2004 T4R HID Retrofit Teaser

paraordnance · Feb 20, 2009

2004 T4R HID Retrofit (lots of pics)

Its all started like this

TSX projectors with clear lenses, Guttling gun shrouds, D2S adapter, DDM 55 watt slim ballast with 6000k bulbs (Phillips 85122+ are on the way).

And this

10 hours later and a few beers

Very hard to take descent photos with lights on, the lights are INSANELLY bright, I cannot even imagine how bright they will be with Phillips 85122+ bulbs (supposely around 4500 lumens per bulb with 55 watt ballast :awais: )

This saturday I going to mount them, adjust and take some output photos.

Complete write-up on this retro is coming up, so stay tuned

:

K.C. · Feb 20, 2009

Looks awesome...can't wait to see it completed!!

Let me give you some motivation...

[pictures]...TSX Retrofit On Lexus
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41938

...there's also pictures of HID Kit, TSX, S2K & LS430 projectors on 4Runners.

T4RSpectreSix · Feb 20, 2009

Very nicely done. Looking forward to seeing the end result. It's a shame these aren't easier to make, I'd make my own, those look good. As is I will probably 'cheat' and drop in some 06+ lamps eventually.

Very nice man.

K.C. · Feb 20, 2009

T4RSpectreSix,

I have the 2006+ projectors because it came w/ the vehicle, but if I didn't have it, I wouldn't bother getting them.

Because they are expensive, the projection isnt that great & the beam pattern isn't sharp.

I would do a retrofit. I've done a TSX projector retrofit on a Lexus SC300 before.

And I'm sure you want them to look OEM like nothing was done to it...I'm the exact way!!

I included some links for you to check out...

[pictures]...TSX Retrofit On Lexus SC300
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41938

...there's also pictures of HID Kit, TSX, S2K & LS430 projectors on 4Runners.

4runr30 · Feb 20, 2009

Looks good. Dang those things are bright!

paraordnance · Feb 21, 2009

K.C. said:
Looks awesome...can't wait to see it completed!!

Let me give you some motivation...

[pictures]...TSX Retrofit On Lexus
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41938

...there's also pictures of HID Kit, TSX, S2K & LS430 projectors on 4Runners.

wow, this is something I was looking for before my retro, I searched and readed...but never seen this thread. Looks good, something like that I have to try to achieve tomorrow. Hardest thing is going to be aligning those beams

paraordnance · Feb 21, 2009

K.C. said:
T4RSpectreSix,

I have the 2006+ projectors because it came w/ the vehicle, but if I didn't have it, I would bother getting them.

Because they are expensive, the projection isnt that great & the beam pattern isn't sharp.

I would do a retrofit.

And I'm sure you want them to look OEM like nothing was done to it...I'm the exact way!!

thats the point. 2006+ headlights is probably $300-400 a pair, plus the HID kit. I think I'm under $1000 so far for me, this includes a tools I had to buy. And results with 06 headilghts, without a doubt are improvement over stock but nowhere close to retrofit. The best projectors are S2K, TL, FX and TSX. The best part of this, its a fun I had doing this. I'll do it again, differently and better, this was a first retro for me and you learn on your mistakes. I'll make detailed write-up so others can learn on my

W211_to_T4R · Feb 21, 2009

Can't wait for your write up! :biggrin2: I'm currently undergoing the exact project and was going to do a write up as well. I also got the TSX projectors, but couldn't decide which shroud I was going with....E55, Ocular, or the gatling gun shroud.

Could you please post pictures of the bowl and how much you had to trim off for the projectors? Also how much clearance do you have from the driver's side headlight to the battery? Thanks and you did a very nice job!:bowdown:

paraordnance · Feb 21, 2009

W211_to_T4R said:
Can't wait for your write up! :biggrin2: I'm currently undergoing the exact project and was going to do a write up as well. I also got the TSX projectors, but couldn't decide which shroud I was going with....E55, Ocular, or the gatling gun shroud.

Could you please post pictures of the bowl and how much you had to trim off for the projectors? Also how much clearance do you have from the driver's side headlight to the battery? Thanks and you did a very nice job!:bowdown:

you got it right, position of that driver side projector dictates everything! We have lots of room on passanger side but driver's got only 2" of clearance. The whole assembly (D2S adapter+bulb+projector+shroud) are whopping 6.5" in lenght! This was my biggest problem, it doesnt show on pictures but later I had to trim GG shrouds so they dont touch headlight lense.
I have to admit TSX are really easy to work with but they quite long. I thought our headlights are big and have plenty of room, sideways - they are, length wise - not so much
Here the bowl of my TSX projector.

