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For those who want to read the install guide and see what it looks like, refer to post 38 at the end of page 2.
Originally Posted by nalle
giandaniel,
I like the looks with the black surround on the LED High Beam. Does any of the old reflector show?? Did you have to paint the old reflector black??
How do you plan to address the alignment issue???
I did not paint the reflector and it does not show at all. When I re-attempt the install of the bi-xenon low beam, I will drive out to my favorite dark area without the headlight's glass lens installed and re-orient the projector on the reflector. I will flip it 180º and see if that moves the beam farther upwards. That only requires loosening the locking ring and turning the projector clockwise, then tightening the locking ring again. I will also try the manual adjustment for the lateral spread.
Last edited by giandanielxk8; 12-13-2020 at 07:55 PM.
I did not paint the reflector and it does not show at all. When I re-attempt the install of the bi-xenon low beam, I will drive out to my favorite dark area without the headlight's glass lens installed and re-orient the projector on the reflector. I will flip it 180º and see if that moves the beam farther upwards. That only requires loosening the locking ring and turning the projector clockwise, then tightening the locking ring again. I will also try the manual adjustment for the lateral spread.
What if you wanted to just leave the Low Beams as is? I have already replaced the Ballast and Changed the Bulb to a: LED 35W 6000K, which is nice and Bright....could I just leave it as is without any problems and spend my time redoing the High Beam, as you have here? In other words, why would I want to change my low Beam, if I have already improved them?
Thanks for doing all this "Porta Rica" I really appreciate you! This is about the best improvement we could have ever asked for! You are the Man!
Billy Clyde @ Cinco Ranch Low Beam with new 35Watt - LED 6000K Bulb
What if you wanted to just leave the Low Beams as is? I have already replaced the Ballast and Changed the Bulb to a: LED 35W 6000K, which is nice and Bright....could I just leave it as is without any problems and spend my time redoing the High Beam, as you have here? In other words, why would I want to change my low Beam, if I have already improved them?
Thanks for doing all this "Porta Rica" I really appreciate you! This is about the best improvement we could have ever asked for! You are the Man!
Billy Clyde @ Cinco Ranch Low Beam with new 35Watt - LED 6000K Bulb
Well, if you have already improved your low beam I don’t see a reason why you can’t just focus on your high beam.
I am improving my low beams because the low beam projector bowls on my car are opaque and burned out, which results in reduced light output.
Well, if you have already improved your low beam I don’t see a reason why you can’t just focus on your high beam.
I am improving my low beams because the low beam projector bowls on my car are opaque and burned out, which results in reduced light output.
So, let me throw another curve ball here. How does the auto light level adjustment work?? Is it on both Hi and Lo or only on Lo??. I.e. Does the manual adjust move the whole assembly and the auto adjust works only on Lo.
So much to learn😢
Getting smarter at a snails pace. Just watched a couple of "to the garage" videos on the headlight removal and assembly. So, the motor drive for level adjustment works on both Hi and Lo beams. What I could not find is if there is also a manual adjustment for the Hi/Lo relationship or are they permanently tied.
Anybody out there who knows???
Getting smarter at a snails pace. Just watched a couple of "to the garage" videos on the headlight removal and assembly. So, the motor drive for level adjustment works on both Hi and Lo beams. What I could not find is if there is also a manual adjustment for the Hi/Lo relationship or are they permanently tied.
Anybody out there who knows???
From looking at the innards of the headlight, I believe they are in fact permanently tied. I bought a flexible zinc sheet today with which I will attempt to make a bracket. I thought my day was free tomorrow and that I would be able to work on it. However, it turns out I have a couple of patients who have an urgency that I will have to attend to tomorrow.
From looking at the innards of the headlight, I believe they are in fact permanently tied. I bought a flexible zinc sheet today with which I will attempt to make a bracket. I thought my day was free tomorrow and that I would be able to work on it. However, it turns out I have a couple of patients who have an urgency that I will have to attend to tomorrow.
Take your time! It would be slick if one could make a Hi Beam mount that would allow for "screwdriver" adjust from behind for between Hi and Low. A little engineering problem!
Oh yeah, that would be cool. However, I meant that the bracket I am making is for the new low beam bi-xenon projector (which will also have high beam functionality).
Oh yeah, that would be cool. However, I meant that the bracket I am making is for the new low beam bi-xenon projector (which will also have high beam functionality).
So, your low beam projector will now be on at all times with a mechanical "flipper" for Low. And, the LED mini HB will be on together with the bi-xenon at Hi.??
Still, it would be nice to have adjustment possibility between the Bi-Xenon and the LED mini. HB
What is the model on you new Bi-Xenon with both Hi/Lo possibility??
So, your low beam projector will now be on at all times with a mechanical "flipper" for Low. And, the LED mini HB will be on together with the bi-xenon at Hi.??
Still, it would be nice to have adjustment possibility between the Bi-Xenon and the LED mini. HB
What is the model on you new Bi-Xenon with both Hi/Lo possibility??
My low beam will be a low beam until I pull the switch to turn on the high beams. A solenoid will flip down the cut-off shield allowing it to accompany the LED Mini HB in high beam function. I went cheap on the low beam projector because I wanted to retain the factory ballast and needed a 2.5 inch projector lens. I bought the ACME D2S Standard Bixenon projector. Yes, I do have ignitor adaptors that let me use the factory ballast. I also have splitter cables for the high beam. I just need to make a bracket for it to be able to mount in the position of the stock projector.
