RARE HID installation

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Hello, This report is without pictures though I took some. I don't know how to attach 'em and there seems to be ongoing confusion as how to.

VEHICLE: 2008 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab.

OWNER: Old friend with bad night vision who sought: HID lights for punch. They're all but impossible to find.
Many dealers have a kit which includes a ballast and pre-bulbed leads which replace your conventional bulbs but on average, there're lower in output due to size.
The industry wants to sell you LEDs.
All of 'em said there were no HIDs on the market; hence the RARE in the title.

FOUND: K-C mod. 460 HID 6" spot lamps (pair).
Each unit contains its own ballast so the wiring is a bit simplified.
We had to remove the "swivel base" from the lamps' bottoms to get 'em closer to their 6" dimension.

INSTALLATION: Aside from routing wires carefully, all you need to find is a place for the relay.
We mounted it on the bracket which holds the P/S reservoir. Drilling an appropriately sized hole was necessary.
There was plenty of room everywhere.
The kit came with 6 tie wraps. We used 18.

The switch came with a trademarked panel for an under-dash hang but a 1/2" hole accommodated the wee toggle just fine.
It couldn't look any better. The toggle switch has an LED.
The quality of the kit was superb.

EXTERIOR: Earlier we had installed a stainless steel "bull bar" from TrailFX. He had ordered one from a famous California company but it did not match the frame in any way. The factory rep said they didn't offer one for his vehicle. ERGO the parts place made a look-up mistake.
NOTABLE: They (Lavine's-a New England based chain) made good on it by supplying the TrailFX one for the same money. I have to report the Chinese TrailFX one was markedly superior in quality. The SS was thick and strong and exhibited NO magnetism.

The lights went on as you would expect. We added a patch of thick inner tube rubber between base and bull bar for bite.
The focusing is critical as the beam is as narrow as can be.
He says they shoot a mile down the road. I haven't seen them in the dark.
We joked that we should've bought his set AND a more flood-focused set and each of us take one from each set.

NOTABLE: The retailer in Arizona told my friend that the stainless steel version of the lights wasn't up to snuff. They were rusting. My friend opted for the black plastic version.
The set was pennies below $350 with shipping included.

That's my report. Kira
 
Heavens yes. He lives in a rural area. These lights would easily get you a ticket were you to use them in town.

Sending you a PM next. Kira PM sent...
 
Posting images and captions for Kira. Some of the images are quite small, but that's how she sent it.


BEFORE (day of purchase)
DSC02222.jpg


Bull Bar added to truck
DSC02661.jpg


Installed with a 1/4” to spare (if that)
DSC02768.jpg


close up. Rock guards are plastic but beefy
DSC02769.jpg


ON (I’ve never seen ‘em at night)
DSC02770.jpg


Relay on P/S bracket. Fuses tied to battery terminal cover. Access to terminal is maintained.
DSC02771.jpg


Lamp wiring visible behind right headlight mounting tabs.
Switch wiring visible against red firewall above fuse box.
Should have gone behind firewall harness. Oh well.
DSC02766.jpg


POPULARLED unit
A big lighting shop said this unit was their #1 seller. It’s a powerful/affordable wash LED unit. Most are wash focus.
DSC02662.jpg


Grote unit
This unit comes in flood, spot and a trapezoidal road focus.
At $114 it is competitively priced.
DSC02665.jpg


"custom" Ford
This IS NOT my friend’s truck.
DSC02217.jpg
 
That uber-high color temperature blue is going to be worthless- its hard to judge from the photos but I'm guessing its in the 6000 Kelvin range. The resulting weak, washed-out, "bottom of the sea" look from the driver's seat will be very disappointing. A bright white (4000k) LED unit would perform better even if it advertises fewer lumens. Your friend might be able to find a 4000K HID capsule that would drastically improve these lamps, but its going to increase the cost a lot as quality replacement HID capsules are not cheap.
 
I understand what you're saying about color temperature.
My pal says the beam is incredibly bright. Someday soon I'll see it for myself.
NOTE: In the Grote photo, the unit which is available in the 3 patterns is ONLY the one on the right.
Darn near every LED unit on the market is a wash light. I'd love to see the few which come in a tighter beam side-by-side with their wash counterparts IN THE DARK.

Also, the "popular" unit I pictured is rated at 2,100 lumens.

Thanks to q-pete for posting.
 
The last pic was of a comically adorned Ford pick-up truck which was in the dealer's garage. It had thousands of chromed appliqués (mostly skulls and flames) all over it.
I added it as a small joke to an otherwise dead serious photo essay. Kira
 
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