Retrofit hid projector on 08 explorer | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Retrofit hid projector on 08 explorer

Hi there just wondering can you retrofit an 08 explorer with hid projectors. The guy who installed my hids said that ford is the only brand that you can't open the headlghts because ford uses some crazy silicon. and the headlight would crack or something. Any help is greatly apprecated.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Im sure if you heated it up enough and did it wil alot of caution you could get them open, what exactly are you trying to do? Get HIDs?

You could just buy a set...you could get the Up-Conversion kits, for like 180$ (ish) or get headlights with them built in for probably not even 200$


Try eBay, thats what I use ;p
 






I already have hids I just want to add projectors headlights so I don't get everybody flashing me.
 






Well you could adjust your headlights down...

I know a few friends with the i think 8000k HIDs, and when they installed them they didnt adjust, and theyve driven behind me, and I ended up following them to theyre house to adjust them for them, its just a screw, or bolt, my taurus was a flat-head to adjust, but my ex is a really small, (not sure what exact size) long bolt with a nut kinda thing on the end that i adjusted with a socket, theres one for adjusting it up and down, and one to adjust it left & right, theres another one on mine, i dont even know what for, I turned my lights on and adjusted it and saw no movement
 






how do you recommend adjusting the headlights like the best method or should i just adjust a couple turns
 






i just use my garage door, make sure you're straight with the door, maybe 5-10 feet away, and turn the lights on, best to do at night, then hmm maybe 6 or 7 turns might do it, but just experiment around with them
 






okay but like how low should i go like a reference point like how many feet from ground or something
 






I'm confused... You added brighter lights so you could see better (assuming) or for cosmetic reasons? You now need to lower them, which reduces your night time visibility and response time in the event something is in front of you or if someone is walking across the street...

I would suggest you let them flash you first, and then if need to lower them, consider it... Is your vehicle stock? Not lifted?
 






I know i dont care about people flashing me i flash them right back its just i worry about maybe i'm blinding a cop or flashing a cop back and he will pull me over. and my explorer is stock do you have hids or what would you do in my situation.
 






I'd just add the lights, and not flash anyone. If you are ticketed by an officer, it will likely be because you have the lights, not the angle. My personal feeling is that if it compromises your safety, it's not worth it... But I have about 16 lights on the front of my vehicle :) All I did with the headlights is added brighter bulbs... When the vehicle was lifted, I angled the lights down to where they were prior to the lift...

If you must lower the angle, you should check the factory settings and lower them slightly...
 






The bottom of post 4. in the Lighting FAQs sticky has the info for aiming headlights. This is meant for halogen lights. So, HID should be lower.

IMO anyone who doesnt aim their lights and doesnt care if people flash them should get about 6 tickets.
 






I haven't heard of any type of glue that they use to seal headlights with that cannot be taken apart by heating the housing in an oven.

Now I have been looking at getting a 4th gen explorer, and the topic of putting projectors into the stock housing has come up in my head. Looking at pictures of 4th gens I think that you can do a projector mod by cutting out the back of the headlight housings rather then taking off the lenses.
 






I haven't heard of any type of glue that they use to seal headlights with that cannot be taken apart by heating the housing in an oven.

Now I have been looking at getting a 4th gen explorer, and the topic of putting projectors into the stock housing has come up in my head. Looking at pictures of 4th gens I think that you can do a projector mod by cutting out the back of the headlight housings rather then taking off the lenses.

I've found some options because I've been reserching a little since I will def be doing a retro on my 06 ex in january.....retrosolutions.com is the best site I could find with kits and parts, the guy matt is awesome and put a custom bundle together for me for like $255 that included fx-r projectors (clear lense infinity fx 35 projectors) the adapter for d2s (I already have hid kits), the 5000K d2s bulbs, ccfl halos, and r8 style leds. Pretty sweet bundle. The problem is the cost of a retro fitter, unless you do it yourself, Ive found pricing on just the retro fitting from $280 all the way to almost $800. Also at rsi-hid.com they have a complete bixenon projector kit as well with install instructions and pics on an 02 ex....but for $449. So it depends. I would love to install by cutting the back of the assembly rather than the oven method, anybody do a retro yet? I will post pics when mines finally done, I'm using ironman/adrenaline headlights.
 






IMO anyone who doesnt aim their lights and doesnt care if people flash them should get about 6 tickets.

After seeing what it's like to be on the receiving end of an HID system in a halogen housing I feel those people should get another 6 tickets.

It's just not worth anything but looks to put an HID system in a halogen housing. I've had it and going to a projector was the best thing that I've done with my lighting. I'd suggest either invest in a projector retrofit or get a good set of halogen bulbs. Get the HIDs out of the halogen housing.
 






Yes, some headlights now (especially ones made by valeo) are plastic welded shut, instead of using the regular silicone goo. The good news is you can pretty easily cut them open with a dremmel, then use butyl sealant and it will function just like one that isn't plastic welded shut. A LOT of people have had to do that at HIDplanet. They just look at the edges and see where it is no logner bonded to the side and use a cutting disk to follow that line. Then seal up with butyl sealant.
 






I've found some options because I've been reserching a little since I will def be doing a retro on my 06 ex in january.....retrosolutions.com is the best site I could find with kits and parts, the guy matt is awesome and put a custom bundle together for me for like $255 that included fx-r projectors (clear lense infinity fx 35 projectors) the adapter for d2s (I already have hid kits), the 5000K d2s bulbs, ccfl halos, and r8 style leds. Pretty sweet bundle. The problem is the cost of a retro fitter, unless you do it yourself, Ive found pricing on just the retro fitting from $280 all the way to almost $800. Also at rsi-hid.com they have a complete bixenon projector kit as well with install instructions and pics on an 02 ex....but for $449. So it depends. I would love to install by cutting the back of the assembly rather than the oven method, anybody do a retro yet? I will post pics when mines finally done, I'm using ironman/adrenaline headlights.


Click me
These look to be the same items offered by rsi-hid.com for only $99. Might be worth a shot.
 






Just as a heads-up, two things:

1) There is a new third generation of these kit projectors coming out. Most of what we have seen here in the states is G1. G2 apparently flopped and the G3 is coming out now, supposedly it is better.

2)Some of you may know JVX, the member at HIDPlanet who does output tests on damn near EVERY projector out there + loads of different combinations of lenses, hybrid projectors etc. Well he is working on testing out the G1 and G3, as well as supposedly he is working on a custom shield for the G3 and will test it out as well. He plans on comparing them to different OEM projectors to get an idea on width, intensity, etc. Plus to see how the custom shield affects output.
 






Just as a heads-up, two things:

1) There is a new third generation of these kit projectors coming out. Most of what we have seen here in the states is G1. G2 apparently flopped and the G3 is coming out now, supposedly it is better.

2)Some of you may know JVX, the member at HIDPlanet who does output tests on damn near EVERY projector out there + loads of different combinations of lenses, hybrid projectors etc. Well he is working on testing out the G1 and G3, as well as supposedly he is working on a custom shield for the G3 and will test it out as well. He plans on comparing them to different OEM projectors to get an idea on width, intensity, etc. Plus to see how the custom shield affects output.

I'm assuming you're talking about the ones I posted the link for?
 






Yeah, I am. I thought I hit the quote button but apparently not.:D
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





THe review is posted. Apparently the G3's are significantly better than the G1's. Also they have a much sharper cutoff, though they did switch to an ECE stype cutoff though which is a bit odd since it has a HUGE hump.
 






Back
Top