the daytime running lights on, no headlights, and unplug the resistor. Put one lead on one pin of the resistor plug and the other lead on ground.
The daytime running lights should go out when you unplug the resistor.
Voltage with the resistor in line should be around ???

I'll look when the sun comes up. I can't find it atm. GUessing 9.xx something vdc


another thing to check is voltage at the morimoto LED plug connection of the light that fails. Both ends of the harness that plug into the morimoto LED, or any LED should be your regular 12+ vdc or whatever your battery reads.
The resistor is at the end of the circuit, voltage remains constant until that resistor, mostly.

You don't want to test these connectors with a regular 9005 halogen headlight bulb, but you can test with another led if you have them laying around. Use a volt meter or another LED only. Polarity doesn't matter on the morimoto, other LEDS, it matters sometimes.

you could swap morimoto LED from one side to the other and see if the failure follows.

 

[Luke111]

Hi Lou, I have an existing hid kit (Xenon bulb + 35 watt ballast) installed now on my LX oe projector lenses. I really don’t like the spread and light distribution of these so I would like to change to Morimoto. I already have a pair of Morimotos Mini H1 7.0 projectors (I got from Amazon awhile back), and then I saw your Mini H1 Retrofit bracket, will the bracket be plug and play? Anything else I need to make the retrofit a success?

Also, I believe the MM H1 7.0 has a high beam feature, will the high beam work outright or should it need some rewiring/splicing to the high beam wire to make it work? Looking also to execute a quad projector setup similar to what you posted I think on page 13. Awesome work!

You should review this HID MINI H1 BRACKET AND PROJECTOR INSTALL GUIDE
No need for a quad setup....first, it's a PITA to build and adjust properly.. it's just to much light to drive around town and make sure you have a extra set of head lights to practice on. If you want more light run the D2S but as others have stated the Mini H1 is plenty of light.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

You should review this HID MINI H1 BRACKET AND PROJECTOR INSTALL GUIDE
No need for a quad setup....first, it's a PITA to build and adjust properly.. it's just to much light to drive around town and make sure you have a extra set of head lights to practice on. If you want more light run the D2S but as others have stated the Mini H1 is plenty of light.

Ok Lou thanks will get the Mini H1 bracket from you soon.

 

[LonghornLX]

@LonghornLX what year are we talking about?

the resistor shouldn't get hot, maybe a little warm. For comparison's sake, the stock fuel pump resistor in these trucks gets hot enough to scorch your skin. If it does get too hot to touch then something is wrong, also I would measure voltage, turn the daytime running lights on, no headlights, and unplug the resistor. Put one lead on one pin of the resistor plug and the other lead on ground.
The daytime running lights should go out when you unplug the resistor.
Voltage with the resistor in line should be around ???

I'll look when the sun comes up. I can't find it atm. GUessing 9.xx something vdc


another thing to check is voltage at the morimoto LED plug connection of the light that fails. Both ends of the harness that plug into the morimoto LED, or any LED should be your regular 12+ vdc or whatever your battery reads.
The resistor is at the end of the circuit, voltage remains constant until that resistor, mostly.

You don't want to test these connectors with a regular 9005 halogen headlight bulb, but you can test with another led if you have them laying around. Use a volt meter or another LED only. Polarity doesn't matter on the morimoto, other LEDS, it matters sometimes.

you could swap morimoto LED from one side to the other and see if the failure follows.

I have a 2003 Lexus LX.

So @Luke111 being a stand up guy sent me out a replacement harness.

Unfortunately it didn't solve the problem of one light not firing evenly with the other ( NO not the hood struts being too weak to hold up the hood )

So I picked up some readings while I had the opportunity for @jerryb

---------------------
13.47 V from the replacement resistor to ( NO DRL Lights ON)

---------------------
9.05 V with Passenger Side unplugged (for reading) Drivers Side still plugged in
Passenger DRL OFF
Drivers Side DRL On (as bright as passenger light when on)

---------------------
From factory Harness coming from resistor through LBBuiltworks harness
13.42 V ~= voltage equal to directly from factory harness
Passenger DRL off/unplugged
Drivers DRL off/unplugged

---------------------

Passenger DRL connected/lit as in the first picture
Drivers DRL unplugged for reading
7.98 V registered at the LBBuiltworks harness

Continued on a second post describing resistor behavior.

