9007 bulb upgrade**With Pics**
09-24-2007, 12:27 PM
#82
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 79
don't get me wrong. i HATE silverstars. I bought some. used them for ONE DAY. hated them. tried to return them. "we cannot return healights". Ufcking autozone. Never shopping there again. I did waste that $50, and their refusal to return them also ended up in me running out of money before getting paid... and i accidentally overdrafted. so i really got a $170 set of headlights... that are in my back seat. useless. but it depends on the color of the street lights, as to whether the light washes out or not.
I run Xtravisions, personally. $20/pr. I was just saying that if you want the blue-coated bulbs, you really need silverstars to augment output... just that I don't totally recommend them, due to their cost and lack of color compatibility with my city's street lights.
I run Xtravisions, personally. $20/pr. I was just saying that if you want the blue-coated bulbs, you really need silverstars to augment output... just that I don't totally recommend them, due to their cost and lack of color compatibility with my city's street lights.
09-24-2007, 08:34 PM
#85
does anyone think that putting some masking tape on the very top of the housing and just a quarter inch along the top of the face of it would enhance cutoff precision? just a dumb idea that popped into my head
also curious to see what a dish/cup bulb cover would do as opposed to the piece-of-metal-with-hole-in-it-and-blocks-at-top-and-bottom thing, as far as directing light to the reflective material. if i can figure out a way i might look into a retrofit of that too. but i think it would work better also if the tip of the bulb were clear if using that system.
also curious to see what a dish/cup bulb cover would do as opposed to the piece-of-metal-with-hole-in-it-and-blocks-at-top-and-bottom thing, as far as directing light to the reflective material. if i can figure out a way i might look into a retrofit of that too. but i think it would work better also if the tip of the bulb were clear if using that system.
Last edited by CapedCadaver; 09-24-2007 at 08:37 PM.
11-27-2007, 09:34 AM
#88
--->
11-29-2007, 04:41 AM
#91
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 153
mmm I'm not sure... Theres some gear ***** on the back of each headlight housing, but they do not want to budge, even after WD40
:P could you give me a hint as to the location of the adjusters? My left headlight is currently higher than the right...
:P could you give me a hint as to the location of the adjusters? My left headlight is currently higher than the right...
11-29-2007, 04:50 AM
#92
I've found wd40 pretty much useless for seized up bolts/mechanism's,try to find some pb blaster at your local parts store.
11-29-2007, 04:57 AM
#93
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 153
ok, so we have the gear type adjusters at the top, and 8mm bolt adjusters at the bottom corner. I'm assuming one is for up/down and one is for right/left. (which is which? I dont think they carry that particular product around here, I've looked through the cleaner aisles quite carefully while looking for throttle body cleaner and didnt see that. But i'm sure I can find something similar.
11-29-2007, 05:04 AM
#94
ok, so we have the gear type adjusters at the top, and 8mm bolt adjusters at the bottom corner. I'm assuming one is for up/down and one is for right/left. (which is which? I dont think they carry that particular product around here, I've looked through the cleaner aisles quite carefully while looking for throttle body cleaner and didnt see that. But i'm sure I can find something similar.
Bottom bolt adjuster= left/right
Btw, liquid wrench is comparable to pb blaster if you can find it.
11-29-2007, 05:56 PM
#97
11-29-2007, 09:01 PM
#101
well in fog one night i noticed my beams were crossing so i adjusted them laterally. plus I had no cornering vision. not that cornering vision matters because with how i sit, i can't see a damn thing through the a-pillar anyhow; almost missed an oncoming car today. the car was fully blinded by my A-pillar until it was really close to me.
Last edited by CapedCadaver; 11-30-2007 at 04:00 PM.
12-01-2007, 05:26 PM
#104
just beware it looks stupid when you look at it from the outside, after aiming outward. Like... a half of an inch past flush jutting out from the hood
12-26-2007, 12:40 PM
#108
The easiest way to aim the 9007's are to shine your original 9004's at a wall(like the side of your house of saomething like that),mark the center of your beams with a piece of tape or something similar,then after the retrofit,simply park in the same place,adjust the lights to the pieces of tape..
12-27-2007, 07:06 AM
#110
Make sure to lube up those adjustment screws, else you'll be working pretty hard to adjust. The adjustment screws description and lube is noted in Post95 and Post96.
I used WD40 and it wasn't bad at all. I guess just make sure to allow some time for the WD40 to get in there and clean those dirty screws. I waited about a minute or two. The adjustment screws aren't "tightened" or "torqued" so it should require something like PB Blaster. The screws are "free", and should adjust with little force.
I used WD40 and it wasn't bad at all. I guess just make sure to allow some time for the WD40 to get in there and clean those dirty screws. I waited about a minute or two. The adjustment screws aren't "tightened" or "torqued" so it should require something like PB Blaster. The screws are "free", and should adjust with little force.
