Looking for quality LED or HID headlight assembly.
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Originally Posted By: itguy08
Have a TYC (I think; it was on clearance at RockAuto) on the wife's Escape for 5 or 6 years now. The OEM started fogging due to a crack in 2009 or 2010. Looks identical to the OEM on the other side and is still clear.
Rockauto doesn't show any HID or LED assemblies for my Escape. Bummer.
Have a TYC (I think; it was on clearance at RockAuto) on the wife's Escape for 5 or 6 years now. The OEM started fogging due to a crack in 2009 or 2010. Looks identical to the OEM on the other side and is still clear.
Rockauto doesn't show any HID or LED assemblies for my Escape. Bummer.
for HID... you need to do a retrofit of a HID projector.
Read this website first if your considering HID. It's really a bad idea to attempt to make a conversion on a car not designed for it.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/HID.html
Has also has excellent articles on the use of blue headlights (and detailed explanations as to why you should NEVER use them.
The articles on fog lamps is what really caught my interest. I never really knew when or how to use fog lights, turns out I was using them at there wrong time.
Using fog lamps
I'll let you read the article as he explains it better than I could ever do, bug don't pass up the article on what color is best and exactly how to achieve it.
Fog color
Be careful if you are attempting to add LEDs to an existing halogen reflector assembly. The filament in a regular bulb has a specific characteristic pattern in which the reflector has been designed for. The LED bub however has an entirely different pattern and could very well cause a large amount of glare to on-coming traffic. It could also leave you with a lot less light specifically where you need it.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/HID.html
Has also has excellent articles on the use of blue headlights (and detailed explanations as to why you should NEVER use them.
The articles on fog lamps is what really caught my interest. I never really knew when or how to use fog lights, turns out I was using them at there wrong time.
Using fog lamps
I'll let you read the article as he explains it better than I could ever do, bug don't pass up the article on what color is best and exactly how to achieve it.
Fog color
Be careful if you are attempting to add LEDs to an existing halogen reflector assembly. The filament in a regular bulb has a specific characteristic pattern in which the reflector has been designed for. The LED bub however has an entirely different pattern and could very well cause a large amount of glare to on-coming traffic. It could also leave you with a lot less light specifically where you need it.
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
for HID... you need to do a retrofit of a HID projector.
+1
for HID... you need to do a retrofit of a HID projector.
+1
I have had decent/mixed results with the HID projectors sold by theretrofitsource.com. nice product and good service. You would want a hi/low assembly with a solenoid that moves the shutter for high beam.
In my experience even their products were weak on distance and too hot on nearfield distribution, and just as annoying, the color of even the non-blue bulbs offerings were too blue-- halogen light was easier on my eyes for long drives. I eventually went back to halogens in the mains. The improper distribution was a real problem on the highway -- despite the greater output, the bright foreground really didn't help distance vision and started to fatigue on longer drives. I wanted to like it. But I just couldn't.
The fog lamps, however, were a different story. I continue to use the projectors and have a yellow filter over the lenses. It is a different set of the same model projector. I don't know if the distribution is better or if the proj's were just designed to be closer to the ground. Cutting the blue out of the light, they are phenominal; best fogs I've owned, with good output, spread, sharp upper cutoff, and no eye fatigue from blue spectrum. distribution flaws are probably not as noticeable down there, either, as they aren't supposed to reach far out; they do their job down low and closer in.
In my experience even their products were weak on distance and too hot on nearfield distribution, and just as annoying, the color of even the non-blue bulbs offerings were too blue-- halogen light was easier on my eyes for long drives. I eventually went back to halogens in the mains. The improper distribution was a real problem on the highway -- despite the greater output, the bright foreground really didn't help distance vision and started to fatigue on longer drives. I wanted to like it. But I just couldn't.
The fog lamps, however, were a different story. I continue to use the projectors and have a yellow filter over the lenses. It is a different set of the same model projector. I don't know if the distribution is better or if the proj's were just designed to be closer to the ground. Cutting the blue out of the light, they are phenominal; best fogs I've owned, with good output, spread, sharp upper cutoff, and no eye fatigue from blue spectrum. distribution flaws are probably not as noticeable down there, either, as they aren't supposed to reach far out; they do their job down low and closer in.
