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headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:33 pm
by jonossiksilvia
currently i had standard headlights in my ln130 surf and they are crap

has anyone made these type work any better (brightness) or is there any aftermarket lenses available that make a huge difference?
cheers
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:36 pm
by Drurban
You can get an HID kit so long as you have the lens that can take replacement bulbs, this is one option.
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:39 pm
by jonossiksilvia
yeah can change bulbs in mine.
hid not an option unless i change lense that suits hid (illegal without doing this)
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:05 pm
by tweake
check what bulbs it has in it.
fit brighter bulbs but just watch the wattage. i think the plugs tend to melt with high wattage bulbs. i would have to check but i think the surfs may run relays on the light circuit. otherwise they run them direct through the light switch which will burn out quicker with big bulbs.
otherwise just get spotlights, or dual beams spotties.
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:11 pm
by pressy
find out what bulbs, then go down and see brent at canterbury auto in waterloo road, hornby end.
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:14 pm
by evolution02
What you need to fit is a headlight relay wiring kit and Hella 100/90 watt bulbs
Most auto electrical shops will be able to sort these or I can supply if you like
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:16 pm
by williamhamilton
We have some Narva +120% in stock, I stuck them in my car recently but silly thing is that I have yet to go for a night time drive

From a try in the driveway perspective the light is much whiter and cleaner light.
Give your lights a good polish too that will help

W
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:24 pm
by jonossiksilvia
cheers all.
i'm getting some hid floods latter on down track to mount on bull bar.
do the surfs not run relays on the headlights? (dont live with truck)
if not i will setup relay circuit. what would be the max safe wattage i could run in the headlights?
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:34 pm
by IcedJohnno
I'm not running a surf (KZJ Prado) however I fitted 130/90 bulbs with no issues about 9 years ago. Same bulbs still going strong today. I guess they have relays!
I have heard that there are better reflector / lenses available and I do know of another similar Prado with an HID kit in his headlights. He reckons you cant tell the difference from another vehicle and has never been picked up during a WOF. Better lights though.
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:55 pm
by Crash bandicoot
you can fit the following to it, I fitted these exact lights grill(and the trim under the lights) into my LN56 with a surf bonnet to clear the Rb30

come to think of it, you could probably face lift the whole front end it you wanted to
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 9:22 pm
by tweake
i just had a look through some of the wiring diagrams. looks like the surfs run relay's. must be the hilux that doesn't.
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 10:09 pm
by falcon5nz
I like light. I have an RN85 that when I got it the headlights were shit. It now has
SCA Eclipse II lights on th headache bar, and
SCA Shift Driving lights as work/reverse lights.
Along with the PRS and CB aerials they make my truck pretty inconspicuous!!

I would have more lights but the alternator doesn't want me to!
But the best mod I made was a relay harness. It is identical in layout to
this one. Now it cost me either $40 or $140 from Auto Electric City in Blenhiem and is worth every cent. So much brighter. A good rule of thumb I heard was 10% of voltage drop equals 30% light output lost. I think I had 10v-11v at the lights before fitting the relay kit. And +50% bulbs helped. (+90% next time I think) I have made the modification shown in that site to have the dip beams stay on when the high beams are on and love it. There is no changeover delay, the highs just come on and drop off. Gives a better spread of light as well.
The Eclipses give me pretty much 180 deg illumination. Doesn't feel quiet so claustrophobic. Here is a
Here is a good article on relaying headlights and testing to see if it is necessary.
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 2:09 pm
by KIWI_TERRANO
Could run kzn130 lights and grill but expensive
Go to braxton lights get some crystal semi sealed lights and i asked for biggest watt bulbs is what i had in my old hilux (03)
My hilux i just brought has upgraded loom and relays with same bulbs and there awesome but still want to put crystal lense in
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 5:53 pm
by jonossiksilvia
awesome cheers guys will do some tests and go from there.
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 6:38 pm
by skidmark
williamhamilton wrote:We have some Narva +120% in stock, I stuck them in my car recently but silly thing is that I have yet to go for a night time drive

From a try in the driveway perspective the light is much whiter and cleaner light.
Give your lights a good polish too that will help

W
for a simple plug and play go with the narva plus 120's... got them in my 185 surf and it was a impprovement. with the higher wattage bulbs they get hot and will melt head light plugs..I could be mistaken but usally with toyotas the has a head light relay to feed the common pin on bulbs then earthed through the switch,so still has current going through switch.
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 8:07 pm
by T-Boon
my 94 facelift VZN130 lights are pretty good? Maybe just get some good condition clean new/second hand ones? then new bulbs if they're not enough?
Re: headlight upgrades
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 9:22 pm
by Heath
I thought all toyotas suffered from under sized wiring and thats why the headlights traditionally had a yellowish glow as they arent getting the full 12v (more like 11v). In my old hilux I upgraded the wires and it made a large difference. Setting up relays and heavy gauge wire would be even better, not to mention setting up a later upgrade to HID or whatever.