Bandit Runner
Senior Member
I had mentioned in one of the other threads that I was working on a projector retrofit into my OEM headlights, so I thought I would start my own thread.
I am a complete noob regarding this type of mod, so I had been researching this and reading everyone elses retrofit threads for quite a while. About 6 months ago or so, I saw that someone posted a discount code of 25% off at TheRetroFitSource.com. I figured it was now or never. I emailed Matt at TRS and asked a ton of stupid questions. He was really nice and patient with me and answered all my questions. Then I purchased this kit:Bi-xenon Morimoto Mini Stage III Kit (H1) - Complete Retrofit Kits from The Retrofit Source Inc
Its the Bi-Xenon, Morimoto, Mini Stage III Kit. I got the standard kit options including the 4300K bulbs and gatling gun shrouds.
A few weeks ago, I finally started working on it. But first I ordered a set of aftermarket headlights off ebay to put in my truck temporarily while I worked on my retrofit into my OEM headlights.
The first thing I had to do was remove my headlights. This was not an easy task for me, because my bumper hoop is in the way of allowing the grille to be removed. So, I had to remove my skidplate, to remove my bumper, to remove my grille, to remove the trim piece under the headlight, to finally remove the headlights.
Here's a pic of everything removed (truck looks kind of naked):
Then after figuring out where all the wires go and connect to, I started laying out the harness in the engine compartment. Then I decided to make sure the projectors worked before I went any further, so I installed the bulbs into the projectors and set them in the engine bay and connected everything. I turned on the headlight switch, and BAM...Let there be light! Everything worked on the first try. Yes, success! (I was really proud of myself at this point)
Then I wire-tied the harness in place, and mounted the ballasts and relay in the engine compartment. It was tight, but I found room for everything. My only complaint was that the wire harness could have been a little longer, to allow more options for mounting the components, but I made it work. Then I installed the aftermarket headlights and put the truck back together.
Then I moved into the house for the next big step: opening the OEM headlights. I put them in the oven (wife was not home at the time) for 12 minutes at 250 degrees. I took them out and pryed them apart with a flat blade screw driver. Success:
Then I test fit the projectors into the headlights (sorry, no pic of this). I found that I had to make a few minor changes to the headlights so that the projectors would sit properly into the reflector bowl. There were a couple of "bumps" that located the OEM reflector piece that needed to be removed. So I zinged them off with the dremel. I also had to cut a slot for the hi-beam solenoid wires to come through. Again, the dremel took care of this, no problem.
One of my main reasons for doing this mod was so that I could black out my headlights. So, a few days later, I lightly sanded the chrome inside the headlights to scratch it up. Then I masked them off, and painted them with a few coats of semi-gloss black, high temp, engine paint.
They turned out good. Here's a pic with the masking tape removed:
Last night, I cleaned up the projectors and shrouds, and removed all the fingerprints to get them ready for installation.
That's where I am at currently in the process. I hope to get them installed this coming weekend. Can't wait!
Thanks for looking.
I am a complete noob regarding this type of mod, so I had been researching this and reading everyone elses retrofit threads for quite a while. About 6 months ago or so, I saw that someone posted a discount code of 25% off at TheRetroFitSource.com. I figured it was now or never. I emailed Matt at TRS and asked a ton of stupid questions. He was really nice and patient with me and answered all my questions. Then I purchased this kit:Bi-xenon Morimoto Mini Stage III Kit (H1) - Complete Retrofit Kits from The Retrofit Source Inc
Its the Bi-Xenon, Morimoto, Mini Stage III Kit. I got the standard kit options including the 4300K bulbs and gatling gun shrouds.
A few weeks ago, I finally started working on it. But first I ordered a set of aftermarket headlights off ebay to put in my truck temporarily while I worked on my retrofit into my OEM headlights.
The first thing I had to do was remove my headlights. This was not an easy task for me, because my bumper hoop is in the way of allowing the grille to be removed. So, I had to remove my skidplate, to remove my bumper, to remove my grille, to remove the trim piece under the headlight, to finally remove the headlights.
Here's a pic of everything removed (truck looks kind of naked):
Then after figuring out where all the wires go and connect to, I started laying out the harness in the engine compartment. Then I decided to make sure the projectors worked before I went any further, so I installed the bulbs into the projectors and set them in the engine bay and connected everything. I turned on the headlight switch, and BAM...Let there be light! Everything worked on the first try. Yes, success! (I was really proud of myself at this point)
Then I wire-tied the harness in place, and mounted the ballasts and relay in the engine compartment. It was tight, but I found room for everything. My only complaint was that the wire harness could have been a little longer, to allow more options for mounting the components, but I made it work. Then I installed the aftermarket headlights and put the truck back together.
Then I moved into the house for the next big step: opening the OEM headlights. I put them in the oven (wife was not home at the time) for 12 minutes at 250 degrees. I took them out and pryed them apart with a flat blade screw driver. Success:
Then I test fit the projectors into the headlights (sorry, no pic of this). I found that I had to make a few minor changes to the headlights so that the projectors would sit properly into the reflector bowl. There were a couple of "bumps" that located the OEM reflector piece that needed to be removed. So I zinged them off with the dremel. I also had to cut a slot for the hi-beam solenoid wires to come through. Again, the dremel took care of this, no problem.
One of my main reasons for doing this mod was so that I could black out my headlights. So, a few days later, I lightly sanded the chrome inside the headlights to scratch it up. Then I masked them off, and painted them with a few coats of semi-gloss black, high temp, engine paint.
They turned out good. Here's a pic with the masking tape removed:
Last night, I cleaned up the projectors and shrouds, and removed all the fingerprints to get them ready for installation.
That's where I am at currently in the process. I hope to get them installed this coming weekend. Can't wait!
Thanks for looking.
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