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Showing content with the highest reputation on 03/28/2017 in all areas

  1. Hi All, I wasn't able to find a definitive guide to choosing a cargo box for my 2010 RX450h on the web, so I thought I'd outline what works for the RX350 and RX450h 2010-2012 body styles and possibly the 2013-2015 models as well (tbv by someone with that model car). Today, I took my car to a rack store and we tried several different models and the Thule 628 Force L fit and looked the best. If you have the standard roof bars installed, you have to remove a small rubber (EPDM) bulb seal that is installed forward of the cross bars to protect the point where the front to back rails intersect with the roof supports and move the crossbars all the way forward. After removing the seal, reinstall it tightly against the back of the crossbars. Do the same on the rear crossbar and move it all the way to the back. After you've done that, you'll have exactly 48-1/4" of clearance from the FRONT EDGE of the FRONT CROSSBAR to the REAR HATCH DOOR CREASE. This is the critical dimension to determine which boxes you can fit on your vehicle. Note that the fin on the back hatch rotates to stand 90 degrees vertical, meaning straight up, so cases with angled back ends will not help clearance. Based on the following documents linked on 6-Jul-2016, the following boxes will fit your RX model from 2010-2012 and possibly your 2013-2015 (someone please verify): Thule Hatch Clearance PDF: https://cdn3.static-tgdp.com/assetloader.axd?pimid=1680039&id=506801&brand=Thule&market=CA Model Number Model Name Volume Recommended? 634 Sonic M 13 cu. ft / 368 L 50/50 - very high ratings and reliability (4.5 on Amazon.com from 45 reviews), looks small / short on roof 628* Force L 16 cu. ft / 453 L YES! - very high ratings and reliability (4.5 on Amazon.com from 223 reviews), fits roof line perfectly 624 Force M 13 cu. ft / 368 L 50/50 - very high ratings and reliability (4.5 on Amazon.com from 223 reviews), looks small / short on roof 615 Pulse L 16 cu. ft / 453 L YES! - very high ratings and reliability (4.5 on Amazon.com from 83 reviews), fits roof line perfectly 615 Pulse M 14 cu. ft / 396 L YES! - very high ratings and reliability (4.5 on Amazon.com from 83 reviews), looks ok on roof, but not perfect 682 Sidekick 8 cu. ft / 227 L NO - you can afford a Lexus, then you can afford one of the boxes above. Yakima Hatch Clearance PDF: https://yakweb-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/HatchClearance.pdf Model Name Volume Recommended? Showcase 15 15 cu. ft / 425 L Maybe - very new box, only 1 review on Amazon.com, fits roof well Rocketbox Pro 12 12 cu. ft / 340 L Maybe - a bit small and reviews are mixed (4 on Amazon.com from 66 reviews), looks ok on roof but not perfect Rocketbox Pro 11 11 cu. ft / 312 L Yes for skies up to 210cm / 82.5" - reviews are (4.5 on Amazon.com from 29 reviews), looks good on roof Rocketbox Pro 14 14 cu. ft / 396 L YES! - very high ratings and reliability (4.5 on Amazon.com from 99 reviews), close to perfect roof line fit I hope this will act as a guide for all to follow. Please add to this as you see fit. Thanks, -chad HatchClearance.pdf Hatch_Clearance (1).pdf
    1 point
  2. I have tried a few brands of HID bulbs, and i can tell you there is a HUGE difference between the cheap ones and the expensive ones. The cheap bulbs aren't built with the same quality, and don't emit as much light output. They also don't last very long. Many have over-heating issues which can also ruin a headlight if they were to explode or melt the housings. When you increase the kelvin rating on a bulb, you lose output intensity (brightness). Factory HID bulbs are rated at 4300k and they emit the most light out of all the HID bulbs out there. 6000k bulbs produce more of a violet/white color but don't emit as many lumens of output as the 4300k bulbs. The factory Philips 4300k bulbs emit 3200 lumens while the Philips 6000k bulbs only emit 2400 lumens. For comparison, the standard 9005 halogen bulb emits 1700 lumens. When you start getting into cheap HID bulbs, 6000k will bring you into the 1000 lumen range. Your color will be great, but you won't be able to see as much. The Philips 6000k Ultinon bulbs are the BRIGHTEST 6000k in production. And even still, the decrease in intensity is noticeable when driving adjacent to a car with the factory 4300k. And by DRL, i mean "daytime running lights" which is a feature on most Lexus'. During the day, the high beam bulbs are given about half their max voltage (~6V) so they light up (only slightly) so oncoming drivers can see your car more clearly. Then, at night they can be given max voltage (~12V) when you put them in high beam mode. So, if you were to replace the high beam bulbs with another brand, in DRL mode, the color output isn't going to change. At low voltage, NO replacement bulb can produce a white light. Halogen bulbs don't work like that... At low voltage their kelvin readings are very low, as the filaments are merely heating up, like a hot coal. There are a few bulbs that produce a higher kelvin reading at max voltage, but at low voltage they will produce that "rainbow effect" i mentioned before. This means that a different spots inside the bulb, the temperature will be hotter than others, so different spots in the bulb will emit a different color. The core may be orange, the base may be blue, etc etc. Therefore, while ON, the headlight reflector will be composed of many different colors (based on wherever on the bulb it's focal point is) looking like a rainbow. It just doesn't look good... The HIR bulbs emit the same color as the factory halogen bulbs, but when fully warmed up, are MUCH brighter. I have the HIR bulbs in my 400h right now as my DRL/high beams. I had them in my Rx300 as well, and transferred them to this car last year. They're a few years old and they still work perfectly. Their quality is excellent. I don't believe there's a single after-market 9005 series bulb that emits light that's even slightly close to the color of an HID bulb without sacrificing copious amounts of light output. There are halogen bulbs with tinted coatings on the glass which alter the color, but they have a HORRIBLE rainbow effect and the intensity will suffer. The longevity will also suffer with any after-market bulb that costs less than the factory pair. Also beware of the labels on many aftermarket bulbs, they may list them at a certain kelvin scale and claim they produce so many lumens, but they're most likely not correct. these companies aren't forced to follow the same standards that OEM bulb manufacturers do. I've been an active member on hidplanet.com for a few years, and have learned a lot about this stuff. I haven't heard of a single halogen bulb that can produce a color similar to the HID bulbs... :( But, you can try a few different pairs and see if you like any of them. If you're OK with sacrificing brightness, you may find a pair that works for you. But, the only time you'll notice the color difference is when you have your high beams on, and cosmetically I don't think it would be worth the trouble. In high beam mode you will want more brightness than looks... On my headlight retrofits i've tried to avoid the "angel eyes" as i don't really care for them... at least not on a Lexus. I try to keep the "OEM" look and such mods would jeopardize the look. <_< I should also add, you may need to remove the windshield washer fluid funnel to gain access to the back of the passenger side headlight. Just pull it UP out of its clip, and push it aside. I remeber it getting in the way...
    1 point
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