Feature Friday: 6 5th Gen 4Runner Aftermarket Headlight Housings & Retrofits

6 Unique Headlight Options from Complete Housing Replacements to Custom Retrofits for the 5th Gen 4Runner

This Week’s Topic: Aftermarket Headlight Assemblies

Welcome back to another Feature Friday!

As many of us 4Runner owners know, the stock low/high beam halogen headlights from Toyota are mediocre, at best. In fact, some of my most viewed YouTube videos have been about aftermarket headlight housings. I’ve run HID conversions, several LED H11 bulb options for my low beams, and a few different full headlight replacement options from AlphaRex as well.

Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t seen any of those videos, the best performance I achieved what when I swapped out the entire OEM assembly for my AlphaRex Luxx Series headlights.

Now don’t get me wrong, taking thirty minutes to swap out your stock 4Runner bulbs for an LED replacement is still super beneficial, and definitely a lot more budget-friendly than a full headlight replacement. This is typically the route a majority of 4Runner owners will go and still be very satisfied with their purchase. But a full replacement offers so much more.

There are two main benefits to aftermarket full headlight housing replacements. The first benefit is customization, as pictured above in Mike’s 4Runner. These lights feature some crazy anime-inspired BX Built custom headlights, a look that stock housings simply cannot achieve.

Other headlight replacement brands like AlphaRex Pro Series and the Morimoto XB Housings offer an OEM+ look for your 4Runner with upgraded DRLs, bulbs/projectors and sequential turn signals. Having custom headlights will definitely allow your 4Runner to stand out among the crowd. 

The other benefit to a full aftermarket headlight replacement is simply increased light output. When companies are able to work with a full assembly, they are able to use the highest performance replacements possible. These replacements just aren’t just some Amazon special LED bulbs that they throw into a projector housing either. Rather, they are able to fine-tune full LED assemblies to control the light output, cut-off lines, etc. The result is superior headlight performance that far exceeds what the stock 4Runner housing could achieve with any LED or HID bulb.

Now let’s check out these six killer 4Runners! Enjoy!

1. Kevin Olive (@kgolive) – Kustom54

HEADLIGHT DETAILS

Kustom54 Dual Morimoto MLED Projectors w/ Demon Eyes, Halos & Lens Etching

• Price: $1,400 (All custom work)

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I wanted something unique, personalized, and with dual projectors for maximum light output. The light output is so good, that auxiliary lights aren’t even necessary at night.

Kustom54 has a ton of custom options you can do online as well, so I knew this was the route I wanted to go for my personalized headlights. Kustom54 is quality guaranteed and I’ve had no issues with them thus far. 

2. Alfredo Gonzalez (@slvr_wlf) – AlphaRex

HEADLIGHT DETAILS

AlphaRex Pro Series

• Price: $650
• Smoked housing w/ clear lens
• LED DRL with sequential turn signal
• H7 halogen bulbs for high & low beams
• SAE/DOT Compliant

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I love the DRL strip on these AlphaRex headlights the most. I enjoy being able to run the white LED light as my DRLs, it looks great!

The black housing allows my 4Runner to keep a very nice OEM look without being too flashy. The sequential turn signal is the cherry on the top with the whole OEM+ look. Lastly, the price is unbelievable compared to the other options out there. 

3. Jacob Cutting (@mag4rnr) – TEQ Customs

HEADLIGHT DETAILS

TEQ Customs Hex Halo Headlights

• Price: $1,175

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

For the price, these are comparable to some of the other brands with way more light output. The TEQ headlights feature 2 full-size BX Built quad projectors which put out about 3200 Lux. Those quad projectors make these lights some of the brightest aftermarket headlights on the market. The chips are rated for 50k hours for superior reliability. They have hex halos which are controlled by the Neopixel RGBW system.

These lights are extremely bright and well made! The hex halo is by far my favorite feature of the headlights. I enjoy the full spectrum colors and customization. These headlights can also be customized however you’d like (different halos, pod lights, etc.). Hunter and the guys over at TEQ customs have the best customer service and want to build headlights you will be satisfied with.

4. Will K (@groovyrunner) – Morimoto

HEADLIGHT LIGHTS

Morimoto XB LED

• Price: $1,489
• Amber DRL
• Sequential Turn Signal
• Kuria Optic Bi-LED
• DOT Approved
• 5 Year Warranty

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

It’s a well-known fact that the stock headlights that come on the 4Runner are inadequate. I searched the many options available as a replacement and decided on the Morimoto XB Led headlights.

Initially, I was drawn to these by the amber DRLs. After having them installed and driving over thousands of miles with them, I couldn’t be more pleased with the light output and the clean cut-off lines.

5. Osvaldo Maldonado (@d3v1lsrnr) – 1234 Autoparts

HEADLIGHT DETAILS

• Price $1,200
• Plug & Play 
• Multiple LED Projectors
• Amber DRL + Sequential Turn Signal

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

Let me start by telling you that of all the headlights I’ve owned, these are by far my favorite. They were super simple to install, just plug and play.

The look of these headlights is aggressive and unique. I have had them for about 6-7 months and have had absolutely no issues whatsoever with them. These headlights are definitely hard to find so I am glad that I was able to get my hands on them. 

6. Mike Lara (@ninjafied) – BX Built

HEADLIGHT DETAILS

• Price: $1,200 (All custom work)
• BX Built headlights
• Custom painted Acrylic Akatsuki Clouds w/ Hand Made BX Built Neopixel LED Boards (I’m an Anime Head)
• Custom Etched BX Built B3 V2 projectors w/ Demon Eyes & Sequential Turn Signals.

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I like everything about these headlights from BX Built! The sequential turn signals and all of the color-changing options are simply dope. I like how they’re one of a kind and no other 4Runner has headlights like them. The projectors are also crazy bright as well. Lastly, I love all the custom artwork done by the guys at BX Built, the knocked it out of the park. 

Final Thoughts

What an awesome compilation of 4Runners. Now do you see what I meant when I said customization was one of the perks with a full headlight assembly replacement? If you are in the market for some upgraded headlights, I highly recommend spending that extra cash, if possible, for a complete headlight assembly replacement. You won’t regret it.

If you would like to be considered for next week’s Feature Friday, we will be showcasing QUICKSAND 4RUNNERS.

We want readers to get inspired by a variety of rigs/products. Submit your build for Feature Friday here to get featured. If you would like to submit your build for next week, include your setup details and an awesome photo that shows it off.

Have a great weekend everyone!