Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 24

Thread: Cheap and dirty projector retrofit

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Word
    Name: Kevin

    Blind's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hella NorCal
    Posts
    2,370
    Like
    127
    Liked 63 Times in 58 Posts

    Cheap and dirty projector retrofit

    Starting to work on this tonight, taking pics so why not make a thread at my favorite forum?


    I don't want to mess up my OE headlights, so I got some eBay harley style headlights - $45/ea
    DDM mini H1 v3 projectors, 5000k 35w H1 HID kit, miniGG shrouds, 9007 hi/lo relay harness ~$135 ($175 less than 'the other site' that everyone gets expensive mini H1 retrofit kits from)

    All the guides online for baking and opening headlights are damned liars. The videos on youtube are all fake!

    They say to use 220* for 20 minutes, 275* for 7 minutes...tried them both multiple times and didn't get anywhere.

    I had to use 350* for 5 minutes to get half of each headlight open, and put it back in for another few minutes to get the other half. The glue on these ebay POS's is grey, and doesn't get stringy AT ALL, unlike all the videos and pictures I see. Some forums have a reference to some **** called permaseal, which it sounds like what these ebay lights are sealed with. Even after getting the lenses off, the glue in the channel is hard, it doesn't move around at all, while in some videos on youtube they recommend smooshing it all down with a flathead to get ready for new sealant later and theres looks like the sealant is some kind of soft clay...the stuff on my headlights doesn't deform at all.

    Maybe my oven sucks, but it's actually brand new, lol!

    23432545_777397538996_173761672_o.jpg

    I got both lenses off, which was absolutely super aggravating so I'll continue on later, maybe tomorrow.
    Last edited by Blind; 11-08-2017 at 12:29 AM.
    2002 DSG HD #09617 NHTOC Truck of the month November 2012
    Ported eaton/plenum/tb, 6lb lower, SCT BA-2600 MAF, OBX longtubes, JLP intake, FTVB, L-spec bilsteins, Hotchkis TVS, 22" replicas. Tuned by Ray McClelland of FTK

  2. #2
    Word
    Name: Kevin

    Blind's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hella NorCal
    Posts
    2,370
    Like
    127
    Liked 63 Times in 58 Posts
    Ok, I lied. I wanted to see how the projector fit.

    23432793_777402129796_26174548_o.jpg

    This is just loosely sitting in there with the silicone washer, centering adapter, and the rear thumb screw. So the projector is nice and snug, I should be able to put a bulb in and verify the output is level this way.

    I still need to drill a hole in the reflector to pass the wiring through for the high beam shroud control, I'll re-use the hole which was for the original bulb shield.

  3. #3
    Word
    Name: Kevin

    Blind's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hella NorCal
    Posts
    2,370
    Like
    127
    Liked 63 Times in 58 Posts
    so fortunately I've been a jackass for the past few years and already had an HID pnp scattermaster(tm) kit in the stock headlights, so testing was as simple as popping out one of the original headlights and popping this new setup in it's place and plugged it in. Plugs that mattered are all the same, there's a few extra assorted plugs I believe intended for the hi/low beam shutter kit but my old ddm hid kit had a hi/lo kit and plugging into it worked fine...idk which I'll use going forward yet.
    23379619_777413262486_1439839758_o.jpg
    Projector in drivers side/scattermaster on passenger side still (for shame )
    23423399_777413242526_132018985_o.jpg
    Projector on left/scattermaster on right (for shame )
    23468443_777413272466_354178461_o.jpg
    Low beam
    23432984_777413277456_885402397_o.jpg
    High beam

  4. #4
    Huh?
    Name: Philip

    PhilthyPhil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    North San Diego
    Posts
    384
    Like
    9
    Liked 36 Times in 28 Posts
    I am glad to see you trying this, cause I was waiting for my bulbs to burn out before going to a projector unit. What ballast are you running. Or do you not need one.
    There is no way in hell I'm getting a bullseye one. I can't spend that much for headlights. And I was quoted 850 for custom tails. That's not gonna happen either. I'mma make my own for less than half. Sorry, rant over.

  5. #5
    Word
    Name: Kevin

    Blind's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hella NorCal
    Posts
    2,370
    Like
    127
    Liked 63 Times in 58 Posts
    the h1 bulb size hid kit from ddm came with ballests, but since I already had an hid kit on my truck (from ddm) that works fine, and is a few years old, I'm probably just going to reuse my old ballests. They're 35w and as you can see from the pics, work just fine with the new H1 bulbs

    I got the headlights 'completed' and baked them in the oven to reseal last night, so I'll probably install and try to aim them after work tonight

  6. The Following 2 Users LIked Blind For This Useful Post:

    BRIANV (01-21-2019), SoCal Waite (11-10-2017)

  7. #6
    Word
    Name: Kevin

    Blind's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hella NorCal
    Posts
    2,370
    Like
    127
    Liked 63 Times in 58 Posts
    IMG_2684.jpgIMG_2695.jpgIMG_2694.jpg

    These lights are g'damned incredible, I wish I did this years ago when I first saw the mini H1 retrofits being done.

