HID's for Blackie!

tiredretired · #1 06-13-2017, 09:37 AM

Yesterday some of the parts arrived for my HID projector beam retro.

I ordered a set of housings from eBay for $37.99 and was not sure what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised. While not as good as OEM, they are not half bad. On top of that they are sealed in a grey butyl rubber so taking them apart was no problem. I did 275 for about 25 minutes and they came apart easily. These are a great quality for the money and ideal for a retro IMHO. I can supply the ebay link if anyone cares. The seller is great people and ship fast.

I ordered the TRS Acme Standard projectors. Not sure which direction I will go with ballasts but it will be from TRS.

The Acme projector does NOT fit in the housing. It is 115 mm long or just over 4 1/2" inches. Housing depth is 101 mm or just under 4". No biggie, I expected that. Some told me they would fit, but a measuring stick does not lie. LOL. The only projector I found that would fit is the Morimoto Matchbox at 80mm in length. Even though those are bixenon, they do not appear to be optimal for use as headlights. Not sure why fog lights need high and low beam, but that is another story.

After I dremel out some of the back of the housing I plan on using the bolt method utilizing the existing holes on the projector itself for support. Slotting the holes somewhat will permit the projector to rotate a bit to ensure a level cutoff. With trial and error, mounting and demounting I should be able to fine tune the Acme to the housing and get it within the range of adjustment of the housing itself.

Stay tuned.

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tiredretired · #2 06-13-2017, 10:48 AM

Things just got a bit easier. Rummaging through all the parts that came with the projectors for different application, I found a washer with a tab on it at the 12 O'clock position and another tab that goes into a key way on the shaft. Nice, real nice. Using this washer temporarily and lining up the tab to the notch on the housing this will give me almost perfect alignment to drill the holes for the 8-32 mounting bolts. That needs to be done before I dremel the back of the housing to move the projector back approx. 15mm or 5/8" to clear the front lens.

Stay tuned.

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tiredretired · #3 06-15-2017, 03:45 AM

OK, found some spare time last night so I started carving up one of the TYC housings. I have to say these housings are really good quality for the money. Quite honestly, I am surprised they are not more money. Also, drilled out the three holes for the 8/32 mounting screws.

Well, the projector fits, but barely so I need to recess it another 3/8" - 1/2". Also, the mounting holes need to be elongated a bit more as currently there is no rotational adjustment. I have it close, real close but no way it will be perfect so there needs to be at least a little adjustment. I plan on doing a test fit on Blackie later this morning just to make sure everything is copasetic.

Still on the fence about a ballast kit, but pretty sure I am going with the Acme Standard SpeedyStart 2.0 35W from TRS. Whatever I end up with will be from TRS. I am trying to keep this project under $200.

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johnday · #4 06-15-2017, 04:01 AM

What's your plan for preliminary aiming? That is, rotational, horizontal, and vertical.
I could write a book on how crappy the set on my Ranger are. $800USD, and I still have trouble aiming them. That's the second set I had built. The first set there was no way I could get vertical adjustment right. There wasn't enough room for the vertical adjuster. I cranked it all the way in to raise them, but just wasn't gonna happen, ran out of adjustment, plus the threaded end ran right into the rad support.
The same guy supposedly did the ones on my 150, and they turned out great. It was like two different guys did them.

tiredretired · #5 06-15-2017, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnday

What's your plan for preliminary aiming? That is, rotational, horizontal, and vertical.
I could write a book on how crappy the set on my Ranger are. $800USD, and I still have trouble aiming them. That's the second set I had built. The first set there was no way I could get vertical adjustment right. There wasn't enough room for the vertical adjuster. I cranked it all the way in to raise them, but just wasn't gonna happen, ran out of adjustment, plus the threaded end ran right into the rad support.
The same guy supposedly did the ones on my 150, and they turned out great. It was like two different guys did them.

Are yours D2S? I wanted to go that route but I am too paranoid there is too much "material" off the back to interfere with that damn rad support so I went with H1.

