HID Retrofit Log 99 Explorer *LOTS OF PICS*

Ive always loved the look of HID and aftermarket lighting on cars. On my old explorer, I had the diamond cuts with high temp harness and hyper white 80 watt halogen bulbs. On my new explorer, I wanted to do something new and go beyond what I used to have. Eairly on I decided to buy one of those 9007 HID kits on ebay that are plug and play but after doing some homework I found that they are actually illegal and dangerous to operate due to the amount of glare and stare light they give out. I then decided to fork out the extra money and do it the right way. (Plus I love the way projectors look!)

I bought a kit off ebay that consisted of the projectors, 4300k D2S bulbs, ignitors, and ballasts. ($350 shipped) I also had to buy a new set of diamond cuts because my old set on my old truck got smashed in the wreck ($100 overnighted, Thanks sideswiped for the awsome deal

Now to the pics

It was a friday nite and instead of going out with my friend and such, I decided to stay home and work on this project. I started around 8 and ended at 12 so i got 4 hours in of measuring, cutting, recutting, and playing around in. Heres what I have so far...

Diamond Cut with projector sitting inside with lense on, this will be about what it will look like when it is all done (Plus the shroud)

Halo Eyes from Advance Autoparts

Shoud that will go around the projector, had to be trimmed at the top

Lense on again with projector inside

Lense off, projector inside...test fitting

....

Rear before trimming

Rear after

A lot more trimming to go, the whole inner circle needs to be cut out.

BMW Projectors I am using

Ballast and ignitors with 9006 plug. I already have a 9007 high power harness so I will just cut off the 9007 plugs and splice these 9006 in and bam...power to the ballast. The only easy thing to this project!

More to come tomarrow night when I get more progress! I will try and show I mount the projectors and seal everything up

 

[ExplorerDMB]

That is freaking sweet. I will give you money to make some for me. I just don't have the time... what do you say?

-Drew

 

[huskyfan23]

Awesome job! I think it was you that's been wanting to do this for a long time. Congrats!

 

[Afboy143]

Tex- Yes I did because the halo were too big and I did not feel like shrinking them down and wiring them up. This project got so frustrating at times to the point where I didnt care about anything else...just to get it done. I was going in the dark on this one so it took a while to figure everyting out.

ExplorerDMB, sorry but I really dont wanna do something like this again. I am going to attempt to make a write up on how to this weekend.

Husky, yes it was me. After seeing your setup, oxygens, and others on hidplanet.com....I finally got the balls to do it. hardest part was dropping the 350 on the whole HID setup and cutting up brand new diamond cuts.

 

[Afboy143]

the only thing I really should have done to make it 100% glare free is painting the housing black. Granted there is a little glare, there isnt near the amount I would have if not using projectors at all. All is good, I went driving all nite and no flashes whatsoever and the road is nice and white now!

Husky, you got yours made correct? What did the person do to protect the rear of the housing where the connector meets the D2S bulb? Would you happen to still have your 6000k d2s laying around?

 

[huskyfan23]

I don't have any 6000K Yeah I got mine made. I have Gen 4 (I believe) ballasts, not sure about you. For the connector are you talking about the ignitor that screws onto the bulb? Each gen has a different kind. The ballasts are bolted onto the part of the headlight that's covered by the body so there's no possible way for them to get wet. I've had mine for around 2 years and have had NOBODY flash me (not even women ). Hope you like them! I get a lot of questions and second glances.

 

[Afboy143]

Husky, is there any way U can pop your hook and take a picture of the rear of the housing?

 

[huskyfan23]

Did you want a pic with the bulb out of the socket? The guy did a sort of photo-writeup:

http://community.webshots.com/album/130956768qlImLy

Is the pic you wanted in there?

 

[Afboy143]

i wanted to see how u have your plug in the back of the projector weather proofed. (Where the actual plug connects to the rear of the d2r bulb while it is in the housing in the truck) I have a plastic bag ziptied over it all but i want to see if there is a better way i can "un-ghetto-fy" it

 

[huskyfan23]

Ahhhhhhhh. I see. We must have different gen ballasts. I know you're talking about the ignitor, but different ballasts have different variations. The one I have is a black box that twists onto the back of the bulb. There's a wire that comes off the ballast that slides onto the ignitor. I attached a pic.

 

[Afboy143]

the ballast goes onto the bulb itself? Hmmm thats weird! I mounted the ballast on the side wall of the explorer then that connectors to the ingniter and then that connects to the bulb.

How did u weather proof all that?

 

[Afboy143]

See here is what I have. The red plug goes onto the bulb.

 

[huskyfan23]

That's actually the ignitor that goes on the back of the bulb. The ballast is mounted on the side of the headlamp. I attached a pic. In that position no weathproofing was needed. It's completely hidden from the elements.

 

[Spas]

I've had mine for around 2 years and have had NOBODY flash me (not even women )

LOL

 

[97 Eddie Bauer v8]

Do you think you could fit 2 projector units in each headlight? It looks kind of goofy just being one. It would fill that huge headlight more if there were two - it would look like a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

You could have your high beams and low beams then, highs on a halogen projector and lows on one of those D2 HID projectors.

 

[huskyfan23]

Do you think you could fit 2 projector units in each headlight? It looks kind of goofy just being one. It would fill that huge headlight more if there were two - it would look like a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

You could have your high beams and low beams then, highs on a halogen projector and lows on one of those D2 HID projectors.

There's no point of they're bi-xenon since it's highs and lows. And we're X people. We don't like Jeeps

 

[97 Eddie Bauer v8]

There's no point of they're bi-xenon since it's highs and lows.

HUH?

 

[huskyfan23]

His projectors look to be bi-xenon which utilizes high and low beam.

 

[Bill Kemp]

Do you think you could fit 2 projector units in each headlight? - it would look like a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

That seems like a very good reason NOT to do it.

 

[97 Eddie Bauer v8]

Whatever. Jeeps are awesome.

 

[97 Eddie Bauer v8]

His projectors look to be bi-xenon which utilizes high and low beam.

If you payed any attention to his write-up you would know he had to chop that off.