HID Install +Pics - Step by Step

[tonystewart]

2012 Ford Explorer HID Conversion

My parts list from The Retrofit Source
Bi-xenon: Hella EvoX-R EVOXR-R Projectors
HD Relay Harness: 9005
D2S: Osram Xenarc 66240 CBI Bulbs
D2S: Morimoto 3Five Ballasts
OCI Butyl Rubber Glue
Silica Gel Moisture Packs

The components

The Projector

The Harness

The testing of all components

The cutoff pictures before installation

 

[tonystewart]

- Next Step Removal
Remove 7 screws and 2 push tabs from grill top

Then remove top panel

Remove 4 exposed screws in fender liner

Remove hidden screw behind trim

Peal back more fender trim and remove this screw

Repeat to the other side
Grab a hold of the top and peal forward

Looks weird but allows access to three headlight bolts

Bolt 1 side

Bolt 2 top removed

Bolt 3 front

Tab on top

2 harness plugs to unplug

Remove headlight assembly.

 

[tonystewart]

Baking, Disassembly, Cleaning
Take off 4 screws and trim piece

Trim removed

Remove rubber cover and wiring and bulbs

Bake to soften and use heat gun to seperate

After seperation, start heating and scrapping to remove permaseal from groove
Before

After

 

[tonystewart]

Installation of new Projectors and Reassembly
Old projector, remove 4 torx screws from housing and 2 from side lense

Disconnect Hi-Lo shield wire

Install on EVOX-R

Install ring

I drilled a 1.5" hole in the corner and snaked the ballast wire into headlight housing

I installed the headlight with bulb , remove 2 screws on bottom from EVOX-R as the holes wll be used to mount to headlight housing

Install using Ford Torx screws

Done

Testing

Hi Lo actuator wire in place

Rear View

Right Side done

I added a hole to the left side for the harness trigger wire

Cut stock wire and soldered a longer waterproof connector wire with 9005 Female on end. This attaches to trigger wire on 9005 HD Relay Harness

The rest is the same as right side.
Filled with OCI Butyl Rubber glue and heated the headlight assembly halves back together. Heat Gun, 4 hands and patience gives a clear seal.
Attached the ballasts to the sides of the housings, right side fits perfect, left sides need to be postitioned to clear the air filter housing

 

[tonystewart]

Time for a Growler

Testing

Explorer Emblem

Installation is the reverse, harness is at your discretion and once mounted is impossible to see or photograph
Mounted and first drive

Cutoff Low Beam 25 feet

Color Cutoff

A different perspective of color cutoff

High Beam

 

[tonystewart]

The owner of the 2012 Ford Explorer Limited and I, spent two days heating the headlight housings apart, cleaning, and reassembling. 4 hands are definitely better than 2, especially with the heat gun.

I did the engineering, follow these basics directions and you can't miss.
Why does Ford use Permaseal, it's the worst!!
Alignment and Test drive took an hour, no opposing traffic flashing

The Morimoto EVOX-R projectors with clear lenses and Osram 66240 CBI's absolutely destroys stock Ford HID Hellas with D3S bulbs, better foreground, no low beam hotspots, razor sharp cutoff.
Those of you just swapping bulbs into Halogen projectors

 

[350sexZ]

what temp and how long in the oven did you bake them it for? did you heat them just once and use the heatgun the rest of the way?

 

[tonystewart]

Preheat to 225 F, insert for 3 minutes tops or you can damage the clear lense, unless your oven is huge and you can shutoff the top burner, utility knife the entire edge, reheat, scrapper blades as wedges work them into bottom, reheat again, start a wedge or flat screwdriver on middle of bottom (bottom can't be seen in car hence the marks and gouges are no big deal). Heat gun the rest of the way. If it was butyl instead of permaseal it would have peeled open easily. Wear gloves, be safe

 

[350sexZ]

Cool, thanks man much appreciated.just waiting on a matchbox projector kit to come in for the fogs. have those apart already but werent permaseal, so came apart easy.Just doing some reasearch , im getting ready to tackle the headlights as soon as i finish the fogs.

 

[tonystewart]

Good luck

 

[Sgt1411]

That was an excellent write up but PLEASE take 5 mins and learn how to focus your phones camera. Its hard to follow along when 1/3 of the pics are blurry.

 

[tonystewart]

That was an excellent write up but PLEASE take 5 mins and learn how to focus your phones camera. Its hard to follow along when 1/3 of the pics are blurry.

I'm sorry, my camera skills are terrible, I do need a photographer to document the work. I hope it gives folks a decent perspective of what to expect inside the housing. This retrofit , minus the permaseal, was very simple.
Thankfully the aftermarket Morimotos are a direct boltin, including high beam cable, which is what I was trying to demonstrate.