With these that 20mm shaft that comes out the back is no bigger then the OEM plug assembly off the 9007 bulb and about 3/4" shorter overall. I do not see any issues in adjusting, which will be a while as i have not even ordered the electrical portion of this project yet. I wanted to see if this portion worked before buying stuff I would need to return.

I currently have the housing temp installed on the truck so I will take a picture of the inside and the back of the shaft. I will post it right here, of course.

I am so surprised there are not more pictures of everyone who has done this other then the typical beauty shots of the front. I know what they look like from the front. I wanna see the back and potential issues that were run into.

tiredretired · #6 06-15-2017, 05:39 AM

OK, what you are looking at here is the back of the 20mm shaft with green frog tape on it. Currently it is flush with the back of the black plastic housing that is located behind the headlight and has approx a 3" hole in it. Directly below the projector shaft is the cable that goes through the hole to the side yellow marker light.

As I stated earlier this shaft will be moving back about 3/8". I see no issues in aiming and I am actually quite relieved I ended up with as much room as I have. The picture needs to rotate 90 degrees to the right. Sorry about that.

To answer your original question as to how I plan to approach the aiming process, I do have a plan. On the headlight adjusters I am going to set the y axis adjuster at 40% and the x axis adjuster around 50%. Then try to get withing 90% of proper aiming adjusting the 3 bolts on the projector. I have to further elongate the mounting holes I drilled in the housing so I will have some rotational adjustment to level the cutoff. Then go back and fine tune the adjustment on the headlight housings to zero it in. Lots of trial and error. It will be fun once I reach that point. I will post pics.

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tiredretired · #7 06-15-2017, 05:57 AM

Here is a pic of a D2S retrofit on a Toyota Highlander, I believe. As you can see there is just so much more material to have to deal with in trying to make these fit in our trucks. Not saying it cannot be done, but it was something I was unwilling to tackle on my first HID rodeo.
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johnday · #8 06-15-2017, 06:58 AM

IIRC, mine are the H1.
May I suggest, once you get everything together, and before you reinstall the lens, and JB Weld, mount them in the truck, and do your adjusting. When mine were built, it was done without being mounted, my truck was here, and the lights were there. That may be part of my problem, if not the whole problem.
Something I found when playing with these things, was to take the grille off. Makes it easier to align those lower inside pins into their mounting hole.
If I can stay awake tonight, I plan on trying to align mine again. I've got the vertical good enough, but having a problem getting the left light turned into the center a bit better. Of course you know, the bucket has to be out of the truck before you can do that, makes it a real PITA with trial and error.

tiredretired · #9 06-15-2017, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnday

IIRC, mine are the H1.
May I suggest, once you get everything together, and before you reinstall the lens, and JB Weld, mount them in the truck, and do your adjusting. When mine were built, it was done without being mounted, my truck was here, and the lights were there. That may be part of my problem, if not the whole problem.
Something I found when playing with these things, was to take the grille off. Makes it easier to align those lower inside pins into their mounting hole.
If I can stay awake tonight, I plan on trying to align mine again. I've got the vertical good enough, but having a problem getting the left light turned into the center a bit better. Of course you know, the bucket has to be out of the truck before you can do that, makes it a real PITA with trial and error.

Bingo!! That is exactly correct! I am NOT a HID expert, but I am a fast learner, and what popped into my head from the git-go was the fact that the projector needed to be basically 90% aligned and then fine tuned with the housing adjusters. Your issue seems to stem from the fact the installer skipped this step and you have run out of room on your housing adjusters.

I have always been amazed at how one learns something they previously knew nothing about and almost immediately they seem to know more then some of the so called experts who do it for living. Life is strange like that.

Re-Sealing the housing will be the very last step in the process. I plan to temporarily seal the housings after they are done and drive around for a few days without rain just to make sure nothing moves or whatever. I removed all the old butyl so they will get new sealant when the time comes.

johnday · #10 06-15-2017, 09:07 AM

I have always been amazed at how one learns something they previously knew nothing about and almost immediately they seem to know more then some of the so called experts who do it for living. Life is strange like that

Right you are. I like to think that experts are that, because they say so.