Last edited by super32; 12-27-2007 at 07:10 AM.
12-29-2007, 08:13 PM
#111
FYI -- Stock wiring (guage) on both the 3rd and 4th Gen. Maxi's is the same size for both the 45w and 65 watt circuits. So, it's sized for up to 65 watts at least. This means that going from a 9004 to 9007 bulb (rated at 55w lo, 65w hi) shouldn't cause issues for stock wiring.
02-24-2008, 03:41 PM
#113
I finally got around to changing to 9007. Had a bit of a time getting the wires out of the plug, but otherwise, easy.
I need to wait until I can get some free time at night to see how much better they are and how much I need to adjust them.
I thought I would contribute my pics:
old vs. new bulbs (old = ebay XD5 fake HIDs, new = GE Nighthawk Sport)
I just used a dremel to shave down the bottom two nubs on the housing. I am going to have to vacuum out the housing, because some of the plastic got in there and looks like dirt.
before:
after:
I need to wait until I can get some free time at night to see how much better they are and how much I need to adjust them.
I thought I would contribute my pics:
old vs. new bulbs (old = ebay XD5 fake HIDs, new = GE Nighthawk Sport)
I just used a dremel to shave down the bottom two nubs on the housing. I am going to have to vacuum out the housing, because some of the plastic got in there and looks like dirt.
before:
after:
Last edited by Cliff Clavin; 02-24-2008 at 03:43 PM.
02-24-2008, 03:52 PM
#115
I don't have many more I can do...
Well, I have to drive about 4.5 hours (each way) to some training this week. It is to a facility about 45 minutes into the forest east of Eugene, OR.
Last time I was there, I had difficulty seeing with my crappy headlights. I was hoping to improve them without having to do something drastic, like pay for E36 and HIDs.
I have no idea if these GE Nighthawk (Sport!) bulbs are any good. They were on sale and about $6 cheaper per pair than Silverstars. They should at least be better than normal stock 9007s.
Well, I have to drive about 4.5 hours (each way) to some training this week. It is to a facility about 45 minutes into the forest east of Eugene, OR.
Last time I was there, I had difficulty seeing with my crappy headlights. I was hoping to improve them without having to do something drastic, like pay for E36 and HIDs.
I have no idea if these GE Nighthawk (Sport!) bulbs are any good. They were on sale and about $6 cheaper per pair than Silverstars. They should at least be better than normal stock 9007s.
02-24-2008, 04:15 PM
#116
Jeff/gone cai on yet?
I just used regular Sylvania 9007's on my car, still the difference was marked better..
Well, I have to drive about 4.5 hours (each way) to some training this week. It is to a facility about 45 minutes into the forest east of Eugene, OR.
Last time I was there, I had difficulty seeing with my crappy headlights. I was hoping to improve them without having to do something drastic, like pay for E36 and HIDs.
I have no idea if these GE Nighthawk (Sport!) bulbs are any good. They were on sale and about $6 cheaper per pair than Silverstars. They should at least be better than normal stock 9007s.
Last time I was there, I had difficulty seeing with my crappy headlights. I was hoping to improve them without having to do something drastic, like pay for E36 and HIDs.
I have no idea if these GE Nighthawk (Sport!) bulbs are any good. They were on sale and about $6 cheaper per pair than Silverstars. They should at least be better than normal stock 9007s.
02-24-2008, 04:23 PM
#117
You got me there.
I was thinking of doing that as a summer project, since the car likely won't sell.
I need to buy some nice silicon couplers instead of the ghetto radiator hose and a better filter. That one is a fake K&N I bought from Little Piggie back in the day and I need to replace it.
I was thinking of doing that as a summer project, since the car likely won't sell.
I need to buy some nice silicon couplers instead of the ghetto radiator hose and a better filter. That one is a fake K&N I bought from Little Piggie back in the day and I need to replace it.
02-24-2008, 05:46 PM
#119
Who makes those?
I had been mulling over doing the 9007 conversion since a post I read about it the other day.
I was at the store buying supplies for my trip this week and walked by the automotive section. I happened to notice these bulbs on sale and so I bought them. Sort of spur-of-the-moment type of thing.
I couldn't really tell in my garage how much they would look "hyper white" like those ebay ones I had. I might have to go and change my corner lights now. These things always turn into a bigger hassle than you want.
I had been mulling over doing the 9007 conversion since a post I read about it the other day.
I was at the store buying supplies for my trip this week and walked by the automotive section. I happened to notice these bulbs on sale and so I bought them. Sort of spur-of-the-moment type of thing.
I couldn't really tell in my garage how much they would look "hyper white" like those ebay ones I had. I might have to go and change my corner lights now. These things always turn into a bigger hassle than you want.