Some Questions on Doing HIDs the Right Way

[Silver MK3]

Hi guys, I am contemplating doing a HID retrofit into my Supra the right way using projectors and only high quality parts from The Retrofit Source. Right now I have Hella DOT housings and they are definitely better than stock, but aren't great. The lights in my parents newer Toyotas are a lot better still. I know there are some people who have done HIDs the right way here on the forum and I am hoping they will be able to share their wisdom.

I emailed The Retrofit Source asking for recommendations, and they recommended FX-R projectors but they won't fit without cutting the radiator support which I will not do. From what I have read it seems like I can get away with not having to cut anything on the car if I go with a small projector like the Morimoto Mini D2S, and then space the headlight housing out about half an inch.

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=236 (link to the Mini D2S projectors)

I was looking through this thread and using it as a reference because it is quite detailed, but it is also two years old and I am afraid some of the information may be outdated.

http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?140418-89-Turbo-HID-conversion-The-right-way.

So my basic plan right now is to buy the Morimoto Mini D2S projectors along with Morimoto bulbs, ballasts, and wiring harnesses and install them in the same housings that were used above because that seems to be a fairly easy way to do this.

1) Has anyone here ran this setup or have any suggestions?

2) Anything I should be aware of before doing an HID setup in the Supra?

3) From what I have read HID retrofits don't seem like they are hard to do so long as I take my time and don't rush. Am I right in thinking this?

Thanks in advance for any answers, I want to make sure I do this the right way the first time and don't end up wasting a bunch of money.

 

[akito]

This is the exact set up i'm going to be doing soon. Current have tsx retro in my car and there's no room for the d2s....less alone the bulb caps. So i ended up modified a different set of bulbs to run these but the way where the bulbs are seated in the tsx housings i'm not getting the best light output, in turn im not utilizing the tsx to their full potential. I had a set of h7 before and they were great although light out put is no where near the tsx or d2s it was great with nice cut off lines.

Mini D2S is 125mm from lense to back of projectors. This will be the best projectors to use with 7x6 housings and it gives us enough room w.o having to cut out rad support.

To answer your questions:
1. Many, your have the best link there as he's running the exact set up.
2. Simplicity of upgrading your light output, No.
3. Not hard, but no easy as plug and play. Totally worth it.

 

[Poodles]

Mini H1 > Mini D2S in output. Also, while the projector itself is technically longer, the projector with bulb and connector is not, so they should fit with a bit of tweaking.

I've made a set of D2S ones that I sold, and I'd do more if I had the time (I have one set about halfway done and it's taken me a month because of time issues), but overall it's not hard...just very tedious work to get it right.

The Matchbox projectors are entirely drop in to a housing like that BTW, but their output is pretty crap...

 

[Doat]

Don't mean to thread jack but I always wondered, do you have to get those projector housings that look like eyes or can you get HIDs with the regular style head lights? I am thinking about going with HIDs as well but I was thinking of going with yellow HID fog lights.

 

[Poodles]

Don't mean to thread jack but I always wondered, do you have to get those projector housings that look like eyes or can you get HIDs with the regular style head lights? I am thinking about going with HIDs as well but I was thinking of going with yellow HID fog lights.

Bit of a loaded question, so excuse the long explanations.

Do you mean the round lens at the center of these lights when you talk about an "eye?"

If so, technically yes. Here's the rub though. Putting HID bulbs into a halogen housing causes all sorts of crazy glare, alignment issues, and crap output (commonly refured to as "kits). While there are cars that use HID in a reflector headlight, it's far FAR easier to retrofit a compact and pretty much self contained projector than it would be to rip the reflector out of those headlights and put them in something else.

Now, HID's in fog lights is ultimately dumb simply because of their intended purpose (they're fog lights, 3x more light is NOT going to do you favors in the fog).

