Calling out to fellow HID retrofitters for assistance

[zettahertz]

Here's a pic of my color modded TSX projector to tease those that r running HIDs in halogen reflectors



Main concern is... how did you guys mount the projector into the headlight housing? 4 bolts into back of reflector w/ springs + 8 nuts, or a method like in this post using a solid piece of metal:

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/view...=tsx+projector

And how do you adjust the headlight once it's mounted on? I'm just starting my retrofit, just got the harness to work. And a bit afraid to crack open the new headlights i have. Help would be appreciated... And also... any ideas on the shroud/bezel whatever u call those things. Man, I need HIDPlanet NOW!

[white3ch0c0late]

Hehe, welcome to the dark side. I'm about to finish my retrofit this weekend. I'm doing my final aiming today, and I'm going to be sealing the headlights and permanently mount the ballasts. I chose not to color mod mine, however.

I tried what that guy did, and making that bracket is a pain in the ass. If you know someone good with metal and can do it for cheap, then I say have them make it. But I mounted straight onto the reflector with 4 bolts. Just make sure when you drill holes that you're drilling in the right place and make sure your projector will end up straight and not crooked. To adjust them, you can use the screws with the springs since there will be tension from the springs. You really only need to worry about horizontal aiming more than vertical at this point, since you can use the stock adjustment bolts to adjust the vertical later on. So double-check your horizontal aiming, and then put some JB weld on the bolts and nuts to seal it in place to ensure that it doesn't get out of adjustment. Then later when you piece it all back together, fix the vertical alignment (if needed) with the stock screws.

As far as a bezel, you want something that flares out a little and covers the mounting bracket. Almost all bezels/shrouds are pretty expensive though... I used 2.5" e46 shrouds and they cost me $95. A4 shrouds are pretty nice too (I believe Hawkeye-SE is using those).

Yeah, HIDPlanet needs to come back... wtf is going on?

Off Topic: It seems you and I are always doing something similar... Good times, bro.

[LE05]

i did a similiar approach with the bracket idea... but what i did was to cut the low beam reflector entirely out and mount the projector on a custom bracket directly to the headlight itself. unfortunatley, after sealing it up, you won't be to adjust vertical, so you have to aim it properly before hand. i've been too busy lately to finish it up... i have to reseal the headlights and get them on my car.

[white3ch0c0late]

^Don't you mean horizontal? 'Cause you can always just vertical with the stock adjustment screw...

[JMSinMD]

That Scion was NOICE!!, I'd love to see a Gen 5 or Gen 6 paint their headlights to match the color of the car, i.e. like C6 Corvette or like how that Scion tC was done.

[Mighty~Mart]

woah.. why does it seem like such an easy job when in fact if i tried to do this i'd probably fuq up my headlamps...

so unfair. Good luck w/ the retro! add some pic when you're done! love to see the outcome!

[Webb26]

you aim before you seal up the headlights.....NOt only do you have to worry about the horizontal....but you have to worry about rotation...one degree off and you will have major glare and the beam pattern will not be really straight. The best route you can go is with the bracket so you caan fabricate holes to allow for rotational adjustment. If not its just trial and error.

[Epsilon]

Great job on the awesome output and beautiful cutoff line.

[Hawkeye-SE]

Fantastic. I used 4 bolts to secure mine to the reflector. No springs. Adjusted them so that I could use the factory aiming mechanism. Then epoxied the nuts on so they wouldn't move. Basically just get them aimed right horizontally and rotationally, then use the factory adjusters to adjust them vertically.

I used A4 shrouds. I roughed up the chrome trim piece on the TSX projectors and epoxied the shrouds directly to the projectors. This was the easiest way I could see to do it. If you are use standard A4 shrouds you will have to enlarge the opening slightly. And be VERY careful with the chrome I destroyed 2 sets of shrouds by flaking the chrome off.

Good luck. Def post pics of the final result.

[zettahertz]

so, 4 bolts to the back of the reflector? or all the way through the reflector and to the back of the housing? Did u guys use any kinda plastic peice so that the bolt would be flush with the reflector curve? like some peice of plastic or whatever that looks like |===\ and \===|

Still debating on which method to use. And... how deep should the projector be inside there? Kinda worried the side distance would be cutoff if I shove it too far in.

And also, I kinda noticed a slight gap of like 1mm between the two peices of the projector, dunno if I should worry about light leaking outta there. Slightly more gap on the bottom (2mm?) now since i added some washers on the bottom

[Hawkeye-SE]

Originally Posted by zettahertz

so, 4 bolts to the back of the reflector? or all the way through the reflector and to the back of the housing? Did u guys use any kinda plastic peice so that the bolt would be flush with the reflector curve? like some peice of plastic or whatever that looks like |===\ and \===|

Still debating on which method to use. And... how deep should the projector be inside there? Kinda worried the side distance would be cutoff if I shove it too far in.

And also, I kinda noticed a slight gap of like 1mm between the two peices of the projector, dunno if I should worry about light leaking outta there. Slightly more gap on the bottom (2mm?) now since i added some washers on the bottom

The way I did it was four bolts through the reflector only. Then cut them off so they fit back into the housing. That way you can seal the back just like factory with only slight mods to the rubber boot.

I didn't use any spacers to square the back of the reflector. I double nutted them and epoxied them to fill any gaps and keep them LOCKED.

As for depth. I am pretty sure the width of the projector is going to determine your mounting depth. At least with my gen5.5 they are locked in as deep as possible and I have no problem with beam width.

[white3ch0c0late]

BTW, if you're wondering, zettahertz, here's my cutoff:

[Webb26]

awesome mike..can't wait to see them in person

[zettahertz]

nice cutoff =). Hey White3Chocolate, just wondering, does your bolts also go just on the reflector like hawkeye, or all the way back through reflector and to the housing?

[white3ch0c0late]

Hehe, my bolts go only through the reflector. I cut the bolts behind that, and I'm in the process of JB-welding the nuts on permanently. So no part of the bolts stick out through the housing.