What are the best current replacement headlight housings?

What are ya'll using now days for replacement headlight housings? I've bought cheap ones from Rock Auto before and they were good for a couple years. Now I have to replace them again. Is the TYC brand at Rock Auto any good? I'm not looking for fancy aftermarket upgrades other than possibly an LED bulb but I'll probably just stick close to stock.

Oh, forgot to mention that I have to remove my ARB bumper, winch, and fog lights so that a shop can replace a leaky A/C O ring. While it's off, I want to replace the housings. Since they take so much more work to access now, I want to replace with something that's gonna last.

 

I got the TYC certified ones. They are only a year old, so no info on the longevity.

The LED replacements are nice, but they blind oncoming traffic if the housing is not specifically designed for LEDs.

 

I also am using the TYC certified headlights. They have been on the truck for ~3 years and so far no issues. Lenses are still in great shape.

 

I have TYC housings on mine. I've had the truck for almost two years and no idea when they were installed. Holding up fine. Definitely suggest the @crashnburn80 headlight upgrade to go along with a housing replacement. Worth the money for sure.

 

OEM is the way to go. From there if you want significant boosts in output follow the headlight upgrade below (which also works for 2nd Gen). LEDs are actually a downgrade, they are not focused reducing light projection distance which increases foreground light making them seem brighter while also often scattering light blinding other drivers also making them seem brighter while projecting light significantly less far. No knowledgeable lighting expert will recommend PnP LEDs, performance halogens will be superior in halogen assemblies.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/

 

Thanks for posting that. I had read it a couple years ago and then totally forgot about it. I briefly read through it again and I should definitely do that while I have the bumper off. However, I need it fast. I'm getting married in 14 days and we're driving across the country and camping for our honeymoon so it needs to be done before then. Guess I better get it all ordered asap!

 

Congrats!!

 

I too have the TYC, for about 6 years now I'd guess. The thing that kinda sucks is the lensing is poor, so they tend to scatter light like having hi-beams on all the time (still better than completely yellowed out OEMs though). Beyond that, the UV protective coating has started to peel off, despite facing a shaded garage door for that entire time, but overall they've held up well. I'll probably buy a new pair if I ever do a retrofit

 

I went off the deep end and got OEM housings. I know I could replace them 5 times for what they cost , ( 187.21 ea. ) but I like a good light pattern since I live in the Rockies , and what the hell , the OEM housings went 19 years.

 

You can't go wrong with that. OEM is the best choice!

 

Just finished up the Ultimate Headlight Upgrade with the CAPA Certified TYC housings last night. HUGE difference.

I really like not having daytime running lights anymore. Pulling into a campsite at night and being able to actually turn the lights off and not blind people is gonna be really nice.

 

Hi --

I replaced my headlights with the JW Speaker 8910 Evolution 2. They are indeed expensive but you get what you pay for.

When I researched headlights, I realized that most threads were akin to tire threads in that everyone had an opinion which boiled down to a) brand favorite, or b) justifying a purchase. I wanted practical advice. It dawned on me that truckers were probably the best source of truth available to me. Knowing that many CDL's feature headlight housing identical to 1995-1997 Tacoma's, I knew that I would stumble on some good information. Resoundingly, the 8910 Evolution 2 came up time and again. It took two months to receive mine in the mail, which was no doubt frustrating. More, they were very expensive (almost $800). But I could not be happier with my purchase.

 

Can I buy OEM's in the US for $187 ? Where do I look for those ?
They are $350 C in Canada

 

Maybe not the best, but I picked up a set of Eagle Eyes replacement housings on ebay about two years ago. They look exactly the same as factory and fit great, although I'm not sure they are actually OEM spec. They came as a complete assembly (including the bulb and gasket around the bulb pin connector). I paid about $60 for the pair, free shipping. They fit in perfectly and been working great for about two years. Lenses are still clean and clear.

 

The housings are $187.21 each? What are people buying at 500$ each?

 

3rd Gen OEM LED headlights. 1st Gen lights do not cost anywhere near that.

 

I used cheap black Amazon ones on all my Toyota’s they last for about a year, then the IV coating chips off and they instantly yellow. Than you pick up the $20 3M headlight restore kit, bring them back to new, and then plastic wax them twice a year and they hold up great.

Not the same light quality as OEM, but give the truck a different look.

The Tacoma ones are holding up great.


The Tundra ones not so well, but they cleaned up nice.

Before


After

 

I bought TYC headlights, did not install, before I headed up the pass on interstate 80 going over Sierra Nevada. Is there any difference between the cheaper TYC and the certified TYC.? O'Reilly guy said no and I needed to purchase something. But they're just in the box in case I need them. My OEMs are 20 something years old And there are avalanche warnings going up to West side of the mountain. The box said made in Taiwan. I'm cool with Taiwan

 

CAPA certified means that a part has been certified as similar enough to an OE part that it can be used as a replacement in an insurance claim repair.

The CAPA certified housings are generally assumed to be of higher quality, or at least of more consistent quality (ie closer to OE spec) than the regular TYC, but I don't know if anyone has actually put the two side-by-side to compare. It could just be that we're all paying extra for a sticker.

Whatever housing you install, make sure to align them after install. Alignment is as important as the quality of the housing: https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html