HID's done correctly

[D94R]

Last night I bought this for my 150. Gonna set it up and test out how I like it then probably do it to the Ranger when it's finally together.

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=227

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/images/products/complete-retrofit-kits/MorimotoMiniH1Stage3Kitl.jpg


The inspiration came from the ranger-forums thread
http://www.ranger-forums.com/showthread.php?t=119147&highlight=projectors


My wifes Outlander Sport has superwide HID's from the factory, and they are absolutely tits. I can't stand the anemic lights in the F150 after driving her car. The solution seems simple enough :rockwoot:

[Cutlass327]

Good luck!


While I have no problem with upgraded lighting, I still believe that HIDs are just too intense for on-coming traffic, even on the new OEM cars that have it all done right. I drive 80% of the time at night, and these upgraded bulbs, lights, etc are just making it miserable. You cannot tell if they are high-beams or just a newer upgraded bulb... I think they need to stop trying to up light output now, since they will never succeed in making night time as bright as a sunny summer day - kind of like my ex mother-in-law always tried to do in the house: turn on every light in the room, and have 100W bulbs in them!

[D94R]

I don't have a problem with projector HID's. It's the fake plug-n-play HID's that don't work right.

No matter what style light though, if cresting a hill, or hitting a bump, the oncoming traffic's lights are gonna flash you at night. And there's nothing that can be done about that. But if aimed properly, the projectors/HID's won't be anymore of a hinderance than the stock lights when they aren't pointing directly at you.

Projectors also concentrate the light, not scatter it, so you aren't dazzled like cheap HIDs in stock housings. I believe we all share the same opinion that HID's in stock housing suck, but I totally disagree that true projector HID's are too intense. Especially since the bulbs are only 35w, and 4300K in color, which is less wattage than your standard halogen bulb, but the same "daylight" color that halogens are designed at.

[Ron83ranger]

i still have that site saved from the discussion we had on them. its still on my to do list. the hardest part is actually separating the lens from the housing, then actually resealing it so theres no moisture to fog them up. i didnt see it on the site you linked, but are you using a setup with high beams also?

[D94R]

Yes, they are a bi-xenon. The shield inside the projector housing moves rather than the bulb flipping up/down. I think this is how factory projector/HIDs do it, where as the the junk pnp HID's usually use a bulb that moves to change the focal point.

I also just bought after market Harley Davidson head lights to use. Everyone says the after market ones are easier to disassemble than the factory. Plus this gives me relative little down time for the set-up.

[imaprobowler]

I can't wait to see how this turns out, considering you were Pro-Halogen a month or two ago haha. Just pulling your chain, this seems pretty cool. The other trucks in the links looked badass.

[D94R]

Only pro halogen when it comes to the junk plug-n-play HID's that people put in their halogen reflector housings.

Otherwise, I love HID's. The factory HID's in my Outlander Sport are TITS. And since how I'm doing it is using a correct projector housing for the HID's I'll have the same results as a factory installation. The HID's won't be reflecting off the stock halogen housing, so no glare and flare from the light.

[Lowranger96]

ill be watching this closely!

[imaprobowler]

This is something I'll be watching intently! HID's are ( . )V( . )'s

[D94R]

The other trucks in the links looked badass.

One thing I didn't mention is, I'm not doing it like a lot of the others with the angle eyes, and devil eyes, and LED's and tinsel and shit.

This is a straight projector install for functionality. Not going for ultimate bling here.

UPS says the head lamps are on the way, and the Projector/HID's should be here the 5th.

[gumby]

I'm not doing it like a lot of the others with the angle eyes, and devil eyes, and LED's and tinsel and shit.


good. :popcorn:

[D94R]

Here is what they will basically look like when I get them done. The Harley Davidson style black housings with projectors. I can't decide if I'll keep the chrome in the housing, or go blacked out.

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/8690/img0241kf.jpg

OR

http://www.f150forum.com/members/k_h-67621/albums/hid-lights/38793-hid.jpg

[boost23]

I would have to see them on the truck before i could decide,they both look cool. I got the ones with the chrome housings and they made a huge difference over the stock hazy ones and they look better, so its a win-win.

[D94R]

Or, blacked out with the shroud still chrome.
I think I like this best.
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9421/dsc0021hm.jpg

[boost23]

yea,I think that one ^ looks the best.

[BigRed10287]

yea,I think that one ^ looks the best.
^x2!

[D94R]

Ran into an issue with the projectors. The threads on the jam nut for the backside of the projector seem to be coarse thread, while the threads on the projectors seem to be fine. Plus They seem to be slightly oversized for the projector threads. I can't tighten the projectors down more than finger tight before the nut jumps threads.

Ugh. Now I got to call and figure out wth is going on.

[muddpawz]

Update...? Are there for your ranger? Wanted to do it on my Mazda but I don't know if they'll work with my headlight housing without too much trouble.

[D94R]

Update: still waiting for new bowls and jam nuts from TRS.

If you have clear head lights they can be made to work. If you have the old stock style with the beam pattern directors in the lamp lens, then they can work, but not as intended. Best bet would be to get a cheap pair of ebay euro housings or whatever that have clear front lenses.

[Ron83ranger]

im curious to see how they turn out and if there will be any cutting needed since the site says you dont have to. this is something im gonna do.

[D94R]

The backside of the head light housing, the boss where the stock headlights lock into had to be trimmed down to just about flush with the housing. Enough so that when the jam nut can screw on far enough to put the HID bulb holder back onto the HID housing.