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Headlight projector retrofit - HIDs to the max!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by F8L, Apr 29, 2011.

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  1. flareak

    flareak Fleet Captain

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    Does that mean the auto-leveling mechanism is still intact?
     
    #241 flareak, Oct 4, 2011
  2. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    Yep. If you have it, it will still work
     
    #242 sfv41901, Oct 4, 2011
  3. flareak

    flareak Fleet Captain

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    how can i disconnect the auto-leveler? can i just unplug it from the headlight and will that work?
     
    #243 flareak, Oct 5, 2011
  4. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Sure. Why though?
     
    #244 F8L, Oct 5, 2011
  5. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    Yeah, why? I'd want to keep that feature.
     
    #245 sfv41901, Oct 5, 2011
  6. flareak

    flareak Fleet Captain

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    Because it's broken and fail. Actually was the reason why I wanted to do the retrofit in the first place, but didn't know the motor was somewhere else. The autoleveling is messed up because its corroded and I don't have the money to fix it.

    Stupidest thing is that when it fails it defaults to only shine 15 feet in front of your car.. So then I have to re-aim it manually higher. But then it will randomly start to work again, and low and behold, the system aims it higher than high beams.

    I just want to set it and forget it!
     
    #246 flareak, Oct 5, 2011
  7. flareak

    flareak Fleet Captain

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    I also tried fixing it myself and everything is corroded so there's no way i'm getting that thing out of there.
     
    #247 flareak, Oct 5, 2011
  8. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    Oh.....then yeah, just disconnect the motors behind the headlights, adjust ur lights & forget about it.
     
    #248 sfv41901, Oct 5, 2011
  9. flareak

    flareak Fleet Captain

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    Sooo... I put my headlights back together but I'm finding it pretty difficult to aim them. The cutoff is all over the place and I don't know where to start...

    Perhaps when I put the headlights back together I must have messed something up? I'm not sure. In front of the driver's side there's a hot spot. I don't know if there's specific left and right bulb components that may have caused this... or if this is purely an aiming issue.

    edit: link to a picture of this conundrum. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAAX4/_bx8ixUbRIo/s800/20111006_222014.jpg
     
    #249 flareak, Oct 6, 2011
  10. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Ohh many that is bad. You don't even have a cuttoff! Do you want to call me so I can try to help you?

    First thing first I would check that your bulbs are installed and properly seated. You're not having an aiming issue yet, you're having an output issue.
     
    #250 F8L, Oct 7, 2011
  11. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    Oh wow......that is bad. I would do what F8L suggested, check to make sure the bulbs are stated right. There is no difference in left or right bulbs or projectors in your setup.
     
    #251 sfv41901, Oct 7, 2011
  12. flareak

    flareak Fleet Captain

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    P.S. i forgot to mention these aren't the projectors, i couldnt get the headlight cover off because i couldn't bake them properly so I just stuck the old ones back in..
     
    #252 flareak, Oct 7, 2011
  13. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Ohh good. You had me freaked out.

    Maybe I'll get motivated to have my friend retrofit a set of FX-Rs in a set of new headlights and I can just sell you my current setup.
     
    #253 F8L, Oct 7, 2011
  14. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    I would still make sur the bulb is seated right cause even though there not projectors, you should have a better output than that.
     
    #254 sfv41901, Oct 7, 2011
  15. flareak

    flareak Fleet Captain

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    I agree, they look different than what I had before. I am going to investigate the bulb now and hopefully it reseats properly. If not, then could it be possible that left and right headlight components might have been switched? Will update tonight.

    (Worst case scenario if something is switched.)
     
    #255 flareak, Oct 7, 2011
  16. flareak

    flareak Fleet Captain

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    Upon visual inspection, one of the bulbs appears to be misaligned! Good call, folks.
     
    #256 flareak, Oct 7, 2011
  17. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    Glad u got it work out.
     
    #257 sfv41901, Oct 8, 2011
  18. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Ok so I decided to get nutty and install the FX-R 2.0s I had sitting around. I screwed up when I installed the Mini H1s by not gluing the shrouds to the projectors. As a result I had both shrouds pop off. They were just sitting inside the headlight housing looking broken and retarded. Grrrr

    I got the FX-Rs in with very minimal cutting but getting them aimed correctly is a PITA! I thought I had them aimed but what looks decent at 6' from the wall looks HORRIBLE at 25'. So I have to open them back up and fix the alignment. I may use JB weld to get them into position then work with the bolts. We'll see how that goes. Preliminary results are I don't think they are worth the effort to install compared to the Mini H1s. At this point I ordered a set of TYC replacement headlights and I will put the H1s into the TYC housings and fix my FX-Rs. I will keep one and sell the other. I should have it all finished by January sometime. Is flarek still in line for my rejected headlights? lol
     
    #258 F8L, Dec 13, 2011
  19. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Did you do a TSX-R lens swap on the FX-R's? If not, and you are opening it up anyways, you might as well. Put some cardboard spacers in there to get the cutoff you want. I use cereal boxes usually.

    The FX's and especially the FX-R's have too many hotspots to be rewarding. Nothing beats the clean output of Denso/Koito projector bowls.
     
    #259 2k1Toaster, Dec 13, 2011
  20. LIPriusFreak

    LIPriusFreak Can I haz JDM?

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    FWIW I have E55 projectors in my Acura Legend JDM headlights and the output/cutoff is sick at any distance

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    #260 LIPriusFreak, Dec 13, 2011
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