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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Vehi-Cross-Az
I found a pair for $500...
just waiting to put them in .
Ive been selling aftermarket projectors (which are always
smaller then OE Lexus btw) headlights for a variety of cars
for over 5 yr. The most common complaint is the lack of lite
out put from them over stock.
Even the 350z when it first came out had small projectors and
after numorous complaints from owners, 2 yrs later Nissan increased
their size by 20%.
All my OE projectors still havent compared to anything aftermarket
yet, and I havent found an aftermarket as large as OE yet either.
Still nice job, when I get my Infinity units in Ill post up something.
At $500 you have already more than doubled the cost of this all in one $200 kit, once you price in the other needed hardware for a custom job I bet you are looking at $600 for all you need in the end. In my opinion $200 for HID projectors is quite a deal for a definite increase in light output and a much more concentrated beam pattern over our factory light performance. I would say they even put out more light than my old xenon HID bulbs in the factory housing I had in the VX before this kit.
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Still comparing apples to oranges..
to me its worth it for really unique and oe quality headlights.
Esp for the Infinity headlight, theres not another car out there
with anything close.
But still, I dont give aftermarket projectors much credit compared
to even OE quaility. Ive been down that road with customers and
have had many complaints when we have sold them, thats all Im saying.
They look good, but still the no 1 complaint was lite output.
Maybe they work good for you, but I know what Ive experienced in the
past. Ill go bigger factory projectors (which I can buy used probably
for around $100 for the pair) or stick with the Infinity set up.
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Off topic, I'm sorry but as a former owner it drives me crazy. The correct spelling is:
INFINITI
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Vehi-Cross-Az
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Vehi-Cross-Az
Still comparing apples to oranges..
to me its worth it for really unique and oe quality headlights.
Esp for the Infinity headlight, theres not another car out there
with anything close.
Well it turns out someone may have beat you to it.
http://vehi.world.coocan.jp/isuzu2011c/21.JPG
http://vehi.world.coocan.jp/isuzu2011c/22.JPG
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
vt_maverick
Well it turns out someone may have beat you to it.
Oh SNAP!:drool:
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All of those look so good. I'd be too afraid of breaking the housing and never finding another... :)
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That turned out great. Good job!
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Finally Cleaned with Projectors installed
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Dude, that VX is lookin' great. Looks much better with everything polished up.
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Looks sharp LB! :thumbup:
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What size are the V-LED projectors, 2.5"? I can't get any info from V-LED because they're sold out.
I'm going to start a projector project now that I have VT's old headlight to work with.
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Good to hear my baby is making a contribution, even in the after life. :)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
vt_maverick
Good to hear my baby is making a contribution, even in the after life. :)
oh yes, your headlight is a huge help for this project. :thumbup:
BTW, you should let everyone know what type of headlight protectors you use because the one on your old light was very nice.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
VXorado
oh yes, your headlight is a huge help for this project. :thumbup:
BTW, you should let everyone know what type of headlight protectors you use because the one on your old light was very nice.
They're 3M Stongard protectors, and I bought them on eBay at this link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/STONGARD-PRO...item35a5caf887
If you look carefully in the photo below you can see that the kit comes with headlight protectors as well as turn signal and fog lamp protectors. The fog lamp pieces are a total waste of time since they're perfectly round and 2D, whereas the front of our fog lamps are actually convex. Bottom line is they don't stick. Sue and I both had these and found that it was difficult to get rid of the bubbles in the the top of the headlight protectors (around the horn), but the protection is amazing. I got hit head-on by a drunk driver at over 60 MPH and I found my driver's side turn signal lens IN ONE PIECE in the ditch. Upon closer inspection the lens had shattered in probably a dozen pieces, but the protector held them altogether with just a few lines showing around the cracks. :eek:
If I could figure out some way to eliminate the bubbling problem I'd buy these again in a heartbeat. Maybe someone should buy them and figure that out for me? :)
http://surlamer07.readyhosting.com/HP/UHB073.JPG
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
vt_maverick
They're 3M Stongard protectors, and I bought them on eBay at this link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/STONGARD-PRO...item35a5caf887
If you look carefully in the photo below you can see that the kit comes with headlight protectors as well as turn signal and fog lamp protectors. The fog lamp pieces are a total waste of time since they're perfectly round and 2D, whereas the front of our fog lamps are actually convex. Bottom line is they don't stick. Sue and I both had these and found that it was difficult to get rid of the bubbles in the the top of the headlight protectors (around the horn), but the protection is amazing. I got hit head-on by a drunk driver at over 60 MPH and I found my driver's side turn signal lens IN ONE PIECE in the ditch. Upon closer inspection the lens had shattered in probably a dozen pieces, but the protector held them altogether with just a few lines showing around the cracks. :eek:
If I could figure out some way to eliminate the bubbling problem I'd buy these again in a heartbeat. Maybe someone should buy them and figure that out for me? :)
http://surlamer07.readyhosting.com/HP/UHB073.JPG
I don't have jack diddly for experience with them, but...
did you put them on wet or dry ?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ldub
I don't have jack diddly for experience with them, but...
did you put them on wet or dry ?
