I finally found some time to do my projector retrofit. I used the Morimoto Mini H1 projectors with 5000k HID bulbs from theretrofitsource.com.
Total time about 3 to 3 and a half hours. You will need to remove the grill and front bumper. All you need for that is a 10mm socket, a philips screwdriver and a flat for a couple of clips.
Once you remove the headlights take off all soft rubber parts that will melt. (pic below)
At this point you will most likely notice a couple of orange colored "flakes" inside the headlight. Those are from the turn signal bulbs, they tent to crack and peel. Make sure you clean the headlights from those flakes before you put them back together. I used a steel brush to remove the paint from the bulbs completely. The orange plastic insert the lense has on it is still enough to give the bulb an orange colored tint when lit.
Then i preheated the oven to 200 degrees and put the headlight in there for 11 minutes. Do not let the headlight touch the side or top of the oven and make sure the clear lense of the headlight doesnt touch anything or it will leave a mark on it. Then, wearing cotton gloves, i used flat head screwdrivers and i slowly seperated the lense from the back cover. Its not difficult but you need to go slow and apply even and steady force.
Once i had the headlight opened i needed to shave some material from the backside of the headlight housing in order for the projector nut to be able to fit. I circled below what i shaved off and i ended up shaving the entire second ring.
All nice and shaved
I then installed the shroud using 2 of the 4 long screws that came with the kit. Install diagonally from each other and dont go crazy tightening it.
Then i run the solenoid wires through the hole that was left there since i removed the cover the original bulbs used. At this point i had taked off the bulb base and nut from the projector and put the smaller silicone ring that came with the projectors.
Then i put and tighten the nut on the threads of the projector and i installed the bulb holder using the 3 little screws that came with it.
I would recommend shaving the inner ring too as the projector's theaded part is not long enough for the bulb to sit flush on it. The bulb retainer hits that ring and doesnt completely sit flush against the projector. The reason i didnt do it is that it will be extremely difficult to make an even surface all the way around. I am not sure how that affects the projector performance but see pics below and decide if you want to risk messing with it.
Once i put on the car and made sure the cut-off line was level i rebaked the housing and lense for 8 minutes and pressed them together. Once it cooled down i installed all the rubber pieces i removed before i baked it for the first time besides the original bulb holder for the low beams.
I used the high-beam spliter that they sell in order to power the solenoid. It is crazy bright having the bi-xenon high beam and the stock high beam on at the same time.
Tomorrow night i will take pics of the cut-offs and such. Sorry for not taking more pics during the process but you can find step by step guides on youtube.
PS. These are the same headlights i restored a couple of months ago. Still nice and clear. Something to think about before you go off and spend money buying new headlights.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...423713-headlight-not-clear-replace-clean.html
WARNING: Do not use windex to clean the chrome parts of the reflectors, the chrome will come off.
Total time about 3 to 3 and a half hours. You will need to remove the grill and front bumper. All you need for that is a 10mm socket, a philips screwdriver and a flat for a couple of clips.
Once you remove the headlights take off all soft rubber parts that will melt. (pic below)
At this point you will most likely notice a couple of orange colored "flakes" inside the headlight. Those are from the turn signal bulbs, they tent to crack and peel. Make sure you clean the headlights from those flakes before you put them back together. I used a steel brush to remove the paint from the bulbs completely. The orange plastic insert the lense has on it is still enough to give the bulb an orange colored tint when lit.
Then i preheated the oven to 200 degrees and put the headlight in there for 11 minutes. Do not let the headlight touch the side or top of the oven and make sure the clear lense of the headlight doesnt touch anything or it will leave a mark on it. Then, wearing cotton gloves, i used flat head screwdrivers and i slowly seperated the lense from the back cover. Its not difficult but you need to go slow and apply even and steady force.
Once i had the headlight opened i needed to shave some material from the backside of the headlight housing in order for the projector nut to be able to fit. I circled below what i shaved off and i ended up shaving the entire second ring.
All nice and shaved
I then installed the shroud using 2 of the 4 long screws that came with the kit. Install diagonally from each other and dont go crazy tightening it.
Then i run the solenoid wires through the hole that was left there since i removed the cover the original bulbs used. At this point i had taked off the bulb base and nut from the projector and put the smaller silicone ring that came with the projectors.
Then i put and tighten the nut on the threads of the projector and i installed the bulb holder using the 3 little screws that came with it.
I would recommend shaving the inner ring too as the projector's theaded part is not long enough for the bulb to sit flush on it. The bulb retainer hits that ring and doesnt completely sit flush against the projector. The reason i didnt do it is that it will be extremely difficult to make an even surface all the way around. I am not sure how that affects the projector performance but see pics below and decide if you want to risk messing with it.
Once i put on the car and made sure the cut-off line was level i rebaked the housing and lense for 8 minutes and pressed them together. Once it cooled down i installed all the rubber pieces i removed before i baked it for the first time besides the original bulb holder for the low beams.
I used the high-beam spliter that they sell in order to power the solenoid. It is crazy bright having the bi-xenon high beam and the stock high beam on at the same time.
Tomorrow night i will take pics of the cut-offs and such. Sorry for not taking more pics during the process but you can find step by step guides on youtube.
PS. These are the same headlights i restored a couple of months ago. Still nice and clear. Something to think about before you go off and spend money buying new headlights.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...423713-headlight-not-clear-replace-clean.html
WARNING: Do not use windex to clean the chrome parts of the reflectors, the chrome will come off.