Taco to T4R recent switch

Hey Y'all,

I recently just switched from a 2019 Tacoma to a 2016 T4R Trail and I couldn't be happier. I started slowly building the Taco but I have much bigger plans with the T4R.

I have already gone ahead and already upgraded to LED Headlights and Fog lights. My ultimate plans for the T4R is to create a medical rig. I would love to take this around various sights having medical capabilities on hand (in which I work as a medical professional for sports currently).

My first plans with the T4R:
-Molle Storage panels for my back windows
-Roof Rack for additional storage
-Window Tint to protect the inside from heat and the sun
-Black out badging all around

If yall have additional recommendations or discount sites where I can slowly purchase and build these things that would be helpful! I would love to slowly learn to DIY everything (within reason).

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

@T4R_CLT, did you switch rides due to the 4R being more suitable for your profession, or were you unhappy (as many are) with the 3rd gen Tacoma?

Nice choice, though.

 

Welcome.

 

@glwood54 multiple reasons I switched. First I've always loved the 5th gen 4Runners. When originally looking for a new car I attempted to get a T4R but it was just outside my price range so I got the 3rd gen Taco.

Second, after a few months of driving the Taco I just wasn't too comfortable in the cab. I had a double cab but there was just too little space for me (I'm a bigger guy).

Third yes partially for my profession. Having the trunk space of the T4R will make it easier and safer to drive around and still be completely covered. I had a bed cover on the Taco but even then I couldn't leave ally equipment in there due to some weather elements.

 

Welcome from FL.

 

Welcome and good choice!

 

My advice is to ditch the drop-in LED headlights.

Though they are brighter than halogen bulbs, their construction won't allow the opposing chipsets to exist on a thin enough plane to properly replicate a halogen filament. A halogen housing depends on this TINY point of light in order to focus and project light far into the distance, but LED bulbs cannot exist in a small enough area yet.

What ultimately ends up happening is that you get a noticeable increase in foreground lighting, but your focus (and therefore distance projection) is considerably diminished. The first 40-50 feet in front of your car gets brighter, but then tapers off dangerously (you need distance projection to see far ahead at freeway speeds). This is the trade-off when trying to adapt LED bulbs into halogen housings.

I recommend the H9 and 9011 halogen upgrade. Easy to do and you can get both sets of bulbs from any auto parts store for less than $35 total, and it nearly doubles your stock output while still retaining distance projection.

This thread has a ton of data-driven information: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-hid-vs-led-vs-halogen-h11-projector-headlights.589465/

Fog lights are less crucial, but unfocused LED bulbs in the fog reflector housing will create additional glare to oncoming traffic. If you must upgrade, I recommend a complete housing change to one of the dedicated SAE fog lights listed here. Diode Dynamics in particular are the best of the bunch.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-led-sae-j583-fog-pod-fog-light-review.554813/

 

Welcome from SoCal!

 

Cool explanation!

 

@mynameistory so to clarify, what youre saying is return back to halogen lights but upgrade to HID halogen bulbs to increase the brightness as desired but ALSO brighten the projection of the light as I would lose sight distance switching to the LED bulbs in a Halogen housing? Or I could keep the LED bulbs and switch the housing to a LED housing (although this is a more expensive route).

 

To clarify, yes: you would get better performance from an upgraded halogen bulb (not HID. HID is another kind of bulb entirely).

The second thing you're asking about is called a retrofit. A retrofit is when someone grafts an entirely different light housing into their headlights, to take advantage of a brighter light technology.

However, you wouldn't bring your current LED bulbs to a retrofit. They have a goofy-ass shape designed to mimic a halogen bulb, with terrible thin heatsinks and fan cooling. They have all that junk because they're trying to mash them into an entirely wrong application for them. They're trying to mash a square peg into a round hole. In their literature, they're trying to sell these bandaids as features, not bugs.



A true LED housing is designed to take advantage of the brightness of the LED emitter, but with proper optics and passive heatsinks designed around it.


Think about it: would you buy an LED light bar that depended on fans to keep itself cool? Sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it?

 

I'd like to do the recommended upgrade you mention - any particular mfg. or bulb recommended over others for both?

 

Philips for both. You'll have to trim a small mounting tab on each for them to fit. Should be detailed in another thread somewhere.

 

any projects on deck?

 

@mynameistory Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely look into upgraded halogen bulbs

@Schijff749 My first projects I'll be attempting will be (easy one first) all black out badging around the T4R, then (more difficult) would be upgrading the suspension and leveling the T4R. new tires are a necessity but I don't consider those a project.

 

I like this idea for my Gen 5, I ordered some Lasfit fog lamps and believe they sent the incorrect ones so I sent them back- pins didn't line up.
Fogs are actually OK and I have a super bright LED that I mounted on my front license bracket (Cyclops!) on a separate switch and can add it whenever needed but offroad.
I really want to get brighter headlights but not excited about what I read about LED and your comments about them. Brighter halogen is what I am looking for so I will pursue that. Is there a recommended maximum wattage so you don't have any wire size or fuse issues?
Thanks for the suggestion!

 

I did the same went from a Taco to a T4R. I also ran drop in LED bulbe in projector housings and they were horrible. They were brighter but the beam scattered everywhere and caused me to get the high beam flash from other drivers