I painted shield flat red with some fire proof paint (up to 1500 F), thats why you see that red colored lense when lights off

It looks stunning in person!

I did some research on the web and learned first hand that painting your shield (depending on projector but works great for TSX) side faced lense will give you colored looking lense and by painting your shield side facing bulb you eliminate the flares above cut-off line.

Marked with black thats all I had to trim from projector, these GG shrouds are nice and big, they cover everything also

DavidAlexander · Feb 21, 2009

Wow, nice job. I can't wait to see how those look on.

paraordnance · Feb 22, 2009

well, she is installed, and oh my god it is ever improvement to appearence of my truck!
this is stock

first test

Lights are in, no headlight lenses for now, just want to make sure I can adjust them properly before baking

paraordnance · Feb 22, 2009

Lights on, bright daylight, just trying to aim the beam lower before actual allignment at night

Lights still on but that painted shield sure makes difference in appearence

paraordnance · Feb 22, 2009

This is after baking, I also removed amber reflector from headlights, it looks so much better, clean and sharp

Sorry no night shots at this moment but I'll do some shooting 2tight

T4RSpectreSix · Feb 22, 2009

Dang dude, you set up for a group buy?

Heheh, just kidding of course. Seriously though, those look real nice. Wish I had the time/confidence to undertake a project like that right now.

I definitely like the final result. Looks kinda exotic, if you will.

Nice job! You got me jonesin' for some night pics.

paraordnance · Feb 23, 2009

Hey, this is my first one and I would do it over in a heartbeat on any other car I own, its fun, easy, practical, it looks awesome and its a best mod I done to my T4R. Im currently uploading a night shots after aligning the lights. It is simply beautifull! My halogen highs look pathetic now in comparison. Wish I did quad set-up now. May be down the road...

paraordnance · Feb 23, 2009

just finished aligning these lights, frigging cold outside but job needs to be done, sucks driving around when they pointed right down. But its a beauty now. Sharp cut-off line and washer mod make them stand out in a crowd. Was driving back home and 08 Escalade pulled beside, his lights are nothing compare to what I'm running haha. For now I using 35 watt ballast from fogs and 6000k kit bulbs. Phillips 85122+ are on the way and so 55 watt ballast, this should give me additional 40-50% in brightness. Its not like its already enough lol, but you get addicted to this kind of illumination. Its all going to the pavement and not blinding incominc traffic at all, other drivers happy and so I am

.

Aligning these babies one at the time

paraordnance · Feb 23, 2009

almost done, 2" lower for every 25 feet thats the way to go

Check out that blue to purple rainbow flicker above cut-off. This is achieved by placing washers between projector assembly, I will go in detail over that in a write-up

all done

paraordnance · Feb 23, 2009

this is just lows. With 55 watt ballast, Phillips bulbs and a HID fogs it will be like daylight, probably an overkill but hey, I live in a deer country and need to see whats there. Beam pattern on TSX projectors focused and wide, its actually lighting up incoming lane on divided highway and well into a field on right.

Back alley

cut-off line is actually so sharp I have a problem to see signs on the road now. No light goes above cut-off whatsoever and that might be a problem. Have to figure out how to fix that.

This is all for now. When new bulbs arrive, as promised I will do detailed write-up

T4RSpectreSix · Feb 23, 2009

Looks like you did an exceptional job man! Those lights are crazy bright! Gonna be interesting to see what they look like after the upgrade.

Are the cutoffs on vehicles that have HIDs stock also a problem with reading signs and what not? IE, is that just an inherent downside of the tech?

Overall, very nice man. I'm envious, I live like 20 mins out of the city and have to drive on a particularly dark, animal-infested, stretch of road every day on my commute - something like this would be very nice to have. I'm really looking forward to your write up. If I feel it's not beyond my tools/means, I might seriously do it - but time and skill might not be something I have for this right now. I wish there were a place around WA that did these for a reasonable price.

paraordnance · Feb 23, 2009

OEM HIDs have some flares above cut-off due to reflections from shield. I painted my shield flat red to remove those flares I guess they there for reason. I been told when I switch to 85122+ and 55 watt I will get some reflections off the road and this should be sufficient to light up the signs.

2004 T4R HID Retrofit Teaser

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