    I have maxed out the adjustment on the lights as high as they can go, I think they seem a hair low but comparing the cut off line of them to other cars with projector xenons in traffic at night, my lights seem to line up at the same spot as other lights do. I think I'm just not used to the sharp cutoff when going up and down hills yet. None of my other cars have projectors

  8. The Following User Liked Blind For This Useful Post:

    PhilthyPhil (11-19-2017)

  9. #7
    Registered User
    Name: Rich

    tpr103's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    nj
    Posts
    3,325
    Like
    12
    Liked 47 Times in 34 Posts
    Looks good been wanting to try this as well

  10. #8
    Huh?
    Name: Philip

    PhilthyPhil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    North San Diego
    Posts
    384
    Like
    9
    Liked 36 Times in 28 Posts
    So it's been almost exactly one year since doing this. How are they doing? And have the lens yellowed any?
    One of my bulbs just burned out last night so it's time to put some crap in them until I get my parts together. I want black reflectors and they are $225 currently on eBay for the housings.
    Last edited by PhilthyPhil; 11-19-2018 at 12:10 AM.

  11. #9
    Word
    Name: Kevin

    Blind's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hella NorCal
    Posts
    2,370
    Like
    127
    Liked 63 Times in 58 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by PhilthyPhil View Post
    So it's been almost exactly one year since doing this. How are they doing? And have the lens yellowed any?
    One of my bulbs just burned out last night so it's time to put some crap in them until I get my parts together. I want black reflectors and they are $225 currently on eBay for the housings.
    I can't tell any fading. I did pop the headlights out a few times and 'reset' the aiming adjusters so I could get more travel out of them and get the cutoff lines leveled a little better and the throw a bit further down the road. I've been really, really happy with them.

    The only minor issue I've had is the high beam actuates a flap on the front of the bulb inside the projectors, and my drivers side has gotten stuck on the low beam setting a few times. I put that down to me not driving the truck enough though. It's generally parked and in my garage or outside under my noah car cover as I drive a different car to work and like to enjoy my mustang on the weekends too :-/

    If I were to do it again, I'd try to take the high beam actuator apart to sand/polish the metal rod and flap door to get the friction down, and then use some synthetic wheel bearing grease or something similar long lasting that's 'sticky' enough to stay put when hot and etc.

    I did use a 9v battery to actuate both of them about 200 times while watching tv on the couch before I installed, so that tip I found online didn't really do much to help.

    I'm fine with it though, as its the drivers side it gives me more time to dip the high beams for oncoming cars since the side that would usually blind them is already on low

  12. #10
    Word
    Name: Kevin

    Blind's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hella NorCal
    Posts
    2,370
    Like
    127
    Liked 63 Times in 58 Posts
    Now, I still think the lights are awesome and I'd do it again with the same parts.

    But since I bought a `17 GTI SE in Jan. of this year as my commuter, with the AFS lighting package that aims the lights with the steering, and with the car coded to euro lighting standards instead of NA (but still LHD of course), the lights bend around like crazy and my trucks lights seem a little 'dumb' now since they aren't constantly changing beam pattern and shape as I drive around LOL

  13. #11
    Huh?
    Name: Philip

    PhilthyPhil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    North San Diego
    Posts
    384
    Like
    9
    Liked 36 Times in 28 Posts
    Ok sweet, thinking about doing the demon eyes on it as well. You got the 2.5 inch shroud correct? And just how do you unstick it?

  14. #12
    Word
    Name: Kevin

    Blind's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hella NorCal
    Posts
    2,370
    Like
    127
    Liked 63 Times in 58 Posts
    The shrouds I got with them were called mini Gatling gun. The 2.5” size is for the projector itself iirc.

    To unstick the high beam shutter if it doesn’t free up from driving at night and flicking the high beams on and off a bunch, I’ll probably have to take the headlight lens cover off again to access the shutter arm. Unless the wire plug for that came undone but I’m usually not that lucky on stuff like this...


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  15. #13
    Huh?
    Name: Philip

    PhilthyPhil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    North San Diego
    Posts
    384
    Like
    9
    Liked 36 Times in 28 Posts
    Yup, definitely gonna start this. I think I'mma start with the housings. I was thinking about satin or gloss black housings, and painting the shrouds orange. I will find out how it looks when it's done lol.
    And since I live in so cal, not much use for high beams here. So I can live with it not working. For now.
    You never know, maybe the relay is messed up and you now have to use the one that came with the kit. That's easy enough correct?
    Last edited by PhilthyPhil; 11-23-2018 at 11:58 PM.

  16. #14
    Huh?
    Name: Philip

    PhilthyPhil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    North San Diego
    Posts
    384
    Like
    9
    Liked 36 Times in 28 Posts
    I just got my projectors from ddm today. Looked at the package slip, found out the store they shipped from was literally .1 miles from my house, and I had to wait 4 days for mlit to show up. Wish the damn store would have called and asked if I wanted to pick it up myself.
    So now I wait until I get time to do the work.

  17. #15
    Word
    Name: Kevin

    Blind's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hella NorCal
    Posts
    2,370
    Like
    127
    Liked 63 Times in 58 Posts
    My high beam shutter fixed itself the last time I drove at night


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •