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Here’s my write up on how I did my Retrofit. This may not be the best means and methods but this is how I did mine. Hopefully one of the steps will illustrate a step that you may have been confused on or needed some help with. I learned a ton doing this for the first time and want to thank everyone who helped me Via PM’s and texts to get this done. (Heavy sarcasm to follow; and try and laugh at my awful jokes if not you’re in for a dry read. This is also the second time I typed this my computer crashed and I lost the first draft. :’( )
Vehicle info:
2004 Ford F150 Super Crew Lariat 5.4L 4x4
1. First things first. Do some research, I got on here and found the means and methods I wanted to use then printed them out and put them in a binder to reference while I was working on them.
2. Here’s a look at everything I had as far as components from TRS.
3. Get a helper.
4. So you’ll need to pull your headlight assemblies apart. I bought mine on Ebay since my OEM ones are so scratched and chipped up from 10 years of service. If you buy yours aftermarket be sure you check them for staples!!!!! I had 4-5 hidden on mine that made my life hell when I was trying to pull them apart. Take your time get some help and re-heat them as necessary. I did 10 mins at 250 degrees to start.
Here’s an awesome how to on how to bake and pull. https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...eadlights.html
5. You’ll have to remove this little bowl reflector (might as well do it now and get it done with.) Just one little screw in the back. I also think most people didn’t take the bowls themselves out but I did just pull till the ball socket pops out and the other two hold points have little wings holding them on.
6. So you can now scuff and paint the main area of the headlight. I wanted the same Shade of black so I did these. I elected just to tape off everything I didn’t want to be black.
Wiped em down with rubbing alcohol to remove any debris etc.
7. Time to figure out how you’ll make that oblong hole in the bowls. It’s too late to turn around now boys you’re in it. I took a chunk of cardboard that TRS supplied (hacked apart the box they shipped the stuff in) and measured approximate height and widths of the projector squared some lines and free handed how I thought it looked. Cut it out and it was close then I trimmed it to fit.
8. You don’t have to but I figured I’d be safe and label the top of it and I was glad I did. I also labeled the backs of the bowls themselves (I don’t know why but I did… Moving on) Then take a sharpie and trace your template onto the back of the bowls try and keep the template level while tracing it It’ll help you later on. Always try throughout this whole process to keep everything as square as possible. (atleast that’s what I did.)
9. Nurse, pneumatic reciprocating saw stat!!! (I have no idea what tool I used but it was like a baby pneumatic reciprocating saw.)
Well boys, it’s too late to turn around now so you’re committed.
I checked mine for level at this point as well because I knew it was going to matter later on down the line.
10. Test fit the projectors and trim as needed until they fit into the opening you made for them my one fit with no trimming the other needed slight modifications/adjustments. Now it’s time to layout where the holes go for the projector to bolt to the bowl. I used the above method with the level to make sure mine were going to fit nice and level and marked em.
Check your fit….. Check your fit again….. After that check your fit one last time. Does it fit? Good. Now you can mark your hole locations and drill. You’ll also need a hole for the wires to slip through so find a hole size that works I put mine right below my projectors they’ll be covered by your shrouds don’t worry. It was during this step that I test fired mine. 40 test fires for each solenoid. Use your truck battery don’t waste your time with a 9v.
11. Clean up your holes, scuff em up and blast em with paint. Light first coat, each coat after that nice and light don’t be in a hurry because all that sanding you’re going to have to do when you get runs will take a lot longer than if you had just gone slow and painted it right the first time. This was when I test fired my
12. Sexy sexy.
13. Better get a mock up pic on Instagram!!! (that way all the girls that follow you won’t have a clue what it is and won’t like it!!!!)
14. Time to do some shroud trimming. I believe I mounted mine significantly further back in the housing bowl than what I should have. I think this because I had to cut my ????Radiator cross member???? To get the igniters to fit on the back when it was all completed and I also had to cut a ton off the shrouds.
15. Triple check you’re happy with how everything is fitting. Give everything a cleaning quick as this will most likely be your last chance to do so. Make sure your bolts are tight and that the shrouds are how you want them. Put your bowl assembly with projector back in the headlight and then check out how they look before you stick them. Happy?? Good. Mix up your JB weld, concentrate, go slow and then stick your shrouds on how you want them. (Make sure you’re happy because this is the only chance you get)
16. Stand back and admire your work..... and let them cure overnight. DO NOT RUSH THIS RETROFIT PROCESS!!! You’ll only regret it.
17. Okay time to clean everything up and get ready for re-assembly. Learn a lesson from me. There was a spot of the Beutyl on the lens and I could not figure out how to get it off. Don’t use brake cleaner. Took it off like no ones business also ate right into the plastic while it cleaned. Hey. Sometimes you learn a hard lesson what can I say? I can’t advise you what to use because that was the only spot I had to remove it from. Looking back I should have just let it on there and moved on.
