I bought a h4 hi/low kit from some shop in Huntington beach called HID masters and when he installed it the bulb doesn't have the aluminum or plastic cap that goes over the bulb (not sure if I'm explaining it right). I've looked up a few hi/low kits and all that I've seen have this cap/cover over the bulb... I was just wondering if the hi/low kits are supposed to have them or not? The guy that installed mines put a bulb that's fully exposed making my lights shine into everybody's face and he wants to charge me to have that cover on the bulb put on.
You mean that plastic clear cap that you see on all those pictures? I think you are supposed to remove that. That is just to protect the bulb inside. You are going to blind everybody because you headlight housing is not designed for HID bulbs. They are better on projectors, because the light output is projected out. Yours, mine and anybody that has reflector housing, reflects the light output forward in a big spectrum. Since the HID is INTENSE, the light reflects of your housing brighter than your regular 3000k incandescent bulb.
Bottom line is, HID on reflective housing ie yours, will blind people.
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2007 Black Camry CE
20% Black tints, Prestige Alarm with Solenoid for Trunk
2009 Pearl White Highlander Hybrid Limited
Navigation Package OEM everything except overhead DVD
Around here, the police seem to have patience with pathetically bad/bright light outputs/patterns. But, if they grab you for anything else, they just love writing up illegal lighting.
Nothing wrong with the stock headlights. If you can't see where you are going at night, drive slower or have your eyes checked.
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I have 4500k xenon installed in my highlander. I'm pretty sure I know what your talking about is it this ( http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/856316...XENON_BULB.jpg ) (a hi/lo xenon bulb should look something like this) plastic cap over the bulb portion. That is absolutely necessary, it blocks the bulbs light from being emitted to 1/2 of the reflector housing. in other words without it you have full time high beam, with it, you have low beam until u hit the high beam and the bulb retracts and the opening in the plastic cap allows light to shine through and you have high beam. And for lollonais and deadrx7conv, if the housing isn't aimed properly, yes you will blind people, but if it is aimed right it does a fairly good job of keeping the light out from oncoming traffic. I have yet to be flashed by anybody. Yes it is not as good as projector housings, but if done right, you wont blind everybody.
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2008 Black Highlander Limited FWD
Nav (with override), Rear DVD | 900+ Watt Sound System | Headlight & Fog HID Projector Retrofit | LED Interior/Puddle Lights | Rattletrap Sound Deadener | Dueler HL Alenzas 255/55R19's |Updated Modification List
I have 4500k xenon installed in my highlander. I'm pretty sure I know what your talking about is it this ( http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/856316...XENON_BULB.jpg ) (a hi/lo xenon bulb should look something like this) plastic cap over the bulb portion. That is absolutely necessary, it blocks the bulbs light from being emitted to 1/2 of the reflector housing. in other words without it you have full time high beam, with it, you have low beam until u hit the high beam and the bulb retracts and the opening in the plastic cap allows light to shine through and you have high beam. And for lollonais and deadrx7conv, if the housing isn't aimed properly, yes you will blind people, but if it is aimed right it does a fairly good job of keeping the light out from oncoming traffic. I have yet to be flashed by anybody. Yes it is not as good as projector housings, but if done right, you wont blind everybody.
Yes I'm talking about that cover. I spoke to the guy and he said with that cap, it wouldnt fit so he took it off... I decided to take things into my own hands and fabricate something that'll block the beam from bouncing off the bottom portion of my headlight and into peoples eyes and it turned out great! Now the beam is just fine. I sat inside my little 97 accord and had the HL with it's lights turned on behind me and it wasn't so bad.
