99 Explorer Projector headlights

[celly]

It's not like celly got out of his truck and beat the guy who was following him with a tire iron.

It was tempted to do something like that. I'm cranky during my daily 6 AM commute.

 

[FIND]

And I wouldn't have blamed you.... There is this college student that drives around here with this lifted Dodge with horrid HID retrofit bulbs in his headlights and fogs..... I've been trying to figure out who he is.... I know one girl wrote an article in the school paper complaining about parking on campus, and complained about the VERY same Dodge pickup since the guy has a tendency to park diagonally across two spaces or just cross the line far enough into the next space that no one can park there. I'm really hoping he isn't one of my students.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

They're easy to adjust because the lights go in and out fairly easily vs. stock. Just tweak until you're happy.

Or better....retrofit.

Trust me, I would love to retrofit, but I don't have that kind of skill or patience to do it. If somebody on here started a line of retrofit, then I'd pay them. But until then, gotta stick with what's already made.

 

[FIND]

I had considered offering LED tail light retrofits and HID headlight retrofits, but I doubt I would do enough of them to make them worth my time. Plus, just thinking what it costs to make a board for my tails...... If I wanted to do it for profit.... well, I don't think many people would be interested. Same with HID retrofits. People are going to have to pay for the Projector, the other hardware and the headlight housing.... PLUS a little to make the work worth my time... it all adds up, once again, I doubt many people would pay for it. Plus, I'd have to be a vendor.

Anyways, retrofits these days are pretty easy. Using the Morimoto Minis, you pretty much don't have to modify hardly anything to get the mounted and aimed. AND you still get a fairly good quality projector. For most headlights, those are just bake open, stick the projector in, seal shut and lastly, add wiring harness.

 

[celly]

Trust me, I would love to retrofit, but I don't have that kind of skill or patience to do it. If somebody on here started a line of retrofit, then I'd pay them. But until then, gotta stick with what's already made.

Dude, you're preaching to the choir. I used to say the same thing. Retrofits are easier than in the past. I did't have to do any serious cutting to do mine. Almost plug and play.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

My biggest question is with the retrofits, since I've seen some custom home made kits to where some guys cut the housing, but how then can you adjust those to raise them or lower them.

 

[FIND]

Most of the time, the projector does not actually stick out very far from the original housing, so it doesn't interfere with the operation of the original adjusters. In some cases though, you would mount the projectors on screws, and use the screws to adjust the projector inside the housing for correct alignment.

You should really go on hidplanet.com and check out the forums. Once you read for a while, you would be surprised at how simple everything starts looking. Most of it is just getting over the little bit of fear that is there because of uncertainty. For instance, the first time I opened up an engine, I really hesitated. I put off doing it for a while because I thought I would screw something up, and it was a pretty complex thing for me to be messing with. Once I realized how simple an engine was though, I realized I can tear into it without a second thought.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

This thread got me scared to even try it haha. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280035

 

[dreddog47]

If somebody on here started a line of retrofit, then I'd pay them.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

LMAO, nice!! Guess I should of said, if somebody started a line of Explorer Retrofits on here.

 

[dreddog47]

I'd love to step in right now and say I'll do it but....idk....

 

[Steeda04SVT]

If your ever willing to do a kit, shoot me a PM with a price, or hell anybody on this forum that's willing to do it, just give me a quote.

 

[celly]

Try it yourself. Seriously, it's not that hard with the mini projectors. The toughest part is opening up your lights, and even that's not that bad.

I actually opened mine up again yesterday. Passenger side projector was a bit crooked so I re-positioned it. The lights open up much easier the second time.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

Which mini projectors brand would you recommend?

 

[celly]

Which mini projectors brand would you recommend?

Buy Dead Link Removed, if you're looking for the full meal deal. They sell individual components as well, but the package deal is the best deal.

This company is the real deal. One of the best online experiences I've ever had and a fantastic product to boot.

The H1 kit is all you need. Excellent light output. Much better than the one piece units. The projectors are much higher quality. Once you figure out how all the pieces fit together (no instructions included), the finished product you get is very impressive and the wiring is clean....unlike the one piece setups.

Best of all.....no cutting, outside of some shroud trimming to make the setup slide in a bit easier without scratching the reflector.

Remember, I'm a lousy mechanic. I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to working on vehicles. I found the retrofit to be fairly simple in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

Nice, yeah cuz I like how you get to keep your factory parking lights and turn signal assemblies and wouldn't mind the one piece, but still come off as just to much for me as in with the extra LED's, and euro look. Wanted to go with a OEM look as much as possible. Plus on the site, just leave all the options as they are such as

9006 Adapter Plate
Morimoto 3Five (35w)
No Resealing Glue
1) Mini Gatling Gun (Standard Model)
Relay: 9006

 

[celly]

9006 Adapter Plate
Morimoto 3Five (35w)
No Resealing Glue
1) Mini Gatling Gun (Standard Model)
Relay: 9006

Don't you mean "9007"? (assuming you have a '97 like in your profile).

 

[acchan]

Has anyone done a write-up of that kit?

 

[celly]

Has anyone done a write-up of that kit?

I haven't seen any, and I was too busy with it to bother doing one. I just put 2+2+2 together from a variety of sources.

Nutshell:

(1) Bake lights @265F for 7 minutes., separate lens from reflector. (Lots of posts on how this is done at hidplanet.com)

(2) Install projector/shroud using included hardware, slight trimming to shroud if desired (may scratch reflector if you don't). You won't see the trimming as it's obscured behind the shroud anyhow.

(3) Drill small hole for high beam solenoid wires (they plug into the harness).

(4) Test aim and focus

(5) Put lens back in place, bake lights again to re-seal (same temp and time as before).

(6) Seal up seams and solenoid hole with silicone (or similar)

(7) Install bulb holder and bulb

(8) Install headlights on truck

(9) Complete wiring to HID kit (don't forget to reverse the plug on the wiring harness....it's set up for 9004)

(10) Tweak, aim and focus using OEM adjusters.

DONE

OK, I've simplified this, but it's not that complicated. Just take your time and be patient.

 

[acchan]

This is starting to sound like exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!