What’s with the new headlights?

LED, halogen or Xeon? Not thrilled with the output on the Frontier headlights from the factory the lows with the fog light on seem brighter than the high beams but the high beam cover more area just not that well lit.

I see options some with extra wiring some direct fit?

What you guys running if you changed them

A lot of new cars run LEDs, and a lot also use the same light for high and low beam; there's just a big flapper that blocks the top half of the beam for low beams. (You can hear it flapping when you switch between highs and lows). They generally all suck.

My first thought, though, is to make sure they're aimed properly. Park in front of a wall, 25 feet away. There's a little dot on the headlight lens, measure how high that dot is, and mark that height on the wall. The top of your light pattern should be at that measurement.

Aiming dot example.

Thanks

My daughter had a suburu something, I don't know what headlights were in that thing but you put them on and you thought aliens were landing....

I swapped the headlights on my 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sport to LEDs with the flapper. The are noticeably brighter than the OEMs, probably 25% at least. Very happy with the change. Took about 45 minutes to make the swap. Make sure the replacements meet DOT specs and your state's requirements.

When i bought my '20 tacoma it was hard to find the configuration I wanted with LED headlights but I held out for it. On a rainy night when there's a lot of close signs like in a construction zone, even the low beams create enough glare to bother my eyes. But most of the time, I love them. I can see very well.

I've heard you need to be careful about puttting an LED bulb in a reflector intended to incandecents. The light comes off the LED at different angles and even if creates more light it might be aimed so poorly by the reflector that its less usable. But I recently put LED bulbs in my ATV's headlights, which came with incandecent, and they are much brighter. So I don't know how big of an issue that is.

I switched to LED bulbs in my Tacoma, not so much for better light as because I was tired of replacing bulbs twice a year. I got the ones with the little fans on the back and they are supposed to last 50,000 hours. I don't know about that but they are good lights and no issues with them burning out yet. And only about 35 bucks for the pair. They do cause some interference with the CB and AM radio, but not nearly as bad as the cheap Chinese lightbars. Thing about the LEDs is that if the get too hot as they run, the lose lumens as they heat up so they get dimmer. Thus the ones with a fan are as bright an hour into your drive as when you first turn them on. On the other hand I've talked to a couple guys with new Tundras that came with LEDs and they are the good ones that don't create heat. They are not good for driving in snow, because they are so cool that the snow sticks to the lens and covers it up and you keep having to pull over and clean them off.

I find it ridiculous that I can buy headlights for my old 89 for half again as much as the cheapest bulbs for my new rigs. And they will last a decade or two, and it is the whole light, glass lens and all. They never craze over and almost never burn out. And are better lights than most of the new halogens.

I made a post the other day about is the new tech we have today really any better or is it just planned obsolescence.

I truly hate them when driving in opposing traffic at night! Really blinds you.

I need something in the middle then I feel like Goldie Locks here. LOL

Love the LED on my car for 95% of my driving. However I’ve noticed the led doesn’t seem to “penetrate” fog and haze like halogen bulbs do. I’ve noticed the same on my tractors with dust.

…. My wife’s 4 runner has them …. I worry about her…everyone thinks she ridin with brights on

That problem was almost completely eliminated in my tacoma after I lifted it. The rear was raised a little more than the front, so the headlights are aimed slightly more downward. I still see great and I don't get people flashing me all the time.

Pair of NEW Wagner Headlights FREE if anyone interested ?