LastHawk

I just received my LEDGauges HID kit in the mail and will be installing it tomorrow. Did anyone get an instruction manual like their website says you do? I see a write-up on their site, and it looks to be an extremely simple installation, but, I'm a little confused about which part of the bulb I am suppose to take off to fit in the housing. Can someone look at the pic and verify I will be removing the right piece? Just don't want to go destroying something I shouldn't. THanks!

VIP1

I don't have that kit, but looking at that pic I have the answer.
The black plastic ring is not removable (at least it shouldn't be). Don't remove that metal ring (technically it should only fit in one way - not rotate - and shouldn't be removable anyway). That metal ring needs to stay there. It is what locks into the socket in the housing. Only remove the large protective white (foam I think) cap and the protective black foam ring (far left and far right items in that pic). Don't touch the glass part of the bulb.

LastHawk

I agree the black ring closest to the bulb should not be removed. The metal ring looks to be the bulb retainer or what hold it snugly in place, there is not way for that metal ring to be fixed or locked in, it looks to just sit flush against the back of the housing... The opening in the housing is what seems too small. I'd hate to have to dremel the hole out and possibly ruin the sealed beam unit. Here are a few more pics for the hell of it. I tried calling and left an email, but LEDGauges did not respond to the last email I sent either.. I hope I can figure this out so I can get these mounted tomorrow.

VIP1

The black plastic part of the base between the metal ring and the glass globe doesn't fit in the hole? That's not right. From what I've seen it should fit. That metal base needs to sit flush against the back of the housing (in that groove) so that the metal spring clip can hold the bulb in.

Otherwise, if you mean the black foam ring closest to your fingers, that is just there for shipment and protection during handling. It doesn't stay there when installed.

Also, if that metal ring doesn't lock into the bulb base in some way, make sure to mount the bulb so that the return wire is at the 6 o'clock position. BTW, the return wire is the black ceramic coated wire parallel to the glass globe.

LastHawk

That's exactly what I mean. The openings to the sealed housing are not allowing the base of the bulb in. Thank you for the advice on the return wire, that was my next question, I wasn't sure how to orient the bulb inside the housing. Appreciate the help. Hopefully some of the other LEDGauges customers will chime in and I can hear their experiences. Thanks again!

LastHawk

I am an impatient guy So I took out the dremel and got to work on the sealed beam housings. Was able to slowly remove material to get the bulbs to fit nice and snug in the housings. The metal retainer plate that rests against the back of the sealed beam housing does indeed "lock" into place. (my apologies from earlier when I said it does'nt) However, the bulb return wire does not sit in the 6 o'clock position; either 3 or 9 o'clock depending on mounting. The metal bulb retainer does not spin to allow adjustment for this. So, I know this is not a true HID kit and I am not worried about beam pattern particularily, does return wire position matter? I'm going to go ahead and mount these up and I guess just wait until dark to give em' a test.

LastHawk

Well I have the 4300K HID kit installed and working. I got the 4300K because I wanted the brightest light, I just didn't care to see it blue, I wanted high visibility. Very simple installation. Be sure to have some 14-16ga female disconnects, they do not come in the "plug-n-play" "kit".

Put the front of the car on two jack stands, then removed the plastic panels underneath the car on driver's and passenger's side. I did not remove the air dam, it was very easy to work around.

Since they use a new slim ballast you cannot use the AIR pump bracket to bolt into (only if you have removed the AIR pump system first), the new screws they provide are much too small to bolt anywhere. So what I did was zip tie everything. I used small zip ties in the holes of the ballast first. Then used larger zip ties to mount it to the frame.

Pic #1: Here is the driver side mounted to the underside of my AIR bracket
Pic #2: Here is the passenger side mounted just above the DRL
Pic #3 Here is the driver's side HID compared to the passenger side Silverstar
Pic #4: Here are both completed
Pic #5: Here are high beams and low beams together
Pic #6: Another view of pasenger side ballast mounted.
Pic #7: View of shrubs against wall. Look at that beautiful cut-off =b
Pic #8: Head on Headlights

I'm already researching the TSX projector retro-fit. These will do for now, but I don't feel like blinding people constantly. I'll get these aimed down as best I can to minimize glare. Live and Learn

Be sure to check your clearances by running through the headlight positions. I had a wire getting pinched on the passenger side that would keep the passenger light a 1/4" open when closed. Zip tied it next to another wire and problem solved.

I will post some more pics tonight as soon as it is dark. The car does not have a TB on it now, It is off being ported by ThePowderPro. So I can only get pics against my apartment complex wall and bushes.

VIP1

Since the return wire isn't at the 6 o'clock position, you might see a shadow of the return wire in the beam. Since these are sealed beam conversion housings instead of projectors, the beam is not great anyway so you might not notice the shadow.

LastHawk

Thanks man, I knew I wasn't going to get a great beam pattern if any.

I guess I can just rotate them so the shadow is on the lateral sides of the car if it is a problem.