Calling retro experts - look inside JDM HID headlamp!

So I finally got around to baking the JDM HIDs I have had forever... and opened them up.

 

The projector and cutoff shields are different than H7 stockers... sadly the cutoff shield is not symmetrical so it cannot be just flipped

 

Any suggestions what can be done here to convert them to LHD?

JDM HID cut off shield vs. USDM H7 shield

I'd like to say ... I told ya so. Lol

Don't rub in! Help instead!

 

Well, I think USDM cut off shield can be made to fit, but it's narrower.

 

Interestingly I came across a picture of Toyota or Lexus USDM HID projector - also made by Koito - and the cutoff shield on it is very much like LGT stock cutoff shield, just wider:

 

http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/182029-tutorial-hid-conversion-bling-headlights.html

 

I am wondering if there are some LHD Koito projectors available from which I could steal the cutoff shields...

Looks like LGT HID projector is very much like RX330 projector:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63706&highlight=rx330+hid

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/classified-archive/55792-fs-rx330-projectors-130-shipping-obo.html

 

Literally same projector housing and lens....

I'd like to say ... I told ya so. Lol

 

And your very own thread:

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56028

 

I see you just used LGT shields in the RX330... identical to stock JDM HIDs, btw

 

Oh, well, but I'll have leveling motor, ballasts integrated into housind and clear stock lenses

well there are a couple things here

 

1. stock jdm housing is wider like an rx330 including the shield mount points.

2. I believe S2k's are kioto (not that it matters in this case since they don't use flat shielding)

3. a custom rx330 shield could do the trick but making custom shields for what you have allready will do just the same.

Yeah, looks like using USDM shield will be ok, well at least no worse than your retro. I guess I won't need any washer mods since the bowl, lens holder and lens belong to each other as is.

 

Two things I am wondering about:

 

1. People fill the squirrel finder hole to limit glare - but the stock JDMs shields have identically sized hole, just differently shaped flap.

 

2. The cut off portion of the JDM shield is offset a little bit towards front of the car (that's why the shield cannot be just flipped, plus the squirrel hole portion is curved). It seems that locating the cutoff further from the light source actually cuts more of the light...?

 

Btw, link to a page with pictures of original RX330 shield.... http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t192949-5.html

I've got a set of these too, so I am very curious about this.

 

Looking at the photos, the tab that protrudes toward the bulb looks like it is held in place by a couple of spot welds. Those could easily be drilled out to free the tab and welded back on the other side.

 

The real problem looks like the indented portion of the shield beneath the tab. I think a decent fabrication shop could invert those with a press and some sort of drift.

 

Do either of you know which ballast will fit the indentation on the bottom side? I've got a set of densos out of a rx330 in my car right now, but haven't had time to pull them to see if they fit.

Unclemat,

 

I just noticed what you are talking about with the offset. That sucks. I think I will take the JDM shields to my buddy's machine shop and have him work his magic on them to reverse the cutoff.

 

Where did you get the wiring harness for the levelers? Mine came without. Are the levelers a self contained unit, or does it require an outboard processor or switch as well?

The issue is the offset of the cutoff area (see the 6th pic in the first post). The cutoff plane is offset towards outside the bowl. If you flip it, it will be offset towards inside the bowl...

I have the roller switch for the leveller. I looked at the JDM wiring diagram and it's straigtforward... the switch is wired directly to levelling motors. I'll post it later.

Do we have the necessary wiring already in place, or do we need to add it?

no wiring in place

lookslike mounting hold are the same so grind down the nubd on the jdm projector bowl and use the standard legacy sheild

i would just use the usdm oem h7 shield. its ok if side of the shield doesnt cover the entire projector bowl since the oem is cut straight on the sides. lotss of oem xenon projectors are like that. its not going to create a hotspot. i actually had to cut one side on my infinity fx bi-xenon shields to get them to clear the legacy housing shroud. they work great

 

since the usdm has a larger opening it will put more light on the foreground near the car. the jdm being have a slighlty longer opening side to side might spread it slightly farther off the sides of the road but thats hard to say.

 

what is important is that the opening of of the usdm shield starts at the same height as the jdm when mouted. if too high youll block the brightest part of the output and too low and youll prob be blinding people.

 

AND CONGRATS ON FINALLY TAKING THESE THINGS APART. LOTS WERE WONDERING. very similar to usdm projector.

 

peace

agreed with vxcl. also I would 1st check the performance of the JDM projectors lens swap washer space. al because they are jdm doesn't mean they are any good think of the old bosch 3serise projectors trash. find out if they perform 1st vs RX and if not go that route then think about upgrading TSX S2K or FX. TL fuggettabout it they will work but the deed isn't worth it. G'luck gents.

bump

actually the jdm shields can be flipped. there is a single nub on the reflector that needs to be ground off, and then it fits perfectly.

 

after flipping, i also added washers and slightly bent the shields towards reflector so the curved portion in the center would not have as much an affect on the cutoff. cutoff now is fairly good, but there is better out there. to be honest, even with the shields in RHD position, the cutoff was not very sharp. so these are definitely not "drop-in"

since the usdm has a larger opening it will put more light on the foreground near the car. the jdm being have a slighlty longer opening side to side might spread it slightly farther off the sides of the road but thats hard to say.

 

You meant smaller? USDM opening smaller - it's narrower than JDM HID.

 

what is important is that the opening of of the usdm shield starts at the same height as the jdm when mouted. if too high youll block the brightest part of the output and too low and youll prob be blinding people.

 

Yes, the "uncut" portion of the opening is perfectly at the same height and same size (15.1 mm according to my digital caliper). However the cutoff is more aggresive on the HID shield - the cutoff portion is smaller - 14.25mm vs. 14.4mm on the H7 shield.

actually the jdm shields can be flipped. there is a single nub on the reflector that needs to be ground off, and then it fits perfectly.

 

after flipping, i also added washers and slightly bent the shields towards reflector so the curved portion in the center would not have as much an affect on the cutoff. cutoff now is fairly good, but there is better out there. to be honest, even with the shields in RHD position, the cutoff was not very sharp. so these are definitely not "drop-in"

 

So you did JDM OEM HID swap? Well, tehchnically the shield can be flipped but the cutoff plane will be moved significantly towards the bulb, since it's offset by ~1.6 mm - when you flip it it's moved closer by ~3.2mm.

You meant smaller? USDM opening smaller - it's narrower than JDM HID.

 

 

 

Yes, the "uncut" portion of the opening is perfectly at the same height and same size (15.1 mm according to my digital caliper). However the cutoff is more aggresive on the HID shield - the cutoff portion is smaller - 14.25mm vs. 14.4mm on the H7 shield.

 

i meant larger in height not width of the opening. higher = more foreground, wider = chance of wider light spread, but hard to say for certain without knowing if it even gets to the lens in the first place. you could test by powering it up and blocking that area.

 

peace

I am suprised they didnt use the STI projectors. they arent half bad with lens swap themselves.

Any updates on this? I am probably going to crack mine open this weekend and get the process started. I still have my LHD oem projectors from my first go around with this, and if the shields will work, I will just use those.