What are good headlights for 2nd gen

Looking for a good led headlight assembly. It’s between morimoto and alpha Rex lux. Been doing some research and people have a lot of bad things to say about each and also good things. So I’m kinda torn. Anyone with experience with either? Thoughts? Any input is appreciated.

 

OEM TRD Pros look good.

 

@herecomesace know how and where do I get those for my 2013?

 

https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/toyota~headlamp~assy~lh~81150-04221.html

https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem...filter=(1=1GRFE;6=5FC;7=LCB;0=GRN245L-CRADKA)

I also recommend checking out this thread and doing the headlight upgrade. By far my favorite mod (besides my tune).

Edit (updated link): https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/

 

Yea I was trying to get away from halogen all together but I guess I can’t? That last link is incredible! @herecomesace

 

You can def go down the LED route. I went with Alpha Rex for my taillights but don't have any experience with the LED headlights. I played it safe and went with the halogen upgrade. That was 4 years ago and I'm still running my original set so I'm definitely not disappointed. Welcome to TW btw.

 

Do you have pics of your headlights and tail lights? I just put on TRD pro matte black wheels and a gen 3 TRD pro exhaust with the black tip and it looks funny with big chrome lights! My goal is to get the Toyota grill WTH raptor lights and wanted the amber DRLS to match. But at 900-1k$ for headlights, and when people have said bad things about them it’s a scary thing. Thanks! @herecomesace

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/media/albums/mods.74876/?order=custom&page=3

 

@herecomesace i like those tail lights a lot and the license plate lights! So do you have the smoked out pro headlights?

 

Yep. Had them on for over a year and still looks brand new. I did have Lamin-x headlight film installed on them for extra protection.

 

Here are my reviews on the XB, I wasn't that impressed for the price as far as the light output. But they do look great and will make your Tacoma look brand new. If you get them wait for a sale on Memorial, 4th of July or they always have one for Black friday. I think it was going to be $400 for OEM housings.
Whatever headlights you get, I highly recommend get getting the Diode Dynamics Elite fog lights...they are super bright (street legal) and are what you would expect out of the aftermaket headlights. They made up for the lighting that the XB were lacking. FYI when i did the write up, I still had my XB fog lights and they were better than stock. I switch over to the Diodes and they are way brighter and better. I will try to take some similar shots with the Diodes tonight for you to see the difference
https://www.diodedynamics.com/elite-series-type-b-fog-lamps-pair.html

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/headlight-recommendations.787183/#post-28191563

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/headlight-recommendations.787183/#post-28337753

Just the XB headlights. On a modern car, the entire beam pattern is as bright as the 2 hot spots. The non-hots spot areas get real dim on an open road. For reference my driveway is steep, so this is almost like pointing at a wall.


Xb headlights with XB fog lights (see the sidewalk on left is now brighter)


C8 Corvette low beams only (Note HUD)


The install looks ay worse than what it actually is. I was able to do it without taking my grill guard and off-road lights off with the help of some bungee cords

 

That’s what I’ve been seeing, people complaining about light output for the price. And same with the alpharex lights, I have been looking at possible getting good led fog lights for now and waiting to see on headlights. I drive on an interstate at 5 am to work and off at 4pm. Highway is always super dark even tho other cars are around I’m a tech at an Audi dealership and I had one of the detailers polish my headlights. That made a huge difference but he said it’ll last 6 months till I have to do it again. I mean nothing I do will compete with Audi headlights but I want something safer. Ha. Thanks for the pictures! Looks awesome! @Primo 95

 

Neither of those are going to give you good output, especially not AlphaRex. AlphaRex is just a cheap imported Chinese light that is white box relabeled for US consumers to believe it is something better than the trash it is. The beam pattern is not a legitimate headlight pattern and blows out foreground light with a significant loss in distance light, the exact opposite of how a headlight is supposed to work. Total garbage for a headlamp, significant downgrade from stock.

The best performing option is OEM assemblies with upgraded wiring and bulbs. If you really wanted LED, even though they are not as good and cost far more, then Morimoto is the way to go.