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Originally Posted By: meep
I have had decent/mixed results with the HID projectors sold by theretrofitsource.com. nice product and good service. You would want a hi/low assembly with a solenoid that moves the shutter for high beam.
In my experience even their products were weak on distance and too hot on nearfield distribution, and just as annoying, the color of even the non-blue bulbs offerings were too blue-- halogen light was easier on my eyes for long drives. I eventually went back to halogens in the mains. The improper distribution was a real problem on the highway -- despite the greater output, the bright foreground really didn't help distance vision and started to fatigue on longer drives. I wanted to like it. But I just couldn't.
The fog lamps, however, were a different story. I continue to use the projectors and have a yellow filter over the lenses. It is a different set of the same model projector. I don't know if the distribution is better or if the proj's were just designed to be closer to the ground. Cutting the blue out of the light, they are phenominal; best fogs I've owned, with good output, spread, sharp upper cutoff, and no eye fatigue from blue spectrum. distribution flaws are probably not as noticeable down there, either, as they aren't supposed to reach far out; they do their job down low and closer in.
Which projectors did you use? I've done retrofits on 4 cars now and they all have been fine. TSX projectors in my civic, RX-AFS in my mother's odyssey, and s2000 projectors in my sisters TC and Elantra. All have been perfect! I can say that the morimoto bulbs are not very good though. At the very least get some Osram or Philips bulbs. None of the aftermarket stuff is worth it, I always end up with some janky looking blue color and poor light distribution. Buy once cry once IMO.
I have had decent/mixed results with the HID projectors sold by theretrofitsource.com. nice product and good service. You would want a hi/low assembly with a solenoid that moves the shutter for high beam.
In my experience even their products were weak on distance and too hot on nearfield distribution, and just as annoying, the color of even the non-blue bulbs offerings were too blue-- halogen light was easier on my eyes for long drives. I eventually went back to halogens in the mains. The improper distribution was a real problem on the highway -- despite the greater output, the bright foreground really didn't help distance vision and started to fatigue on longer drives. I wanted to like it. But I just couldn't.
The fog lamps, however, were a different story. I continue to use the projectors and have a yellow filter over the lenses. It is a different set of the same model projector. I don't know if the distribution is better or if the proj's were just designed to be closer to the ground. Cutting the blue out of the light, they are phenominal; best fogs I've owned, with good output, spread, sharp upper cutoff, and no eye fatigue from blue spectrum. distribution flaws are probably not as noticeable down there, either, as they aren't supposed to reach far out; they do their job down low and closer in.
Which projectors did you use? I've done retrofits on 4 cars now and they all have been fine. TSX projectors in my civic, RX-AFS in my mother's odyssey, and s2000 projectors in my sisters TC and Elantra. All have been perfect! I can say that the morimoto bulbs are not very good though. At the very least get some Osram or Philips bulbs. None of the aftermarket stuff is worth it, I always end up with some janky looking blue color and poor light distribution. Buy once cry once IMO.
Originally Posted By: meep
IIRC they were morimoto mini's. not the current generation, but an older gen. supposedly the newer gen gets the distribution better.
That's a bummer
I was thinking of doing a retro for my pickup but didn't want to drop the $$$ for OEM projectors again. Oh well, maybe I'll try 'em out and hope for the best.
IIRC they were morimoto mini's. not the current generation, but an older gen. supposedly the newer gen gets the distribution better.
That's a bummer
Originally Posted By: meep
IIRC they were morimoto mini's. not the current generation, but an older gen. supposedly the newer gen gets the distribution better.
it depends on which one. The h1 or D2S?
Your complaints sound like the D2S 2.0, which was somewhat modeled off of the e55 style projector.
IIRC they were morimoto mini's. not the current generation, but an older gen. supposedly the newer gen gets the distribution better.
it depends on which one. The h1 or D2S?
Your complaints sound like the D2S 2.0, which was somewhat modeled off of the e55 style projector.
Well if anyone here is still interested I got the Morimoto D2S projectors and will be installing them into the Odyssey. The units with the RX-AFS projectors are being sold to a buddy who just picked up the same year Ody for his wife and wanted some better lights for her.
I'll post a writeup when the install is complete.
I'll post a writeup when the install is complete.
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