HIDs

[SRCHN]

Ok guys (and gals)...quick question. I'm seriously considering an HID swap from my current halogens. I've always had Sylvania Silverstars ever since I was first driving, and to this day they have always looked great to me. Sitting side by side however with a friend's Z71 (who has recently swapped for Xenons) the difference was unreal. I would love to make this upgrade, but am curious as to how difficult the installation is to complete. Also, does anyone have any experience with the one's now listed on Tone's site, or another company I found on ebay called Bohmen? (I think that's the manufacturer?) *just do a search for vehicross hid*

To be honest I found it to be a pain to simply swap my standard bulbs to the Sylvanias. Those stupid retention clips were driving me nuts...any advice on HID makers/peformance and installation would be greatly appreciated. Hell I'd pay a fellow VXr to put em in if they were willing. Thanks for bein the best (And for the most part only! resource out there!!!)

SRCHN

[Kenny]

You're right, they're night and day. One of the best Mods I've done.

The ones Tone supplies are great! They're all plug and play. Running the wires in a clean way and tucking them away nicely takes the most time (~45 min. if you take of the front cladding).

You'll still have to play with the retention clips, but they're not as much fun as trying to pull off the big rubber "hat" from around the stock bulb's power plug (grease 'er up!) :p .

[pbkid]

i had a question/comment also if anyone could help me out....
i heard somewhere that HID blubs are better for offroading because they arent a filament so they interior of the bulb cant be broken by just shaking and bumping...is that true?

[LittleBeast]

I too have the HID's Tone sells and they have been awesome no complaints here. No matter what you decide to buy make sure you get HID's that have the HI and Low beams, whether it is through one bulb with a moveable shield like the ones I have or with two HID bulbs just don't go the cheap way with HID lows and halogen highs. I am about to install some HID fog lights we will see how that goes.

I have heard that same thing about HIDs being better for off roading, if you got the monet why not try it?

[pbkid]

well i dont have the money, but if its true i could consider saving some money...

[MZ-N10]

i have a hid low/halogen highs and its one of the best mods ive done(rite next to rearview camera). make sure u check ur local law to make sure hids r legal. ive had a few friends pulled over for illegal hids in CA.

[Tone]

MZ still can't type using complete words.... guess he never will.

Technically it is illegal to change to HIDs if the vehicle didn't come with them but with a clean install, no one would know, certainly not the popo. There is talk about excessive glare because the reflector was not designed for the HID but what they don't understand is that the arc that produces the light is in EXACTLY the same place as the filament in the quartz bulb. Plus our enclosures have reflectors in front of the light source to control glare there. I seldom was hi beamed with correctly aimed lights. Once you have HID, you'll never drive with quartz 'candles' again.

[tbigity]

ok, I hate to be the noob, and I feel embarassed to even ask it. But I will be the last to feign being a "car-guy" or knowing car jargon ("cargon" if you will). Anywho...HIDs...what technically are they?

I've seen the mod on Tones site and wondered this for a while, but this thread has really piqued my interest.

[AREA 51]

High Intensity Discharge lighting

[tbigity]

ohhhhhhhh.

now that the acronym mystery is nicely concluded...what does that mean :confused:

[MZ-N10]

think a lighting bolt....controlled in a glass bulb. hid r similar to tat.

[WyrreJ]

There are lots of places on the web dedicated to HIDs, here is one to start you off: http://www.hidplanet.com/main.html

[ameetw]

Ok, correct me if i'm wrong, so there are basically 3 different setups for the HID.

1. Low beam HID
2. Low Beam HID and High Beam Halogen
3. Low and High Beam HID

1. If the above is true, which one will fit the Vx
2. Tone, which one do you sell.
3. Is it a direct swap, remove the old bulbs, replace the new bulbs?

Thanks for the Info.

Ameet

[Tone]

I only offer the hi/lo HID setup now - one lamp that is moved within the housing to change the focul point. There is another company that offers DUAL HID bulbs on each side but those kits are $700+ but work even better.

[biju]

I purchased the 6500k Kaixen HID's (hi/lo) from Mr. Monday - and they're a MAJOR improvement.

My proton has a set that's 5000k HID low, Halogen/HID high - and I'm not that impressed.

-bejjj

[Rednex]

So - realizing there is a glass corrosion inside the headlamps - I had no choice, but going for HID for better road view (while searching for new head-lamps starts right now!). Got this kit locally: http://paleto.lv/shop/product_info.php?cPath=35_36&products_id=108 (Price 170Ls = ~320USD, all taxes included (It's not an attempt to steal your business, Tony, just info 4 pals! ;) ))

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/hid_to-web_paleto_lv.jpg

Installation was not a second - took some 2 hrs 4 beginner like me, but note that this was 1st time I laid my hands on my VX. ;)
Final set-up is:
Driver side:
- ballast box beneath air filter box (had to remove it just to get bulb removed, so selection of place was kind of automatic, as front wall of engine compartment is blocked by what seemed to me air conditioner pipes). Had to drill couple of holes in wheel arch to bolt the holding bracket down;
Passenger side:
- relay squeezed under original motor compartment relay box,
- ballast mounted to front wall (existing holes fitted perfectly ballast holding bracket)
- fuses hanging between windows washer fluid can and battery - bad, bad, bad... :mad:
- both "+" & "-" cords go directly to battery (good, good, good) :p

To pull the regulating mechanism in place of original bulbs, had to cut off lowest (tightest) part of rubber covers.

Cabling from one side to other I ran through the front wall bellow the lamp, in front of the radiator (upper side, fixing cable in three places - at both sides to metal parts holding plastic grill in place, and in the middle to hood lock mount), and back into engine compartment under other lamp.

What I had to do:
- remove battery,
- remove stock air filter box
- remove front grill (just "honey-comb" part, not whole face cladding) :cool:
- remove stock bulbs
- cut rubber covers' middle ring (tightest one)
- place new HID bulbs in place (rather uncomfortable part - hard to place springs in place. 4 rehearsal put original bulbs in place couple of time s w rubber covers removed)
- place ballast holding brackets in place (needed drilling on driver side), & insert ballasts
- pull the wiring, fix long cable in front of radiator (c above), connect all the setup as shown in manual (don't forget the RTFM phase in very beginning! ;) )
- place the battery in place, bolt the mass & "+" wires to battery clamps, replace the clamps to battery. U can test the set-up now.
- if it works (did for me :p) - replace grill & air filter.
- if not - start the trouble-shooting.... (can't do any suggestions on this part, as I got lucky...)

Effect is tremendous - "I can see now!!!" :p

As you can guess (or in case link above is broken), I went for 6000K lamps (was planning for 5KK, but those were just on order, w 1 month lead time). Not disappointed - almost the same effect as w my old company car - fully beefed up Ford Mondeo Ghia 2004 Station Wagon had projection HID headlamps, which I loved (and missed) so much.

As I have done replacement of all other lamps w LEDs all around (except front parking lights and rear parking+brake lights), now will start looking for nice, small, round HID auxiliary fog lights, to replace front parking lights (no need for parking lights until next registration check, right? ;) ), and hoping to get any suggestions on rear parking+braking light LED replacement.