Maxima HID Retrofit Build
10-24-2011, 07:16 PM
#121
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Ottawa, ON
Posts: 361
I got my extra set for 100 bucks from a rollover vehicle... both tabs a effed, but all i needed was the reflector, going to attempt a quad, but just going to go with MH1's. Couldn't even fit the TSX's in the lowbeam spot withough totally botching the install. The guy even sold me the headlights with the bulbs and ballasts lol, which is awesome, and it means i get to TRY and boost a gen 3 ballast.
Last edited by Brudface; 10-25-2011 at 11:10 AM.
10-24-2011, 09:59 PM
#123
I think the Mini D2S is more expensive (eventhough it is $10 cheaper than Mini H1) since they don't come with Shrouds. Mini H1 comes with Mini GG. D2S is about .5 shorter which is alot and might fit better.
10-24-2011, 10:03 PM
#124
I got my extra set for 100 bucks from a rollover vehicle... both tabs a effed, but all i needed was the reflector, going to attempt a quad, but just going to go with MH1's. Couldn't even fit the TSX's in the lowbeam spot withough totally botching the install. The guy even sold me the headlights with the bulbs and ballasts lol, which is awesome, and it means i get to TRY and boost a gen 3.
10-25-2011, 10:48 AM
#125
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Ottawa, ON
Posts: 361
EuroDriver have you tried the Mini D2S projectors? They're even a little cheaper than the H1's I think
I did get the TSX to fit, but it looks a little bugeye. The only reason why i got them is because I bought them from a pair of botched headlights for d.i.r.t. cheap.
Disregard the Blue as F*ck bulbs, got morimoto 5K in now. Attempt number 2 with spare headlights will be the MH1's, just have to order them.... After Christmas
Last edited by Brudface; 10-25-2011 at 11:11 AM.
10-25-2011, 12:32 PM
#126
Between the both mini projectors its all preference, they both have their pro's and con's. I prefer the MH1's just because their output is sooo much wider, and the cutoff is colorful, and sharp. Whereas the D2S's most of the light source is saved for the highbeam. The MH1 is in its 4th gen and it shows, the D2S has a bit of a way to go, just to get where the MH1 is at.
I did get the TSX to fit, but it looks a little bugeye. The only reason why i got them is because I bought them from a pair of botched headlights for d.i.r.t. cheap.
Disregard the Blue as F*ck bulbs, got morimoto 5K in now. Attempt number 2 with spare headlights will be the MH1's, just have to order them.... After Christmas
I did get the TSX to fit, but it looks a little bugeye. The only reason why i got them is because I bought them from a pair of botched headlights for d.i.r.t. cheap.
Disregard the Blue as F*ck bulbs, got morimoto 5K in now. Attempt number 2 with spare headlights will be the MH1's, just have to order them.... After Christmas
This was right before I snapped the adjustment screw and called it a day.
Here is the relfector after all the cutting, still have no way to hold the projector yet.
10-25-2011, 12:49 PM
#127
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Ottawa, ON
Posts: 361
Yeah, It is definitely a Big giant PITA to get a good projector in there... although you did post one pic somewhere.... I can't remember where, that you had the projectors in just the housing i think you had a TL and 330... but the only way to make a shroud for that would be vacuum form it, but it would look sooooo good, and a lot less of a pain in the ***, with all the cutting, and aiming, and cutting, and fitting, and getting mad, and aiming....lol... you've had some really good idea's maybe the 5.5 wasn't meant to have 2 good projectors. I dunno I am just rambling trying to get you brain moving!!
Last edited by Brudface; 10-25-2011 at 12:55 PM.
10-27-2011, 07:54 AM
#129
10-27-2011, 10:02 PM
#130
FX-R Built: Complete
Paint the bezel black again. Sealed it and call it good.
Cut off with headlights lens
High beam
Low Beam 50W mori + 85122+ Phillips
E46 Bi-X Low beam at similar spot. 50W Mori + 5000K Mori bulbs
Cut off with headlights lens
High beam
Low Beam 50W mori + 85122+ Phillips
E46 Bi-X Low beam at similar spot. 50W Mori + 5000K Mori bulbs
Last edited by Genes1s; 10-27-2011 at 10:40 PM.
