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Not knowing your model year, I think you'll think it's some of the best money you've spent on the truck. That takes care of the low beams. If your high beams are not in projector housings (and the low beams for that matter), do not be the guy who puts HID's in reflector housings and blinds oncoming traffic. Best upgrade I've seen for highs in reflectors are simply HIR bulbs (google).
I've replaced fogs and low beams with HID's from DDM Tuning. Lots of technical knowledge there and prices as well as quality are outstanding.
You might also check out the 200 series and lighting forums on mud.
I'll update my signature. I recently bought a 2009 LX 570. i believe the high and low beams are in projector housings.
Would you recommend HID or LEDs? LEDs are rated with greater longevity than HIDs, at least per Xenondepot.
Is the LX 570 similar to your LC? Were your HIDs easy to replace? Any drilling involved, or was it simply plug and play?
I'll update my signature. I recently bought a 2009 LX 570. i believe the high and low beams are in projector housings.
Would you recommend HID or LEDs? LEDs are rated with greater longevity than HIDs, at least per Xenondepot.
Is the LX 570 similar to your LC? Were your HIDs easy to replace? Any drilling involved, or was it simply plug and play?
LED's last forever, just like house bulbs.
General web vibe I get is that LED's don't throw the light as far as an HID bulb, and some halogen lamps. This might be helpful...https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/hea...id-drl.912826/ . My LX is a 470. My Land Cruiser is a 2013. No bulbs upgraded except for HIR's in high beams. Installing the HID's involved drilling a 7/8" hole in the rear headlight covers, mounting the ballasts, and connecting to the truck via a pre-wired relay harness. I spent around 3 hours total, most of that was ocd-related to keeping the wiring neat and unobtrusive.
Since I do a lot of driving in very rural areas, the LC also has 2 Hella driving lights with 100 watt Euro-beam halogens.
My experience is the same as others, HID bulbs throw the most light out on the road. On my wife's '09 LX we began with LED high beam and low beam and went with a 4300k HID Fog (Below). The fog light dominated the light out put that was fine as we are in rural Illinois.
That was 2 years ago. With the advance in LED technology, we now run 10,000 lumen LED's in all 3 and the performance is near HID strong. There are no AFS issues and the car puts out some vicious white light. Interestingly enough, I tried the LED setup in my M45 high beam and it was no better than halogen. The LED in the LX high beam is like a lighthouse beam. Seems to reach for miles.
My experience is the same as others, HID bulbs throw the most light out on the road. On my wife's '09 LX we began with LED high beam and low beam and went with a 4300k HID Fog (Below). The fog light dominated the light out put that was fine as we are in rural Illinois.
That was 2 years ago. With the advance in LED technology, we now run 10,000 lumen LED's in all 3 and the performance is near HID strong. There are no AFS issues and the car puts out some vicious white light. Interestingly enough, I tried the LED setup in my M45 high beam and it was no better than halogen. The LED in the LX high beam is like a lighthouse beam. Seems to reach for miles.
Twinturbov,
Nice pic!
Mind me asking which brand LEDs are you running for low/high beam? Part of me wants to go HID because of the distance it throws, but I like the longevity of LEDs (or at least the supposed advertised longevity). If you're LEDs are getting the reach HIDs are getting, LEDs might be the way to go. Plus LEDs seem simpler to install; I took off the engine cover and saw there's not too much space behind the lamp housing!
Btw, are your LEDs 10,000 lumen per bulb or 10,000 lumen for the total of 2? What is the color temp, 6000k?
Those bulbs were ebay purchases. They are ~5000lm each.
However I just bought these :http://www.ebay.com/itm/120W-12000LM...ZXm7sF&vxp=mtr for the foglights on my 2006 M45 and they are so much stronger. Noticeably. They repleaced the same brand LED's I have in the LX.
In general, I have always upgraded the LED bulbs on the LX before they have failed, but I did have one pair where one bulb did stop working (fog, maybe because closer to the elements underneath?). Thing is, cost is so low, install is relatively easy, and each new generation seems to be more powerful for the same or less money, there's not much risk when it comes to quality. You could even buy a back up set just to cover your self.
I'll try to get some pic's this evening of light output.
The one bulb that is a pain to install is the driver side low beam. Rather than remove the battery (easiest entry, biggest pain) I would just remove the thing that holds the battery in place and I could push the battery just far enough out of the way to get in there to install the bulb. Critical to make sure you have the "tabs" on the bulbs, 1 big 2 small, properly lined up with the lamp housing to properly lock them in.
High beams are easy, I believe 9005 bulbs. Fog lights are reasonably easy: Put the truck in HI mode, remove the a few pieces underneath (10mm and 12mm) that give you wide open access to the bulbs and lamp housing.
In general, I have always upgraded the LED bulbs on the LX before they have failed, but I did have one pair where one bulb did stop working (fog, maybe because closer to the elements underneath?). Thing is, cost is so low, install is relatively easy, and each new generation seems to be more powerful for the same or less money, there's not much risk when it comes to quality. You could even buy a back up set just to cover your self.
I'll try to get some pic's this evening of light output.
The one bulb that is a pain to install is the driver side low beam. Rather than remove the battery (easiest entry, biggest pain) I would just remove the thing that holds the battery in place and I could push the battery just far enough out of the way to get in there to install the bulb. Critical to make sure you have the "tabs" on the bulbs, 1 big 2 small, properly lined up with the lamp housing to properly lock them in.
High beams are easy, I believe 9005 bulbs. Fog lights are reasonably easy: Put the truck in HI mode, remove the a few pieces underneath (10mm and 12mm) that give you wide open access to the bulbs and lamp housing.
-twin turbo
Twin turbo,
What do you think of the OPT7 Leds? Has some nice reviews on Amazon. Kensun seems like another popular choice for LEDs...
Were the gray dust covers easy to remove? I tried to remove the driver's side low beam gray dust cover, and I couldn't twist it off, ugh.
What do you think of the OPT7 Leds? Has some nice reviews on Amazon. Kensun seems like another popular choice for LEDs...
Were the gray dust covers easy to remove? I tried to remove the driver's side low beam gray dust cover, and I couldn't twist it off, ugh.
Based on the reviews both OPT7 and Kensun sound good. When I went with my 5000lm/bulb setup I don't think either offered that much lumination.
The dust covers are tough to remove the first time or two. I use a rubber glove of some sort to help me with grip and leverage.
I keep forgetting to snap a night time shot of the lights. But the swath of light that is thrown out (lows and fogs together) is pretty close to what you see from the new Acura's with their multi LED headlights. The color is like hyper white to me.
Due to brightness of lights, it is hard to take a front on shot. Here's one in the daylight to give you a bit of an an idea of the "whiteness" of the lights.
Did you have any issues with the auto-leveling system? I installed the LED lamps on the previous 2010 LX, but the vehicles reported the auto-leveling error. In fact, the entire bulb assembly was fully enclosed under the dust cover, but the error was always present.
Did you have any issues with the auto-leveling system? I installed the LED lamps on the previous 2010 LX, but the vehicles reported the auto-leveling error. In fact, the entire bulb assembly was fully enclosed under the dust cover, but the error was always present.
I had to scrap the dust covers. Just couldn't make it work. 5+ years and their absence have never caused and issue. However, I do not live in a dusty environment so I'm not sure how that would play out. But i do deal with snow and salt and neither of those have crept their way into the lens area.
