E-code H4 headlight conversion with comparison pics Cheaper than Silverstars

[Juggernaut]

.....but you are forgetting that the highbeams are still there waiting to be used.

Not really forgetting, I just live in the city and don't want to make too many people mad. :cheers:

 

[1bolt]

SBXJ what brand of projectors are those (Off ebay I assume, think i've seen them there) those look pretty impressive at first blush is that low beams or high beam? I'd like to try them against the Autopal E-codes, I can already see the cutoff is razor sharp, but the pattern is unclear from your pics, and the head on shot makes them look like they'd blind people left and right. Can you take a shot from the driver doorway over the hood on low beams?

FWIW I have stock wattage bulbs and I think they're entirely sufficient, I am going to try some of the +20 or +30 H4's like GE Nighthawks or something, but I'm not going to go higher wattage.

-40* and they cracked with 100/80? well I'll consider that the "acid test" wonder if they would have survived if they had been normal wattage?

 

[Talyn]

Those lights are a retrofit, which means he put a proper HID projector in the housing.

However, I would like more details on your retrofit.

 

[sbxj]

My Autopal housings cracked pretty bad about a month after installing them due to heat... I was (and still am) running a 10ga harness with 100/80W bulbs and the autopal housings. They got pretty hot and the cold outside cracked them (it was around -40C though...)

I'm going to try the Hella's or the IPF's next and see if they hold up any better.

You're wasting your money and your time with Autopals, Hella and IPF
I've cracked Hella's with 100watt bulbs and not been impressed with IPF's.
The best H4 200mm lamp for build quality and light output is Cibie and that's why they cost more. I was using those before I did an HID retrofit.

Those lights are a retrofit, which means he put a proper HID projector in the housing.
However, I would like more details on your retrofit.

TALYN Thank you for your acknowledgement
I'll PM you

 

[1bolt]

ah they look just like the cheapo's on Ebay I should have read his post a little closer.

 

[Talyn]

They do, but if you look closely, which you did, you can see the bolts holding the projector to the housing. Those cheapos on ebay completely suck BTW. In the not too distance past there was a thread on here about someone whom purchased the crappy ebay projectors and a hid setup.. completely horrible in every way. However, the ones they make for the WJ are the exact opposite, a true projector with a great pattern.. now if they would only make a setup for the XJ.

 

[Talyn]

The best H4 200mm lamp for build quality and light output is Cibie and that's why they cost more. I was using those before I did an HID retrofit.

I run the Cibies with a 130/100 Narva bulb and they have been completely trouble free. I have never gotten flashed. I like the setup so much that I am a bit hesitant to go HID... but I have been thinking of getting the bixenon setup from BajaHID to go in the Cibies.

 

[sbxj]

here's anothe unfinished pic before I added the a shroud and sealed them up

These are with a low beam only RX330 projector and I'm working on a set with FX35-45 Bi-Xenon
It's awesome and you can never go back to driving with Halogen.
what are the Baja HID's? I'm interested

 

[Talyn]

Damn that is huge! How much did you cut to get them to fit?

http://www.bajahid.com He is a member here and I haven't heard of any issues with his kits. He has a bixenon kit with the flipping solenoid. I'm just a bit hesitant about putting a HID in a halogen housing.

 

[1bolt]

You're wasting your money and your time with Autopals, Hella and IPF
I've cracked Hella's with 100watt bulbs and not been impressed with IPF's.
The best H4 200mm lamp for build quality and light output is Cibie and that's why they cost more. I was using those before I did an HID retrofit.

<here we go again>
hasta

This is a thread about a cost effective upgrade over sealed beams that anyone who can turn a screw driver can do.

 

[muddyrocks]

Do the 10 guage wire and spend the dime n time to find 60 amp relays (two will do). You can make day into night with almost any bulb.:chef:

 

[sbxj]

<here we go again>
hasta

This is a thread about a cost effective upgrade over sealed beams that anyone who can turn a screw driver can do.

LOL
OK, for all you dinosaurs that want to squint your way to the retirement home I'll keep it on topic...sorry

 

[urban yan]

since were resurrecting I thought I'd show my retrofit

It's finally nice to see someone materialize what I've been preaching all this time.
I thought I was going crazy because I thought no one was listening.
Your work looks solid.

here's anothe unfinished pic before I added the a shroud and sealed them up

These are with a low beam only RX330 projector and I'm working on a set with FX35-45 Bi-Xenon
It's awesome and you can never go back to driving with Halogen.
what are the Baja HID's? I'm interested

FX projectors are a solid choice. I have a set in my WJ. I used to have 350z projectors, but there's no comparison.

