Anyone get a map light set out of an SR5 truck/runner and install it in a truck/runner that didn't come with one? I just got one out of an '86 runner to put in my '88 XtraCab. But there isn't any attachment bracket in my '88 to mount it to. I am heading back to the donor runner tomorrow night to see if the mounting bracket is removable but until then....
Thoughts?

On my '85, the map light and rear view mirror share the same mounting screws. Not sure what the plain rear mirror mounting looks like, though.

Hey roger, i cant seem to find your interior lighting LED upgrade on your site anymore.. .where is it hiding? (what size LED should i order?)

Greg

On my plain jane XtraCab the mirror/light combo mounts via three screws.
On the 4Runner that I am getting the map light from it appears to be the same arrangement with the map light mounting aft of the mirror/light combo, via another three screws. I am hoping that what the map light mounts to is a bracket that is removable. I'll know tomorrow evening when I next visit the carcass.

Hadn't had a separate page for that (only some photos), but added one:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/LEDs/index.html

Roger, what led you to use that instead of something, say, from www.superbrightleds.com, and just pop it into the bulb retainer? Is it brighter?

At the time, SuperBright only had regular LEDs for the festoon bulbs, especially in the short 30mm length. The 1 watt Luxeon LED puts out a lot more light.

I see.
I'm gonna give Superbright a try, they have some high power festoon LEDs now, we'll see how they go.

I put one of the 6 LED high power festoon bulbs (40mm) in my VW and it is very bright, pretty close to the Luxeon output. The 30mm bulb only has 2 LEDs so will probably be proportionally dimmer, probably someplace between a 3W and 10W incandescent bulb (stock is 10W in the dome and 3W in the door).

In my VW, the LED really was an improvement as the stock setup just has the bulb shoved up into a hole in the head liner and there is no reflector at all, so 90% of the light ends up above the headliner. The Toyota dome light has an attempt at a reflector but it is not very good. The Luxeon and high power SBL LEDs have an internal reflector/lens and scatter light out in a 180 degree pattern, so put all the light down and out with none wasted.

I did an an illumination comparison between the 2 LED high power 31mm festoon bulb and the 1 watt Luxeon LED module tonight. The 2 LED module put out about 90 lux and the 1 watt Luxeon did about 180 lux, both measured about 6" from the LED.

The Luxeon unit seems to throw light a lot farther and it has a 180 degree pattern and is bright enough that it leaves spots in your eye if you look directly at it up close. The 2 LED unit has a slightly narrower beam with a 120 degree light pattern. I guess for the price, the 2 LED unit (~$7) gives you more light for the money than the Luxeon unit (~$30), but the Luxeon puts out more light overall.

Nice thing with either unit is you could leave them running full time and not drain your battery. I was talking to George (from TaskLED) and he has the Luxeons in his FJ-80, both up front and in the cargo area. One time he was on a business trip for about a week and returned to his FJ in the airport parking lot only to find he had mistakingly left the cargo LED on when he had left for the trip. The LED was still going strong when he got back and the engine fired right up with no problems.