There's a lot more ground to cover though (kelvin, aiming, why all of this matters, etc). Just keep in mind I won't sugarcoat things

 

[Doat]

Yea I did mean the round lens center housings. I like the look of white/white blue headlights with yellow fogs. I remember reading awhile ago that wiring HIDs in our cars is a nightmare or something like that I don't remember exactly.

Thanks for giving me the quick and dirty version.

 

[akito]

Mini H1 > Mini D2S in output. Also, while the projector itself is technically longer, the projector with bulb and connector is not, so they should fit with a bit of tweaking.

I've made a set of D2S ones that I sold, and I'd do more if I had the time (I have one set about halfway done and it's taken me a month because of time issues), but overall it's not hard...just very tedious work to get it right.

The Matchbox projectors are entirely drop in to a housing like that BTW, but their output is pretty crap...

No comment on the d2s vs h1 as that has been debated already. At this point either 1 is better than stock, hid in halogen housings and many more. Can you elaborate on "the projector itself is technically longer, the projector with bulb and connector is not"? I tried calling TRS to ask the dimensions of a d2s with bulbs, end caps vs a h1 with bulbs in them to see which one is longer. Or i can just do d2s and d2h bulbs. I'd love to have a set of h1 as their cut off is a lot better than the d2s. But fitment issues is where i have to decide what to get as we're so limited to space. Also, if you want to wait Silver Mk3, at the end of Nov TRS will release their v3 of the d2s.....square projectors. My friend works there and he said these are already in production and will be better than the current d2s.

 

[Silver MK3]

Mini H1 > Mini D2S in output. Also, while the projector itself is technically longer, the projector with bulb and connector is not, so they should fit with a bit of tweaking.

I've made a set of D2S ones that I sold, and I'd do more if I had the time (I have one set about halfway done and it's taken me a month because of time issues), but overall it's not hard...just very tedious work to get it right.

The Matchbox projectors are entirely drop in to a housing like that BTW, but their output is pretty crap...

Thanks for the answer, I appreciate it. I was actually reading that last night that the H1 is better than the D2S. I didn't think they would fit but I also didn't think about the base of the bulb. So you think I would be able to get the Mini H1 into our housings without having to cut the plastic mounting bucket on the car or the radiator support?

No comment on the d2s vs h1 as that has been debated already. At this point either 1 is better than stock, hid in halogen housings and many more. Can you elaborate on "the projector itself is technically longer, the projector with bulb and connector is not"? I tried calling TRS to ask the dimensions of a d2s with bulbs, end caps vs a h1 with bulbs in them to see which one is longer. Or i can just do d2s and d2h bulbs. I'd love to have a set of h1 as their cut off is a lot better than the d2s. But fitment issues is where i have to decide what to get as we're so limited to space. Also, if you want to wait Silver Mk3, at the end of Nov TRS will release their v3 of the d2s.....square projectors. My friend works there and he said these are already in production and will be better the the current d2s.

Thanks for the response also. I read that they are coming out with a 3.0 to replace the 2.0. Would you happen to have any idea whether or not they will be the same size as the 2.0 or will they be longer and require more space?

That's my main concern with this is the very limited amount of space.

 

[GrimJack]

Any estimate of how much better light output the mini h1 projectors put out?

 

[Poodles]

No comment on the d2s vs h1 as that has been debated already. At this point either 1 is better than stock, hid in halogen housings and many more. Can you elaborate on "the projector itself is technically longer, the projector with bulb and connector is not"? I tried calling TRS to ask the dimensions of a d2s with bulbs, end caps vs a h1 with bulbs in them to see which one is longer. Or i can just do d2s and d2h bulbs. I'd love to have a set of h1 as their cut off is a lot better than the d2s. But fitment issues is where i have to decide what to get as we're so limited to space. Also, if you want to wait Silver Mk3, at the end of Nov TRS will release their v3 of the d2s.....square projectors. My friend works there and he said these are already in production and will be better than the current d2s.

Because of the huge connector on D2S, it's a very tight fit. Because the H1 basicly is a "kit" bulb and has wires instead so it seems to clear easier. I'll know more once this set is done if I can ever get it done.