 

[urban yan]

They do, but if you look closely, which you did, you can see the bolts holding the projector to the housing. Those cheapos on ebay completely suck BTW. In the not too distance past there was a thread on here about someone whom purchased the crappy ebay projectors and a hid setup.. completely horrible in every way. However, the ones they make for the WJ are the exact opposite, a true projector with a great pattern.. now if they would only make a setup for the XJ.

or how about the dude that put twinkle bulbs in his sucky ebay projectors?

 

[sbxj]

It's finally nice to see someone materialize what I've been preaching all this time.
I thought I was going crazy because I thought no one was listening.
Your work looks solid.
FX projectors are a solid choice. I have a set in my WJ. I used to have 350z projectors, but there's no comparison.

Thanks for the compliments and I remember your XJ before when I had Cibie H4's. Not bad for my first retro but I'm looking forward to getting the bi-xenons happening although the rx330's are awesome. I bought
these and hopefully they'll be as nice
The WJ setup looks great and I'm sure I'd want to do the same.
The obvious question is: are you on hidplanet?

 

[dogsled1]

I
I also ordered a harness from here Ebay

Harness link doesn't seem to work. Nevermind, just noticed the original posting date....

 

[1bolt]

LOL
OK, for all you dinosaurs that want to squint your way to the retirement home I'll keep it on topic...sorry

I'd wager the average Jeeper reading this is 10 times more likely to just keep his crappy sealed beams over spending gobs of time and money trying to hack together projectors. That would be a shame when he can easily and cheaply upgrade to E-code housings and good H4 bulbs with four screws and $40.

Speaking of hack; I'm not adverse to hacking stuff together, just made a full gauge cluster with collumn shift indicator for my MJ that uses three different clusters but... do you (hopefully) have something keeping those aiming screws and the projector housing secured to the headlight housing with something safer and more structural than the pics show? I'd hate to think how fast that heavy projector is going to bump and vibrate it's way to freedom the way that pic makes it look. I guess the tape isn't helping appearences. You've got some epoxy built up inside or something right? Or some fab work on the header panel that secures it?

 

[sbxj]

I'd wager the average Jeeper reading this is 10 times more likely to just keep his crappy sealed beams over spending gobs of time and money trying to hack together projectors. That would be a shame when he can easily and cheaply upgrade to E-code housings and good H4 bulbs with four screws and $40.

Speaking of hack; I'm not adverse to hacking stuff together, just made a full gauge cluster with collumn shift indicator for my MJ that uses three different clusters but... do you (hopefully) have something keeping those aiming screws and the projector housing secured to the headlight housing with something safer and more structural than the pics show? I'd hate to think how fast that heavy projector is going to bump and vibrate it's way to freedom the way that pic makes it look. I guess the tape isn't helping appearences. You've got some epoxy built up inside or something right? Or some fab work on the header panel that secures it?

I'm sure you right about the average jeeper and lighting. I'll be the first to admit I'm more interested in lighting, basically all kinds of lighting vs engine, suspension mods. (I did have a '93 that I installed a lift in myself. I can appreciate anyone that even attempts to work on their Jeep to improve any aspect of it. I also think it's great that we have a community of people that share the love of this vehicle and assist each other in modifying and maintaining them. What could be better. Also, I in no way want to sound condescending because I spend money on my lighting. I hope I didn't sound that way.
As far as securing the lights, I'm also a perfectionist and would not even consider making this addition unless I had built it to last and even more important, be safe. What you're seeing is the raw headlight while I was checking the rotational adjustment and the duct tape was to temporarily see how the output was with the glass in place. Not only is the projector mounted with 4 bolts to the housing but I epoxied the back of the projector to the housing and secured the entire headlight assembly to the bucket so it is one piece. The beauty of it is that it aims exactly the same as before using the aiming screws. What I learned from this first project will only make my next one that much easier and better.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Yea the only thing about being a lighting enthusiast, is you can never drive anyone else's car! You feel completely handicapped at night.

 

[Talyn]

Yea the only thing about being a lighting enthusiast, is you can never drive anyone else's car! You feel completely handicapped at night.

Unless their cars actually came with a lighting system that worked in the first place.