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Inside EF headlights *pics* 

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 3:15 pm 
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Yeah if I go projectors I definitely want them to be HID.
I might just throw them back together for now so I can drive the car and try and case up some little projectors...

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 4:01 pm 
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Hyena wrote:
It's not all back together yet, I'm waiting on some new high intensity LEDs to arrive to fit to the parkers (from the inside) before I put it all back together.

I've been thinking about the HID thing for ages but it seems like alot of hassle to do a conversion from another model and then getting the lenses to align properly is going to be hard too. I was going to just get a H1 replacement HID kit, but if my reflectors are buggered then they're still going to be suboptimal.
There's also the option of a whole new set of aftermarket headlights if it doesn't work out, and they're only $150 delivered so not that expensive.
I'll look more into the complete HID swap over though.
I've gotta find some small projectors that'll fit into the somewhat narrow EF lights...

As for the flakeyness, I didn't use brighter bulbs than recommended, but I suspect the previous owner did because the plastic connectors on the back of the bulb spade connectors was melted off. I'm also going through alot of headlights - 4 sets a year or so which is annoying. I've been using the standard 55w globes, but I suspect what ever damage has occured is already done.

Mavs what is best to use to reseal the lights up ? I was going to use black mastic windscreen sealer - or is that stuff silicon based (It didn't mention it on the packet ?)


Why do you need to pull the lens off to insert HI LEDs “from the insideâ€￾?

Yes, you are absolutely right.

Initially, to everyone, it looks like a very hard task, sometime it may even scare a lot of people off from even thinking that they can manage a retrofit.
BUT, once you know what to do you will soon realise that it is only a time consuming yet simple task. All you need to do is take you time , PLAN things ahead and DO NOT rush anything.

Since your plastic on the back of the bulb spade connectors are melted, your reflectors are definitely damaged by the excessive heat generated in them by using higher Wattage bulbs that were used by the previous owner.
So you should replace them anyway. Or at least send them in for re-chroming (Vacuum chroming).
Since they are damaged, if you cut a nice hole in them to retrofit Bi-Xenon Projectors it is not going to make things any worse.
By the way the edges of your cut are going to be covered by the projector and the shroud/bezel you are going to use at end of the day so you will not see the cut at all.

The space required to fit a projector (vertically in the reflector/headlight housing) for most of the common projectors is a circle with a diameter of around 7-8.5 cm.

The depth is usually not important since majority of lenses are deep enough to house any portion of the projector sticking out in between the reflector and the lens.

You have already done more than 1/3 of the job so why not do the rest and be a members of the: Exclusive Australian HID Bi-Xenon Projector Retrofitters Club.

On the subject of resealing the lens:
Silicon becomes yellowish when exposed to UV.
As you know, we have plenty if not too much UV here in Australia.
Aged Silicon is also known to crack.

The “Rubber Glueâ€￾ used to seal the lens is called: isobutyl rubber.
Same as what is used in Chewing Gum.(Hmmmmm…)
You could in some cases use hot glue from some better glue guns. BUT make sure you buy a better know brand of glue stick.
However, if you are planning to remove the lens in future isobutyl rubber is the way to go.

 

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 Post subject: Re: Inside EF headlights *pics*
Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 4:06 pm 
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Hyena wrote:
My latest stroll down mod street has seen me yank out and open up my headlights so I thought I'd post up some pics for those that may be interested.

Getting them open aint so hard, I just whacked them in a the oven for about 10 mins each and they prized open fairly easily with a butter knife. There's ALOT of black goey rubbey glue holding them together, and I didn't manage to get it all out/off the joining surfaces because it started to set as it cooled but there should be enough out to re-seal it.

There's 3 layers inside the headlights, the outer plastic lens, a chrome dress piece behind that and then the body of the headlight which houses the reflectors and globes.


Image


An up close look at the main beam shows the chrome on the relfector is looking a bit flakey but will probably be ok, but of more concern the deflector cap thingy-ma-jig blocking alot of the light from the bulb.
I'm wondering how the headlights would go without this in place. I know alot of different types of headlights have something like this in place, or a darkened tip on the bulb or something but this seems like it'd block alot of the foward light. I dunno, anyone more knowledgable on the topic ? :?


Image

Image

Now to try some more intensive polishing on the lenses which keep yellowing despite sanding and polishing ever few months. :roll:
Ok yeah, I'm going to paint the surrounds black when they go back in, and fit more bigger, brighter LEDs for the parkers. 2x 10mm 80,000mcd white LEDs in each side should do the trick 8-)
(my parkers are going to wind up brighter than my main beams :lol: )


hey hyena, do you reckon you can use this method to take the lenses off EA-ED taillights?!

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 5:23 pm 
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very good read
its giving me some good ideas!

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 5:24 pm 
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im a baker.. so if u come to my work i could put about 20 headlights in for ya's :P lol
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 6:55 pm 
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A Piece of advise.