Thanks for the answer, I appreciate it. I was actually reading that last night that the H1 is better than the D2S. I didn't think they would fit but I also didn't think about the base of the bulb. So you think I would be able to get the Mini H1 into our housings without having to cut the plastic mounting bucket on the car or the radiator support?

Either one, you may have to modify the plastic mounting bucket as there's quite a lot of "flash" on the molding that can get in the way. YMMV since they're all a bit different in that one spot.

Thanks for the response also. I read that they are coming out with a 3.0 to replace the 2.0. Would you happen to have any idea whether or not they will be the same size as the 2.0 or will they be longer and require more space?

That's my main concern with this is the very limited amount of space.

Well, if the 3.0 can keep the same length but a better output like the H1, it will be a hit and should be able to retrofit fine.

Any estimate of how much better light output the mini h1 projectors put out?

Pros:
- Better and more colorful cutoff (though this is usually negated by a glass housing)
- Wider and brighter output

Con:
- Uses "kit" bulbs
- curved cutoff shield has to be tweaked a bit so it's not bowing the cutoff
- step in the cutoff is quite large
- more foreground light (solved in later H1's and probably not an issue in our cars because of the headlight placement)

The D2S has a huge advantage in being able to get bulbs when needed though. The US government has been trying to stop HID kits for a while now, and if they stop them from being imported, an OEM bulb would be the only route to take.

 

[Silver MK3]

Because of the huge connector on D2S, it's a very tight fit. Because the H1 basicly is a "kit" bulb and has wires instead so it seems to clear easier. I'll know more once this set is done if I can ever get it done.



Either one, you may have to modify the plastic mounting bucket as there's quite a lot of "flash" on the molding that can get in the way. YMMV since they're all a bit different in that one spot.



Well, if the 3.0 can keep the same length but a better output like the H1, it will be a hit and should be able to retrofit fine.



Pros:
- Better and more colorful cutoff (though this is usually negated by a glass housing)
- Wider and brighter output

Con:
- Uses "kit" bulbs
- curved cutoff shield has to be tweaked a bit so it's not bowing the cutoff
- step in the cutoff is quite large
- more foreground light (solved in later H1's and probably not an issue in our cars because of the headlight placement)

The D2S has a huge advantage in being able to get bulbs when needed though. The US government has been trying to stop HID kits for a while now, and if they stop them from being imported, an OEM bulb would be the only route to take.

Well it sounds like the Mini H1 is a better option here because of the better output. I guess I would be OK with modifying the headlight bucket a little bit to remove some of the extra plastic from the mold. I just would like to stay away from cutting large amounts of it off since the plastic is old and probably kind of brittle and I would like to keep as much of it there as possible.

I would like to start this project soon and I know The Retrofit Source has been talking about a 3.0 for about a year now, so I don't know if it would be worth waiting for, especially if it is longer. I ordered a pair of PILOT H4 housings off of Amazon last night and they should be here tomorrow.

I don't see how the government would be able to stop HID kits, you would think they would find something better to work on... If local police would actually ticket people for throwing HIDs in halogen housings then I don't think it would be as bad of a problem as it is around here. Since I have been contemplating this I have been paying extra attention to peoples headlights and I noticed that cars with real HIDs hardly glare at all whereas cars with even stock halogens can be quite blinding.

 

[Poodles]

The headlight buckets are fiberglass reinforced plastic, and not the least bit brittle As they're fiberGLASS reinforced, they SUCK to work with though...

 

[Silver MK3]

The headlight buckets are fiberglass reinforced plastic, and not the least bit brittle As they're fiberGLASS reinforced, they SUCK to work with though...

I didn't know that. I guess its good for rigidity, but it does sound like it will be a pain if they have to be altered.

Tomorrow I will try and call The Retrofit Source and see what they have to say about the Mini D2S 3.0 and hopefully be able to make a decision on what I want to go with.

 

[atmperformance]

I'm going to start following this thread. maybe my 3D printer could be used to make an adapter bracket.