 

[LakersCentral]

Blurry or not, all those pics are *much* appreciated! I've been a little scared to do this mod... your writeup eases my mind a bit ;.)

Couple misc questions:
1) what are the measurements of your oven? mine is only 14"h x 16"d x 23"w . Just tryin to see if it'll fit without having to take it off!
2) I don't have a flat driveway. does this matter for measuring cutoff? Or is it fine as long as its consistent before and after?

 

[tonystewart]

Blurry or not, all those pics are *much* appreciated! I've been a little scared to do this mod... your writeup eases my mind a bit ;.)

Couple misc questions:
1) what are the measurements of your oven? mine is only 14"h x 16"d x 23"w . Just tryin to see if it'll fit without having to take it off!
2) I don't have a flat driveway. does this matter for measuring cutoff? Or is it fine as long as its consistent before and after?

I'm glad I could help

1. 18" x 18" x 25", your oven will not work, clear lense will burn/disfigure due to closeness of heat. Buy a heat gun, wedges, utility knife and a bunch of flat screwdrivers, it will take you 1.5 hours, by yourself, to separate them without ruining the clear lense or the black assembly.

2. I don't have a flat driveway either, mark and use as reference points, the rest of my aiming was done by driving and measuring, over and over, about an hour, low enough until we blinded no one and high enough so the cutoff was just visible about 300 feet ahead of the Explorer.

As always, the hardest part is the permaseal separation and cleaning, the rest of the engineering I've done for you. Good Luck and take your time.

 

[tonystewart]

I'll be doing another retro on an Explorer, in 2 weeks
I'll take better pictures and improve the previous post with cleaner photos

 

[dmlns1092]

I attempted to DIY the HID kit from coolbulbs. Andrew was great but after 2 failed ballasts he refunded my money. I then tried my local auto accessory shop. I had a Maxx 9005 kit installed which so far has been reliable and they installed it. I also have the warranty on the work and the parts. My only problem is the beam pattern. It's all over the place. I've tried using the adjusting screw but I can't get a uniform beam. The right is high with a hot spot and the left is scattered.

I'm frustrated and looking for answers. It shouldn't be this hard to install brighter lights in 13 base. Ford has really dropped the ball on the design and brightness of the headlamps. A big flaw on a great vehicle. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[tonystewart]

My only problem is the beam pattern. It's all over the place. I've tried using the adjusting screw but I can't get a uniform beam. The right is high with a hot spot and the left is scattered.

I'm frustrated and looking for answers. It shouldn't be this hard to install brighter lights in 13 base. Ford has really dropped the ball on the design and brightness of the headlamps. A big flaw on a great vehicle. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

An HID bulb (gas discharge arc) in a "Halogen" (fixed filament) projector is not going to have a "Correct" beam pattern. It wasn't designed for it.

Your answer is to either buy 2013 Ford HID's housing and there related hardware or convert your current set to EVOX-R HID projectors with D2S bulbs. If want HID performance then you need HID projectors, Ford didn't drop the ball, Ford offers real HID's and reliable cheap halogens, which you bought. All of the information to diy is in this thread. Good luck!

 

[dmlns1092]

Thanks for the lesson, however I meant Ford dropped the ball by not making HID standard in all trims. Many people on this forum have put HID lights in their base and sport models. I'm not expecting perfection from doing this mod I also don't expect them to look as though they are being shown through the correct HID housing. I simply was hoping someone who installed HID in their base or sport could suggest how to improve the beam pattern. I'm not willing to go to the extent of changing the projector, bake headlights, etc.

 

[tonystewart]

Many people on this forum have put HID lights in their base and sport models. I'm not expecting perfection from doing this mod I also don't expect them to look as though they are being shown through the correct HID housing. I simply was hoping someone who installed HID in their base or sport could suggest how to improve the beam pattern.

The reflector bowl and the bulb position in a halogen projector simply make a proper beam pattern impossible. The glare is absurd.

If you had poor vision, like I do now, you would understand and abhor those who add bulbs to their projectors and blind those who are defenseless.

I agree with you, all manufacturers should install HID projectors as standard equipment. Had the HID industry not sought profit but safety there wouldn't be any other size bulbs except D1S, D2S & R , D3S & D4S, your choices for installing a HID bulb in a 9005 socket would not exist.

 

[peterk9]

Right now the HID in a Limited is available as an option in U.S. models and standard in Canadian models. It is one difference that is available in that model only, similar to the 3.5L Ecoboost being only in the Sport. HID lights are likely to be replaced by LED in the very near future. It is rumoured the 2016 will have LED lights.

Peter