10-27-2011, 10:54 PM
#131
FX-R Built: Complete
Paint the bezel black again. Sealed it and call it good.
Cut off with headlights lens
High beam
Low Beam w/4300K 85122+ Phillips
E46 Bi-X Low beam at similar spot w/5000K Mori Bulbs
Cut off with headlights lens
High beam
Low Beam w/4300K 85122+ Phillips
E46 Bi-X Low beam at similar spot w/5000K Mori Bulbs
Last edited by Genes1s; 10-27-2011 at 11:05 PM.
10-28-2011, 09:45 PM
#133
Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 106
Just wanted to chime in with some feedback for MSU2000. I purchased his Mori mini H1 retrofits. I couldn't be happier with the purchase. He was very informative throughout the process and was always quick to respond to any questions. He asked me to provide some pics after the install and I wanted to show everyone a few more examples of his quality work.
The packaging of the headlights could've survived even the most careless of courier employees. Everything was individually packaged and heavily bubble wrapped. The headlights came in 2 seperate boxes taped together.
I didn't have a relay yet so I went ahead and did a quick wire up to at least get the lights working without the high beams.
Everything went so easily I decided to try to wire up the high beams before I left to help a friend put his tranny back together so he could compete at Import Face Off the next day. In my haste I was a bit too firm with the wiring coming from the actuator and managed to break it off.
The wire broke about a half an inch short of where it was coming out of the housing so there was no room to solder in a repair. Time to take the headlight apart.
I didn't have time until the following (last) weekend to do anything about it. After getting yelled at by the girlfriend for putting car parts in the oven, to which I responded it wasn't much worse than some of the Phillipino concoctions she's pulled out of it before (this didn't help the situation much), it was time to do the repair.
The finished repair. After lengthening roughly 100 wires in my mr2 to do a wire tuck for the engine harness I developed a system of soldering, then coating in liquid electrical tape, and finally shrink tubing the spot in a timely fashion using some trusty helping hands.
By this point the relay I bought off ebay, thanks to a recommendation from MSU2000, had arrived and I was able to wire everything in correctly. Any shots that I've taken of the light pattern just don't do it justice even with ebay brand ballasts and bulbs otherwise I would've provided some examples of this as well. I'm contemplating if I want to go with the 35w or 50w Mori ballasts and bulbs to make a complete matched set. I wouldn't mind the slightly brighter 50w but I'm put off by the reports of higher wattage causing shorter parts life.
Here's a few more shots of the finished product. Thanks again to MSU2000 for a smooth transaction. I couldn't have asked for more with it being my first on this board.
The packaging of the headlights could've survived even the most careless of courier employees. Everything was individually packaged and heavily bubble wrapped. The headlights came in 2 seperate boxes taped together.
I didn't have a relay yet so I went ahead and did a quick wire up to at least get the lights working without the high beams.
Everything went so easily I decided to try to wire up the high beams before I left to help a friend put his tranny back together so he could compete at Import Face Off the next day. In my haste I was a bit too firm with the wiring coming from the actuator and managed to break it off.
The wire broke about a half an inch short of where it was coming out of the housing so there was no room to solder in a repair. Time to take the headlight apart. I didn't have time until the following (last) weekend to do anything about it. After getting yelled at by the girlfriend for putting car parts in the oven, to which I responded it wasn't much worse than some of the Phillipino concoctions she's pulled out of it before (this didn't help the situation much), it was time to do the repair.
The finished repair. After lengthening roughly 100 wires in my mr2 to do a wire tuck for the engine harness I developed a system of soldering, then coating in liquid electrical tape, and finally shrink tubing the spot in a timely fashion using some trusty helping hands.
By this point the relay I bought off ebay, thanks to a recommendation from MSU2000, had arrived and I was able to wire everything in correctly. Any shots that I've taken of the light pattern just don't do it justice even with ebay brand ballasts and bulbs otherwise I would've provided some examples of this as well. I'm contemplating if I want to go with the 35w or 50w Mori ballasts and bulbs to make a complete matched set. I wouldn't mind the slightly brighter 50w but I'm put off by the reports of higher wattage causing shorter parts life.
