Projector Retrofit Picture Thread and FAQ

i got mines at www.hidretrofitkit.com for my 2015 4runner with led halos and strips. Here is a picture of the ones i got.
 

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Is there anyone on here that has a guy to build me a super basic conversion for cheaper than SRQ? Low on time and money for trial and error if I mess up (which I'm really good at).
 
Is there anyone on here that has a guy to build me a super basic conversion for cheaper than SRQ? Low on time and money for trial and error if I mess up (which I'm really good at).

IMO your best hope is this ....

Buy the parts on your own from TRS using group buy discount, see TacoWorld. Read the guide threads. Do the mini D2S, not FXR.

Paint the housings on your own. Now once you've got all that done and painted THEN post here in your local area thread asking for help assembling in trade for a 24 pack of beer + meeting new friends. It really isn't that hard to assemble but doing the work and taking on the risk is a B$TCH when remote. When I take someone's money they expect 100% quality and the margin in this work is only $100 at most maybe $150 even at SRQ prices (which I know little about) ... The point is for most of us with a day job it just isn't worth it.

Do 90% yourself, paint (if needed) and then find some friends.

.
 
The SRQ prices aren't bad but there's a bit of an up charge. If you end up busting the glass housing though you're kinda at that price point.

A big thing and I've mentioned it in other threads is making sure the glass is HOT. I'm not sure how people got the lens apart at like 5 minutes (200 F), I put mine at like 300-350 F for 5 mins. If you can't apply just a little bit of pressure with a screw driver, you need to stick the housing back in the oven.
 
these housings are way too easy to retrofit. mini d2s is the way to go (threaded shaft design). once you get the glass off its just a matter of putting the projector in and aligning it. be sure to align it with the stock beam of the halogen or else your headlight will be wonky af and wont align with the body work. these headlights move as a whole assembly when aligned.

Tip: There is no need to put them in the oven. Run your heat gun, not a blow dryer, along the edges of the glass til its really hot. Good thing about glass is that it won't melt.
 
these housings are way too easy to retrofit. mini d2s is the way to go (threaded shaft design). once you get the glass off its just a matter of putting the projector in and aligning it. be sure to align it with the stock beam of the halogen or else your headlight will be wonky af and wont align with the body work. these headlights move as a whole assembly when aligned.

Tip: There is no need to put them in the oven. Run your heat gun, not a blow dryer, along the edges of the glass til its really hot. Good thing about glass is that it won't melt.

why would you not put them in the oven? By far easier than dealing with a heat gun.
 
to each his own. concentrated heat in the right place. i prefer the heat gun and it takes me no longer than 2 minutes a headlight.

do not do this with plastic headlights lol
 
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to each his own. concentrated heat in the right place. i prefer the heat gun and it takes me no longer than 2 minutes a headlight.

do not do this with plastic headlights lol

Not sure why you want concentrated heat, you need to apply heat to the whole housing not just a portion of the lens. I'd speculate you have a higher chance of breaking the glass using a heat gun.
 
Not sure why you want concentrated heat, you need to apply heat to the whole housing not just a portion of the lens. I'd speculate you have a higher chance of breaking the glass using a heat gun.

This isn't rocket science. Just want to melt the glue. this doesn't require you to get the glass super hot. never broken any glass with my retrofits.
 
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This isn't rocket science. Just want to melt the glue. this doesn't require you to get the glass super hot. never broken any glass with my retrofits.

Never said it was. Using a heat gun is going to be more work than using an oven set at 350 F for 5 minutes. Perhaps you haven't broken any glass but I'll wager people have a much higher likelihood of doing so with a heat gun versus an oven.
 
Never said it was. Using a heat gun is going to be more work than using an oven set at 350 F for 5 minutes. Perhaps you haven't broken any glass but I'll wager people have a much higher likelihood of doing so with a heat gun versus an oven.

lol k.
 
Curious if anyone has done one of these where they used a square(ish) shroud. Personally I'm not a big fan of the round projector look in the square housing, but think it might be interesting with a square or mostly square shroud.

Has anyone done one this way?

The PanaSquare option is interesting...
 
