About aggravated with these HID Projectors...

[mrcajunjoker]

Ok, here's the thing. I have a 08 Black Tahoe LT and wanted new headlights and taillights. I went to dashzracing and bought a projector headlight with a 4300K HID kit. I got a really bad spider web or rippling water effect on the wall. The light output was horrible, so bad in fact, that I had to drive with the high beams just to see at night. The HID's were O-nex. I setup a refund and ordered the same lights from Carid.com instead. I was hoping that the lights I got from dashzracing were just bad. The headlights, from what I understand, are made by Spyder. I got the Carid order for headlights and HID kit, Notto HID's and look just as bad. Can someone shed some light on the matter for me? Is it that the HID's don't really matter but the projector is my problem? Both HID's were digital sets and both provided about the same light output on the wall.

I like the taillights and they were plug n play... lol

And I like the look of the headlights.... just not the light output...

Advice ?

 

[Zed 71]

Yeah those look terrible. It looks like those projectors were not designed to be used with HID bulbs or the optics are garbage.

Try and use the OEM halogen just to see if this is the case. If so return the projectors and just use HID in the stock housing and adjust the beam down.

 

[mrcajunjoker]

Yeah, the second picture is actually the stock halogen in the driver's side and HID in the passenger. The headlight housing does have the cutoff inside, so I guess they're HID ready? Maybe just the optics like you said....

These are the lights...

 

[Zed 71]

Wow... Just return and use HID in stock housings. Check out the supporting vendors, HIDgate, and DDM.

 

[felixgun]

Someone else has those headlights on this forum but I don't think they put HID's in them. Some after market headlights are not made to work with HID's... these might be some of them... like other guy said.. try to put in stock bulb with the headlights and see if the problem still persists.

 

[InTruckDesign]

I have those headlights along with another member on here, you need to space the bulb out of the housing roughly 5/8 inch. , since HID's light from the center of the tube and are much longer than the H1 halogen bulbs that come with them. I was able to get a much better cutoff and beam pattern, but spent alot of time with bulb placement, just fyi there is a sticker on the housing that specifically states not for use with HID bulbs.

 

[mrcajunjoker]

Really.... I must have missed the warning. I did just go to the Spyder Auto site and see that: "These projector headlights are not compatible with factory Xenon H.I.D. system, it comes with its own standard Halogen light bulbs for installation." Funny that the retail sites don't post that info.

Wait... I googled HIDgate and found a eBay seller. $40 for HID's ?

http://shop.ebay.com/hidgate/m.html...&_odkw=&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3911.c0.m270.l1313

What about cutoff using a stock headlamp with a HID kit? The cutoff comes from the metal plate inside the headlight right? Which the stocks don't have?

 

[mrailing]

I have those headlights along with another member on here, you need to space the bulb out of the housing roughly 5/8 inch. , since HID's light from the center of the tube and are much longer than the H1 halogen bulbs that come with them. I was able to get a much better cutoff and beam pattern, but spent alot of time with bulb placement, just fyi there is a sticker on the housing that specifically states not for use with HID bulbs.

Would you give some more detail to what you did to get more light out of the HIDs? You say you spaced the bulbs 5/8" out, what did you use as a spacer?

 

[itsspeeds]

I really like those lights, keep the ideas rolling fellas.

---------- Post added at 07:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:31 AM ----------

Cheap priced lights, but did you notice the shipping? $31 !!!! They get ya one way or another!

 

[mrcajunjoker]

Has anyone used the Anzo lights possibly with HID's?

 

[Zed 71]

What about cutoff using a stock headlamp with a HID kit? The cutoff comes from the metal plate inside the headlight right? Which the stocks don't have?

Typically the cutoff is from proper lens optics. The stock will not have a definitive cutoff and need to be adjusted do to reduce glare. I parked the Tahoe behind my sport coupe and adjusted so the main beam was lower than the outside mirrors. Even tested while the wife drove behind me to make sure there isn't an issue. Turned out great and no one has flashed me since they were adjusted almost three years ago.

 

[mrcajunjoker]

What about the idea of using a H3 HID kit instead of the H1 kit that they shipped with the headlights? If I understand correctly, the H3 bulb is about a 1/2 inch smaller than the H1... But what about the light output? About the same?

 

[oakrdrs187]

What about the idea of using a H3 HID kit instead of the H1 kit that they shipped with the headlights? If I understand correctly, the H3 bulb is about a 1/2 inch smaller than the H1... But what about the light output? About the same?

As long as it's HID light output is the same. Just placed different since it's shorter.


What a about a projector retro fit into those new housings?? Much better light output.

 

[mrcajunjoker]

Oh, I dunno really... I'm a computer guy by trade... so I don't know if I'm up to it or not. I did consider today checking into a really nice halogen bulb instead of the HID's since the headlights are not HID ready, so to speak. I called PIAA for options. They have a new line coming out in a month... but damn I hate to wait... lol

What about retro'ing projectors, where would one get HID projectors?

 

[zach2011]

Typically the cutoff is from proper lens optics. The stock will not have a definitive cutoff and need to be adjusted do to reduce glare. I parked the Tahoe behind my sport coupe and adjusted so the main beam was lower than the outside mirrors. Even tested while the wife drove behind me to make sure there isn't an issue. Turned out great and no one has flashed me since they were adjusted almost three years ago.

How do you adjust them? I am really wanting to do this to my truck so I won't blind people.

 

[InTruckDesign]

I think that the best way to get the proper cut-off and light output is to go with some really good halogen bulbs. I was able to get a decent cut-off and output, but I am sure there is some wasted light as it is not as crisp a cut-off as the halogens are.

 

[Zed 71]

How do you adjust them? I am really wanting to do this to my truck so I won't blind people.

There is a torx screw near the top of each headlight assembly. Just need a torx driver bit (forgot what size). I used a vehicle in front to ensure proper alignment.

 

[oakrdrs187]

Oh, I dunno really... I'm a computer guy by trade... so I don't know if I'm up to it or not. I did consider today checking into a really nice halogen bulb instead of the HID's since the headlights are not HID ready, so to speak. I called PIAA for options. They have a new line coming out in a month... but damn I hate to wait... lol

What about retro'ing projectors, where would one get HID projectors?

They're everywhere, online or off ebay. You can also try salvage yards for some Acura TSX or Honda S2000 lights.