[BecketMa]

I'm looking at Bi-Xenon projectors and wondering if it's possible to take the LT head light apart?

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFF2XoZJIBo

Best
Bob

 

[copperstatetour]

Not yet, but thanks for the lead on an idea. I am getting annoyed by the crack in the glass of my headlight, and my failed attempt to fix it (mind you not $600 annoyed yet). This has potential for a homemade solution. Sounds like it could be a neat project to try while I have the tupperware off for the annual maintenance and farkelization process.

 

[BecketMa]

I've seen used head lights on eBay go for around $250.

There are a few Utube vids on retrofitting projectors.

It seems as if the most important part about installing projectors is to make sure they are aimed the exact same as the halogen bulb-assembly.

Best from Tucson
Bob

 

[rdwalker]

I'm looking at Bi-Xenon projectors and wondering if it's possible to take the LT head light apart?...

I think I am missing the point. Could you explain?
LT lights are separate: one bulb for the low, another for high beam.
The bi-xenon lights combine both into one lamp.
How does that work for the LT setup?

I have an HID bi-xenon replacement in my Dodge Nitro SUV. The way it operates is that a solenoid physically moves the lamp up for high beam. It is just awful; the "high beam" pattern is very diffused. It is like the low beam - even wider. It does not reach anywhere as far into the distance as the proper high beam.

This is obviously no surprise, since the principle of these solenoid-operated lamps relies on the low beam moving out of the focal point. It is not the same as the properly-designed high-beam lamp.

The only reason I keep it is because the Nitro headlights are the worst headlights I ever encountered in my 40+ years of owning cars. Utterly atrocious. The OEM halogens do not work at all and thus I am willing to suffer with the crappy HID "bi-xenons".

In any other application I would not use them. Just replace each lamp (high beam, low beam_ with the equivalent HID.

 

[copperstatetour]

...wondering if it's possible to take the LT head light apart...

By the way, yes it is possible to get the headlight assembly apart as I have done so, but I warn you it is extremely difficult without damaging the assembly. I ended up cracking some of the plastic around the lens trying to remove the adhesive BMW used to put it together.

First I would recommend starting out with a blade screwdriver to go around the edge of the point where the lens meets the plastic housing to scrape loose some of the adhesive.

Second follow up with some kind of thin metal that you can cut away at the adhesive but will be flexible enough to bend, perhaps something like an old feeler with the edge slightly honed to cut. This is where I screwed up using the screwdriver, some parts of the housing flexed fine but a couple places did not - probably because it was 12 year old plastic. Be extremely careful not to crack the lens, mine already was which is why I was removing it in the first place, to try to fill the crack with epoxy or something to get it sealed up again (by the way it didn't work).

Looking at the video link above it seems that this mechanism does not move the bulb at all but instead just drops a little gate that covers the upper portion of the beam for low.

I am thinking that it would be possible to get 2 of these in the space available on an LT, one for high, one adjust for low so that you don't have to monkey with that little flap thing. It might even be possible to arrange them for a third, two low and 1 high or vice-versa.

I think in order to make this work based on the depth of the assembly you would have to completely remove the entire back of the headlight housing to allow for the dash adjuster to function. you could make a gasket out of an old atv innertube or something so that you don't see any stray light around the assembly when looking at it. I think that you would ultimately be better off with a custom housing, especially if you have a pre-05 since the lens is all cut and textured and what not on the inside.

Okay, enough mindless ramblings for now, this is definitely rattling around in my brain now - where there seems to be plenty of vacant space.

 

[BecketMa]

I'm gathering info.
Thanks for providing user info.

Which projectors did you install?

What I've seen on Utube is the low beam having a sharp cut off with a notch on the left.
The high beam seems to extend above the low beam,also with a pretty defined upper cut off.

It seems that installing separate projectors for low and high beam inside the behind the LT glass lens would involve fabrication while installing one projector might be a modification.

What I am looking for is a light designed for HID with a well defined beam, one better than we get by simply installing HID bulbs into the LT head light.


Best from Tucson
Bob

 

[wa1200lt]

To get the headlight assembly apart could you cut it with a saw blade or an abrasive disk in a Dremel?

Loren

 

[copperstatetour]

It seems that installing separate projectors for low and high beam inside the behind the LT glass lens would involve fabrication while installing one projector might be a modification.

I think any way you go will involve fabrication, I am desperately trying to remember and can't but I was thinking that the low-beam bulb mounts in the fixture in a somewhat vertical orientation behind the High beam reflector doesn't it? If that is the case it will not work for a plug and play with a projector, and there is still the depth to deal with, there isnt 6.5" in that housing.

Either way, you still will have to remove the lens because the high beam reflector is held on by a screw that is only accessible from the output side of the headlight. I don't recommend a dremel for that though, the lens is seated inside a lip on the plastic housing. I have attached a rather crude diagram of how the glass lens and the plastic bucket meet and fit together. This is the shape, but obviously not to scale however I hope it gives anyone interested a feeling for how they are attached together.

Did I mention that I am not an artist?

 

[C-A-D]

Here in Finland I have seen one to build a headlight from BMW M3's HID-projector inside LT's headlight. It was COOL!

 

[tobiwan]

I have a low beam housing for 05 or newer available
PM me

 

[BecketMa]

As far as I can tell the original housing is only used to hold the projector in place and to water proof the projector?

The other reason to use the headlight housing is to keep the original look?

Bob

 

[BecketMa]

I have an 00.

Let's see if someone with an 05 and up is interested in experimenting with a projector?

Bob

 

[jzeiler]

To get the headlight assembly apart could you cut it with a saw blade or an abrasive disk in a Dremel?

Loren

Best way is to heat them in the oven to about 250. That will soften the adheasive and they will just pull apart.

 

[deputy5211]

You got me thinking, Bob...

I have the Ducati Designs kit and have twin HID lamps installed as low beams on my '05.

I wonder how the HID projectors would fit into the Hella housings DD uses, or if there is a weatherproof projector setup I could install in their place.

 

[copperstatetour]

The other reason to use the headlight housing is to keep the original look?

The other reason to use the stock housing (which I assume refers to the black plastic part) is that the adjustment from the dash knob rides on that black plastic bucket.I suppose you could remove the back of the housing with no deleterious effect, however the front of the bucket where it meets the glass is also where the attachments to the fairing are located.

 

[BecketMa]

I've been reading quite a few posts on this site:
http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?27-Informative-Articles

One of then Tony mentioned that the Hella Halagen projectors are very close to the Hella Xenon projectors; HIDs seem to do very good in the Hella Halogen projectors.

I've started hunting for a couple of projectors that I'd like to experiment with. I don't know how much experimenting I'll be able to do? I'm still leaning towards taking a trip in 2-3 weeks.

Best from tucson
Bob

Oh. Check out the projector comparison pixs.

 

[deputy5211]

Thanks, Bob. I guess my Hella housing in my Ducati Designs setup are projector. Doh!

Do not see the DD listed for sale very often, but might be a good thing to snatch up if you can find one. DD stopped making them a few years ago, but it seems they may have one or two stashed here or there and come across them from time to time. A friend of mine got his this way.

Great link showing the comparison between projectors. The pictures tell quite a story.

 

[sparkx]

Pictures in Dougs SmugMug Album

Here

 

[Foiler]

Same thing i have been wondering about. My friend did this same kind of custom job on his older Tundra and it turned out great. Not just bright light shining everywhere, a nice focused beam. Please keep us all updated :corn: