Qship96...need your help buddy.

[NightRiderQ45]

Hey long time since I've been logged in. I'm just a lurker these days lol. Anyway, I purchased the Lexus GS300 and it uses 9005 9006 headlights. I remember a long time ago you were pushing the HIR headlights due to same wattage OEM draw but they produce way more lumens and has more life rate hours. Past discussions went in one ear and out the other since I had the FGY33, but now since I have a car that can use the headlights...I want to get more info from you about the lights (if you have first hand experience) and where to purchase. You are basically the only person on this site I remember pumping up these bulbs so I will wait on your reply.

After doing some reading, they stopped making the Toshiba "bubble" version headlight and I think Philips is the only company making them now with a new modern bulb type version. Are you familiar with the new version?

[qship96]

Lucky you if you have a car that takes 9006 low beam and 9005 high beam bulbs, as the HIR 9011 and 9012 are terrific upgrades that provide aprox. a 85% increase in lumens on the low beam bulb, and about a 50% increase on the high beam bulb !!!! In my 96Q, I have been using the HIR in place of the high beam 9005, and it has been almost 3 years since installation and all still working great! Our highlander has had the low beam 9006 bulbs swapped with the HIR and also still working great after 3 years on the original bulbs!


Toshiba did stop producing these, and sold the patents to Philips- the bulbs are no longer bubble shaped, but more conventional looking, but are said to produce the same huge gains in output over the stock 9005 & 9006 bulbs. Some places may still have old stock toshiba bulbs, but not sure it is worth tracking down over the newer philips models. two highly recommended places I do business with that stock these bulbs are Candlepower Inc.in Rockville, Md- ask to speak with Kenny, who is very knowledgeable {google for their website} or http://www.rallylights.com , out of Pennsylvania {ask for Ray if you want good technical info, he recently built me a custom made heavy duty headlight harness that could power an arc welder, and knows his stuff} holler back if you need more help!

[NightRiderQ45]

thanks for the detailed response. i'm going to buy one bulb per pay check lol. i saw that they need some modification to bulb for them to fit (something to the nature of shaving)????

[qship96]

Simple filing or trimming the plastic nub, takes less than 1 minute per bulb using a Dremel mototool or even a toenail clipper, and the area needing removal is marked in white paint!