LX470 '06 headlight upgrade! Glass/polycarb and LED or HID (1 Viewer)

[usedname]

8117060890 - Lexus Headlight Lens (Left). Electrical, Lamps | Bell Lexus North Scottsdale, Scottsdale AZ

Genuine Lexus Part # 8117060890 (81170-60890) - Headlight Lens (Left). Electrical, Lamps. Fits LX 470. Ships from Bell Lexus North Scottsdale, Scottsdale AZ

parts.belllexusnorthscottsdale.com

Looks like Bell Lexus is having a sale. $300 ain't bad for an assembly.

If our headlamp output sucks, but the lens has been restored, does it mean that it's the reflectors that have gone bad? (This is what my reading of Daniel Stern has led me to believe.) Or is the stock lamp just bad no matter how new it is? Will buying new stock lamps fix the crap light output?

 

[LCT]

8117060890 - Lexus Headlight Lens (Left). Electrical, Lamps | Bell Lexus North Scottsdale, Scottsdale AZ

Genuine Lexus Part # 8117060890 (81170-60890) - Headlight Lens (Left). Electrical, Lamps. Fits LX 470. Ships from Bell Lexus North Scottsdale, Scottsdale AZ

parts.belllexusnorthscottsdale.com

Looks like Bell Lexus is having a sale. $300 ain't bad for an assembly.

If our headlamp output sucks, but the lens has been restored, does it mean that it's the reflectors that have gone bad? (This is what my reading of Daniel Stern has led me to believe.) Or is the stock lamp just bad no matter how new it is? Will buying new stock lamps fix the crap light output?

Stock output is bad with new or old bulbs. I would retrofit with HID.

 

[Jermunji]

Does anyone know the part number for the glass assemblies from the dealer for the early model 470's?

 

[packeted]

Does anyone know the part number for the glass assemblies from the dealer for the early model 470's?

Left 8117060802
Right 811306A082

These are the part numbers for the glass ones - I got both from Bell Lexus for my 06. They fit perfectly, exactly the same just glass lenses. Also applied PPF to the glass lenses just in case as part of my retrofit.

 

[dantheman77]

HID shouldn't blind other drivers right? What steps should I take to avoid that?

 

[packeted]

HID shouldn't blind other drivers right? What steps should I take to avoid that?

If you retrofit properly they should not. Before you seal up the lights you need to check the beam cut off height against a wall at 25' away. Beam should be 2" lower than the height of the projector, on mine around 34" on the wall and lower on the driver side.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

HID shouldn't blind other drivers right? What steps should I take to avoid that?

HiD runs on Xenon bulbs that is powered by a Xenon Ballast. It first came out on German cars (BMW and MB) wherein the system goes with a projector lens to effectively throw the intense light on the ground without blinding the oncoming drivers. All automotive projector lens have a cutoff and this is the only way to control the intense light output a Xenon bulb produces. If we put that intense light source on a conventional headlight assembly (reflective optics) which was designed for a Halogen bulb, sadly the light will be over the place including the eye-level of all oncoming traffic hence blinding them and increasing probability of road accident -as responsible drivers, we want to avoid this.

 

[LCT]

@OEMGUY0720 can you offer any advice on how to adjust the height of the light beam? My driver side light output is couple of inches lower than the passenger side. I tried to turn the white plastic screw but no luck. It’s hard to get any tools in there.

I hate to take the trim panels off and remove the headlight to do any adjustment.

 

[Jermunji]

Left 8117060802
Right 811306A082

These are the part numbers for the glass ones - I got both from Bell Lexus for my 06. They fit perfectly, exactly the same just glass lenses. Also applied PPF to the glass lenses just in case as part of my retrofit.

Just got both in. They’re still offering each complete housing for $383 a piece. While I’m not conclusively certain they are glass, it definitely feels like the new lenses are denser compared to the polycarbonates on my ‘06.

Do you know of the ‘98-‘02 housings are a direct plug-n-play for the ‘03-‘07 housings or did you pull apart and swap the lens’ from both early/late year models?

 

[packeted]

Just got both in. They’re still offering each complete housing for $383 a piece. While I’m not conclusively certain they are glass, it definitely feels like the new lenses are denser compared to the polycarbonates on my ‘06.

Do you know of the ‘98-‘02 housings are a direct plug-n-play for the ‘03-‘07 housings or did you pull apart and swap the lens’ from both early/late year models?

They're direct plug and play I believe, the polycarb ones have a few retaining screws for the lenses but the glass only have the clips, otherwise they seemed to be identical. I didn't swap the lenses over, I used the new lenses with the new housings.

