Headlight Sealing

So I am going to purchase some new headlights soon. MY DTRL have cracked my factory ones as well as a set I bought a couple of years ago. Annoying and after doing research I'm either going to do the DTRL mod/switch or just at least temporarily snip the wire that runs them and secure it so they don't turn on when my truck is cranked. Afterwards I am going to buy some 3m window ribbon to go around the edge to seal them to prevent the other problem I had which was condensation/fog. With that being said, what about the area around where the detachable blinker bulb is that you twist to get out and replace (the same thing that's been cracking my DTRL)? Do I need to put something there to prevent moisture/fog?

 

@crashnburn80 you have any insight on this

 

@hyper15125

 

Op, post some pics of the cracking area(s).

The seal on the bulb socket should be fine unless its brittle/cracked from the heat and there is a moisture source in the engine compartment. Most light assemblies are compromised around the edges where the clear lens meets the back of the light housing, usually due to insufficent sealing material. Rain and other moisture are being driven into the weak areas while driving and during extreme weather changes.

 

I will post pics in around an hour. I can't get to my truck before then. Thank you for your response. I have noticed that most if not all of the moisture came from where the headlight is and not really as much as the parking lights/blinkers are. The orange lens or whatever it's called is just cracked in half. Again, I will post pics in a while.

 

Leave the bulb in but cut the wire. Dont leave the hole empty.

Use silicone to seal the new headlights.

 

Toyota released an update headlight for 05-11 trucks that solves this issue, often referred to as the TSB lights. The original units had a design flaw. Toyota also did a large free replacement program to those affected. The program ended a couple years ago though. However you can still purchase the updated OEM TSB lights. Below is the info copy/pasted from my headlight thread on the TRD smoked chrome versions. These will be the highest quality and best performing assemblies you can buy without doing a retrofit.

OEM 2005-2011 smoked headlights:
These are like the Pro lights, but came on select Sport models. These are available loaded with bulbs, and unloaded w/o bulbs, saving $60 off the set . These part numbers are for the unloaded housings. These are the updated TSB version of the lights that do not have the melting DRL issue.
Right #81130-04173
Left #81170-04173

 

So with these you're saying 1. I don't need to do the Mod on the daytime running lights to cut them off? 2. That I also don't need to do the special sealant around where the front and back pieces meet to prevent weathering inside??

 

If you get the new TSB headlight housings, you should be good to go.

 

I didn't read all of the posts but I thought there was a recall/directive that allowed for 'free' replacement of the housings.

 

Correct. It is OEM, they solved the DRL issue, you don’t need to worry about trying to seal it to prevent leaks or condensation and it will have good UV protection so you don’t have to worry about fogging/hazing and it will have the best optical performance. On top of that they are the ‘Pro style’ darker chrome lights to look more aggressive.

Here is a comparison to stock chrome vs smoked chrome in the 2012-15 light, so you can see the difference.


Another compare pic

 

It’s expired.

 

There was, but it was for a limited time only - which unfortunately has expired.

 

I have gone through a couple of sets of headlight housings. My latest pair (after my '12 conversion) was a set of COPA compliant and they have been great! The cheaper Chinese ones suck.

 

Awesome, love these!! Thanks for all your help this saves me a lot of time.

 

I honestly wouldnt even bother trying to fix those.

 

Yea, I figured so, just wanted to be able to purchase new ones without this happening to me again. Really pisses me off

 

Truth be told, that happens fairly rarely on OEM headlight housings. And the biggest reason I've seen for it happening on OEM housings is folks not seating bulbs properly / fully. Now for aftermarket housings, it's a whole different story. I've seen so many of them leak I've lost count. Everybody talks about adding sealants to them and I ask why the hell one should need to add anything if the housings were properly designed and built in the first place - which of course most of them are not.

On the bright side, there are usually used OEM housings available for relatively cheap from folks who slap the aftermarket junk in their trucks. Snag a pair before somebody figures out they're useless.