I actually paid someone else to do it because I've had really bad experiences with stick-on stuff in the past, and I wanted to make sure this was done right. As soon as I handed the covers to the guy he (correctly) predicted that bubbling on the top (horizontal) surface might be an issue because the plastic is so incredibly thick (like 1/8" or more maybe). Since our headlights make a 90 degree turn from the vertical to horizontal surfaces, the thickness of the plastic naturally pulls the smaller surface area section (the area around the horns) away from the headlight surface. The only thing we could think to do would be to either trim down the area around the horn (upward slope near the horn was a problem too) or use something even more sticky to hold the top area down.
It's because of this issue that I'm looking into clear coating my headlights. If someone can figure out how to beat the bubbling issue I'd change my mind though.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
vt_maverick
It's because of this issue that I'm looking into clear coating my headlights. If someone can figure out how to beat the bubbling issue I'd change my mind though.
Thanks for the link :thumbup:
Once I finish the headlight mod, I'll but a set of protectors and look into the bubbling issue.
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Littlebeast, I underwent a retrofit tonight and turned out pretty sharp. Used your thread a lot! Did you have any problems making the projector snug against the housing? I feel like mine are a little too loose. Haven't sealed them up quite yet, ran out of patience :)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
ramathorn
Littlebeast, I underwent a retrofit tonight and turned out pretty sharp. Used your thread a lot! Did you have any problems making the projector snug against the housing? I feel like mine are a little too loose. Haven't sealed them up quite yet, ran out of patience :)
What projectors/ballasts/bulbs did you end up using? I'm just asking because my setup will be arriving today from retrofit source and last I checked, VLED wasn't selling projectors anymore.
I purchased a projector from China for fit testing a had the same issue with getting it snug. I'm hoping the Morimoto Mini projectors from retrofit source won't have the same issues since they're the real deal (and cost a lot more). :)
...and please post some pics if you have them!!! I would love to see the retrofitted headlights on an astral.
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I ordered mine from retrofit source as well. The quality seems great, and I'm happy with the beam, but i have to work on tightening them. Whenever i hit a bump they move a little more than they should. One of those things thatll drive ya nuts. I painted everything gunmetal and looks pretty sharp if I do say so myself. I'll work on some pictures. Taking everything back off tonight to try and tighten 'er up. Let me knowhow yours go.
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Yeah, I really spent my time getting those things super tight, but since all components that tightened down were made out of metal all it took was some good pressure from the inside to push threads as far out the back side as possible and some good turning force from some huge pliers, and they do not really bounce much at all when hitting bumps. I mean they do bounce a little but I am a perfectionist and they pass my standard, they are not loose. Good luck tightening them down, and please share some photos. I am wondering how the light output will be. Mine is far better than OEM HID :-)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
ramathorn
Did you have any problems making the projector snug against the housing? I feel like mine are a little too loose.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
VXorado
I purchased a projector from China for fit testing a had the same issue with getting it snug. I'm hoping the Morimoto Mini projectors from retrofit source won't have the same issues since they're the real deal (and cost a lot more). :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ramathorn
The quality seems great, and I'm happy with the beam, but i have to work on tightening them. Whenever i hit a bump they move a little more than they should.
Ok fellas...what about cutting a shim ring out of gasket material (it'll take the heat), & installing that between the projector base & the housing?
Seems to me like that'd take all the wiggle out of the assembly, & be nearly invisible if it were black, or if you used some hi temp black paint, or even a black sharpie marker.
Don't like that idea?...how about some 3M double stick...:naughty:
Or am I looking at this wrong...:confused:
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I tightened everything up and took her for a test drive, less bouncing around. There is a little, but something I can live with. I just put my 285/65s on my stock wheels and I'm just a little nervous when I crank those tbars it will make them shake more.
Overall happy with the purchase, although they are so tight I'm afraid i wont be able to remove them if I ever need to. Oh well. I've been hitting up the gym, what can I say? Haha. One of my headlights is all messed up and cracked already, not due to the einstall though. Hopefully I can find a replacement, I'm learning it might be impossible though. Any suggestions?
I'll try to post some pics tomorrow. It looks mean. :)
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Larry, mine came with a white rubber gasket exactly like what you are describing and it works perfectly.
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I guess i'll just plan on wrenching it into place... and maybe some thread locker will ensure it stays put.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
ramathorn
One of my headlights is all messed up and cracked already, not due to the einstall though. Hopefully I can find a replacement, I'm learning it might be impossible though. Any suggestions?
I'll try to post some pics tomorrow. It looks mean. :)
I have an extra lense that will be available after i'm finished. Is that what you need?
