Projector retrofit on a budget

[xavierny25]

Yes guys I'm doing a retro on the cheap. First I picked up a set of xentec hid's off ebay with the 9006 and there on my stock set up now $30. I also picked up a set of h1 hids bulbs for the retro so I can just swap out connection $9. Then I did some searching on amazon for a set of projectors $30. This should be a piece of cake to put together and it's only to get myself started to feel comfortable with retrofitting. Thanks to @Blckshdw I've become pretty good at cutting open my headlights and the baking process on after market headlights. I'll be doing a full write up of my own through out the steps I take once I have everything I need.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V4TG15E/?tag=gmtnation-20

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Xentec-HID-Xe...hash=item2a42dc1d16:m:mlGUM6DC7vCY1cmH8ccs70Q

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Curious if these projector s are any good. For that price I will cut up a set of lights pretty quick since i found some old halo lights i forgot I had.

 

[xavierny25]

The projectors should be at my door step when I get home. I'll make sure to post them up. Then again I don't know what to look for if they are to cheap cause I've never had my hands on the more expensive stuff. But I'm sure I will eventually. Lol

 

[Sparky]

I've heard those are similar to the Mini H1 4.0 projectors which is what I used in my Trailblazer a while back. They're also generally untuned/untested so I've seen some reports where they take a little fiddling/tweaking to get things right.

Make sure you thoroughly test that cutoff shield mechanism. Common to have that stick and leave your high beam stuck on. Even the Mini H1 had that issue sometimes. I never did but I also took a few steps to make sure it wouldn't happen (stretched the spring out a bit to make it a little stiffer, smoothed the stamped metal edges of the shield so they couldn't catch/dig into the pivot holes and lock up, etc).

 

[NateDG]

Yes guys I'm doing a retro on the cheap. First I picked up a set of xentec hid's off ebay with the 9006 and there on my stock set up now $30. I also picked up a set of h1 hids bulbs for the retro so I can just swap out connection $9. Then I did some searching on amazon for a set of projectors $30. This should be a piece of cake to put together and it's only to get myself started to feel comfortable with retrofitting. Thanks to @Blckshdw I've become pretty good at cutting open my headlights and the baking process on after market headlights. I'll be doing a full write up of my own through out the steps I take once I have everything I need.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V4TG15E/?tag=gmtnation-20

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338077216&icep_item=181510348054

FWIW I bought those same projectors for my fog retro (I was still learning) and they have an incredibly wide and crisp cutoff. For the money I was REALLY impressed.
EDIT: here's the cutoff on those. Keep in mind that I had a bulb seating issue causing the ghosting on the PS and the housings were just propped up on my engine bay cuz I was just testing them out...

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

If I kept factory highs in their location, I would not need to worry about the cutoff sheild correct? Is there a simpler projector I should consider if i do not need the high/low function?

 

[Sparky]

Right you wouldn't have to hook up the shield, but IMO I would anyway as that means more light (easy to tap the solenoid to the high beam plug).

 

[kickass audio]

As mentioned I would suggest using the shield to give you better light output by using the HID for your low and high beams. It's really up to you. You could use just the projector for low and high beam by tapping the solenoid into the high beam wires in the headlight housing so when energized it engages the solenoid and flips down the cutoff shield and gives you high beams. You can also tap into the high beam wires so the shield moves with the high beams AND keep the halogen high beams connected almost like having quad lights but to me that's stupid as the hid will overpower the halogen bulb so you wouldn't see the halogen beam pattern lighting up the road.

One additional thing to consider is if you do want bi-xenon projectors that have low and high beam functions in one like I run, you need to consider either the diode mod or I would strongly suggest the DRL mod that removes the DRL to extend your bulb life and not use the HID during the day and so that when you turn on the low beams, you can flash the high beams on and it will not cut power to the low beam circuit. If you don't do that mod when you flip your high beams on, it will cut power to the low beam that your HID ballast is wired up to and make your HID turn off until you go back to low beam output.

 

[xavierny25]

Finally there at my door step today. I was hoping to have them yesterday day so I can get them started. BTW great info you guys are posting up thanks a bunch.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Right you wouldn't have to hook up the shield, but IMO I would anyway as that means more light (easy to tap the solenoid to the high beam plug).

So they are the same price even with a non moving shield?

As mentioned I would suggest using the shield to give you better light output by using the HID for your low and high beams. It's really up to you. You could use just the projector for low and high beam by tapping the solenoid into the high beam wires in the headlight housing so when energized it engages the solenoid and flips down the cutoff shield and gives you high beams. You can also tap into the high beam wires so the shield moves with the high beams AND keep the halogen high beams connected almost like having quad lights but to me that's stupid as the hid will overpower the halogen bulb so you wouldn't see the halogen beam pattern lighting up the road.

