HID upgrade...the right way!

[Mkriebs]

Awesome thread, and great write up.

Is there any way to use the cheap projector kit and somehow change the lens out for a better quality one?

That looks like a fun project too. Thanks for showin us.

[SLakin]

Originally Posted by Mkriebs

Awesome thread, and great write up.

Is there any way to use the cheap projector kit and somehow change the lens out for a better quality one?

That looks like a fun project too. Thanks for showin us.

Yes the lens is different, but the distance between the xenon capsule and the lens is also different when comparing the same distance on a halogen projector setup.

[D-BoB'91]

Originally Posted by Mkriebs

Awesome thread, and great write up.

Is there any way to use the cheap projector kit and somehow change the lens out for a better quality one?

That looks like a fun project too. Thanks for showin us.

Thanks and like SLakin said, it's more than just the lens that needs to be swapped...the HID projectors are designed to work as a WHOLE unit.

[Mkriebs]

Ok, I see. Thanks for the help, too bad I don't have the funds to undertake a project like this as of now.

[fer79]

great job, nice...

[mikemjohnson]

hey, kits are on sale, 150 bucks from me, preferred FSC vendor, so you can start the project with a good price/high quality kit, check the link in my sig for the 150 sale thread!

Dbob thats definitely one of the better retrofits ive seen in my time in the HID industry, good work man, id pay well for a retrofit from you - interested?

[SLakin]

Originally Posted by mikemjohnson

hey, kits are on sale, 150 bucks from me, preferred FSC vendor, so you can start the project with a good price/high quality kit, check the link in my sig for the 150 sale thread!

Dbob thats definitely one of the better retrofits ive seen in my time in the HID industry, good work man, id pay well for a retrofit from you - interested?

Don't post this in this thread. This thread was started to show people not to buy those Plug N Play kits. All those kits are the same cheap crap...
I'll wait for D-Bob to see this.

I think it's funny that you sell that $hit and still don't even understand

[mikemjohnson]

Originally Posted by SLakin

I think it's funny that you sell that $hit and still don't even understand

i think its funny that you think i dont understand. Those phillips kits and mccullough hid kits are not any better. i had a customer who owns a mccullough kit buy one from me and the first thing he said was that my kit was of better quality all around. when you buy phillips or mccullough you are literally paying for the brand name, they're not any better.
and you make it sound like bob is my dad coming home after i did something bad, like mom said, "wait until bob sees this, you're in for it mister"
dont bother replying to this message either Slankin, otherwise you'd be thread jacking by starting a dispute

im gonna PM you Dbob i have a few questions for you!

[SLakin]

Originally Posted by mikemjohnson

i think its funny that you think i dont understand. Those phillips kits and mccullough hid kits are not any better.

No $hit! That's what I said. OE stuff is what this thread is about, not Chinese knockoffs.

Originally Posted by mikemjohnson

dont bother replying to this message either Slankin, otherwise you'd be thread jacking by starting a dispute

OK, but who is Slankin? And will he be under arrest for thread jacking?

[D-BoB'91]

Boy I didn't even get a chance to respond...I was in the process of doing so when this broke out apparently.
Let's not start this crap here, there are plenty of others out there that are already ruined because of it. Sorry to say SLakin, but some people will NEVER understand, we should know that by now. And yes mikemjohnson I AM YOUR DADDY... , but please don't post your stuff for sale in my thread. I started this thread to show people how to enjoy the benefits of TRUE HID. I'm sure you and everyone else enjoy your kits, but given the title of this thread you have to assume that for someone to read the title and still click on it and read through the entire thing that they are interested in doing it the right way, not with a kit. If they wanted to use a kit I'm sure they know where to find you...in the VENDOR SECTION.

[D-BoB'91]

Well I finally got around to re-doing the mounting system for my headlights and decided to seal them up better while I had them apart. I decided to address the mounting system because the housings suffered from the "aftermarket stick-out", so I trashed all the factory mounts that I had previously modified and made my own from aluminum angle.

Here are the pics of the before pics of the mounting system:






Aftermarket Stick-out:








Here are the results of the new setup:






Much better!

I showed this in another thread regarding this problem, but here it goes again...
The first piece of angle will bolt to the rad. support at the location of the top holes on the OE bracket. Put the flat part on bottom.

Then another piece of angle will bolt to the top two mounting locations on the headlight w/the flat part up.

Then the two flat parts bolt together. I added a small piece on the outer edge for support (you can see it in the picture).
I also added another small piece on the bottom at one of the bottom bolt locations for the OE mount. I placed a spring behind it so I can just screw it in or out for adjustment.






Hope that makes sense...here some pics to help.
*these were borrowed from a guy on a different forum but they are on a chevy...so same difference








And now for the waterproofing...

[D-BoB'91]

The previous setup I had for waterproofing was less than watertight. Trust me...they need to be perfectly sealed to avoid condensation and fog inside the headlight. So here's the previous setup:





Terrible mess!


Parts list for new setup:
Rubber 4" to 3" coupling from plumbing dept.
3" PVC drain fitting w/ screw in cap
Plenty of JB weld and PVC cement

I fit the 4" end of the coupling around the projector and onto the headlight housing. The choice to go with rubber was perfect because it allowed me to form it around the projector alot easier than using hard plastic.
I then fit the 3" drain cap into the 3" end of the reducer. I had to cut a notch in the fitting before I placed it on there in order for the ballast wire to pass through.















Now that this end is all sealed up, it is time to fit it on the headlight. Once it was shoved on there, it was suprising how tight the fit was. I secured it to the housing using JB quick, same formula as JB weld but sets in 5 minutes, then just filled in the gaps with more JB weld. Finally I painted the PVC black and put them on the truck.











Muuuuuch better, there will be no water getting in there!
Plus the cap unscrews if I ever need to replace the bulb!

[SLakin]

You do awesome work! I'm definetly going to steal that idea for when I seal mine up better

[neevnav]

Looks good man. But I'm definately going to start with a projector housing after reading atv_freak's post. But that looks tighter then a seal's arse.

[D-BoB'91]

Originally Posted by neevnav

Looks good man. But I'm definately going to start with a projector housing after reading atv_freak's post..

I thought the same thing after seeing his thread...looks like an easier route to go.

[neevnav]

But every trail needs someone to blaze it, and you definately got a lot of members started down this road.

[atv_freak]

Originally Posted by neevnav

But every trail needs someone to blaze it, and you definately got a lot of members started down this road.

Yes, thanks a bunch starting the HID trend here on FSC. I know I probably would have never done it if I hadn't of seen yours!

[D-BoB'91]

I'm just glad to see people at least give this a shot vs. just sticking HID bulbs in their stock housings...that's all I wanted out of this.

atv_freak...it wasn't that difficult, was it?
Now go out there, turn your lights on and duck your head down below the cutoff line and you will see what it looks like when people don't use projectors!

[atv_freak]

Originally Posted by D-BoB'91

I'm just glad to see people at least give this a shot vs. just sticking HID bulbs in their stock housings...that's all I wanted out of this.

atv_freak...it wasn't that difficult, was it?
Now go out there, turn your lights on and duck your head down below the cutoff line and you will see what it looks like when people don't use projectors!

Nope it wasn't bad at all, just time consuming... and getting over the fear of cutting brand new stuff up!

[neevnav]

Well now I've gone and done it. Ordered my TSX projectors last night.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...MEWN:IT&ih=008

Now I just need to keep an eye out for ballasts, probably get the bulbs from HIDplanet. You've converted another!