Are these OEM headlights?

Greetings all,

I am not quite satisfied with the original headlights, so I had been searching for options, see infra. While looking at the different pictures, it seems to me that my headlights are rather different – see pictures. Can anyone confirm that these are the OEM headlights? Or is the perceived difference in that my headlights need to be resurfaced?

The modification options are well summarized in the thread https://www.tundras.com/threads/best-1st-gen-headlight-solution.122680/#post-3145307, post #3.

Re option 1, I have reviewed the thread linked the above post, but is it noe clear how to install the harness. Is there a thread that would explain this better, perhaps with pictures?

Re options 3 and 4, which of the aftermarket CAPA-certified housings would your recommend, e.g., Depo, EagleEyes, TYC, etc., if there is a difference? Ditto the supplier/vendor, I do not want to risk a fake Amazon item.

Kindest regards,

M

 

Those look like OEM
Sitting in the sun over the years, the sun fades the clear coat on the lens

You can polish them with the auto zone headlight kits and then use automotive clear over them and they will last a long time. If you polish them, you will get about a year before they yellow again. If you put automotive clear over it you will get 5-8 years.

 

Hi @badass03taco,

thank you for your reply.

I actually have a polishing kit, but I was wondering if it would be worth it on an aftermarket housing.

Any automotive clear recommendation?

Kindest regards,

M

 

Once you polish the lenses, you will be repeating the process once every 2-3 years most likely. Note that you may run into what others and myself did, where you polish your lenses only to find they have very fine cracks hidden under the haze, which are refracting light everywhere, so you wasted your time and money polishing a cracked lens.

What you’ll pay for a GOOD kit like Cerakote is, like, half of almost the entirety what you’d pay for a new and new CAPA certified housing for some models. And everyone has their brand preference, I used DEPO, I’ve used TYC, and I’ve used Eagle Eyes, I would personally buy based on whether that brand has both a left CAPA and a right CAPA specifically for your cab type.

To that point: Be very careful! Make sure you read RockAuto’s notes for cab type. You need the Double Cab (sometimes they call it “Crew Cab”) headlight housings. Regular/Standard cab and Access/Extended cab housings won’t work for your truck.

 

When applied correctly per instructions - Cerakote can last years - it has on my 15 sequndra (does make me Really appreciate the Glass lens on my 3rd gen 4runner though).

The third step is THE most Critical to do correctly. Also note steps 1 and 2 ask to do circular on one step and side to side on next step while step 3 says to OVERLAP 50% side to side only and Never attempt to re-cover an area - it will lead to Instant disaster - ask me how I know.

Despite all this - I would not use any other product. Oh and you should really try their other products like their Trim Coat - lasts thru many many car washes as if you just put it on and Cheap too.

$17 CERAKOTE® Ceramic Trim Coat Kit - Quick Plastic Trim Restorer - Ceramic Coating Guaranteed Restoration to Last Over 200 Washes – A Ceramic Coating, Not a Dressing

Amazon.com: CERAKOTE® Ceramic Trim Coat Kit - Quick Plastic Trim Restorer - Ceramic Coating Guaranteed Restoration to Last Over 200 Washes – A Ceramic Coating, Not a Dressing : Automotive

 

Find an automotive paint store, they sell clear in a can. The better types have an activator in the bottom of the can, this makes it a one-time-use-only so you would typically want to pull the headlights out and tape them up, or tape everything up real good on the truck and polish them, clean them, and then apply the clear coat just as if you would be doing over paint.

The clear coat on the lens is what protects the actual plastic from turning colors.
The clear coat turns colors over time
The clear coat breaks down and allows sunlight to discolor the plastic lens
If you get it early enough and polish the headlights you are typically removing the clearcoat AND polishing the plastic. This causes the sun to bake the plastic lens quicker and you will get about a year out of the first polishing, and then 8 months out of the second polishing, and 6 months out of the third polishing and then the next time you polish you will realize the plastic is yellowed thru the inside and even though you polish the outside, the lens is still yellow thru and thru.

