Do they make them at all?

[ringpop1]

I have searched everywhere for projector headlights for my 05 Explorer XLT and have had no luck at all. I seen that there was someone on here with a write up on installing fogs into the assembly. I do not want to risk messing something up and wiring something wrong and with a new born baby, I just simply do not have the time. If anyone know of something other then the standard head lights or the tinted ones please tell me about them. I have only found the tinted and clear corners as mods.

 

[Uafan]

One website sells them, they were over $800 I believe tho, I forget what site it was, not8taxi has it I think, he also retrofitted his own projecters in a 3rd gen. Other than blacked out housings, why not add some HIDs if you don't end up going with projectors?

 

[ringpop1]

I looked into HID kits and I called a local shop and they told me it would be about $700 for them to do it. I do not know how to wire anything so I am kind of screwed when it comes to that.

 

[Uafan]

Honestly, get a plug and play kit and it's the easiest thing in the world. You plug your existing headlight harness into the HID ballast (the box) and the HID bulbs come from the ballast. It's very simple, just takes time to snake the wires thru and such.

 

[ringpop1]

How much are these? Will they burn my stock housing? How bright or hot do they get?

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

if you get the conversion kit, you can get a lower temperature rating bulb, just do your research and you'll be fine.

 

[Uafan]

I got mine on eBay for like $99 shipped.

4300 is stock on all luxury cars, its the whitest and the brightest, the more blue you go the less bright the light is. 6000K is also nice, I have that, it's a tint of blue but not overkill, it looks nice.

 

[ringpop1]

Are those adjustable some how? Did they just fit right into your current housing and plug up to your current set up?

 

[Uafan]

No, along with the kit you have to provide the degree (color) you want. They're not adjustable. Yes, the HID bulb fits the same as the halogen bulb you currently have.

 

[ringpop1]

will the real hot ones melt the stock housing?

 

[Uafan]

I have no idea, I don't know why you would go hotter than 8K anyway. I've been told that HIDs burn cooler than halogens anyway.

 

[MustangP51]

Ok let me clear a few things up

The K rating of the HIDs doesn't mean how "hot" the bulb will be but the color of the bulb, I wouldn't recommend going any higher then 6,000K as the bluer light is not very usable.

All HIDs run cooler then the standard halogen bulbs. So there will be no risk of melting your stock housings.

A normal HID kit is not very difficult to wire, however keep in mind with one of these kits you will only have HID low beams and the stock bulb for the high beam.

I wouldn't recommend getting Kits off of ebay, a lot of sellers don't stand behind their products. I would recommend buying from shop xenon.

http://www.shopxenon.com/

Here is a writeup I did on doing a projector retrofit, I know its not the same gen explorer but im sure some info will be helpful

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209015

Good Luck

 

[Uafan]

A normal HID kit is not very difficult to wire, however keep in mind with one of these kits you will only have HID low beams and the stock bulb for the high beam.

In the 3rd gens we have a different bulb for highbeam, therefore they stay on, even with HIDs

 

[MustangP51]

That's why I said that he would still have the stock bulb for the high beams.

Another thing is it is bad to turn on and off HIDs so that's why its not a good Idea to Have HID high beams

 

[Uafan]

Wow im an idiot, I'm sorry, Ithought you said something completely different hah. Yeah, it is very bad and wears out your balast. I went to pepboys and bought hyperwhite bulbs for my highbeams so they dont look yellow and out of place with the rest of my lights

 

[MustangP51]

Ha my eyes are getting tired too lol. Are those hyper whites brighter then silver stars?

 

[Uafan]

They're whiter, not brighter. I think they look like **** to be honest. They have a blue tint to them too, and it makes my highbeam housing look blue.

 

[MustangP51]

That blue makes the high beam housings look very cool

 

[Uafan]

I guess, but I'm going for a blackout theme, so it kinda ruins it hah