Curious if anyone has done one of these where they used a square(ish) shroud. Personally I'm not a big fan of the round projector look in the square housing, but think it might be interesting with a square or mostly square shroud.

Has anyone done one this way?

The PanaSquare option is interesting...

I think there was some discussion as to whether a square shroud would fit our reflectors without trimming. I'd also be interested if anyone has done this.
 
Tip: There is no need to put them in the oven. Run your heat gun, not a blow dryer, along the edges of the glass til its really hot. Good thing about glass is that it won't melt.

Did you leave the mounting brackets on while doing that? I plan to adjust the (unmodified) headlights so they sit nice and flush with the corner lights, then take them off the truck and remove the glass with the brackets still on. I'll then reinstall the retrofitted lights (no glass yet) and mess around with aim via the projectors themselves instead of the OEM adjusters, so when the lenses are reinstalled the headlights are still flush with the corners. I'd use an oven but I have Fluid Film all over the adjusters, I'm sure that stuff wouldn't smell too nice.

I think there was some discussion as to whether a square shroud would fit our reflectors without trimming. I'd also be interested if anyone has done this.

I had a shaft mounted square D2S projector with an Apollo 1.0 shroud, didn't require trimming. That Panasquare is shorter and narrower than the Apollo 1.0, although they are a tad deeper.
 
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Ppracticed on an old headlight yesterday

Safety Message - Drilling is involved, wear a dust mask and do it outdoors if possible. It produces a messy fine dust, like when doing drywall or body filler.

I bought this drill jig a while ago, never used it until now. Has the mounting patterns for the D2S 4.0-5.0/G5 and D2S 3.0/Q5 type projectors

f5SvJjz.jpg

- install the proper blue plastic bulb adapter (H4 for 3rd-gens)
- line up jig into the bulb hole, select the correct mounting pattern, drill pilot holes
 
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soooooo, is there someone offering a bolt in head light that isnt 1k for a pair like hidretrofit.com?

i looked breifly throughout this thread and the only person i saw offering services was someone who hasnt logged in over half a year. i know nothing about modifying headlight housings, i have no time or desire to learn (im an idiot when it comes to this stuff). im just curious if its possible for me to buy a pair of improved headlights for less than a 800-a grand.

the only time ive messed with HIDs was on someones car and i touched the bulb because i was asked to 'hold it'. i was told the oils from my finger prints just prematurely shortened the life of said HID. thats now well versed i am with this stuff...
 
soooooo, is there someone offering a bolt in head light that isnt 1k for a pair like hidretrofit.com?

i looked breifly throughout this thread and the only person i saw offering services was someone who hasnt logged in over half a year. i know nothing about modifying headlight housings, i have no time or desire to learn (im an idiot when it comes to this stuff). im just curious if its possible for me to buy a pair of improved headlights for less than a 800-a grand.

the only time ive messed with HIDs was on someones car and i touched the bulb because i was asked to 'hold it'. i was told the oils from my finger prints just prematurely shortened the life of said HID. thats now well versed i am with this stuff...

IMO it'll be hard to find a reasonably priced, ready to bolt on retro that'll aim and fit properly like OEM on a 3rd-gen due to the headlight design. I've seen some of those pre-made retros installed on this forum and I'd be very angry paying that kind of money the way it fits after final aiming. My retro may fit like OEM on a stock suspension/tire vehicle but probably fit like crap on a lifted one.

You could do auxiliary lighting. Are you looking for more lowbeam or highbeam performance?
 
IMO it'll be hard to find a reasonably priced, ready to bolt on retro that'll aim and fit properly like OEM on a 3rd-gen due to the headlight design. I've seen some of those pre-made retros installed on this forum and I'd be very angry paying that kind of money the way it fits after final aiming. My retro may fit like OEM on a stock suspension/tire vehicle but probably fit like crap on a lifted one.

You could do auxiliary lighting. Are you looking for more lowbeam or highbeam performance?

thanks. that is what i figured. oh well. ill just stick with stock. i am looking for better low beam performance for general driving. i dont think ive used the high beams yet.

what is the difference in lighting performance between a stock height vehicle and a lifted one? i have a 3" lift. is it because the headlight is physically higher than a stock height vehicle? wouldnt you just adjust accordingly?
 

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