Here's a few more shots of the finished product. Thanks again to MSU2000 for a smooth transaction. I couldn't have asked for more with it being my first on this board.
10-30-2011, 12:02 AM
#136
Looks good but I do think you ought to continue with the low beam. Try Mini D2S in there, it is about .5" shorter than H1 version on the low beam, along with some kind of gun metal paint on the shrouds and bezel, I can see it's going to look amazing.
10-30-2011, 09:19 AM
#137
Especially since I still have oem ballast.
10-31-2011, 12:53 PM
#139
Fog Lights Retrofit update: 10/31/11
Had a hour of free time last night to work on the Fog Lights. If you follow the built process, I mentioned that I needed to add vertical adjustment. Well I did, not pretty but it does the job.
I'm thinking of selling these sets (Fog lights, D2S bulbs, D2S-AMP Connector). It's been in the car for awhile now, no leak, nothing. This was my first attempt to retro fog light and I want to build another one with better projectors. PM me if yo are interested so I can post the for sale sign.
I had to modify the Bumper fog light opening.
I'm thinking of selling these sets (Fog lights, D2S bulbs, D2S-AMP Connector). It's been in the car for awhile now, no leak, nothing. This was my first attempt to retro fog light and I want to build another one with better projectors. PM me if yo are interested so I can post the for sale sign.
I had to modify the Bumper fog light opening.
11-05-2011, 06:42 PM
#141
Working on the quad setup. Here are pics. I played it safe and did minimal cutting.
I love that the oem cap fits on the back while using oem ballast
I love that the oem cap fits on the back while using oem ballast
Last edited by luvlexus101; 11-05-2011 at 06:54 PM.
11-05-2011, 10:45 PM
#142
Looks great! That looks like 3" incher in the low beam, Miini D2S I would guess?
I took mine apart also and re-did the color scheme.
I took mine apart also and re-did the color scheme.
Last edited by Genes1s; 11-05-2011 at 10:49 PM.
11-06-2011, 12:07 PM
#144
E46 Bi-X make over.
The CF vinyl started to peel after since last time I did the retro. No heat damage at all just not enough glue or surface prep maybe. Didn't really like the way it looks, took the headlights apart and thinking of doing all black and white shield. Didn't have enough time to finish it last night so all black and chrome reflector it is.
Repositioned CCFl to the back behind the GG slots.
Painted the GG and bezel satin black.
Painted the projector lens holder satin black.
Changed the selenoid to Matchbox's since it is more robust.
Painted the bottom floor of the reflector black.
Kept the reflector sides chrome to refelct some of the lights from CCFL and projectors (ambient lights)
The CF vinyl started to peel after since last time I did the retro. No heat damage at all just not enough glue or surface prep maybe. Didn't really like the way it looks, took the headlights apart and thinking of doing all black and white shield. Didn't have enough time to finish it last night so all black and chrome reflector it is.
Repositioned CCFl to the back behind the GG slots.
Painted the GG and bezel satin black.
Painted the projector lens holder satin black.
Changed the selenoid to Matchbox's since it is more robust.
Painted the bottom floor of the reflector black.
Kept the reflector sides chrome to refelct some of the lights from CCFL and projectors (ambient lights)
11-10-2011, 10:06 PM
#145
few picts of the low and high beam of E46 Bi-X. I'm using 85122+ phillips now instead of 5000K mori. I'm still enjoying this E46 more than anything else I've built so far....
low beam
High
low
high
low beam
High
low
high
11-11-2011, 09:52 AM
#146
this is no joke. wow.... i like how gregg keep the functionality of the oem ballasts and caps.
nice work all, am i the only one that likes the look of the 5.5 oems with no projectors? kind of rare now I guess.
I rememeber when projectors first started coming out and I didnt like the look of an alien eye inside the headlight. (the only way I can describe it) They are getting better now, but oh well..
examples of what im talking about.
nice work all, am i the only one that likes the look of the 5.5 oems with no projectors? kind of rare now I guess.
I rememeber when projectors first started coming out and I didnt like the look of an alien eye inside the headlight. (the only way I can describe it) They are getting better now, but oh well..
examples of what im talking about.