One additional thing to consider is if you do want bi-xenon projectors that have low and high beam functions in one like I run, you need to consider either the diode mod or I would strongly suggest the DRL mod that removes the DRL to extend your bulb life and not use the HID during the day and so that when you turn on the low beams, you can flash the high beams on and it will not cut power to the low beam circuit. If you don't do that mod when you flip your high beams on, it will cut power to the low beam that your HID ballast is wired up to and make your HID turn off until you go back to low beam output.

I have HID for highs and quad beams and the DRL mod already.

 

[Sparky]

They don't make that type in a non bixenon style, and not sure how good some of the other low beam only projectors that are out there are.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I looked and it seems the bi are easier to come by and cheap enough to not worry about it

 

[dmanns67]

I have not seen any aftermarket projectors that are not bi-xenon. If you want to spend $$$$, then you can go OEM. Koito Lexus RX-AFS, Acura TSX,
Infiniti Q45, and Honda S2000 projectors are low beam only. Price ranges from
$135 to $425. The TSX and S2000 projectors have great output from the pics I have seen.

 

[xavierny25]

Well folks there here.
Now I'm going to go Crack open the set of head lights I have laying around that I started to work on a while back. No biggy though there sealed with rvt. Lol

 

[xavierny25]

Ok... now where do I go from here. Lol

 

[littleblazer]

View attachment 76242 View attachment 76243 View attachment 76244

Ok... now where do I go from here. Lol

Is it okay if I live my retrofit through yours since I'm no longer doing the voy?

 

[xavierny25]

@littleblazer Sure be my pest.... I mean guest. Lol

Unfortunately had to call it off to do some running around with the wife for this weekend little get away. But I'll be back.

 

[littleblazer]

Fine. Be that way.

 

[richphotos]

So these cheap projectors have output that is good?

 

[xavierny25]

So these cheap projectors have output that is good?

I won't know till there installed. It's a work in progress at the moment.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Above another member said they worked well.

 

[richphotos]

Above another member said they worked well.

Just seeing that now.

I am impressed. I might get those. Anything is better than the OEM lights!

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I can assure you some aftermarket projectors are not better than factory

 

[kickass audio]

I can assure you some aftermarket projectors are not better than factory

I can agree with this. Aftermarket projectors for the most part are not DOT certified. There are some really nice brands out there that you can get though so don't be discouraged but also be mindful of you get what you pay for.

@xavierny25 you might want to do like I did with my second round of projectors I retrofit in the OEM housing (first time I bought crappy TYC headlights and kept dropping down from the weight of the projector) and drill a hole in the back of the headlight where the torx (if you are using true OEM headlights, otherwise it will be phillips head) screws are that secure the little ball socket to the reflector bowl. I had unscrewed the 3 I believe screws that are on the reflector bowl in the light and then just kept unscrewing the adjustment screw until I could pull the reflector bowl straight out off the body of the headlight assembly. That gave me all the room I needed to flatten out the back of the reflector bowl to have a flush fit and do a way better job bolting the projector to the reflector bowl.

My first retrofit I just used a dremel to enlarge the bulb hole on the low beam and then made a slit for the 2 leads for the bi-xenon solenoid to fit through. I then slid the projector into the hole and bolted it in as best as I could with a pair of pliers on the hex head since I couldn't get a socket in the opening on the back of the light to truly secure the projector to the reflector bowl. That totally sucked because 1 I did not have the projector mounted in far enough so it really made a crappy output on the light pattern and 2 the projector would bounce around when I hit bumps in the road.

edit: I'd also suggest spraying some silicone or other good spray on the threads of the adjustment screw so if you do need to make adjustments you don't have to worry about the adjuster seizing up on you.

 

[xavierny25]

@kickass audio great info thanks alot. I'll keep all that in mind as I do this project. Any more info from anyone is always appreciated. Thanks guys for all the replies.

 

[kickass audio]

Another good tip is don't go crazy tightening the screws on the projector. The HID projectors are almost always made of plastic and you can crack or strip them and really get into some trouble with that. Also if you have shrouds to cover the front half of the projector gradually cut away at them to make them fit into the opening of the reflector bowl for the low beam until they sit perfectly and then use some rubbing alcohol to clean up the reflector bowl and then get some CA glue (superglue) to glue the shroud to the reflector bowl and let it dry. Now when I went to put my lens back on the headlight the stock chrome cover that goes over the reflector bowl and the turn signal assembly was about to hit the shroud so I just used the dremel to take a tiny amount off the chrome covering piece and then put the lens on.