Yes I'm talking about that cover. I spoke to the guy and he said with that cap, it wouldnt fit so he took it off... I decided to take things into my own hands and fabricate something that'll block the beam from bouncing off the bottom portion of my headlight and into peoples eyes and it turned out great! Now the beam is just fine. I sat inside my little 97 accord and had the HL with it's lights turned on behind me and it wasn't so bad.
thats strange the cover didn't fit. If you created your own cover does your high beam still function or is it forced to block all light all the time? Because my cover has a hole in it to allow light through if high beam is triggered. if so nicely done
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2008 Black Highlander Limited FWD
Nav (with override), Rear DVD | 900+ Watt Sound System | Headlight & Fog HID Projector Retrofit | LED Interior/Puddle Lights | Rattletrap Sound Deadener | Dueler HL Alenzas 255/55R19's |Updated Modification List
That cover is definitely needed in order for the hi/low function to work and for you not to blind oncoming drivers. Not sure why he said it wouldn't fit. Glad to hear you figured out a solution to your dilemma though, nice work! Any pics to help other members out if they should come across a similar problem?
thats strange the cover didn't fit. If you created your own cover does your high beam still function or is it forced to block all light all the time? Because my cover has a hole in it to allow light through if high beam is triggered. if so nicely done
Yup! The high beam works fine but I decided to go back to the shop that did my hid's and ask for the covers and try them out myself to see if they fit and guess what?! They fit just fine... I'm thinking he mixed the bulbs around and just didn't notice or possibly forgot that mines needed that cover. The home made cover I did worked fine but it wasn't very pretty to look at when you take the bulb out and look at it. Now it looks a lot better and it's not shinning into as many peoples eyes as they were without the cover. It's a pain in the ass trying to adjust the height of the beam though, I don't know why they just didn't stick with a screw instead of a wheel. There's a nut to turn but it's so hard to get a ratchet in there. It seems like there's a little hole on top to stick some sort of speacial tool in there to spin that wheel, anybody know where to get one and the cost? Or maybe if there's some easier way to turn it without buying a speacial tool?
That cover is definitely needed in order for the hi/low function to work and for you not to blind oncoming drivers. Not sure why he said it wouldn't fit. Glad to hear you figured out a solution to your dilemma though, nice work! Any pics to help other members out if they should come across a similar problem?
Sorry, I didn't take any pictures of the Frankenstein job I did with the bulb because, well... It was ugly and not picture worthy lol, but I still have the pieces of the add on that I can post up. All I did was get a thin sheet of metal and cut out a rectangle and did a little cutting, bending, and a bit of drilling to match up the holes that are already on the bulb. It works and all but a bit time consuming so I would recommend just making sure that you get the cap along with the kit so you won't have to spend and hour making one. I'll get some pictures up soon
Yup! The high beam works fine but I decided to go back to the shop that did my hid's and ask for the covers and try them out myself to see if they fit and guess what?! They fit just fine... I'm thinking he mixed the bulbs around and just didn't notice or possibly forgot that mines needed that cover. The home made cover I did worked fine but it wasn't very pretty to look at when you take the bulb out and look at it. Now it looks a lot better and it's not shinning into as many peoples eyes as they were without the cover. It's a pain in the ass trying to adjust the height of the beam though, I don't know why they just didn't stick with a screw instead of a wheel. There's a nut to turn but it's so hard to get a ratchet in there. It seems like there's a little hole on top to stick some sort of speacial tool in there to spin that wheel, anybody know where to get one and the cost? Or maybe if there's some easier way to turn it without buying a speacial tool?
wow thats interesting about the guy installing the lights. thats why i don't really trust anybody to work on my car except the dealer (which i sometimes question lol). I didn't actually have to adjust my headlights, i kept them in factory position (they were aimed correctly) I was just saying if it was aimed high it could be lowered. but i agree i was looking for that nut before i installed my lights thinking i might have to adjust it, it is very hard to get to. well good to hear about the lights working now, they really do make a night and day difference
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2008 Black Highlander Limited FWD
Nav (with override), Rear DVD | 900+ Watt Sound System | Headlight & Fog HID Projector Retrofit | LED Interior/Puddle Lights | Rattletrap Sound Deadener | Dueler HL Alenzas 255/55R19's |Updated Modification List
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HID question please answer.
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