New here! Introduction and Headlight Conversion Question. (1 Viewer)

[TBeck]

Hello All! Cannot decide if graduating college (10 years ago) or owning a vehicle that allows me to be on this forum is a greater accomplishment but either way I am thrilled to be here. I recently bought a '04 LX 470 with 193k miles and I am one proud Dad. I love it. I am in North Louisiana and this will be my daily driver for my short haul to work and light off roading to hunting camps and some camping trips. I am amazed at this vehicle and doing my best to learn all about it. I have been reading for a few days and have a question about headlight conversion.

I read a few threads with good info but some are 5-6 years old and wondering if options have changed. Pretty certain I am running a stock setup right now and it leaves much to be desired. For me, I respect the best of the best but not sure that is what I need. 95% of my driving will be around town. I just want some good head lights that don't blind oncoming traffic but give me some distance. I also won't pretend like I am not interested in the look of new plastic vs the dingy yellow. I do not know if this is possible for $300-400 and that is what I am hoping someone can help me with. I am handy so am looking to do the work myself. Curious what others have done at that price range (or below) that they are happy with.

 

[Mike NXP]

Nice ride. I don't know as much about the LX except I think those are actually glass and can maybe be shined up a bit if the film is on the outside?

Quick search revealed this but I didn't check part numbers or anything just for reference
>>

• You could consider removing your lower fog lamps and putting some higher end aftermarket lamps in there. This would light up the road nice and not blind people. This would be my choice.
• Try to polish your current head lamps
• Look for used on Ebay but chances are they may be just as worn out
• Some people add little ditch lights up by where the hood meets the window. I don't kike the look but that's just my opinion.
• If you know anyone with metal fabrication skills you could put a little bracket that comes out that front grill and mount a little light bar or something but that may look ugly.

 

[prickly]

Welcome to the forums.

Got an LX470 2007 myself and I have been looking to upgrade the lights. And as you mentioned about the posts - they are all old. But I do believe the vendor for the retrofit bracket is still active and kits are available. Perhaps more active members of the forum can pitch in and guide you to the right direction.

In the meantime, I'd like to share my experience with you in hope of it coming to help you. I recently retro-fitting my motorbike (GSXR 1000) with some projector LED sets. It has polycarbonate lens which one of the shops here ruined by trying to clean it out with water mixed with lacquer thinner when I had it in for repair. It was ruined pretty bad. I thought to myself if I'm going to purchase another - I might as well try and fix this first and gain some experience. Started from all the way down from grit 200 sandpaper all the way up-to 2500. Silicone Carbide sandpapers don't like it when you jump between the grits so follow the sequence of staying close to the next grit up (eg if 200, follow by next 320 etc). It didn't look very promising until 2500 sandpaper. Finished off with some 8000g sandpaper (Diamond) on a dremel at low speed & polishing compound, it had a decent shine. topped it off with some cheap creamic coat and woah, what a difference it made, I'm glad I just truted the process and did not give up half way. Your headlights don't look anywhere close to how bad mine was so you can shine them up. 3M has a kit which many people seem to have good result but make sure you always top-coat your restored lights with a UV sealant. Glass headlights are easier to shine than polycarbonate.

Retorfit. I currently have DEPO headlights with HID kit, it leaves much to be desired. I bought some brackets for LX470 via AliExpress and got them last week. They seem to be built well enough to do what they're supposed to do. For the source of light itself, I haven't really decided yet. I'm very inclined to go with some Bi-LED Laser projectors also found on AliExpress. I shortlisted 2 suppliers that have had stellar reviews, now it depends how much I want to spend. Reason for laser based LED is because it is able to throw the light an easy 500m distance ahead, this is ideal for night time desert driving and output seems to be insane. I wouldn't have to fit any extra light bars or pods if I go this route.

Attached pictures for reference. I don't have any old photo of my bikes ruined lens.

