For starters I want to condone the use of PnP HIDs in our stock fog lights. I know some are using them or tried them....they suck for oncoming drivers....if you can't afford to retrofit or pay someone who can just stick with the stockers and stock bulbs.

My first attempt to get better lighting out of the fogs was to change out the stockers and go with the 05-06 Escape Foglight. Which is the same as the 05-07 Roush and the some other models that ford produced and used them on along the way. I first started out with an h10 PnP hid kit 4300 was the color....sucked...they were aimed spot on but still got flashes from oncoming traffic due to stray hot spots.

So I took the PnP kit out and put in some SilverStar 9145....not as much light but better output to the sides and still had some occasional flashes from oncoming traffic but not as much.

I had thought about getting matchbox minis and retrofitting them in or Fusion fogs and doing the same....but I wanted this project to be CHEAP.

Then I found out TRS(TheRetroSource) was having a GB on their LED found lights....I ended up getting some measurements and doing some research if I could fit one the styles that they offered into the Foglight bucket.

I finally settled on the Morimoto XBLED Type "S"(Subaru) style...it was one of two models they had in stock and was closer in measurements for what I needed. Now some of you have heard of JWSpeaker LED lights...pretty kick *** but worth a little coin too. So that eliminated using those.

So I measured up one of the stock housings a drew up a plate on some scrap aluminum.



Then I mearsured out the XBLED and transferred those measurements also.



Then I came up with an adapter plate.



Yes the adapter plate still looks kinda rough but it's a work in progress.

Also ordered a set of h10 male ends to adapt to the female stock plug. It's nice that TRS doesn't send the ends already attached to the fog light. Makes it a lot nicer for using it on different applications.

Here's the size difference....

Stock OEM......approx 4 1/2"



Type "S" XBLED ......approx 3 1/2" to 3 5/8"



The important thing I have to remember is that the stockers did not protrude through the bumper fascia and the XbLED's are going to protrude through the fog light hole in the bumper fascia.

Bumper fascia Foglight hole pic...



I think it will go through without trimming

Stay tuned...

 

stock halogens with bulb shield.....



Type "S" xbLED....



These pics are of me just testing the comparison output...cell phone camera...no filters or adjustments to exposure

 

/thread

 

I would 100% be right behind you, I want to replace the HD fogs I have in my STX but I broke one of the brackets and I cannot find another one for the life of me.

 

The STX bracket is the same as the HD???

I thought

If it is there's some on eBay or fordpartsgiant.com for around $180 each side but that's complete with lamp and housing too

 

Updated 2nd post with test output shots

 

Right, $200 is a lot to swallow right now. I'm paying cash for flight training and $200 is about an hours worth of flying for me.

 

My boy is going for his pilots certificate and his rate is around $105/hour

 

Oh, do PM me and tell me how its going. I'm paying $90/hr for a Cessna 152 and $40 an hour for the instructor.

 

Update......put the XbLED's on the shelf on now proceeding on a path of no return....mh1 Foglight retrofit....

 

Not happy with the XBleds?
The added width wins with me

 

Mh1 mod is going to cost the same....

Going to get the foreground lighting back

If it's good I'll replace with the more expensive TRS parts

 

Only problem with HIDs in fogs is they are too bright. There are reasons fogs are still halogens.. Unless you are going to add yellow film to reduce light and gain the very useable amber light.

 

Got that covered...

 

Can't wait to see it