 

[Jermunji]

They're direct plug and play I believe, the polycarb ones have a few retaining screws for the lenses but the glass only have the clips, otherwise they seemed to be identical. I didn't swap the lenses over, I used the new lenses with the new housings.

I appreciate you

 

[LCT]

@OEMGUY0720 can you offer any advice on how to adjust the height of the light beam? My driver side light output is couple of inches lower than the passenger side. I tried to turn the white plastic screw but no luck. It’s hard to get any tools in there.

I hate to take the trim panels off and remove the headlight to do any adjustment.

Alright, I finally got this done. The easiest way to adjust the height of driver side light beam is to remove the battery and turn the white plastic screw by using a flat head screw driver. I had to turn it anti-clockwise to raise the beam up.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

Alright, I finally got this done. The easiest way to adjust the height of driver side light beam is to remove the battery and turn the white plastic screw by using a flat head screw driver. I had to turn it anti-clockwise to raise the beam up.

Nice, glad you figured it out! I’m out of the country right now to take some pictures of the adjusters but that’s awesome you sorted it out. There is another adjuster knob for the horizontal (left and right) adjustment. The idea is whether you are 10 feet away or 30 feet away, the distance of the left and right step down cutoff from each other should remain the same so as to maximize the foregrounding of the light.

Check out the step down line illustration in green.
Bec too much deviation in the horizontal aiming will cause significant glare. This was the case with my left headlamp after initial test drive from install. The beam is impeding into the opposite lane. Hope this helps. Happy New Year to ya’ll.

 

[LCT]

Nice, glad you figured it out! I’m out of the country right now to take some pictures of the adjusters but that’s awesome you sorted it out. There is another adjuster knob for the horizontal (left and right) adjustment. The idea is whether you are 10 feet away or 30 feet away, the distance of the left and right step down cutoff from each other should remain the same so as to maximize the foregrounding of the light.
View attachment 3521146
Check out the step down line illustration in green.
Bec too much deviation in the horizontal aiming will cause significant glare. This was the case with my left headlamp after initial test drive from install. The beam is impeding into the opposite lane. Hope this helps. Happy New Year to ya’ll.

Took it for a spin tonight and will have to do some fine tuning once the weather warms up a bit. Thanks a bunch for detailed explanation! Happy new year!

 

[NolaNomad]

I had Luke (LB) build me a set of lights with the D2S projectors. Easily one of the best mods I’ve done to my car. It’s crazy how much better these lights are compared to stock.

I'm going through the headlight delimma rn, can you share how you got all this done?

 

[Kabanstva]

I'm going through the headlight delimma rn, can you share how you got all this done?

Message @Luke111 on here. He will answer all your questions.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

I'm going through the headlight delimma rn, can you share how you got all this done?

Are you looking to get your headlights retrofitted with projector lens or your cruiser already has it?

 

[NolaNomad]

Are you looking to get your headlights retrofitted with projector lens or your cruiser already has it?

My LX470 is stock, but the PO out in some mismatched bulbs and the lenses are foggy and condensation on the inside, a real mess

 

[OEMGUY0720]

My LX470 is stock, but the PO out in some mismatched bulbs and the lenses are foggy and condensation on the inside, a real mess

Ok, the LX has the factory projectors (I assume it’s still the original one from factory) and you want better output? With the moisture inside, first thing is to fully inspect the headlight assembly, hopefully there’s no holes/cracks. You may end up needing to crack open the lens from the assembly. Since you have it opened already you now have different options.
• Option 1: block off the squirrel finder holes, or just leave it them as it is. Put on another set of reputable LED bulbs.
• Option 2: put on an HID system - different brands, different color temperatures and different ballast wattage.
• Option 3: full retro work, pull the factory project lens, put on an aftermarket bracket to accommodate the aftermarket projector lens you have selected. Match it with a good light source, can be HID system or LED bulb, whatever floats your boat.
• Option 4: inline with option 3, you can opt for an bi-focal LED projector (meaning no need to put in an HID system nor an LED bulb) because that LED projector has an integrated light source.

These are just some of the options you can consider, the rabbit hole of HL retrofitting is deep

 

[packeted]

I've done a couple of retrofits on LX470 headlights now and thoroughly recommend the full retro. It's a lot of work but well worth it. Most frustrating part is dealing with the sticky butyl sealant but the results are night and day even compared to just a HID/LED bulb. If you're going to open the lenses up to deal with the squirrel finders you may as well just go the whole hog.

Not sure about the bi-LED options but do like that I can change the bulb if anything goes wrong with the lens retrofit.