87Warrior Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 A few years back I found a good deal on an IPF H4 housing and HID H4 bulb/ballast kit. It seemed like a great deal so I purchased it and it has been sitting in my toolbox ever since. I have not installed it because I do not want to be "that guy" with piss poor HID lighting. Help me build/review a projector retrofit parts list for my Comanche. My goal is simply better lighting than sealed beams/H4 housings without being "that guy". These are the H4 housings I plan to retrofit: The guy I bought the header panel from left them since they were junk (well duh, they are blacked out). I have been doing a lot of reading and understand these are the basic components for an HID projector retrofit: ProjectorShroudBulbBallast Having done some shopping around I think this is the best kit for me: http://www.theretrofitsource.com/produc ... cts_id=178 Projector: BI-XENON: MORIMOTO MINI D2S 2.0 Shroud: E55-R Bulbs: D2S MORIMOTO 3FIVE (35W) but try and upgrade to the MORIMOTO 5FIVE (50W); 4300K color Ballast: Use the Ballast from the H4 HID upgrade kit I bought a few years back, triggered by factory headlight harness Adapter: To D2S A foreseen issue I am aware of is the Ballasts I have are 50W and the 'kit' comes with 35W bulbs. Thoughts, comments, suggestions? I am all ears. :thwak: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Waiting to see how this turns out. Keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue88Comanche Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 :popcorn: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostissues Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 have you seen these? http://norcalmr2.com/pegasus/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 have you seen these?http://norcalmr2.com/pegasus/ I have not, but that is probably because they are not quite what I am after. Those projectors do not allow you to have high beam headlamps. Thanks for the link! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostissues Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I have not, but that is probably because they are not quite what I am after. Those projectors do not allow you to have high beam headlamps. Thanks for the link! couldn't you just get another HID kit? or are the housings different in some way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 I have not, but that is probably because they are not quite what I am after. Those projectors do not allow you to have high beam headlamps. Thanks for the link! couldn't you just get another HID kit? or are the housings different in some way? Ahh. I see what you are saying. Yes, that would work since I believe most projectors are the same size. However, buying those housing then replacing the projectors would add a lot of expense since you would be buying two sets of projectors. The projectors that in that link are also not HID projectors, but H7 Halogen projectors. I think some lower end Mercedes' use them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smuth Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Very interested to see how you're going to fit the new projector and shroud into the old 7x6 enclosure... I'm interested in either going the cheapo ebay HID kit w/completely redone wiring harnesses, or depending on how yours turn out I may shell out some extra cash to do it al right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 smuth, I do have a cheap HID kit with good IPF housings. I never installed them because I did not want to blind oncoming traffic. With HIDs there is no reason to upgrade the harness. The ballast and HID harness do essentially the same thing as the upgraded H4 harness by taking the load out of the headlights switch and drawing power straight from the battery. In doing some more research, I found this XJ retrofit: http://jeep-xj.info/HowtoBiXenonProjectors.htm It's almost identical to the direction I am going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I don't know about anybody else but I don't like the "cutoff" line that HIDs give you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 I don't know about anybody else but I don't like the "cutoff" line that HIDs give you... You know, I am somewhat inclined to agree with you. Having ridden shotgun in a car with OE HID lights, I will say the cut off took a bit of getting used to. The hardest part for me was getting past the fact I couldn't see UP in the trees along the dark road we were on. I thought about it for awhile and was comfortable with it because I have never had anything or anybody approach my lane from above (not saying it can't happen). The light in front of the car was just about perfect, I could not see the cut off line and few critter eyes I saw had a much brighter glow than I had seen before. It was really the high beams that sold me on the lights. Wow, brighter than day light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 So the brights are that much better huh? I do like that... In reference to this writeup: http://jeep-xj.info/HowtoBiXenonProjectors.htm I guess I'm not convinced I'd be happy with the results. Believe me I'm normally all for a DIY alternative to expensive and/or unavailable commercial offerings, but there are some things I question. 1) Integrity: Will this now swiss-cheesed housing be likely to warp/crack when shook to death in an off-road environment? What will happen to all that foil tape when its repeatidly exposed to engine bay heat cycles, water, mud, and whatever else manages to get flung onto it (i.e. burst p/s line) Is it gonna continue to hold the projector in that just-right position?? 2) Appearance: Will this home-brewed lexan front cover become all hazy and gross over a few years and after a few mudbaths? Is this foil tape seal gonna actually keep moisture and contaminates out of the housing? I'm sure someone on here can vouch for some of these concerns but in my mind there are some things that arguably are better suited to be produced professionally with oe-like tolerances etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Just had a thought for those of us with (or considering getting) an aftermarket front bumper. Why not use HID projectors as "foglights?" The cutoff point would be diffused by standard headlamps in the factory position (would have to match color temp.) Oncoming traffic isn't going to mind, as the bumper sits nice and low. Thoughts?? Sorry to hijack... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted March 3, 2012 Author Share Posted March 3, 2012 Oh wow, I missed all of those comments about the link I had posted. I think that guy poorly executed the retrofit. I posted it to explain the clearance needed for the projector housing. I know some high end car have HID fog lights. These require special projectors since typical headlights projectors project light primarily forward, not to the side like a fog pattern. There are several write ups online about retrofitting an HID bulb in an off road housing, like a Hella. I also think HIDs would be way to bright to act as fog lights. I have very little use for a true FOG light. I am always trying to fill in those dark spots on county roads, primarily the ditches next to and way in front of the vehicle. I have two 4" HIDs at the windshield hinges on my TJ. I just used them to get home on a rural road. Spotted three deer in an old corn field that I never would have seen with typical headlights and fog lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Guess I never really knew foglights were meant to cast to the side (never had a car/truck with them.) I would still be interested to see how regular projectors would work down in the bumper, not as "foglights," but headlights. If they're aimed correctly I don't see how they could be anything but an improvement and could be left on during normal on-road use. Additional lights for off-road (or occasional deserted road :brows: ) use would obviously be good, especially for the side casting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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