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I can also vouch for TRS (the retrofit source), they have awesome products. I did a retrofit on my Rodeo last January and I love it. To the guys that bought theirs from them, which projectors did you purchase? There are several different versions of the Morimoto Mini D2S, and different versions of the Mini H1.
Both of them have their advantages and disadvantages. I have the Mini D2S in my headlights and I custom made some off-road lights with the Mini H1 5.0 (the newest version that just came out not long ago, also has a built in foreground limiter) and loved them. I already sold the H1 projectors out of my off-road lights since i'm going to be experimenting with other lights, but I do have some pics.
I'll post the pics up tonight when I have access to my personal computer for anyone interested.
P.S. I snugged mine down really well and they don't vibrate at all, just be careful not to go overboard and crack the plastic. Remember these are just bolted onto the reflector so it's possible it's the reflector vibrating since it has a lot of extra weight on it, and tightening the projector isn't going to help that.
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I got the Mini D2S, Five3 ballasts & 5000k bulbs in the mail yesterday. I was fit testing with a knock off Mini H1 unit and didn't realize there was a size difference until I opened the box yesterday... oops. Luckily, I checked the fitment today and the DS2 should fit the VX headlight nicely.
Really curious to see your off road light retro...
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Good choice, I love my D2S's in my headlights. I'm running them with the 50w 5five ballast and 6000k 5five bulbs. I know it's not recommended to run those in the Mini's since they are more prone to burning the bowls due to the extra heat, but when I pulled mine apart this month (after 8 months of usage) they bowls still look perfect. No bubbling or anything so i'm going to keep running them. I ran cheap Xentec 35w ballast and Mori 3five 5000k bulbs in the MH1 projectors for my offroad lights.
Here are a couple pics. I never got a pic of the glass installed in the off-road lights while on my Rodeo, but you get the idea. I had to remove the glass to get them aimed properly. Since they were also bi-xenon I wired them into my headlight high beams, so when the headlight highs came on, the off-road lights highs came on.
http://i48.tinypic.com/or4cwp.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/27wxezs.jpg
http://i48.tinypic.com/2mx25xw.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/jkgg8j.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/2ntb70j.jpg
Output pics of the MH1 off-road lights againt a wall..
http://i47.tinypic.com/vnpd76.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/97idr4.jpg
My headlights on along with the off-road lights.. My headlights are 6000k, and the off-road lights are 5000k so that's why there is a color difference.
http://i45.tinypic.com/s1kl8j.jpg
High beams (remember when I flip the high beams on the headlights on, it turns the high beams on the off-road lights on). As you can tell i'd probably blind people a mile away :lol:
http://i46.tinypic.com/ux8gp.jpg
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OK i am sold send me a pair what the price i have the hid.
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If you want the complete retrofit kit, here are the links to them.
D2S: http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...roducts_id=237
MH1: http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...roducts_id=227
Which one should you choose? Honestly that's up to you. Most people say the MH1's are better than the D2S, but that's debatable. The new v5 H1 projectors that come in those kits have a nice curved cutoff shield for a sharper cutoff line, and also has a foreground limiter built into them, and have the squirrel finders blocked. I personally like mine without the foreground limiter and open squirrel finders, mainly because I like seeing directly in front of my truck, and the squirrel finders help light up signs.
Also, the Morimoto HID kits that come with these kits are absolutely awesome. Great warm up times, don't flicker, and last a long time. My 50w headlights (with the morimoto 5five ballast) warmed up WAY faster than the 35w Xentec Ebay ballast, and one ballast seemed like it wasn't working properly since one side was a bit dimmer than the other. That's not the case with the Morimoto stuff from the retrofit source, so be sure not to try and cheap out and use a crappy HID kit.
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Hey looks great Clipper and nice idea for the fog lights. :thumbup:
Now after seeing Littlebeast's updated pics and your light output shots, I'm amped up to get my projectors installed. I'm modifying the headlight bezel for some LEDs before I can go ahead with the full install. Hopefully I'll get a good start this weekend... I know I can't wait too much longer. :)
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Thanks, if you guys need any recommendations or help let me know. I've already done 3 retrofits so I know just about anything you need to know about installing these babies.
Be sure to post pics!
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Vxorado Sorry I went MIA for a few days. I have a cracked lens and all the housing pieces are crap inside. The lens is my number 1 priority though, to stop moisture from getting in there. How much would you want for it??
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http:// http://m1141.photobucket.com...1.jpg.html?o=0
http:// http://m1141.photobucket.com...7.jpg.html?o=1
http:// http://m1141.photobucket.com...1.jpg.html?o=2
I don't have any up close pics. I'm on vacation right now, and its sad but i kind of miss driving her around..
I still need to work on perfecting the output. I like the halos though.
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I give up. Apparently you werent meant to.see those pictures. How embarrassing.
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DuDe?...
:confused:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ramathorn
I give up. Apparently you werent meant to.see those pictures. How embarrassing.
http://mob1141.photobucket.com/album...g?t=1345657258