 

[TBeck]

Thanks for the replies. I think I am leaning toward replacing rather than refinishing. At least until I realize how expensive it is...

 

[KliersLC]

You have a couple options.
1. Replace with OEM. If they are available, they will be expensive
2. Refinish. This is cheap and easy--even if you end up doing something else long term, this is worth the 15 dollars and 30 minutes that it takes.
3. Replace with aftermarket. This is relatively cheap and easy, but the consensus on the aftermarket light housings from china is that you'll tend to have to replace them every few years as they degrade pretty quickly. This might be able to be extended if you you use a UV protectant of some sort.
4. Replace with earlier model glass lenses. I have the glass lenses on mine and they are great. As far as I know, the housings are interchangeable.

More importantly though, is the fact that your factory lights will always suck. Look in the following threads for ways to upgrade.

LX Headlight Upgrade Database

After all the recent threads, I just figured I would compile everything into one resource thread for people to use and share their upgrades. It is also a great place to ask questions as I have dealt with about every HID setup on the market, and all the questions can be in one thread for future...

forum.ih8mud.com

I have the morimotos in my LX, and a better conversion done in my 99. Even though the 99 has clear projector lenses, and is objectively better, It isn't enough better than the morimotos for me to go to the trouble.

Also @Luke111 has a really cool kit that is probably better than most of the other options.

LB BuiltWerks - Design - Fabrication - Retrofit Lexus LX470 Headlights

Custom Lexus LX470 Retrofit Brackets or New LX470 OEM Headlights Retrofitted with Morimoto HID/LED Projectors.

lbbuiltwerks.com

Maybe a little spendy, but likely worth it in my opinion.

 

[TBeck]

You have a couple options.
1. Replace with OEM. If they are available, they will be expensive
2. Refinish. This is cheap and easy--even if you end up doing something else long term, this is worth the 15 dollars and 30 minutes that it takes.
3. Replace with aftermarket. This is relatively cheap and easy, but the consensus on the aftermarket light housings from china is that you'll tend to have to replace them every few years as they degrade pretty quickly. This might be able to be extended if you you use a UC protectant of some sort.
4. Replace with earlier model glass lenses. I have the glass lenses on mine and they are great. As far as I know, the housings are interchangeable.

More importantly though, is the fact that your factory lights will always suck. Look in the following threads for ways to upgrade.

LX Headlight Upgrade Database

After all the recent threads, I just figured I would compile everything into one resource thread for people to use and share their upgrades. It is also a great place to ask questions as I have dealt with about every HID setup on the market, and all the questions can be in one thread for future...

forum.ih8mud.com

I have the morimotos in my LX, and a better conversion done in my 99. Even though the 99 has clear projector lenses, and is objectively better, It isn't enough better than the morimotos for me to go to the trouble.

Also @Luke111 has a really cool kit that is probably better than most of the other options.

LB BuiltWerks - Design - Fabrication - Retrofit Lexus LX470 Headlights

Custom Lexus LX470 Retrofit Brackets or New LX470 OEM Headlights Retrofitted with Morimoto HID/LED Projectors.

lbbuiltwerks.com

Maybe a little spendy, but likely worth it in my opinion.

Thanks so much for this. Any chance I can refinish lenses very couple of months and get better bulbs to get a brighter/better output or is that having my cake and eating it too?

 

[KliersLC]

Thanks so much for this. Any chance I can refinish lenses very couple of months and get better bulbs to get a brighter/better output or is that having my cake and eating it too?

Absolutely. A typical refinish using the autozone kits will last ~2years. You'll definitely want to upgrade the bulbs or projectors in the meantime.

 

[TBeck]

Absolutely. A typical refinish using the autozone kits will last ~2years. You'll definitely want to upgrade the bulbs or projectors in the meantime.

Easy enough job to do yourself? I read about possibly getting to powerful of a bulb.

 

[KliersLC]

Easy enough job to do yourself? I read about possibly getting to powerful of a bulb.

I'd just go with one of the options in the upgrade thread. The morimotos are relatively cheap and easy. I'm happy enough with them that I drove from Virginia Beach to Cody Wyoming and back in January with them over my "better" HID conversion.

 

[KliersLC]

But yes, easy to do.

 

[Berkut10r]

I will give you another choice, not a cheap one, but a choice nevertheless. Secure a LC hood, front quarters panels, grille and headlights. Do the conversion and viola! You have yourself a rig that has, what seems like, an abyss of proper headlight choices.

 

[mazdababy]

I will give you another choice, not a cheap one, but a choice nevertheless. Secure a LC hood, front quarters panels, grille and headlights. Do the conversion and viola! You have yourself a rig that has, what seems like, an abyss of proper headlight choices.

Fenders aren't needed, but a few other bits are - I have a pile of new OEM parts getting ready to do this swap. Going for quad projectors in the OEM LC headlights!

 

[mazdababy]

Here's what that alternate option can look like! Off to the body shop.

@Berkut10r everything trimmed up with the LX fenders! Fits perfectly.

 

[wbwufpack]

I'd just go with one of the options in the upgrade thread. The morimotos are relatively cheap and easy. I'm happy enough with them that I drove from Virginia Beach to Cody Wyoming and back in January with them over my "better" HID conversion.

Is this the kit you are running in your stock projectors? I have a 2003 LX and considering going this route.

H1: Morimoto Elite HID System | The Retrofit Source MM.N.012

Don't be fooled. The H1 Morimoto Elite HID System is the king of the mountain and you'll be blown away by their performance on your ride. The Retrofit Source

www.theretrofitsource.com

 

[KliersLC]

Is this the kit you are running in your stock projectors? I have a 2003 LX and considering going this route.

H1: Morimoto Elite HID System | The Retrofit Source MM.N.012

Don't be fooled. The H1 Morimoto Elite HID System is the king of the mountain and you'll be blown away by their performance on your ride. The Retrofit Source

www.theretrofitsource.com

Sorry for the delayed reply, but yes, I believe so.

 

[KliersLC]

Is this the kit you are running in your stock projectors? I have a 2003 LX and considering going this route.

H1: Morimoto Elite HID System | The Retrofit Source MM.N.012

Don't be fooled. The H1 Morimoto Elite HID System is the king of the mountain and you'll be blown away by their performance on your ride. The Retrofit Source

www.theretrofitsource.com

I took a closer look and I think that is a more expensive kit than I have. I'll check part numbers when I get home.

 

[wbwufpack]

I took a closer look and I think that is a more expensive kit than I have. I'll check part numbers when I get home.

Thanks!

 

[KliersLC]

Thanks!

Huh... I thought the LX had the morimotos but it was actually my 99. FWIW, the morimotos on my 99 are a good bit better than the HIDs on the LX--not enough to swap them out, but better... that may be due to the kit, or it may be due to the projector. Pics attached for reference--the HID install was done 3 POs before me, so I don't know exactly what they did.

 

[prickly]

Update: I went the genie pig route and tested something different. I went ahead and replaced my lens on my DEPO headlights (had better output than OEM headlights with China HID system fitted. Both my OEM were removed due to needing them replaced) with a full China LED projector system and Laser high beam. Also bought brackets from China on AliExpress from suppliers with good reviews. I'm impressed with what I have. I have bright headlights with a looooong distance illumination on high beam due to laser tube in the projector.

i'll add more photos when I have them. I only finished this yesterday. Let me know if you want links to them

 

[scrt80]

Fenders aren't needed, but a few other bits are - I have a pile of new OEM parts getting ready to do this swap. Going for quad projectors in the OEM LC headlights!

What are the part numbers for the OEM headlights you got? I’m guess you are going Mini H1 where the highs are and Micro D2S (saw on FB) for the lows?