18. The groove that receives the clear plastic lens on my setup was loaded with that beutyl glue so I divised a way to get it out of there. I took and heated a small screw driver (10 count in the flame) and then ran it through that groove and it took that excess out of there super slick. You have to keep re-heating the screwdriver but it worked very well.
19. Put whatever you’re using for adhesive in the groove and seal em up. Use tape, rubber bands, whatever you want to to keep pressure on them and I let mine sit for 24 hours before I did anything with them.
20. Time to go wire up your truck. It’s pretty simple but I was confused about it so it took me 2 evenings (roughly a total of 4 hours) to do this due to work etc. Just follow the diagrams that are on the packages and you’re gonna be set.
Just a few random shots I took while wiring mine.
21. Clearance issues. Mine must have sat really far back in the bowls because I couldn’t get them to fit no matter what I did. Until I went rogue.
22. Time to fire em up. They REALLY don’t like extreme cold. It was -2 here a few days ago when I was leaving for work and I tried to use my high beams very shortly after startup and it turned the whole setup off until I clicked them back to low beams. No problems since however.
They need aimed and I don't have any output pictures but you get the general idea. You just gotta Love that Road salt covered truck!!!!^^^^
If anyone has questions feel free to ask them I'll help in any way I can!!! I also want to say that TRS was great working with me and answering my questions throughout and I'd do this whole process again and would use them again for it!
Not sure I know what piece you're talking about? Pic? I didn't have any extra parts when I finished so I dunno?
Ryan.
Howdy.
The good yungin' means - the threaded portion on the rear of the projector.
You just hog out the existing hole to accommodate that shaft, remove/smooth some material around the rear of hole with a dremel, etc, to allow use of the washers & locknut.
The added benefit is less grinding of the shroud - depending on which was used.
It's the predominant Mini-D2S mounting method that's published.
It would have avoided you having to go 'rogue', and positioned yer lenses further forward as well.
With all the work you put into those bowls, may as well have used FX-R's
Was all of that cutting Kmart's idea? That'll learn ye!
BTW - I'd relocate the ground up on the lip of the right fender - that's kinda unsightly, imho.
Good job - waitin' fer ye aiming and output pics
MGD
Nah I just kinda looked at it and thought ok that looks like how it should go. Apparently I was wrong :P I thought all the cool kids were cutting oblong holes and mounting them back in the bowls???!?!?!?
Nah I just kinda looked at it and thought ok that looks like how it should go. Apparently I was wrong :P I thought all the cool kids were cutting oblong holes and mounting them back in the bowls???!?!?!?
Only fer FX-R's and other large projectors. See me last post.
The good yungin' means - the threaded portion on the rear of the projector.
You just hog out the existing hole to accommodate that shaft, remove/smooth some material around the rear of hole with a dremel, etc, to allow use of the washers & locknut.
The added benefit is less grinding of the shroud - depending on which was used.
It's the predominant Mini-D2S mounting method that's published.
MGD
Gotcha. My thought process was that of weight and leverage. That projector soul have just been hanging out there off those thread caps and I saw the holes on all 4 corners of the projectors so that's how I came to that conclusion.
Also if you look at the one post I used for a guide, the way he mounts his is extremely similar to how I chose haha. Like I said it was my first go-around and some of it I thought I did right but ended up not being the case.
Gotcha. My thought process was that of weight and leverage. That projector soul have just been hanging out there off those thread caps and I saw the holes on all 4 corners of the projectors so that's how I came to that conclusion.
Also if you look at the one post I used for a guide, the way he mounts his is extremely similar to how I chose haha. Like I said it was my first go-around and some of it I thought I did right but ended up not being the case.
Which that was also just my interpretation of how to do it so I might have been way in the wrong direction.
Ryan.
You didn't do it wrong I mean the projectors are mounted and they do work so technically its right, you just did it the harder of the 2 ways.. That link you posted is of a fx-r they don't have a shaft to mount to.
Gotcha. My thought process was that of weight and leverage. That projector soul have just been hanging out there off those thread caps and I saw the holes on all 4 corners of the projectors so that's how I came to that conclusion.
Also if you look at the one post I used for a guide, the way he mounts his is extremely similar to how I chose haha. Like I said it was my first go-around and some of it I thought I did right but ended up not being the case.
Which that was also just my interpretation of how to do it so I might have been way in the wrong direction.
Ryan.
Roger that.
Folks typically pack the area between the bowl and projector with epoxy/SteelStick, etc (after alignment), and/or run long bolts through the projector mount holes and reflector to add stability.
That link was for FX-R's - different beast - much larger & heavier, with no threaded shaft.
No biggie - ye did fine. Ol' Bubber's Right proud o' ye
02-01-2015, 12:07 AM
