tpete763

iTrader: (2)

So this is my first attempt at a how-to and I hope this helps anyone out that is in need of it.

First you will need Supplies:
Mini H1 projectors
9007 Adapter rings (not needed but recommended)
H1 HID Hit
H1 HID Bulbs
A 9007 Relay harness
A pair of Stock Headlights
Screwdriver (flat head & Phillips head)
T15 star bit screwdriver
Dremel or hacksaw (I used a hacksaw)
Pliers
Needle nose pliers
Epoxy
Oven

First, preset your oven to the lowest setting (mine was 225 degrees) and place each headlight in the oven separately for about 10 minutes. You will want to work on one light at a time at this stage. Be sure to use gloves while removing the headlight from the oven (ITS GOING TO BE HOT). Then use your flat head screwdriver to pry the clear lenses off the two headlights while the sealant is hot and easy to separate. Also try to avoid getting sealant on the chrome trim (it’s a pain the ass to get off later when its cooled down) Be careful not to break the 4 tabs holding the clear lenses on, you will have to use the screwdriver to pry them up while you are separating the lenses. After you get the clear lenses off you will have to remove the chrome trim in the headlight housing there are 3 star screws located on the back of the housing you must remove (use the T15 start bit for this) After all is said an done you will have 2 headlights that look like this:



After you remove the chrome housing, you will need to remove the reflector bowl from the housing. Use the same process as above. Place the housings back in the oven to heat up the plastic holding the reflector into place. Remove the housing with gloves again and pull with all your might to get the reflector to pop off the mounts (its held on really good with ball in socket type mounts). Be sure to heat everything up again to get the reflector off it makes a big difference, I didn’t the first time I tried and broke one of the mounts when I first tried (thank god for epoxy). You will then have the reflector separated from the housing as pictured below:



Next, you want to remove the bulb cover (T15 hex screw on the back of the reflector) from the reflector bowl. Before playing with the projectors, I first installed the shrouds because I had to screw the shrouds on that came with the kit (4 Phillips head screws supplied with projectors). After that I test fitted the projectors with the 9007 adapter rings (if you order the adapter rings, you will get two per headlight, but you will only use one. There is no way to tell which one is the right one to use until you try and install the projectors, whichever one makes the projector’s cutoff sit horizontal with the bottom of the reflector is the right one. Its super easy to tell if you installed the wrong one too.) into the reflector with the locking nut and found out that it was very hard to tighten down the locking nut all the way down because the stock bulb holder got in the way of my needle nose pliers. So I decided to use the hacksaw and cut it here:



and wound up with this:



this what I cut off:



Next, You want to mount the projectors to the reflectors with the 9007 adapter rings and the locking nut. Tighten the locking nut down enough so there is enough room to install the bulb holder onto the projector (I used regular pliers to do this because I had room with the bulb holder removed). Also, at this point the projector still wiggled a little too much for my liking, so I used one of the rubber washer that come with the mini projectors (the thicker one) to make everything more snug when tightening down the locking nut. In order from front to back; the Projector is in the front, the rubber washer is added around the base of the projector, next is the stock reflector bowl, then you put the 9007 adapter ring on, and finally the lock nut is added last to secure everything.

After the projectors are all mounted to the reflectors, Install the H1 bulb older onto the back of the projector (3 Phillips head screws supplied with projectors). After this put the reflector back on the stock housing. Do so by lining up the three sockets on the back of the reflector to the three bulbs on the housing and pushing them straight on. Be careful NOT to push on the projector while pushing the reflector back onto the housing.

Then install the H1 headlight and hook up your hid kit to aim the low beams. Install just the gray housing and reflector/projector combo back on to the car so you can fine-tune the rotation of the projectors. The adapter rings pretty much line everything right up for you if you buy them, but you are left with a little bit of wiggle room to get everything perfect. The projectors are in the reflector pretty tight with the locking ring installed so they shouldn’t rotate without you forcing them too (this is good because once you get them aimed properly you don’t have to worry about them moving again before completing the next step).

Next, remove the housing/projector combo from your car and remove the H1 bulb/bulb holder (be careful not to mess up the rotation of the projector that you just lined up) and mix up some epoxy (I used clear for mine incase any dripped). You want to get epoxy on the locking ring and all around it/in the cracks around the bottom to ensure that the projector won’t rotate or loosen while you are driving. Be very careful NOT to get epoxy on the area where the bulb holder will attach to (the three screw holes in the picture below). Wait the specified time for the epoxy to dry before handling again (I used 5 minute epoxy and let them sit for a day to let the glue dry/cure properly)



After you have given enough time for the epoxy to dry, you can re-install the chrome trim into the housing, making sure to install the three T15 bits on the backside. Your setup should look like this by now:



Re-install the bulb bolder/H1 bulb and preheat your oven to the lowest setting once again. Clean of all fingerprints/dust off the chrome trim. I would try not to rub too hard because the chrome scratches/swirls very easily. Do the same for the plastic headlight covers taking the same precautions. Place the clear plastic cover lightly back onto the housing. Next place the assembly into the oven and wait approximately 10 minutes for the sealant to heat up again. Remove the assembly from the oven with gloves again (will be hot) and press the lenses back into the housing.

After everything cools down, install the bulbs/wires into the lights. Install your relay/hid kit in the car and install your new retros into your car!



And enjoy having bright lights at night!

silentd

iTrader: (1)

very nice

CannonBalt

You sir make it look easy. I'll be following this one.

tpete763

iTrader: (2)

It's honestly not all that difficult. Its much easier using the Mini H1s compared to using projectors from another car (my last set I used projectors from a murano and it took me A LOT longer to build them than it took me to make these ones)

spike

Sub'd

CannonBalt

I wish they still made and sold the 9007 adapters

tpete763

iTrader: (2)

I bought my kit about (maybe a little more than) a year ago they didn't have them listed on the website to buy, but I emailed them about them and they modified my order to include them (an extra $5 or so if I remember correctly).

CannonBalt

Fawk. Oh well too late now lol

tpete763

iTrader: (2)

lol, they'll still be a breeze to install though, they just help get the rotation in the correct area. I still had to wiggle them around and rotate the projectors with the ring installed to get them to line up 100% with each other.

spike

Where did you get you kit and those adpater rings from?

Pasierbek

^Bump for the answer to that question.

CannonBalt

The parts are from the retrofit source, but it's WAY overpriced even with dealer discounts.

Go on ebay and piece it together.

Search for mini h1 projectors, you can get them for 40$ a pair, Bulbs for 15$ and a harness for 18$

Fsanti87

They're "way overpriced" because you're paying for better quality control and, more importantly great customer service. There have been comparisons between morimoto mh1 and generic h1 projectors and the mori comes out on top every time.

eBay is like Russian roulette with more bullets in the chamber

CannonBalt

Actually, I am a wholesaler for TRS. I have had NOTHING but problems with TRS products, I've switched to using ebay MH1's, Which are literally identical to Morimoto, without the branding.

Ive had relay harnesses short out, ballasts explode, Bulbs start flickering within weeks.

I use all ebay stuff and have never had a warrantee job.

But, to each his own.

ECaulk

iTrader: (6)

Sounds little more like installer error than product error. Or you just have crappy luck.

CannonBalt

You can't say a ballast that stops working after a week that was Brand new is user error lol

ECaulk

iTrader: (6)

No, but bad eggs make it through every plant. Flickering bulbs and shorted harnesses are most likely install issues or shipping issues

Hollifield21

Sub'd.. Doing this soon.