11-11-2011, 11:53 AM
#147
if the projectors are mounted deep enough in the 5.5 gen housing then it would blend better. the problem is that it is very hard to do that. If you look few pages back, I had it in there flush before I accidently damage the mounting adjustment screw.
11-12-2011, 07:59 AM
#149
I've never tried a retro, but why can't you just push the whole thing back more? Obviously you might have to relocate battery on the left side, but other than that, why not?
While you guys have them apart, thought you might want to consider this:
I'm finishing these up today, as Tyutyunnik is coming to get my old AE headlights for a retro, so I need my 5.5's back in
Thread: http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...s-process.html
While you guys have them apart, thought you might want to consider this:
I'm finishing these up today, as Tyutyunnik is coming to get my old AE headlights for a retro, so I need my 5.5's back in
Thread: http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...s-process.html
11-17-2011, 07:56 PM
#150
Another FX-R build
Planning to use FX-R 2.0 for yet another 00-01 retrofit.
I wanted to paint the shield red to give it "demon" eye effect, but found out this approach is little easier instead of messing with the cut off. This has been done in the past and nothing really new. I just have different way attaching the red shield to the housing.
What do you guys think? Red or White or other
I wanted to paint the shield red to give it "demon" eye effect, but found out this approach is little easier instead of messing with the cut off. This has been done in the past and nothing really new. I just have different way attaching the red shield to the housing.
What do you guys think? Red or White or other
11-17-2011, 09:14 PM
#151
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3
This sounds very good indeed. Looking forward to take part of the news in the upcoming release.
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11-25-2011, 10:31 PM
#152
FX-R 2.0 Retro
Decided to make frost color with white ring around the lens. I did't paint the shield, instead I made another shield in front of the cut off shield and painted it white. This way I can hide the selenoid.
Projectors mounted and alligned for cut off. Not sure what shroud I'm going to use yet. Painting the bezel turned out to be a tricky process since the bezel chrome was flaking out when I took the tape off ( this is OEM housing). I was debating between regular satin black or gun metal.
E46 shroud
Ocular Shroud
More to come. Overall it was a lot quicker build so far than the last FX-R.
Projectors mounted and alligned for cut off. Not sure what shroud I'm going to use yet. Painting the bezel turned out to be a tricky process since the bezel chrome was flaking out when I took the tape off ( this is OEM housing). I was debating between regular satin black or gun metal.
E46 shroud
Ocular Shroud
More to come. Overall it was a lot quicker build so far than the last FX-R.
11-29-2011, 09:51 AM
#153
I was gonna start my retro soon too with TunerMax's AE lights but I'm torn over what projector to put in. I've got the Mini D2S but I'm reading reviews now about its not so good performance. The upside is that its remarkably easy to install compared to all the cutting and chopping that you guys have to do with the FX-R and other OEM projectors.
Decisions decisions...
Decisions decisions...
12-01-2011, 10:21 PM
#154
About 90% done. Probably will use Apollos shroud instead. Still waiting for turn signal reflector to install along with 2.5" OEM RX330 lens. It would improve the turn light signal since the original is blacked out (didn;t intend to, but the chrome was flaking out when taped so just sprayed it all black).
12-06-2011, 07:37 PM
#157
That's some crazy modification man.
Check me out ---->http://www.cardomain.com/ride/388690...ma-se-sedan-4d
Check me out ---->http://www.cardomain.com/ride/388690...ma-se-sedan-4d
12-08-2011, 06:44 PM
#158
FX-R 2.0 Retro update 12/8/11
Retrofit 5 series BMW clear turn signal in the Maxima turn signal slot. I think it looks better now. Use Apollo shroud instead of the E46-R.
I think I'm going this route, we'll finish the other side probably this weekend and more pict of the cut off.
I think I'm going this route, we'll finish the other side probably this weekend and more pict of the cut off.
12-08-2011, 07:04 PM
#160
I'm not sure but it's defentlyy better than being all black. I didn't want it to be all black, but the chrome was flaking out when taped, so I sprayed all black.
Parking light
Turn signal
Parking light
Turn signal
Last edited by Genes1s; 12-08-2011 at 07:56 PM.