Guys you need to be very careful with The "Baking Process".

Not all head/tail light lenses and complete assys can with stand high temperatures.

As I initially recommended in the: HID headlights thread which was started by Hyena, the temperature and time of "Baking" differs between headlight assys.

The Rubber Glue used to seal the lens is of the same material as Chewing Gum.
The thickness of the Plastic / Acrylic ( Materials) used by different manufacturers are different.
Some are thicker and some are not.
The thicker ones can withstand a bit higher degree of temperature.

All you want to do is warm up the Rubber Glue so it loosens up a bit.
You don't want to melt / bend or damage the lens or the housing by using too high temperature.

So be careful. Don’t use too high temperature.

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:38 pm 
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mavs19 wrote:
A Piece of advise.

Guys you need to be very careful with The "Baking Process".

Not all head/tail light lenses and complete assys can with stand high temperatures.

As I initially recommended in the: HID headlights thread which was started by Hyena, the temperature and time of "Baking" differs between headlight assys.

The Rubber Glue used to seal the lens is of the same material as Chewing Gum.
The thickness of the Plastic / Acrylic ( Materials) used by different manufacturers are different.
Some are thicker and some are not.
The thicker ones can withstand a bit higher degree of temperature.

All you want to do is warm up the Rubber Glue so it loosens up a bit.
You don't want to melt / bend or damage the lens or the housing by using too high temperature.

So be careful. Don’t use too high temperature.


hey man, thanks for the advice, do you know if you can use this baking method to seperate the lens from the taillight housing with EA-ED taillights? ie: is the glue the same sort of stuff?

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:42 pm 
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I would say take a closer look at your headlights "fordzatmyplace"

From what i can see on my head lights. There is no rubber glue that needs to be removed, just the four metal clips that hold the glass lens on.

I hope this helps.
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:45 pm 
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EACRUISER wrote:
I would say take a closer look at your headlights "fordzatmyplace"

From what i can see on my head lights. There is no rubber glue that needs to be removed, just the four metal clips that hold the glass lens on.

I hope this helps.


nah, i'm talking about taillights man, the lens are held to the housing with black glue, i just wanna know if its the same stuff. I wanna do the clear taillight mod!

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:49 pm 
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ahh, sorry man.

EA - taillights, No Point as they are colour coded. (outside lenses)

EB-ED, I believe you would be better off, heating up a stanley knife to cut through as the housing is too thin to heat.

If you have a soldering iron. E.G. Like a cheap DSE one that has the screw that holds the tip in. Then unscrew the tip and screw a blade againts the edge of the soldering Iron, with the tip in place so that it heats the blade.

You should be able to cut the rubber up very easily then, with the soldering iron on of course..
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:54 pm 
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EACRUISER wrote:
ahh, sorry man.

EA - taillights, No Point as they are colour coded. (outside lenses)

EB-ED, I believe you would be better off, heating up a stanley knife to cut through as the housing is too thin to heat.

If you have a soldering iron. E.G. Like a cheap DSE one that has the screw that holds the tip in. Then unscrew the tip and screw a blade againts the edge of the soldering Iron.

You should be able to cut the rubber up very easily then.


yeah i'll try that, I already busted a set of taillights trying to do it once before, that glue bloody strong s**t!

wouldn't the hot blade method melt the lens as well, how hot does it have to be?

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:02 pm 
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If you keep the blade only on the rubber, then it should cut through the rubber Only as long as you dont put too much force on it.
e.g. Ease the blade along the edge.

Not too sure on the temperature.
Did this on My Brothers ED to remove the indicator Lens Only.

He liked the look after i showed him Comingthru's EB pics.

Look At This Thread Here
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=4949

This goes through Most of the details.
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:16 pm 
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some one on there said you can smash the orange filter through the bulb hole... do you recomend that i do that?

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:23 pm 
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No, You will end up doing damage to the outer lens. and you wont get the whole filter out. I was going to try this on my brothers but ended up cutting the outer lens.

Felt safer that trashing it by slipping with a screw driver from the inside.

The Hot knife is easier, It allows you to do other things as well. Like clean any crap / dirt out of the back lenses.

I gave my brothers a good wash in the kitchen sink, much to my mums disgust while i had the lenses apart.
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:27 pm 
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EACRUISER wrote:
No, You will end up doing damage to the outer lens. and you wont get the whole filter out. I was going to try this on my brothers but ended up cutting the outer lens.

Felt safer that trashing it by slipping with a screw driver from the inside.

The Hot knife is easier, It allows you to do other things as well. Like clean any crap / dirt out of the back lenses.

I gave my brothers a good wash in the kitchen sink, much to my mums disgust while i had the lenses apart.


I don't have a soldering iron, so i'll heat up a stanly knife with a ciggy lighter and cut it away then... I wanna be the first to do it to a NC!

 

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