1st Gen Aftermarket Headlights Experiences Requested

Looking at various aftermarket headlights to replace my 2001 1st gen headlights. I've read the thread by the guy who designs optics and he sold me on projector headlights, however, I cannot locate an option for a 1st gen.

Looking for any experiences from anyone who has installed the aftermarket LED versions. Quality, longevity, etc.

 

Most are junk. I don’t know of any good LED options that are not retrofits for the 1st gen.

Also, it would be super helpful if you post what year 1st gen. There were (I think) 3 types of headlight housings: 1995-7? 98-2000, and 2001-2004.

 

I bought CAPA certified replacements for my 2003 after two “polishing” cycles to remove the haze. The new housings combined with “the ultimate headlight upgrade” (harness connected to battery with relays connected to stock headlight connector along with 90-100W halogen bulbs), aimed properly were the best headlights I’ve ever had on a vehicle.

 

Edited original post to include my year. 2001. Most of what I'm reading online echoes what you say. I want "brighter" headlights and I know the projectors are best but as I mentioned previously, doesn't seem to be an option for a 2001.

 

I have some retrofitted ones I took off my 2001. They work great, but one of the projectors gets loose. You'd have to get creative and find a way to tighten it so it won't get loose anymore. I decided not to deal with it anymore and went back to stock. Otherwise everything works as it should and they're very bright with a good cut off. Let me know if you're interested and I'll give you more info.

 

Brighter-than-stock headlights = more blinding of on-coming drivers.

 

Not if the optics are correct and you don’t just shove some cheap AF LED into the housing designed for a halogen

 

This. I also have some TYC CAPA certified housings with the wiring harness upgrade and my headlights are great and not blinding to oncoming traffic. Look up ultimate headlight upgrade in this forum and go that route.

 

Good thing about the TYC ones is you can get a 2 pack on RockAuto for ~$75. They came with bulbs too for what it's worth. Never put LEDs in halogen housings - the chrome reflectors aren't designed for it.

 

Please do not put LED bulbs into housings designed for halogen bulbs.

https://teqcustoms.com/products/retrofit-headlights-1st-gen-tacoma-97-04

 

Here's another vote for the Ultimate Headlight Upgrade. I did it along with the good quality housings from rock auto and I couldn't be happier.

 

I bought mine from them and had to get them warrantied 4 times. Not worth the money. Low build quality.

 

I got the TYC and another brand off wherever and the light pattern sucked in both. if OEM weren't so expensive i would have gotten them.

I decided to retrofit and went HID with D2S. took about an afternoon's worth of time

 

1996 Tacoma

I replaced both the bulbs and the lens covers- the bulbs are crazy crazy bright LEDs, and the lens covers are glass. It wuz straight plug-n-play. Unfortunately, I cannot find the order history for the parts. I have been pretty stoked about the performance of the LEDs, tho, and have been runnin' them for over a year now w no problems

 

Don’t know that company, but projector retrofits are worth it if you can diy

 

How often do you get people flashing their brights at you?

 

Ha Ha

When I first installed the LED lights, they were projecting just a bit high. I readjusted them, and now I think they are at the proper height now- they are just crazy bright

Also put in LEDs for the brake lights, reverse lights, and interior dome light- they are all super bright

Overall, putting LEDs into the Tacoma wuz a great upgrade- glad I did it

 

TEQ Customs : https://teqcustoms.com/collections/1st-gen-tacoma-headlights

I got a simple looking perfect matching pair, its a fully enclosed light assembly just like OEM came with the harness and all necessary CANBUS resistors, I believe there is an install video on YouTube. I found out about them on Timmy the Toolman YouTube channel. He goes through a well made install, including how to properly align so you don't blind oncoming traffic. TEQ has many options. They have a halo light that can flash for turning or hazards. I thought it was pretty good so I purchased and installed on my 2003 XtrCab 2D 4x4 5VZ-FE SR5. It has 125k on it, I'm the original owner.

It is a projector type LED and the halo has options for full RGB color mix via blue tooth from your phone. I don't like that kind of crap so opted for the orange flasher color only.

These things are ridiculously bright especially on high beam. In that mode the projector mode disappears and you can see the tops of the telephone poles two blocks down. In the projection mode or low beam you can see a clear line to adjust your lights down so you don't blind oncoming traffic. I live in a rural area with country/farm roads and when it snows with blizzard like winds you need to see the side of the road so you can be sure you are not running off into a ditch. Obviously, if in those conditions, the last thing you need is bright lights shining too high straight into a warp speed starfield effect. I considered this ahead of time so I have them down more than up. I only get flashing lights from on coming traffic if I am going up a hill while they are on the top not yet coming down. That is only a rare unfortunate coincidence.

Anyway I think the price for a basic upgrade was great and as I said I don't go for mods that attracts attention from people. All my lights interior and exterior are LED. The only MOD was the TEQ Customs LED but it has the exact fit as 1st Gen headlights so no modification of bolts or anything its a perfect match. I purchased a basic 15' wiring loom from Harbor Freight and used plenty of tape and shrink wrap on all the wiring connections etc.

These have a great life expectancy but I pull my hand brake to the first click to keep the lights off until night time. I figure that should keep them longer than expected. I may invest into a couple pods and install them low and out for snow or bad weather so I can see the road markers in a blizzard even better. I'm looking for something that can replace my low flashers and turn them into a fog/snow light. Again I don't like to be obvious with MODS

 

I agree with everything you said, down to getting flashed when cresting a hill and the low beam cutoff is above the eye line of oncoming drivers.Mine are retrofits I assembled myself, $100 for clear lense headlight housings (98-00 are refracted, no good for projectors), $350 for Mini D2S kit from theretrofitsource.com, single biggest safety improvement aside from Tundra brakes.

Everyone’s headlights are so bright, my 23 Tacoma has factory LED’s, get flashed more than I’d like for sure, and they’re aimed from the factory and I’ve got helper springs in back to keep the rear from sagging when carrying weight. OEM 3rd gen leaf springs are garbage, adding a shell made the ass sag, frustrating.

That said, the people flashing me are usually as bad if not worse with their headlight glare, usually a newer car/truck.

I figure the brighter lights are needed at this point to feel safe, if everyone else has super bright headlights and you don’t, big disadvantage in terms of visibility.

 

Another one for TEQ Customs.
I did the Ultimate Headlight Upgrade. It was better than stock but can see better with the TEQ Customs. I aimed them right and have never been flashed.