New 02 4Runner headlight upgrade? (1 Viewer)

[greenbeast]

Found a nice 3rd gen 4 runner for daughter and her boyfriend to use while going to school here in Honolulu.
Runs great, all maintenance has been done and it’s stupid clean.

Driving last night id like to upgrade the headlights. What are most folks using or doing on these?

 

[Pluton]

Best plug and play solution: New OEM Toyota headlight assemblies. Possible extra enhancement: Slightly brighter than standard bulbs in new headlight assemblies. There were two models of headlight for the 96-02 4Runners. 96-99, 00-02. The 00-02 units use a clear front glass, the older style had a front glass with lenticular facets in the front glass. Either type will bolt in easy. The 00-02 are reputed to have a slightly higher output, but it is very close. I have had new copies of both to compare. NEW copies of ether would be an improvement over 20+ year old yellowed, dust-infested original units. Toyota USA claims to be out of the 00-02 units, but I bought them from overseas (Amayama.com, etc) no problem. The key is to get NEW units---used headlights will not fix the output, because the low output is caused by them being old. There are aftermarket new units available for much lower cost. TYC is a common aftermarket brand. Many users on the 4Runner forum report minor annoyances with fitment or defects in the TYC units. I report---you decide.

 

[5speed addict]

there are two possible options:

"most OEM option" - new 99-02 clear lens headlights, make/buy a H4 headlight relay harness ( 4runner3 - https://www.headlightservices.com/4runner3.html ), use high wattage "off road only" bulbs (I use hella 80w low/100w high in my other vehicle) I think this would be the preferred route because it wont complicate things and it'll be easy for your daughter to swap bulbs

"brightest option"- projector retrofit watch a few "3rd gen 4runner headlight retrofit" videos on youtube and decide. if you decide on projectors I'd suggest you use morimoto D2S with a osram/phillips 4200-4300k bulb and a denso ballast ( https://www.theretrofitsource.com/bixenon-morimoto-stage-iv-CRK-S4?quantity=1 ) you can do it on a way smaller budget with cheaper kits. this is the best light output and cut off possible but its more custom and adds a bit of complication


I have LED projectors from bxbuilt in my 4runner and they work great and are bright like a new vehicle with LED headlights but I would not recommend buying anything from bxbuilt because of their poor customer service and questionable business practices. also I dont really like the light temp of the LED, a warmer ~4200k would be far better but thats me nit picking

 

[vipergrhd]

Nice looking 4runner, DO NOT let the BF drive.
Get LED bulbs if the factory lens are in good shape.

 

[5speed addict]

Nice looking 4runner, DO NOT let the BF drive.
Get LED bulbs if the factory lens are in good shape.

no OEM uses a LED in a reflector housing for a reason, if you want LED use a LED projector. Its not cool blinding everyone with leds in a reflector headlight, i've spent good money on a few different LED bulbs meant to replace a h4 bulb and tried them in different vehicles, I never got a clean cut off that wasn't blinding people

 

[cruiserbent]

I run the Sylvania Ultra Silver in mine. Not great, but pretty good. 9007 I believe is the number. I just replaced the pair last week as one had gone out. I kept the good old one as a spare.

 

[greenbeast]

Nice looking 4runner, DO NOT let the BF drive.
Get LED bulbs if the factory lens are in good shape.

If I didn't have to I wouldn't have. Daughter was diagnosed with form of epilepsy in Oct when she had a seizure one night. Her type may go away as she gets a little older but for now she can't drive at least until March, assuming her medication does the trick (doing great) and the new neurologist in Hawaii permits her to.

I was blown away at the 4 runner and insisted on driving everywhere while dropping her off at school much to the daughters whining!

 

[gnob]

i would start by killing drl.
replace bulbs with a quality new.
i never really had light issues with my '00, other than the drl killing bulbs in under a year.

the rrelay harness is a good upgrade as well.
imo no realistic need to replace the whole assembly. the glass lenses dont fade so...

 

[5speed addict]

i would start by killing drl.
replace bulbs with a quality new.
i never really had light issues with my '00, other than the drl killing bulbs in under a year.

the rrelay harness is a good upgrade as well.
imo no realistic need to replace the whole assembly. the glass lenses dont fade so...

the reflective chrome stuff fades, to me the ones in the pictures look very faded. these are new aftermarket ones