Before you work on the shroud you HAVE to ensure your projectors are level and the cutoff is totally straight. I mounted my lights to the truck and then went up to a building that had a decently level parking lot. I brought some masking tape and pulled my truck up as close as I could to the building and where the cutoff line and the step in the cutoff were, I used the tape to mark it. From there I backed my truck up 40 feet and then aligned the step in the cutoff for both lights to be right at the masking tape mark I made on the buildings wall.

For sticking the lens back to the body I used a dremel to cut off a bulk amount of the OEM adhesive and then applied a generous amount of 3m windo-weld to the body of the light. I then used some wax paper to help protect my ratchet strap from getting covered in the windo-weld and used a ratchet strap to secure the lens to the body and let it sit for 3 days before I cleaned off the excess windo-weld and then mounted the lights to my truck.

 

[xavierny25]

Small update. I went ahead and pope 3 holes with a spade/butterfly bit to access 3 screw holding the bezel. Unfortunately I leant my Dremel to my brother so I'll pick that at some point before I go on trip tomorrow. BTW the screws on that are #3 tork although I used an Allen key also #3 to get them out. Now on the back side of the bezel there are 3 tork "security" screws that hold a black piece i need to remove so i can get at the area i need to cut at. And that's when I realized I also leant my security keys to my brother.

But here are pic's for you guys.


"Just a note to self" my brother be jacking all my toys Yo. Lmao

Once again guys feel free to post anything that I might need to know. And once again thanks to @kickass audio for already helping a brother out with info.

 

[richphotos]

Since this thread is on a budget. I was doing some digging around and found out that DDM tuning sells projector kits with bulbs
http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/Pack-H1-V3-PR

From what I was reading, they are comparable to Morimoto Mini h1s
Here is some video of them installed on a vehicle. The quality and output is great for the price!

I think this is what I am going to be using. Probably order everything up and start doing a lot of reading on the forum and get these bad boys in.


Cant wait for your build to be done and what the output is like!

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

That DDM is more than an Amazon setup but nice package deal if you want simplicity.

I want to see it done as well to pull the trigger on the amazon cart!

 

[xavierny25]

Well time for updates. Got home did some cleaning up and started to work on the lights some.

I have to take it all apart to put the shroud on and I missed a few step that i should of taking some pics of. That will either be edited into here or a following post.

Had to do a few modification to the bowl. Things where a little to tight to make any adjustments if needed.

And lastly a little mock up after trimming the shroud which I also forgot to take pic's of.

 

[richphotos]

Looking good!

 

[littleblazer]

For adjustments, I assume you're going to throw them on the truck and rotate as needed?

 

[richphotos]

For adjustments, I assume you're going to throw them on the truck and rotate as needed?

I was going to ask this, but I still have not done enough reading on the subject to ask a question like that.
Slowly learning

 

[littleblazer]

I was going to ask this, but I still have not done enough reading on the subject to ask a question like that.
Slowly learning

You can bench them or do them on the truck. For these, it's much easier to do it on the truck imo and if you have the space. I was able to set the step on my garage door in the drive way. Both are valid methods though.

 

[xavierny25]

For adjustments, I assume you're going to throw them on the truck and rotate as needed?

Yes sir I'll be doing just that to adjust as needed. I think I'm doing alright for my first at this.

On another note is there any difference between the 2 projectors. I mean right or left driver and passanger?

 

[littleblazer]

Yes sir I'll be doing just that to adjust as needed. I think I'm doing alright for my first at this.

On another note is there any difference between the 2 projectors. I mean right or left driver and passanger?

Not that I know of.

 

[xavierny25]

Got just a little done on them today. I took the pic's of what I forgot yesterday.
A pic of the 2 tabs I had to grind flush to the bowl and the cut out for the edge the projector.

The very top edge of the shroud that was touching the reflector bowl just a half moon cut made it clear.

This is the left side bottom of the shroud in the same area that I had to cut the hole in the reflector bowl.

Till tomorrow folks. I might even get a moment to get this one on to see how much adjusting is going to be needed.

 

[xavierny25]

Went over to @Gerbil21 place to pick up a set off head lights for my future higher end parts projector retrofit. I brought along some goodies and the retro I'm working on now. It wasn't dark enough yet but I was able to snap a couple of shots off how it's coming along. Please keep in mind I've only been working on the passenger side light.




Just needs a slight 1/8 kick/turn to the left and I think this is good to go. This was test at a 25' distance and hight was at 36" from the floor.

 

[xavierny25]

Started the driver side this morning it's all set for testing and finalizing tonight.

 

[xavierny25]

Finally got a chance to see what they can put out and extremely happy.