My first HIDs
My first HIDs
Took me a couple of days to sort through the bird nest of wires I got with these lights, but after running new wires and basically building a new relay harness.... I got them working. These will probably be for sale pretty soon since I have another set on the way that I think will look better on my truck.
Hopefully the deer won't be able to hide from me now!
These are OEM heads with FXR projectors with Philips 4300k bulbs.
Tonight I put these Hella heads in that I got from Sam1947 on here. They are FXR projectors with 5000k bulbs and halos that I haven't hooked up yet. Too tired to take pictures of them, but they look nicer on my truck than the first set I bought, but I'm on the fence about the light output on the newest set. I'll probably switch the bulbs and see where I'm at. I think the OEM ones pictured above might have a modified shield or something. The cutoff on is sharper on them but not as level as the Hella set.
The other thing is, the plugs from the ballasts to the bulb has to be wedged between the back on the housing and the core support on the Hellas. I think that might be messing with the cutoff on them??
Tonight I put these Hella heads in that I got from Sam1947 on here. They are FXR projectors with 5000k bulbs and halos that I haven't hooked up yet. Too tired to take pictures of them, but they look nicer on my truck than the first set I bought, but I'm on the fence about the light output on the newest set. I'll probably switch the bulbs and see where I'm at. I think the OEM ones pictured above might have a modified shield or something. The cutoff on is sharper on them but not as level as the Hella set.
The other thing is, the plugs from the ballasts to the bulb has to be wedged between the back on the housing and the core support on the Hellas. I think that might be messing with the cutoff on them??
Looking for suggestions here. I'm back to these heads, the first set I got. I need to be able to rotate my driver side projector/cutoff a few degrees. Is there a way to do this without taking the whole headlight apart again? If you look close you can see how far off it is in the third pic above. It's perfectly functional, just slightly annoying.
After 12 hours baking them, taking them apart to fix a cracked middle part of the housing on one of them, repaint them, tint the side marker lenses and reseal them.... I forgot to realign them. If it means anything, it seems like these lights have a much larger step in them than the other set I have, both with FXR projectors. So maybe the shields have been modified in this set and that messed up the alignment a little? This HID upgrade all started after I hit a deer, on the driver side... is there something the body shop missed that could need a little tweaking? I guess I could put the other driver side headlight in and see if it lines up right, that could eliminate something on the front of the truck being bent, as the problem.
What else can I do? Any good tips or tricks?
After 12 hours baking them, taking them apart to fix a cracked middle part of the housing on one of them, repaint them, tint the side marker lenses and reseal them.... I forgot to realign them. If it means anything, it seems like these lights have a much larger step in them than the other set I have, both with FXR projectors. So maybe the shields have been modified in this set and that messed up the alignment a little? This HID upgrade all started after I hit a deer, on the driver side... is there something the body shop missed that could need a little tweaking? I guess I could put the other driver side headlight in and see if it lines up right, that could eliminate something on the front of the truck being bent, as the problem.
What else can I do? Any good tips or tricks?
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 566
Likes: 0
From: ED, AB, Canada
Can you park and take a picture 25 feet in front of a large wall? You can bend the cutoff shield from the bulb hole to adjust it. Mine was off twice as much as yours and I fixed it. Just remember what you see on the building is back wards and upside down from looking from back of projector.
From my projector how to:
If your cutoff does not line up on the rotational axis like the picture below.
The output gets flipped upside down AND flipped left and right. You have to do this through the bulb hole.
__________________
From my projector how to:
If your cutoff does not line up on the rotational axis like the picture below.
Quote from LightWerkz:
Quote:
What you can do for a small tweak is bend the metal that holds the shield straight. Once you bend it (use a flat head screwdriver) the shield should sit better. This works for a slight tweak only, which seems to be your case. it is possible to fix it without taking it apart, but it can also lead to a larger problem if you dont know what you are doing.
Quote:
If you use my advice you dont even need to take apart the light, you can work with it once removed out of the car. Just need a long flat head screw driver and you can tweak the part that holds the shield to tilt it a few degrees.
Quote:
I took a photo so you guys could see what I am referring too. Obviously you wont have the bowl off since the projector is mounted inside the light, so this is just for illustration purposes.
You press down on one side, and up on the other, and this will cause the shield to sit at a different angle when your all done. This only works (without a compromise to the beam output) if its a few degrees.
Quote:
What you can do for a small tweak is bend the metal that holds the shield straight. Once you bend it (use a flat head screwdriver) the shield should sit better. This works for a slight tweak only, which seems to be your case. it is possible to fix it without taking it apart, but it can also lead to a larger problem if you dont know what you are doing.
Quote:
If you use my advice you dont even need to take apart the light, you can work with it once removed out of the car. Just need a long flat head screw driver and you can tweak the part that holds the shield to tilt it a few degrees.
Quote:
I took a photo so you guys could see what I am referring too. Obviously you wont have the bowl off since the projector is mounted inside the light, so this is just for illustration purposes.