If you polish them and clear coat them with automotive clear in a can you will seal them up and get 5-8 years out of them easy.
If you wanna buy new ones, just buy new ones. Its your call really.

https://www.google.com/search?q=automotive+clear+in+a+can

 

Hi @Shifty,

thank you for your reply.

Without trying to be argumentative, based on all the videos on clearing the lenses, the time between polishing seems to vary. Perhaps it is a result of a cleaning kit, post-cleaning, i.e., applying sealant, PPF, VViViD film, etc.

As to the brand, I was wondering it there is a quality difference, and based on your reply, it does not seem to be one.

Hi @Johnsonman,

thank you for your reply, and a recommendation of a kit. As noted in my O.P., I have a kit that my friend successfully used.

Hi @badass03taco,

thank you for your reply.

Yes, that was, what I gathered from the different videos. Based on all the foregoing, it is the post-cleaning step, i.e., sealing, that is important.

I think that I will try it. Even if I discover that I have cracks, at least I attempt to learn something.

Kindest regards,

M

 

No marked difference at that level, at least.

Videos will tell you anything, they don't care if you agree with their opinion, they just need you to feel good about watching, to the point you share. Almost all videos are monetized toward the creators, so it's important to expect a fair amount of bias, their goal is to show you something, and make you feel good, either about your viewpoint/choice, or good about DIY'ing it.

I think the biggest things to consider with polishing:

• Potential paint damage, in the sanding process, even if you tape the painted areas around the perimeter of the lens, it's extremely easy to accidentally sand into, or even straight thru the paint, exposing bare metal. While you may think, "nah, won't happen to me, I'll tape twice!", but you're wet-sanding, and even the best painters tapes will come loose with water.
  
• Longevity-wise, you could get 6 months, which is what my in-laws in Miami got on their CRV that sits in the Florida sun 24/7, or you could get 18ish months, which I did with my garage-kept truck; a lot depends on the kit used, how anal-retentive you are, and to a degree, your luck.
• Time vs. money - Cerakote is one of the best kits and I usually see them for $16-25 depending where you buy and the process will take at least 2-4 hours if you take your time and do things right. Sometimes you can get housings almost always fully pre-populated with good quality OSRAM bulbs, for $35-45/ea and install them in 15 minutes, plus you get all new bulbs, and no risk of paint damage - you basically get a full refresh and shouldn't need to touch anything for at least 8-10 years.
• Potential preexisting lens damage, At this age, with the road impacts, weather cycles, and stresses, there's a chance you

I believe the real winner here is simply replacing the old, dated housings so you can capitalize with new housings and all new bulbs.

I took a sec to look up your truck, link: https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...,body+&+lamp+assembly,headlamp+assembly,10762

It looks like your two main options are the Eagle Eyes at the top, and TYC a bit lower down (with the hearts). They have the dropdowns that let you pick CAPA or 'Regular Inventory'. Eagle Eyes are clearly cheaper by about $10. I prefer TYC, but Eagle Eyes is perfectly fine.

But main takeaway: If you do choose to do this, I would recommend carefully inspecting your lenses for hairline cracks like this BEFORE you start - see mine below, which only really became clear after polishing - no polishing will fix that. I knew the larger ones were there, but I couldn't see all the spider-webbing cracks before starting. And if you have none, I would urge you to fully remove the housings and work on them while off the truck so you don't risk any collateral damage to your paint, and you can let the clear dry somewhere indoors, where there's less risk of airborne stuff embedding in the clear.

Oh - and don't drive for 24-48 hours after using the clear, if you can avoid it.

​

 

Hi @Shifty,

thank you for the further helpful details.

Perhaps I should have given more background information to clarify my intent here. As noted in my O.P., albeit after re-reading it, not quite clearly, I intent to replace the original light source, in the headlights by projectors, either LED or HID based, I have been seriously looking at Morimoto D2S 5.0 for the latter. Therefore, I intend to buy different housing to perform the required surgery. As such, the original headlights will be removed and polished, in case the replacement does not go as planned.

Thank you very much for taking your time to steer me towards the correct housings.

Kindest regards,

M