LED headlight conversion - How to?

The S-V.4 and Supernova-V.4 both supposedly have technology built into the driver unit to prevent flickering.

 

Right before one of them died. You have the Katanas with the fans?

 

They also have a dimming function where when the bulb gets hot, then the bulb will dim to reduce heat.

 

Just ordered the ones with the fan...they come in Wednesday. Also bought a load resistor in case I get hit with the hi beam-fog light phenomenon, as that seems to be the trick there

Link to lights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JM421VC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

The new Katanas are fanless. I’ve not seen any problems so far with their limited use. The new ones also do not have the little resistor box on them. Back when I was speaking with Head Light Rev about buying their headlight bulbs, they said because I had their LED Fogs (super nice) and they weren’t messing with the High Beam then I should be ok. I passed on the HR head lamps and went Katana. No Hi Beam problems. No problems with the new fanless Katanas either.

Yours being an 03 might be different, as your fuse box is different. Maybe try some Fogs LED and see how you like them?

 

Installed the Katanas last night. Super easy plug n play. They look amazing after being properly aimed compared to halogens.

As far as the hi beam/fog light issue...non existent. I did buy the resistors just in case, but turns out I don't need them.

I did disable the DRLs as I've read it significantly lowers the life on the LEDs. That was also easy, just a matter of unplugging the gray clip on the wall behind the driver's side headlight.

 

Story: Original headlights were faded and scuffed beyond repair and on top of that the reflector housings in each headlight were slowly melting.
In comes Amazon with some Acani replacement headlights with a blacked out housing. Love the look of the lights, they are slick with my salsa red but from day one I hated the light output. It's a very scattered patchy beam since most of the reflective housing is blacked out.

I didn't want to separate the lenses from the housing, been there done that, don't want to do it again. I've never had an issue with these headlights and moisture so I'd like to keep it that way.

I'm taking a leap and ordered some H4 mini projectors off Amazon, totally plug and play apparently. I figure no matter what happens the light output can't be any worse than it is.

I'll report back with my findings once the parts come in.

 

To have the leds bulbs work right you have to have load resistors on these trucks right?

 

From my experience I did. I originally had a cheap set of LED bulbs off eBay and without the resistor my fog light switch would turn on my highbeams and the fogs wouldn't come on.

You only need one inline with main harness plug.

 

Maybe with the Projectors you need resistors. The Katanas (bulb replacement) never needed resistors. First set had a box (driver) on the middle of the wiring from bulb to plug prong. Second set just has a wire with plug. Looks like they have another fanless bulb that has no wiring. Its designed like a traditional bulb with prongs on the back.

 

Crappy pics, my phone's camera is horrible. I'll try and get better ones later. Overall extremely happy with this product. Looks good in the housing, the light output is fantastic and the cutoff is crisp. I have to adjust a bit yet but this was the best $60 I could have spent on headlights.

 

Excellent. Would love to see it on a wall or garage door while you're parked 10ft away to understand the cutoff.

Oh, and would love a list of the part numbers and/or links to Amazon for the products you used. I know your housings won't work for trucks like mine w/the extra DRLs, but would love to see links to the light housings, the projectors and anything else required to make this swap a reality. I suspect many current and future and non-forum members will be following in your footsteps. The outlput looks great, and I see part of the cutoff against the woodstock but not much.

I guess the bigger tale may be whether those housings ever end up w/water fog and if the projectors last more than a year or two.

 

I'll be finding a wall later tonight to do the adjustment and get a true cutoff pic. Stay tuned for that as well as part numbers and links. I'm familiar with the design differences between the 1st gen and gen 1.5 so I can post up links to both sets of headlight housings.

As far as moisture I've had these headlights in my truck for approx 1.5 years. I've been in snow sleet rain and hail as well as temps all oflver the board and I've never had a drop of moisture in them. We shall see how long the LEDs last, I'll keep everyone posted on that as well.

 

For those of us with a 2000-2004 AC or RLB without DRLs-

$116 AKKON - For [Black] 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Toyota Tundra Regular | Access Cab Headlights w/Corner Lights Pair

https://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Tundr...33------------&vehicleName=2004+Toyota+Tundra

For those of you with 2004-2006 DC with DRLs-

$96 ACANII - For 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra Double | Crew Cab 2007 Sequoia Black Headlights w/Corner Lamps Driver + Passenger

https://www.amazon.com/ACANII-2005-...33------------&vehicleName=2005+Toyota+Tundra

The LED projectors used- https://www.amazon.com/Headlight-Bu...ywords=h4+led+projector&qid=1598638593&sr=8-8

 

Interesting. Acanii doesn't sell anything for 05-06 Access Cab on Amazon. Huh. That sucks.

My only concern about that projector is the lack of active cooling. My experience on Amazon these days is, if the name of the company is all-caps and something you've never heard of, your product rarely lasts more than 12-18 months. They sell the crap out of a cheap product, then disappear by the time it dies, opening another shop with another all-caps name.

If you google the company name followed by what they're selling (like .... 'PHELENSEYE LIGHTING') if all you see in the results is Amazon and Alibaba storefronts, then they're usually selling garbage. Sometimes Resellerratings.com will have reviews or at least the incorporated date - PHELENSEYE has an entry there, no reviews, and they've been around for a year or less.

Seems we have a lot more projector choices on Amazon this year for H4 9003 projectors, virtually all w/passive cooling except this one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086L1YD12

But again, fly-by-night company. That's a chunk of money for something that probably won't last much more than a year, I guess.

Will be very curious to hear your experience.

 

It's been almost a month with the headlight setup. I really love the light output and the crisp white color. Cutoff is great, after some slight adjustment I havnt had another person flash me.

 

I put some Amazon cheapos on my truck. Great flood with a sharp cutoff on low. Probably a little too bright on low but...

Anyways. High beams are pretty trash. The pattern is weird and hard to describe. Looks like someone put birdshot onto a target and stuck a light through it. Not very “flood” esque.
I have no issues just driving with lows though.

 

Thank you! I'm having the same issue on my 03.
So to be clear I need the resistor inline with one headlight plug or one fog light plug?

 

I had the same problem. This is what I used with good results. The build quality is good. I think any of these products would work though.

Xprite H4/9003 LED Canbus Decoder Anti Ficker Harness Error Free Resistor Capacitor for LED Headlight Bulbs, Pack of 2

$23 Xprite H4/9003 LED Canbus Decoder Anti Ficker Harness Error Free Resistor Capacitor for LED Headlight Bulbs, Pack of 2

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SGCHF5B

I installed both in line with the headlights but I've read that only one would work. I forget if it was right or left side.

 

Got these auxbeam resistors from scamazon yesterday night. Installed this morning.
I tried one and then both of these and it didn't work. I sent them back this afternoon.

I'll give the ones you said a try.

 

Ive got one I can ship you but it’ll be a few days before I can get it on the way.

I bought a pair and didn’t need them but would like to hang on to one.

 

Thanks.
If the ones @G_unit3000 recommended don't work I'll let you know. They should be here Wednesday.

 

I have the exact ones @G_unit3000 suggested, you should be good.

 

I found that I have to use them on both sides on my truck, one wasn't sufficient. Without the second one (on the driver's side) that bulb would flicker between low and high beam when the fog lights were on. Weird.

 

They worked flawlessly. Thanks everyone.