Hunter Gill
July 23, 2024
Inside the Creation of TEQ Customs Headlights
Today we wanted to provide a behind the scenes look into how we produce our headlights at TEQ Customs. We operate in a very niche market and we realize that sometimes, it's not entirely clear what exactly we do. So, let's dive in and put a spotlight on our talented staff and the work they put in to produce high end headlights day in and day out. Ultimately, we can't cover every detail or we'd be here for ages, but we'll hit the highlights.
Table of Contents
- Prep Work
- Projectors, Shrouds and Halos
- Final Assembly
- Finishing up the headlights
Let's build a headlight
Step 1...
Every set of TEQ Headlights starts off with a factory style headlight housing. Each set of headlights has to first be opened up. Our team heats up the sealant and pries the lens off. Certain parts are discarded, like old bulb retainers, and others are set aside for the build.
Cut and Paint
Depending on the build, the inside of the headlight may need to be primed and then painted.
If any cutting or modification to the headlight housing is required to install the customers parts, that will be completed before any paint work to ensure the paint is without defects.
Once any cutting is done, the chrome is sanded, the headlight is primed, and then painted.
Projectors, Shrouds and Halos
It's assembly time!
Each set of headlights will get a projector upgrade. We have a few different projector bodies we use for different applications. All have very similar light output - they just fit better in certain applications.
For example, 5th Gen 4Runner headlights are pretty shallow behind the projector, so a shorter projector has to be used to prevent any issues. Other headlights like the 1st Gen Tundra need a projector that comes out a bit farther to provide the shroud clearance.
Add the shrouds and the halos to the projector ....or not!
Shrouds are used on most headlight builds that do not have a factory headlight projector of some kind. The shroud does exactly what the name suggests - shrouds the projector internals from view. This allows for a much cleaner appearance.
While assembling the shrouds, any front and rear halos are added at this time. Rear halos sit in the back of the shroud, while front halos go around the opening of the shroud.
For headlights that have a factory projector, a shroud is typically not able to be used. For these builds, any front halos are added to the trim piece of the light.
Let's install the main projector!
Projectors install a few different ways depending on the headlight. With some headlights, we use an adapter plate and a projector that has a threaded shaft to esentially bolt the projector through the bulb opening. A rubber gasket goes in the opening to prevent any moisture from getting in. The projector is "sandwitched" into the housing, holding it tight. This method is common with 3rd Gen 4Runner, 1st Gen Tacoma, 2nd Gen Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, 1st Gen Tundra, and 1st Gen Sequoia headlights
The second method is used with headlights that have a factory projector. On these headlights, we'll use an adapter bracket to install the headlights. We have quite a few different brackets specific to different headlights. These are common with our 06-09 4th Gen 4Runner, 5th Gen 4Runner, LX470, LX570, GX460, GX470, and 3rd Gen Tacoma Headlights
The final method is to nut and bolt the projector in. This is typically only done in headlights that have very limited space. We use a template to drill out the headlight and put bolts through the back of the inside portion to secure the projector. Any bracket or nut and bolt builds always get lock nuts to prevent anything from rattling loose over time. Our Nissan Xterra and 100 Series Land Cruiser headlights use this method.
During these processes, various amounts of shimming is done to allow the headlight to sit in a proper range of adjustment as well.
Even more light otuput!
On some builds, we have the option to add on a secondary projector (or a light pod!). These projectors can either be high beam only or have both low and high beam function.
At this stage, it's time to install and aim the secondary projectors. The back of the housing is cut at an angle and tested to aim the extra projector in line with the main projector we installed, giving you a seamless look between the multiple headlight beams.
Pods require quite a bit more work, but they're worth it!
Testing and Adjustment
The last thing our builders do before sealing up the lights is testing the projectors, halos, strips, and demon eyes, depending on the build.
Final Assembly
Now that we have all of our parts installed, it's time to seal the headlights back up.
First step is to clean everything up. The inside of the light is wiped down to remove any dust and fingerprints, then the housing is blown out with compressed air.
The next step is to remove the old sealant. After that is scraped out, we lay down new butyl, the headlight sealant, clean the lens and housing out for the last time, and put the lens on.
The lens is clamped all around to apply even pressure and the sealant is heated up. Once the lens is fully seated, the headlight sits for a while to cool and for the sealant to harden.
The last step is replacing the fastners on the lens. These are often screws or clips. On some headlights, we add additional fasteners in areas that would otherwise pull apart during hard use off-road.
Finally, the headlights undergo their final quality checks. Throughout the process our builders take steps to ensure the headlights meet our high standards. The last set of eyes is our quality control manager, who throughly inspects each headlight and ensures everything is up to par.
Plastic wrap is added to the lens to protect it in shipping, and then it's time for your new headlights to be shipped!
Simple Enough? Kinda!
That's a 200 ft overview of what we do. There's so many small steps that our team takes throughout the process that we could write a novel. More simple headlights take anywhere from 4-6 hours of work, while more complicated sets can take upwards of 12 hours of work.
Sound like a long time? It can be. But you can't rush perfection. We're meticlious about every aspect of our headlights, from the appearance to the performance to the adjustment.
We're proud to produce the products we do at the level of quality both our team and customers have come to expect.
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Have Any Questions?
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