You press down on one side, and up on the other, and this will cause the shield to sit at a different angle when your all done. This only works (without a compromise to the beam output) if its a few degrees.
The output gets flipped upside down AND flipped left and right. You have to do this through the bulb hole.
__________________
Last edited by powerz69; Mar 16, 2012 at 12:34 PM.
Awesome! I don't have anything anywhere around me that's flat for 25 feet, but this is great info. I think I can get it close with the light shining into the garage, based on the idea that the left side light seems to be set up correctly. I'll just match the left side to the cutoff from the right. Then check it at work in the parking lot on one of the bay doors. Once they're level, they are aimed 2" down from the center of the projector at 25 feet away right?
To get them level, I'm sitting in the driver seat looking out, the driver side light is rotated a few degrees clockwise, so then looking then that means I would have to actually lower the right side of the shield (looking at it through the bulb hole) and lift the left side right? That should rotate the cutoff counter clockwise. That's what I'm getting from the drawing you posted.
To get them level, I'm sitting in the driver seat looking out, the driver side light is rotated a few degrees clockwise, so then looking then that means I would have to actually lower the right side of the shield (looking at it through the bulb hole) and lift the left side right? That should rotate the cutoff counter clockwise. That's what I'm getting from the drawing you posted.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,862
Likes: 0
From: Northern California
Curious about that too, my drivers side projector is off just like yours is. So push down on the right and lift the left?
Trending Topics
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 566
Likes: 0
From: ED, AB, Canada
Honestly I find it confusing to think about it, but I think you guys are right. My passenger side was twice as bad as the picture. The pictures to me made sense but looking through the bulb hole never. I took a long small head flat blade screwdriver and inserted it into the bulb hole. Now you have to lightly push down on a piece of metal that is spring loaded? Doing this will expose the tabs like in the picture. You have to use a bit of force to push the tabs down and to pry them up. But try a little at a time till you know how much you need. Once you alter a tab reinstall the light and check what happened, then it will make perfect sense. I got my passenger side perfect now, and then noticed my drivers had a slight happy face. I fixed the left side on the drivers then had to stop from finishing the right side.(wife was getting mad) Once I fix the rest of the drivers side my cutoff will be perfect. Prior to this I had big spacers behind the lights to make the cutoff more even. total time for me and my problems was 1.5 hours. It's not hard to do just time consuming disconnecting and removing then installing and reconnecting the lights after every adjustment.
As for level 25 feet in front of a building, you just have to be left and right level not back and front level. Doing so you can adjust the projector shields to get an even cutoff, it might be 1-8 feet off the ground on the building. After getting a level cutoff park back to front level and take a tape measure 25 feet in front of the truck. On the lower part of the driver steep make that 2.5 inches lower then the center of projector. Once done take it back to the wall and line up the passengers side with the drivers side, you don't need to be any kind of level for this.
As for level 25 feet in front of a building, you just have to be left and right level not back and front level. Doing so you can adjust the projector shields to get an even cutoff, it might be 1-8 feet off the ground on the building. After getting a level cutoff park back to front level and take a tape measure 25 feet in front of the truck. On the lower part of the driver steep make that 2.5 inches lower then the center of projector. Once done take it back to the wall and line up the passengers side with the drivers side, you don't need to be any kind of level for this.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 566
Likes: 0
From: ED, AB, Canada
I cannot say what you did as I never had that problem. But if your high beams are staying on and a blurry cutoff sounds like the shield is bent and binding. The spring loaded tap that you gently pressed down with the screwdriver to get to the tabs, is that bent or stuck down? That piece controls the high beams. Fix the high beam issue first then if cutoff is still blurry you might have to pull back or push the shield forward to get a sharper cutoff.
This has been really frustrating! Here's where I'm at with it now. The left side is more level, but the cut off is really crappy!
How do I fix this mess now? By the way, the high beam isn't sticking anymore. I had bent the back part of the shield while I was trying to bend the tabs last night. That was causing it to hang up under the bracket that retains the shield. So now is the problem just that the shield needs to be repositioned? Higher? Lower? Forward? Backwards? I'm at a loss here right now.
Pic's from my messy garage...
^ Right Side Looks ok still
^ Left Side more level but really out of focus cut off
^ both for left side comparison
^ High beams for reference
^ In cab low beam
For anyone that is thinking about attempting this rotational "fix" be VERY CAREFUL! I would recommend that you use 2 screwdrivers. one really small one to push the back of the shield down below the retaining bracket. The a longer one to reach in and push/pry on the tabs. Also, you can see your progress by noting the position of the ends of the front of the shield where it makes a sharp bend and rides on the groves on the back side of the housing behind the lens. An LED work light in front of the whole headlight housing in just the right position will help you see what you're doing on the back side.
How do I fix this mess now? By the way, the high beam isn't sticking anymore. I had bent the back part of the shield while I was trying to bend the tabs last night. That was causing it to hang up under the bracket that retains the shield. So now is the problem just that the shield needs to be repositioned? Higher? Lower? Forward? Backwards? I'm at a loss here right now.
Pic's from my messy garage...
