OEM LED or Aftermarket?

Morimoto seemed like the new hotness, but this thread is overwhelmingly in favor of OEM. Why is that? Is it simply price? (not insignificant as the Morimotos are double OEM, and still require full housing replacement should a bulb go bad)

 

OEM + harness @iHacker

 

Here’s another vote for the OEM Pros and iHacker harness:

 

OEM + iHacker harness on my 2015.

 

I’m going to purchase the OEM LED lights. Currently have the plain halogens with the amber DRL.

I was going to get them through Headlight Revolution but their pricing on the lights seems high. Any difference between the lights if I buy them from Sparks Parts or Headlight Revolution? Or does HR simply mark them up $100?

Also, any difference functionality wise between the $14 HR harness and the $120 iHacker harness? They seem to do the same thing but I can’t figure out the huge price differential.

 

I'm in the minority, I wasn't impressed with OEM LED low beam output (after retrofitting a couple of other Toyota's with G5-R HID projectors). I thought they were hot spotty and scattered and lacked a clean cut off, all characteristics of the design I know. High beams were amazing but I had offroad lights for that. I would have gotten Morimoto XB's if my truck didn't come with the OEM LEDs for their better low beam performance. They don't look cheesy IMO either.

 

What options do you have? I have the 2021 Platinum OEM LED. I noticed the satin black on the 1794 and the mat black on the PRO's. Are the 3 very similar in function, but it is just the blacked out areas that make the difference?

 

Pro headlights with iHacker harness and Toyota blacked out led fogs. Very happy with it all.

 

Can you post the link to the $14 harness? I think you may be looking at only a small ‘section’ of the full harness.
I payed about $120 for my harness from Headlight Revolution. And of that $120ish, $15 of it went towards a ‘section’ of the harness to run DRL’s.

 

Yeah I agree. The cut off is pretty “meh” on the OEM LED’s.
I don’t mind the low beam brightness though, but I came from stock halogens so maybe my opinion isn’t worth much…

 

Mine are Morimoto headlights and fogs, so I went aftermarket. I'm not sure about your statement regarding the satin black on the 1794 as I have a 2017 1794 and these came with chrome halogen housing with the DRL LED strip along the bottom of the headlights. The TRD Pro's were the only ones I'm aware of that come standard with any kind of black housing and I do believe in 2019 was where they changed to LEDs but don't quote me on that.

 

I noticed a 2021 1794 that had the satin black headlights but not Pros. I guess it is an option for the 2020/21 1794

 

Have you been happy with the Morimotos?

 

I see what you mean. Yeah, it seems they changed out the style on the late model years.

Technically, I've had them since Nov 2019 but had them replaced due to an accident sometime in mid 2020. Haven't had any issues with them and they do come with the leveling motors. I love the cutoffs that the LED provides and the hotspot from the high beams.

No condensation issues, that I can tell. When I inspected the headlights, I could see the noticeable quality difference compared to most aftermarkets, for what it's worth.

The only negatives I would give them is the price. I know they sell for around 1,200 to 1,300 online and the only reason I bought mine was because I got them under a grand through a sale from when they first released.

In my opinion, they're just about the only option I'd go with if you're gonna go aftermarket unless you decide on a custom retrofit from a reputable source.

 

So I have the standard halogen lights without an LED DRLs. Just the amber DRL.

The HR website is confusing to me. If you are on the page for the OEM LED headlights, there’s a drop down menu to add the harness for an additional $14. My logic tells me that the harness I need is only $14.
https://www.headlightrevolution.com...t-upgrade-kit-TundraLED-Housings_2?quantity=1

However, they have separate page for just the harnesses if you purchased the headlights somewhere else. It lists the harness for my truck at $114.
https://www.headlightrevolution.com...conversion-2009-2018-H-TUNDRALED_2?quantity=1

Why is it only $14 to add the harness if I buy the headlights from them but $114 if I buy just the harness? Is the $100 difference in the harness price part of the markup they put on the headlights? Because they sell the headlight pair for over $700 when you can get them for $100 less at other places.

 

You need the $114 both harnesses are needed. Ask me how I know

 

So I just chatted with HR and they said I just need to buy the headlights and select the +$14 DRL HARNESS (FOR TRUCKS W/O OEM LED DRL) and I’ll be set. Is that true or do I need to buy the separate $114 harness as well?

 

From my memory, they have two separate listings, one is $114 total and comes with both harnesses I believe, and then another listing that lets you buy the harnesses separately or together, one is $100 and one is $14, totaling $114. There are two harnesses needed for trucks that do not come with OEM LED DRLs.

But what may be helpful to you is to reach out to @iHacker and see what he can do for you. He builds harnesses and has more options than the HR set up.

 

I've been happy with my morimoto. I got scratch and dents for ~800. I had morimoto retrofit in my last vehicle which is why I went with that. Would consider oem led with ihacker if I did it again.

 

So I just updated my headlights from the old halogen’s without the LED DRL to the newest OEM LED’s. I bought my headlights off of craigslist, so i cant speak to buying the actual headlights from headlight Revolution.

What I do know is that the harness you need to convert from the old halogen headlights without the LED strip is a two piece harness. The first piece is a harness that helps convert the trucks original headlight connectors to the upgraded LED housing. However, because the old halogen headlights use the turn signal as the DRL, there is nothing to power the new LED DRL. So that is where the second piece of the harness comes into play (the cheaper portion), you connect that second harness into the fuze box where you tap into a “ignition on” fuze that allows you to power the new LED DRL’s. Attached below is my receipt from what I needed to do the same exact conversion.





So maybe what is happening in the price confusion from Headlight Revolution- are they including that first piece (the $100 piece) of the harness with the purchase of the OEM LED headlights? And then you have to buy the second piece separate?

 

+ 3,427 for the OEM...my most useful and utilized upgrade tbh

 

Thanks for that detailed explanation! Super helpful. Do your LED DRLs dim when the headlights come on or are they 100% power all the time?

 

Of course.

They are 100% all the time. Which I honestly like, it looks cooler in my opinion…

 

Agreed

 

Just replaced my halogen headlights with the TRD Pro headlights, and use Headlight Revolution wiring harness. 1 hour total to remove old headlights , and install new new ones. OEM is the way to go!!!

 

For those of you with the OEM lights, how do you get the turn signal to stay on as a DRL in addition to the LED strip? I think you just don’t re-pin the turn signal wire harness like the Headlight Revolution video shows. I like the look of the LED strip and the amber turn signal as well.

 

I didn't have to do anything. I actually had to cut a wire under my dash to make the Amber drl go away.