Note that you do not need to refinish your headlights every 6 months as you were told. When you refinish a headlight you remove the UV protective coating, without it the headlights will rapidly haze. You can apply new coatings to prevent the hazing, but they wear off over time. It is like waxing your truck (very similar process), just apply a fresh coating every 6 months to a year and they will stay looking like new.

Best performing halogen upgrade:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/

Morimotos:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-morimoto-xb-hybrid-12-15-led-headlight-review.735867/

 

So my original OEM headlight were getting frosted/foggy on the inside so there was no fixing it and it made my truck look old and crappy and I was using HID and it was great with no glare and nobody flashed me, but as you read HIDs are reaching end of life and I wasn't sure on what LED to use with the same results. If yours don't look that bad, I would recommend investing in the DD elite fog light and aiming them correctly to line up with the line of your headlights. It that doesn't not improve your situation, then invest in your headlights when they are on sale. I will mention, the XB do not shut off your fogs when you switch over to high beams, as opposed to OEM which cut off your fogs when your hi beams are on. I believe diode Dynamics runs the same holiday sales which are coming up.
What bulbs are you using in your OEM? I am pretty sure some of the premium auto parts store bulbs will improve your light, but won't last as long. Do some research on what is best to buy.

I just took some new photos with my XB headlight and DD Elite fogs

XB only


XB + DD Elite Fogs ( your can see the foglight line on the right & left sides when you compare & overall its way brighter)


XB headlight on High Beam, DD elite Fogs

 

Thank you @crashnburn80 and @Primo 95 @herecomesace I’m going to take some time and see what is best. Thanks for taking the time to show me your pics and insights. I appreciate it. I’ll keep everyone posted.

 

Idk, i have a totally different take on Alpharex.

I went with the big boys, Nova Series ($1200.00 a pair), i have had them installed for roughly two years and minimal issues. They look the best out of any light for the 2nd Gen in my humble opinion. Not sure of the other Alpharex headlights that are lesser but i can tell you the Nova Series are TITS.

I also had an issue early on and they did a full warranty replacement. I ordered them thru Tacoma Beast, all parties were more that helpful.

 

If you’ve done any research you should know Tacoma Beast is not a company you should support.

Yes, if you don’t know what you are looking for then AlphaRex Nova series seem great, for exactly all the reasons why they are actually terrible. The lights provide extreme foreground light and loss of distance light. The hot spots are WAY down in the pattern. All this makes for an illegitimate headlight that isn’t even compliant and a major downgrade from stock. However people judge light output on what is closest to them, so massive increases in foreground light are always viewed favorably by those not understanding headlight optical design. Foreground light doesn’t help you at highway speeds as it is easily overdriven, worse it actually hurts you. High foreground light constricts your pupils so you can’t see distance in the dark, and your lights no longer illuminate distance either, on top of that the lights don’t have uplight so you can’t even see beyond the low beam in the hypothetical that your night vision wasn’t already ruined by an inverted headlight illumination design. Triple whammy on not being able to see. But yes that short range light will make you think they are great.

 

Tacobeast videographer was caught vandalizing their logo on a national park…saved you the trouble of the research. Others complained about some of the products.

Having gone the way of the upgraded wiring/bulbs on stock OEM headlamps on the preciously mentioned thread by crash I can’t recommend them enough. Where I live there is very little light pollution, 80mph speed limits and a high deer population. These lights have avoided me much trouble with elk, deer, and one time a lazy bear on freeways and dirt roads. I’ve also owned a couple of vehicles that came with aftermarket LED lights (where stock was halogen); reverting back to stock provided so much more visibility. If you want to see better, optimize the stock set up (invest in new OEM headlamps/wiring/bulbs). I’m no engineer though (someone else on here is).

 

understood, i hear everything you are saying but i honestly don't have any issue seeing at night.

 

This!!!! The harness, Philips bulbs and OEM headlights. Did this 2 months ago and it gives you yhe best output you can get.