^ Right Side Looks ok still
^ Left Side more level but really out of focus cut off
^ both for left side comparison
^ High beams for reference
^ In cab low beam
For anyone that is thinking about attempting this rotational "fix" be VERY CAREFUL! I would recommend that you use 2 screwdrivers. one really small one to push the back of the shield down below the retaining bracket. The a longer one to reach in and push/pry on the tabs. Also, you can see your progress by noting the position of the ends of the front of the shield where it makes a sharp bend and rides on the groves on the back side of the housing behind the lens. An LED work light in front of the whole headlight housing in just the right position will help you see what you're doing on the back side.
Okay! things took a turn for the better, 3 Monster lemon teas in I have a level cutoff. I just need to space the bulb to clean up the hotspot.
^ about 10 feet from the wall
^ Inside the projector through the bulb hole
^ Finished product!
So the way this works, looking from the cab of the truck, you see the cutoff rotated clockwise, that means you push down on the left tab (the high side of the cutoff) You move the tabs the same way you want to move the cutoff, nothing backwards or upside down when making this correction through the bulb hole.
In the pic showing the inside of the projector, you can the position of the shield in the channel behind the lens. When I first started the shield was all the way at the top of the channel.
To fix the blurry cutoff after I got it leveled I took my dremel with a cut off wheel and cut a notch in the long skinny flat blade screw driver I used to adjust the tabs. I used the notch as a hook and hooked it on the middle of the shield and bent it back toward me until the cutoff sharpened up. If you pull it back too far the cut off gets really sharp, but turns a real nice blue and purple but I pushed it forward a little to get rid of that in the end. On the other side of that if you push the shield foward, toward the lens, it starts to turn the cutoff orange and red, and it gets blurry.
^ corrected cutoff rotation with the shield pulled way back giving a blue and purple cutoff. The tape shows where the rotational alighment was before a pushed the left side tab down.
I hope my pain and suffering helps someone get their HIDs straight.
^ about 10 feet from the wall
^ Inside the projector through the bulb hole
^ Finished product!
So the way this works, looking from the cab of the truck, you see the cutoff rotated clockwise, that means you push down on the left tab (the high side of the cutoff) You move the tabs the same way you want to move the cutoff, nothing backwards or upside down when making this correction through the bulb hole.
In the pic showing the inside of the projector, you can the position of the shield in the channel behind the lens. When I first started the shield was all the way at the top of the channel.
To fix the blurry cutoff after I got it leveled I took my dremel with a cut off wheel and cut a notch in the long skinny flat blade screw driver I used to adjust the tabs. I used the notch as a hook and hooked it on the middle of the shield and bent it back toward me until the cutoff sharpened up. If you pull it back too far the cut off gets really sharp, but turns a real nice blue and purple but I pushed it forward a little to get rid of that in the end. On the other side of that if you push the shield foward, toward the lens, it starts to turn the cutoff orange and red, and it gets blurry.
^ corrected cutoff rotation with the shield pulled way back giving a blue and purple cutoff. The tape shows where the rotational alighment was before a pushed the left side tab down.
I hope my pain and suffering helps someone get their HIDs straight.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 566
Likes: 0
From: ED, AB, Canada
I think you did it wrong, but what ever you did worked. I'm telling you I did mine in 1.5 hours with no problems at all. I slightly bent the ends of the tabs either up or down. Did you bend the tabs like in the picture, or the cutoff shield itself?
I bent the tab on the left (the part the screw driver is touching in your picture) so that it wouldn't let the shield raise up so far. Before I bent the tab, the shinny metal in the pic of the inside of the projector would raise all the way up to where you see the shadow above it. Now with the tab bent down it holds the shield down just a little, where you see it in the pic.
After I did that though, that's when the cutoff was blurry. So I started fooling with the front part of the shield it self. Pulling it back toward me is what sharpened the cutoff again. I just hooked onto the shield right where the step down is and pulled it back.
I'd guess that if you wanted to spend a few hours messing with them, you could tweak the tabs and the shield and end up with a killer cutoff with some really nice color to it. But for now, I just wanted to make them work.... Maybe when I have some time to kill I'll fool with them again. I'm guessing that if I lowered the shields on both heads, the cutoff colors would be brighter. But right now we're having a spring blizzard.... so I'm done messing with them for the weekend.
I'll probably go for a drive after it gets dark so I can check out my work.
After I did that though, that's when the cutoff was blurry. So I started fooling with the front part of the shield it self. Pulling it back toward me is what sharpened the cutoff again. I just hooked onto the shield right where the step down is and pulled it back.
I'd guess that if you wanted to spend a few hours messing with them, you could tweak the tabs and the shield and end up with a killer cutoff with some really nice color to it. But for now, I just wanted to make them work.... Maybe when I have some time to kill I'll fool with them again. I'm guessing that if I lowered the shields on both heads, the cutoff colors would be brighter. But right now we're having a spring blizzard.... so I'm done messing with them for the weekend.
I'll probably go for a drive after it gets dark so I can check out my work.