Last edited by giandanielxk8; 12-14-2020 at 05:32 PM.
I think I just figured out why my high beams are aimed so low. The top area of black projector shroud is contacting the headlight’s glass lens. I will remove them and try to shave off a few millimeters off of the back end of the shroud with a belt sander to see if I can stop it from contacting the glass.
Looking at pictures, there seems to be a lot of space behind the old reflector. Is it possible to move the old reflector back about at inch and clear the glass that way? Or, maybe even remove it and add a new mounting plate/hole. Would be nice to have enough clearance to the glass for the auto level adjust to still work.
Looking at pictures, there seems to be a lot of space behind the old reflector. Is it possible to move the old reflector back about at inch and clear the glass that way? Or, maybe even remove it and add a new mounting plate/hole. Would be nice to have enough clearance to the glass for the auto level adjust to still work.
The reflector can’t be moved, but I could make a new bracket to substitute it.
The reflector can’t be moved, but I could make a new bracket to substitute it.
It is hard to see on all pictures that I have found, but there seems to be a lot of space behind the Hi Beam reflector. If so, it would be nicer to move the LED projector further back, rather than put the Belt Sander to the LED Black Shroud.. Remembering that you also need clearance to the front glass lens for the auto level adjust movement!
So, now you need modifications for both the Hi Beam LED and for the Lo/Hi Bi-Xenon. Is it possible to unbolt/unscrew the whole movement mechanism form the housing??? Is so, I would love a picture!! This is turning in to an "engineering project". However, I look at this as something you only want to do once and to me it has to fit just right and I would like to also have an outside reachable adjuster for LED and Bi-Xenon relationship.
Do you have any brilliant ideas??? 😁
There is a manual adjuster available, it’s the yellow-white plastic Allen screw visible from the engine compartment.
I solved the problem today. I just had to do 2 important things. The first was to increase the diameter of the hole on the reflector to allow the projector to seat on it completely flush. That gave me a good 4 or 5 mm. Now the projector was no longer contacting the glass even in their highest position. However, I still had my high beams pointing straight down. It removed the clear glass lens from the headlights, put the headlights on the car and used a wall of trees to look at my beam pattern. I loosened the locking ring for the projectors and flipped it 180° So that the flat part of the projector’s heat sink was facing up instead of down. That immediately solved my problem. Now the high beam is actually working as a high beam!
Unfortunately, I did not have much luck with the low beam bixenons. I was designing a new bracket and realized
that the bolt holes for the stock projector’s bracket would be completely blocked off by the new projectors in an area that I am unwilling to grind off.
I think I will return the ACME projectors and look for a different projector that could fit.
I did notice one of my low beams flicker. I ordered a pair of new ballasts. Perhaps that increases my light output enough?
There is a manual adjuster available, it’s the yellow-white plastic Allen screw visible from the engine compartment.
I solved the problem today. I just had to do 2 important things. The first was to increase the diameter of the hole on the reflector to allow the projector to seat on it completely flush. That gave me a good 4 or 5 mm. Now the projector was no longer contacting the glass even in their highest position. However, I still had my high beams pointing straight down. It removed the clear glass lens from the headlights, put the headlights on the car and used a wall of trees to look at my beam pattern. I loosened the locking ring for the projectors and flipped it 180° So that the flat part of the projector’s heat sink was facing up instead of down. That immediately solved my problem. Now the high beam is actually working as a high beam!
Unfortunately, I did not have much luck with the low beam bixenons. I was designing a new bracket and realized
that the bolt holes for the stock projector’s bracket would be completely blocked off by the new projectors in an area that I am unwilling to grind off.
I think I will return the ACME projectors and look for a different projector that could fit.
I did notice one of my low beams flicker. I ordered a pair of new ballasts. Perhaps that increases my light output enough?
Good news about flipping the LED mini HB's. Looking at your pictures, it also seems possible to remove the reflector and make a simple bracket and use the four LED shroud mounting screws and the old reflector mounting holes. This would gain another 20mm maybe if there is room behind.
Too bad about the Bi-Xenons.. Let me know what else you find. Have you looked at modifying the fixed plate on the old light by "stealing" a solenoid operated flipper from a cheap light??
I assume that the outside adjustment knob you mentioned will move both Hi and Lo????
Good news about flipping the LED mini HB's. Looking at your pictures, it also seems possible to remove the reflector and make a simple bracket and use the four LED shroud mounting screws and the old reflector mounting holes. This would gain another 20mm maybe if there is room behind.
Too bad about the Bi-Xenons.. Let me know what else you find. Have you looked at modifying the fixed plate on the old light by "stealing" a solenoid operated flipper from a cheap light??
I assume that the outside adjustment knob you mentioned will move both Hi and Lo????
Yes, you could gain quite a bit of space by removing the reflector completely. I thought about making a bracket for it. I was about to until I realized the projector was no longer contacting after the small modification I did. I considered making a hi-lo cut-off shield with a solenoid, that seems trivial and easy to install. However, my stock projectors have burn spots that affect their performance. I flipped the projector bowls for the low beams and that did provide some improvement, but not enough. That is why I am looking at replacing them. Finding stock replacements is a challenge, although I did find a possible source on eBay. I may end up going that route if upgrade projectors is impossible.
Last edited by giandanielxk8; 12-15-2020 at 07:52 PM.