 

[3p141592654]

Why not wait for the LED 5x7s to drop in price and improve in performance. They seem to be maturing very quickly.

http://www.partdeal.com/truck-lite-rectangular-led-5x7-truck-headlamp-27450c.html

[url]http://www.tlg-auto.com/JW_Speaker_8900_7x6_Headlights_p/led-8900.htm
[/URL]

 

[Silver MK3]

I'm going to start following this thread. maybe my 3D printer could be used to make an adapter bracket.

Ill try and keep it updated as I make progress.

Why not wait for the LED 5x7s to drop in price and improve in performance. They seem to be maturing very quickly.

http://www.partdeal.com/truck-lite-rectangular-led-5x7-truck-headlamp-27450c.html

[url]http://www.tlg-auto.com/JW_Speaker_8900_7x6_Headlights_p/led-8900.htm
[/URL]

I thought about this, but I'm not sure if the performance is on par with HIDs. They are definitely a good plug and play option, but they are also pretty pricey right now. It would also worry me having something that is so specific that I wouldn't be able to get or even replace parts unlike a bulb that would be easy to replace.

It doesn't help either that I am quite impatient.

 

[Poodles]

Those LED lights in the first link are actually pretty good, but they don't come close to the width of a good HID projector. Plus, not a fan of how they look :rofl:

LED's theoretically won't burn out until the car is a rusted heap, so it's not a bad idea to run them. While HID's take longer to "die" they gradually lose output and should be replaced well before they finally stop firing (unlike halogen or LED)

 

[akito]

3.0 D2S is somewhere betweern h1 and fx-r clear is what someone from TRS told me when i called yesterday. Also, the length for the d2s from lens to base of bulb WITHOUT adapter is 140mm....at this rate. If you go with d2s then you want to do what the other guy did and use d2h or just use h1.

 

[figgie]

H1??

seriously?

The point of HID is to have the SHARP clear cut off. H1 housing unless they did some monkeying around or came OEM like that does not have the cut-off needed for PROPER HID retrofit.

That is unless you like to be an pogue and blind oncoming traffic with glare and crappy lighting overall.

 

[Silver MK3]

Those LED lights in the first link are actually pretty good, but they don't come close to the width of a good HID projector. Plus, not a fan of how they look :rofl:

LED's theoretically won't burn out until the car is a rusted heap, so it's not a bad idea to run them. While HID's take longer to "die" they gradually lose output and should be replaced well before they finally stop firing (unlike halogen or LED)

I was looking at a few videos and pictures of the LED lights and they seemed to put a lot of light on the ground right in front of the car. I didn't know that about HIDs. That's good to know.

3.0 D2S is somewhere betweern h1 and fx-r clear is what someone from TRS told me when i called yesterday. Also, the length for the d2s from lens to base of bulb WITHOUT adapter is 140mm....at this rate. If you go with d2s then you want to do what the other guy did and use d2h or just use h1.

Yeah, I called them today also before I read this post. The guy I talked to said the 3.0 is still in the prototype phase. He said they are going to be bigger, just like akito said. He also said they are trying to get the performance of the 3.0 on par or better than the Mini H1, but they are going to be more expensive also. He said they are hoping to have it finished by the end of the year.

Right now my plan is to get the Mini H1 projectors, bulbs, ballasts, Mini Gatling Gun shrouds, and wiring harnesses all from the Retrofit Source. I'll most likely place an order later today.

H1??

seriously?

The point of HID is to have the SHARP clear cut off. H1 housing unless they did some monkeying around or came OEM like that does not have the cut-off needed for PROPER HID retrofit.

That is unless you like to be an pogue and blind oncoming traffic with glare and crappy lighting overall.

These aren't just H1 bulbs I am going to slap into some halogen housings, they are real HID projectors that take a special HID bulb. The have a really good cut-off actually. I am intent on doing this the right way, I hate being blinded by people with obnoxiously bright lights.