Any way, I'm almost to the point that I'm going back to my stock lights, and just think, lesson learned. I'm really getting burned out on trying to make these work. If I knew how to do it, I might just take things apart, and redo the whole thing. What's keeping me from that, is how to deal with the JB Weld.
I wonder if I could do something with a Dremel tool.

tiredretired · #11 06-15-2017, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnday

I have always been amazed at how one learns something they previously knew nothing about and almost immediately they seem to know more then some of the so called experts who do it for living. Life is strange like that

Right you are. I like to think that experts are that, because they say so.

Any way, I'm almost to the point that I'm going back to my stock lights, and just think, lesson learned. I'm really getting burned out on trying to make these work. If I knew how to do it, I might just take things apart, and redo the whole thing. What's keeping me from that, is how to deal with the JB Weld.
I wonder if I could do something with a Dremel tool.

I would wrap the projector in a baggie tightly with tape and use a dremel wheel. Go steady and slow and take your time. I've seen Youtube videos where they removed JB to take apart a housing that was not installed level. If those "experts" can do it, you can.

Keep us posted or PM me with any pics or info and my free advise is generally worth what you pay for it but I will give it anyway.

You know, if you have to sacrifice the housings to get to your projectors that would suck but like I posted earlier, those 38 dollar ebay housings are not half bad.

Good luck.

johnday · #12 06-15-2017, 03:08 PM

Thanks for the offer! Oh, I'm not too worried about the housing, I've got my originals, and two pairs of aftermarket ones out in the barn.
Sorta got a fire lit under me earlier, and backed the Ranger into the barn, closed the door, and hit the lights. There was a good ten feet from the heads to the door, not ideal, but it does look like I made an improvement last time I played with them. I hope to stay awake long enough tonight to check it out on the road.

tiredretired · #13 06-15-2017, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnday

Thanks for the offer! Oh, I'm not too worried about the housing, I've got my originals, and two pairs of aftermarket ones out in the barn.
Sorta got a fire lit under me earlier, and backed the Ranger into the barn, closed the door, and hit the lights. There was a good ten feet from the heads to the door, not ideal, but it does look like I made an improvement last time I played with them. I hope to stay awake long enough tonight to check it out on the road.

Good. Just make sure you stay away from any brews. I drink a couple in the evening and its light out.

johnday · #14 06-15-2017, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiredretired

Good. Just make sure you stay away from any brews. I drink a couple in the evening and its light out.

LOL, yep yep, same same!

NewShockerGuy · #15 06-15-2017, 07:45 PM

Looks really good!

You removed more material than me when I did my mini d2s 2.0s. With that being said it looks like you got it down honestly. So far it's super clean. I've seen people that have done retros and it looks like a mess.

As mentioned above mount everything on the truck minus the lenses that way you can fine tune and adjust. That's exactly what I did with mine and they are level 100% perfectly aimed (see attached pics). Some people will make sure they are level with a flat surface off the vehicle and for the most part that WILL work on most vehicles. However as you probably know we got the ranger lean going on so they will be off if it's done without doing it on the truck.

What shroud is that? Gattling gun specifically for H1?

Now you got me wanting to re-do my retro and do the D2s 4.0. The only problem is that they are much larger than the 2.0's that I currently have.

I too bought the same headlights from TYC 5 years ago and they still look great again. The nice thing about our rangers is most of the parts are cheap. So if you F up on something in the headlight $40 and you are back in the game. Compare that to other headlights that cost hundreds per housing...lol

After you have them set and perfectly aligned put JB weld on the bolts/nuts at the base of the headlight housing then once dried take a dremel and cut the studs so that they don't stick out.

johnday:
Who did you get to do your retro? That's a LOT of money to not have them right...

I believe there are a couple people on here that squeezed in FX-R projectors in our headlights so anything is possible, as long as you cut more of the back material off and mindful of the radiator support backing then you should be ok with the larger projectors within reason.

Keep us updated on this. I always love retrofits. Are you going to do any type of halo behind or in front of the shroud? I put an led ring behind my gattling gun shroud for an iron man sort of look..lol

-Nigel