 

[LonghornLX]

With the OEM resister I get this :

Very bright but evenly light DRL lights.


So I measured the resistance of the OEM resistor :

And the supplied resistor

Thoughts?

 

[Luke111]

With the OEM resister I get this :

View attachment 2067621
Very bright but evenly light DRL lights.


So I measured the resistance of the OEM resistor :
View attachment 2067622


And the supplied resistor
View attachment 2067624




Thoughts?

This is helpful....let's see what @jerryb thinks about the readings... I can send always you another resitor

 

[LonghornLX]

This is helpful....let's see what @jerryb thinks about the readings... I can send always you another resitor

Absolutely and thanks again for standing behind your products and for the caring service thus far. Retrofitting electronics an aging fleet with all the variants isn't for the weak or the timid. Also despite my odd ball situation I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the mod to others.

 

[jerryb]

the ohms on the arcol are correct. I always got weird readings on the stock toyota one.

the weird picture is the daytime running lights both working at full battery voltage with the stock toyota resistor plugged in. That shouldn't be possible. Actually, either with the new harness plugged in or just wiring the morimoto straight to the 9005 stock connector at the car.

The voltage at 9 + or - is correct at both hot wires of the new harness with the new resistor

*red and black both sides go to the morimoto connectors. These are the ends of the new harness where one connector goes to the LED high beams and the other connector goes to the HID.

*on the other end of the harness that connects to the car's stock 9005 connectors..... the grey and black is the passenger side and the red and black on the drivers side.

*high beam right hand side fuse removed.

*On the passenger side, the black wire in the new harness (car side) lines up and is connected to the car’s red/yellow wire on the stock 9005 plug (high beam) verify that

*On the drivers side, the red on the new harness matches up with the red/green wire on the stock 9005 plug (high beam) verify that.

I'm thinking you got all that correct. I just put it here to check and make sure before thinking it's something else.
The tabs are set up to line up and connect in the correct orientation to the car's connectors, it's just a good idea to check.

The four female ends of the new harness- it shouldn't matter if they are mixed or matched regarding polarity, The one with the gray wire both sides is for the HID only.

Have you checked if your shutters pull down correctly with the harness plugged in - car not running, ignoring daytime running light behavior.


The gender of a connector is defined by the pins in the housing.


Here I'll say how the thing should work and what you should see.

The new resistor (new or old) completes the circuit for the daytime running lights. Should say it's wired inline with the ground, without it connected you shouldn't get any light from the LEDs, there won't be a ground for either side.

This is the best way to determine if your resistor is wired correctly. With your leads on the red and black ends of the new harness going to the morimotos you should have voltage or no voltage plugging and unplugging the new resistor. IT should be 8-10 volts with it connected and zero not connected. Car running, all lights off.

It shouldn't be possible to get different voltages on each side. The LEDs get equal voltage, HID shutters also. The daytime running light ground is the resistor and the ground for the high beams is the common white/red wire. The switching occurs in the daytime running light relay.





The red wire on the drivers side is the hot wire connected to the red/green of the drivers side 9005 stock connector.
It then travels to the drivers side LED in the red and black wired plug, then there is a jumper to the HID positive(red) and the crosses over to the other side, Teed off to passenger HID + and LED +.

The black wire in the passenger side single end that connects to the passenger side 9005 stock plug (male).
That's the one side with the gray and black. The black is the ground, it lines up though the connector to the red/yellow stock wire.
That is the permanent ground for the daytime running lights. I say permanent because the harness makes it like that and the harness also forces the high beams to run on one hot wire and still share the common white red ground. Also it cuts off feeding battery voltage down the daytime running light ground, which is the way it's set up stock wise. That's the reason for removing the right hand high beam fuse.

Double check your polarity on everything, just in case.
message me your email, I'll send you something. I think it will help you. I'll put my number in there also.
I'm only guessing but I think something isn't plugged in the right place or possibly the resistor wiring or a swapped ground.
I'm assuming both harnesses did the exact same thing?
Check you line ups at the red/green and the red/yellow wires on the stock 9005 high beam connectors.
Check to voltage no voltage at the led plugs while plugging unplugging the resistor.
That will be the most telling thing. I think.