Just wanted to put up a post for a recent tweak I did. I read a post on 4x4 wire about spraying the taillight divider with a silver spray-paint to help with light refraction out the lenses. I was somewhat surprised but I found that VHT make a chrome spray-paint. It looks to have metal flake in it so I decided to give it a try. Short version: WOW!!!!

When all was said & done, my light housing looked like I just got it back from the chromer. Best guess is my reverse lights are 4-5 times brighter.

Most of you probably done this so no use beating a dead horse... I was just kinda surprised at how much of a difference it made

 

OK, I'll do the obligatory

 

Hum... hadn't heard of that. Good idea! I'll have to do it on my left rear as its half full of mud and is half as bright as the on on the right . I'll try it out when I get my new tails.

 

4crawler has a write-up with pics on his site. but he didn't use the VHT stuff that cerberus is referring {I don't think anyway}.

 

Cool. I'm going to be adding some cheap walmart driving lights under the rear bumper Thursday. I might look into doing that too. Where'd you get the paint from? I'll post pics when I'm done.

 

I used the metal tape that looks like chrome though out my tails last year. good god there was a true Night and day difference! it was alot cleaner to work with and no over spray.
David

 

For you '96 - '00 4Runner owners out there, try to replace the stock 21W OEM backup bulbs with PIAA or Raybrig's 27W high-output bulbs (they are navy blue when off). For you '01 - 02 4Runner owners out there, you have to stick w/ 18W backup bulbs but at least get a Polarg high-output type.

But I agree that with a well-designed (or in this case well-painted) reflector, light output can be intensified a few folds theoretically.

Yet another way is to get the TYC tail lights (see my other post titled TYC Black Tail Light ...) which reflectors are substantially more powerful than any OEM tail lights from '96 - '02.

 

do they really make a big difference? where can you buy these?

 

Sorry, I forgot the pics....this was one of those 2AM insomnia posts. I'll get some up-loaded when I get home today. The paint brand I used is VHT Brilliant metalic paint(got it at a local parts store, cost about $8.00 it's called Chrome plus P/N = SP-525-1) All I did was pull the tail light assy. remove the divider (painted it seperatly) leave the bulbs in and go to town. After about 3 coats, All was done except for clean up. Just replace the bulbs, Had a few bad ones anyway, sprayed a little brake-clean on a shop rag and wiped down the outside edges. You can't even tell I sprayed them.

 

I won't say a *big* difference cos' we are talking precisely 6W difference here (but also consider the fact that PIAA & Raybrig & Polarg navy blue bulbs are high output in nature to begin with). Baseline is that I believe you can tell the difference.

Let's see how fast I can finish up my Hilux Surf page and how fast I can list these for sale. For the time being, nextcollection.com is a good place to shop for auto bulbs.

Edward

 

OK... Just got home & I am now posting the pics. The camera doesn't do it justice but here ya go

 

Let's try this again....

 

number 2. Hey how do you get the pictures inline with the text?

 

I did a side-by-side visual comparison between the 21W Polarg backup bulb and the 27W PIAA backup bulb. The difference is not day-and-night but definitely noticeable. The PIAA generates visible glare while the Polarg doesn't. I guess that's the 7W difference.

I took a pic. of them side-by-side but it doesn't reproduce the glare which I mentioned above. So I ain't posting it unless you guys want me to.


Edward