Removal of projector easy? Want clears lens!
01-16-13, 09:47 PM
#1
Removal of projector easy? Want clears lens!
Hello everyone, is it easy to remove the projector from the headlight? Would I have to take out the headlight to do it or can I do it leaving the headlight on the car? I just recently changed out my HID bulbs to 6k and want a more crisp cutoff line. I hear that tsx or tsxr lens are a direct replacement for the ls430 projectors. Thank you for your input!
01-17-13, 01:49 AM
#4
Honestly, dont take this the wrong way but if you're seriously asking if you have to remove the headlight housings from the car in order to access the projectors, then don't even bother trying to do this.
Yes, the headlight assemblies must be removed from the car. The lenses from the headlight housings must also be removed to access the projectors. The ballasts should be removed from the housings, and then the entire housings must be cooked in an oven in order to get the OEM lens sealant pliable enough to remove the lenses.
It's been a while since I've retrofitted projectors, but TSX, TSXR, 300ZX, E30 lenses all technically "work", but none are a drop in, they are in fact a smidgen smaller in diameter and you must get creative in securing the new lenses. Not all 2.5" lenses are in fact 2.5", nor is the thickness of the base the same across all lense manufacturers. This creates lens mounting issues.
Also, be aware that lense swaps, washer mods, shield bending and other retrofit tricks commonly used in order to obtain more color flicker and crispness at the cutoff all effect the actual on road output. You may love how crisp and blue your cutoff is on a wall or in pictures for internet friends, but I assure you that you just essentially redesigned the projector and screwed with its intended focal points. Add cutoff line "bowing" into the mix with the altered focal issues, and it gets compounded with the new lense misaligned with the "bowl" under the LS projector lens, further reducing the LS430's stellar beam pattern width and foreground intensity.
If you're still serious about doing this, create an account over at hidplanet.com and ask them what the go-to lenses are nowadays, and also look into having the swap proceedure done by one of their retrofit vendors.
Yes, the headlight assemblies must be removed from the car. The lenses from the headlight housings must also be removed to access the projectors. The ballasts should be removed from the housings, and then the entire housings must be cooked in an oven in order to get the OEM lens sealant pliable enough to remove the lenses.
It's been a while since I've retrofitted projectors, but TSX, TSXR, 300ZX, E30 lenses all technically "work", but none are a drop in, they are in fact a smidgen smaller in diameter and you must get creative in securing the new lenses. Not all 2.5" lenses are in fact 2.5", nor is the thickness of the base the same across all lense manufacturers. This creates lens mounting issues.
Also, be aware that lense swaps, washer mods, shield bending and other retrofit tricks commonly used in order to obtain more color flicker and crispness at the cutoff all effect the actual on road output. You may love how crisp and blue your cutoff is on a wall or in pictures for internet friends, but I assure you that you just essentially redesigned the projector and screwed with its intended focal points. Add cutoff line "bowing" into the mix with the altered focal issues, and it gets compounded with the new lense misaligned with the "bowl" under the LS projector lens, further reducing the LS430's stellar beam pattern width and foreground intensity.
If you're still serious about doing this, create an account over at hidplanet.com and ask them what the go-to lenses are nowadays, and also look into having the swap proceedure done by one of their retrofit vendors.
03-07-13, 02:33 AM
#5
Hopefully installing a new ballast/ignitor today.
Could I use a heat gun, to soften the glue which holds the lens in place....&...what's recommended for re-sealing the lens to the unit?
I changed out the driver side HID bulb about 6 months ago. It has since burned out/melted the base of the bulb and fouled up the connector. Bulb used was an EiKO D2S from O'Riellys. (I was in a hurry & needed a bulb ASAP)
Could I use a heat gun, to soften the glue which holds the lens in place....&...what's recommended for re-sealing the lens to the unit?
I changed out the driver side HID bulb about 6 months ago. It has since burned out/melted the base of the bulb and fouled up the connector. Bulb used was an EiKO D2S from O'Riellys. (I was in a hurry & needed a bulb ASAP)
03-07-13, 05:53 AM
#6
If you're just replacing the ballast and wiring, there's no need to remove the lens from the headlight housing, the ballast will be mounted in its own little compartment on the bottom of the housing.
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03-08-13, 08:27 AM
#9
I decided to bake the housing, 200 degrees for 15 mins. Lens came right off. Fished the new ballast wiring in/thru and around. Put it all back together, then baked the housing again (to soften the sealant) and re-attached the lens.
Works great & saved a boatload of $$'s. Found a used OEM ballast online for $80.
Works great & saved a boatload of $$'s. Found a used OEM ballast online for $80.
03-08-13, 06:42 PM
#10
Just like Squester said those lenses are not just drop in and good to go. They were designed for a totally different projector. There is a guy on hidplanet forum who can polish your oem lenses but that means you have to take them out of your headlights. So unless you can find a spare set of lenses you might not be able to drive your LS for a few weeks. I had an extra set of lenses polished by that person but never got around to actually opening my headlights and installing them.
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