HIDs Installed!

[TheFuzz]

Class got cancelled tonight, so as soon as I got home from the gym, guess what I found waiting for me:

Opened it up:

Opened the boxes inside the boxes, and finally got to the goods:

Install wasn't too hard, but I was working in the dark with a flashlight so it took a little longer than I expected. Initially the passenger side wasn't firing, but with DenaliAK's help I got it figured out - props to him for the prompt PM responses (thanks again man!). I had one of the ballast connectors reversed, an easy fix. Switched it around, and they both fired right up.

I went from this:

To this:

Quite a difference! These things are BRIGHT...pics really don't do it justice. This is an Apexcone Raptor 55w 5000K kit from DDM Tuning for those of you wondering.

From the front:

And lastly, strictly for entertainment value because its a cool/weird picture, I somehow managed to get the f-stop stuck open on my digital camera when I was trying to take the "before" picture in the street. This is the result:

The speedo kinda looks like fireworks...

 

[nytahoe]

5000k like great like the super white look

 

[DenaliAK]

Glad we got it figured out quick...I like the easy fixes. Looks good, man. Quite a dramatic improvement in output, I'd say.

 

[Rivieraracing]

Glad you got them figured out as well and like them!! I had to install my connections backwards on both ballasts to make them work!! I love mine!!

 

[TheFuzz]

Thanks guys, I'm stoked to finally have these things running. Overall they are mostly white, but there is still just a *slightly* larger amount of blue than I was expecting, especially at startup. Not a big deal though, I'm very, VERY happy with it.

One thing that I did notice is that it seems to take a pretty long time to warm up fully when you first fire them. Like around 15-20 seconds to reach max output. My '99 Envoy (factory HID) was up to full output almost immediately, so this strikes me as odd.

Oh well though, for $52 shipped how can you complain? The road that I take to work every morning is extremely dark (ie, blackness, no street lights at all) and completely riddled with elk and deer...I can't wait to see how much more clearly I'll be able to see with these!

 

[Rivieraracing]

You will get use to the warmup time on these, I did!! Also the amount of some blue suprised me as well but the more I drive with them the less I am noticing them being blue at all!! What you have to do now is do some fogs with HID's, that's the money shot when it comes to back roads!!

 

[Yuk_Nali_6.0]

Looks good. 5000K is my favorite. Glad to see you put them in projectors!

I recommend the 4-high mod if you haven't done it already.

 

[puckhead]

Looks nice! You will love em on those dark 2 lane roads!

 

[NJ04HOE]

Glad to hear you got them installed earlier than you planned, they look great. Enjoy

 

[Max]

Looks good dude

 

[TheFuzz]

Looks good. 5000K is my favorite. Glad to see you put them in projectors!

I recommend the 4-high mod if you haven't done it already.

Yep, got the projectors because I've wanted Denali housings for a long time, and I knew that I was probably going to scoop an HID kit from DDM since they are so inexpensive. Very happy with the cutoff, but I might need to mod the housings just a little...I have a few odd artifacts/hot spots, especially coming off of the passenger side.

Good suggestion on the 4-hi mod...but I'm the one that did the write up on it! Already done.

Driving to work today was great...much more light, much easier to see the 6 (yes, 6) elk that were standing RIGHT in the middle of the road today. A bull and five cows from what I saw. I guess I picked a good time to install these things. The highbeams combined with the output of the HID lows is amazing - I can see at least 200 yards in front of my truck if the road is straight.

 

[Dubbin]

Has anyone done with the 4high mod just a drop in hid kit on the high's?? i know its not a projector for the high's and would scatter the light, but when you have your high's on there shouldn't be any other cars around

 

[DenaliAK]

This is totally off-topic, but Max, what is going on in that video clip in your sig??

 

[Cobra]

lol. I saw that video once before and if I remember correctly it was guys in drag flaming on the roadside when one gets plowed into by that truck. He did not even see it coming.

As for the hids that is a noticible difference in lighting. I should have mine by Friday but unfortunatly I will be working. May not get them installed for another week after that!

 

[TheFuzz]

Has anyone done with the 4high mod just a drop in hid kit on the high's?? i know its not a projector for the high's and would scatter the light, but when you have your high's on there shouldn't be any other cars around

As far as output, I'm sure it would increase exponentially, even with the light scattering from the reflector housing...the problem with HIDs in the highs is that they need some warm up time to reach full output, and most people need their highs a little faster than 10-15 seconds (something suddenly in the road, etc).

I'm perfectly satisfied with my halogen highs.

 

[DenaliAK]

I'm seriously considering getting 70w HID's for the highs. I know it would take a bit of warm-up, but can you imagine how much light that would put out with my 6-high mod and HID's all-around??

LOL

I also drive lonely, very dark roads. Instead of deer and elk to run into, we have moose and bears. If you had to find worse animals to run into, those are them.

 

[Rivieraracing]

Yuke2K, don't you have driving lights on your truck? If so, buy a kit for them, talk about lighting up the road, not so much long distance but complements the HID lows!!

 

[TheFuzz]

I HAD fogs at one time, lol. The driver's side is completely torn to shreds...no lens, bulb is corroded out of the housing, reflector is black from weathering. Not sure WTF happened there, honestly. Probably all of the nasty snowstorms I've been through with this thing. The passenger side is there and works, but the lens is so cloudy it looks like shit turn on, let alone with an HID bulb.

I've been thinking about replacing them with factory fogs, but the assemblies are ~$65 each, and I might be doing something a little different with the front end within the next 6 months...the factory bumper might be going away completely so I don't want to spend the money right now.

ETA: Eventually though, I WILL be adding HID down there, I promise.

 

[MGoBlue2]

I bought the 35w 6k HIDs from DDm for the denali projectors. I also bought 35w 6k for the fogs. Now I ahve a 2001 yukon ( not denali) but I have the denali projectors. I also bought the old style denali fog projectors (2000) model. I installed the lows and they are ok, a little to blue for me but they will be ok. The light pattern on the driver is great but the passenger looks like its down and to the left. I might have to play with it a little. My question is on the fogs where did anybody mount the ballast??? And do we think this is over kill. Thanks for any responses. This has to be the best forum, so much info on everything. Thanks to all.

 

[Rivieraracing]

I mounted my fog ballasts above the fog lights, on the bumper plastic housing for the fogs, there is a perfect flat spot there and they are kinda sheltered!!