Morimoto FX-R Retrofit. Finally some progress..
10-09-2012, 01:38 AM
#31
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Thread Starter
Nice work with your retrofit! Surely it was worth the time and patience.My HID retrofits are complete and being shipped to me this week. I'll be swapping LED switchbacks to my turn signals and wondering if you can take some pics of your wiring so I can see where you've:
1) tapped into parking lights for the LED halos (on the HID)
2) tapped into turn signal lights with resistors and mounted them (for LED turns)
3) see where you mounted ballasts and wiring harness/relay
Also, because I am only doing the LED turn signals in the front, I only went with 50W 6ohm resistors. I got the switchbacks from v-leds.com and I was under the impression I'd only need 3ohm (or wire two 6s in parallel) if I was doing front AND rear LED turn signal swaps...does anyone have experience with using 6ohms for the fronts only?
1) tapped into parking lights for the LED halos (on the HID)
2) tapped into turn signal lights with resistors and mounted them (for LED turns)
3) see where you mounted ballasts and wiring harness/relay
Also, because I am only doing the LED turn signals in the front, I only went with 50W 6ohm resistors. I got the switchbacks from v-leds.com and I was under the impression I'd only need 3ohm (or wire two 6s in parallel) if I was doing front AND rear LED turn signal swaps...does anyone have experience with using 6ohms for the fronts only?
There is some good info here:
https://www.f150forum.com/f83/bilinv...8/#post2087048
I don't have any pics of my installation procedure. I may get a chance to take pics but it would not be until next weekend. That is probably too late to be useful. The pics that StuckZipper posted ought to be very helpful though. It is quite simple.
1) I tapped into the side marker lighting wires to power the halos. White to black and the pale red to the not-black one. Sorry, I don't remember the colour. If you have a voltmeter you can confirm the polarity. If you get it backwards the halos ought not be ruined, they just won't light.
2) For the resistors I used self stripping tap connectors and tapped into the two outer wires of the turn signal/running lamp. I removed the wrapping and tapped into the wires as close to where they join the larger bundle as I was comfortable with. I then carefully wrapped and wrapped and wrapped to ensure no moisture can intrude. I mounted the resistors between the radiator and headlights as far back as I could reach, while ensuring that nothing is near the radiator itself. Your resistors, being 50W will be much smaller and easier to find space for.
3) I mounted the ballasts to the upright support on either side of the radiator, behind the rubber flap that clips to the headlight housing. The relay is tucked in in front of the battery. The wiring for the driver side runs underneath the plastic panel that spans the radiator area.
Regarding what you require for resistors I would try the single 6 ohm units and see what happens. I suspect there is a reason that is the standard used for this procedure. I'm not sure why guys started using 3 ohm but perhaps someone who has done the research can say.
I don't think that the fact that you're doing only the front should make a difference. Your 6 ohm resistors will dissipate less heat that 3 or 4 ohm resistors will so 50W should be more than adequate.
I did only the front in LED. I would like to do the back too but I worry about winter visibility. With no significant heat, snow may build up and make the tails invisible.
Do post pics when you get your headlights installed. Who did you go with for the build?
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PlatBlack12 (10-09-2012)
10-09-2012, 08:36 AM
#32
thanks for the detailed reply...I went with Bilinvic for my retros..you can see mine on the last few pages of the thread (I believe the pics are p86). Anyway, it was from that thread that I remember SZs install pics, but they were removed over the last couple days so he recently reposted them so I'm good to go.
I'll keep you posted on pics...the lights are being sent out from Canada today so I'll probably have them early next week.
Also, I do recall a reading a thread for LED tails (I think while I was looking up info for the resistors), and there was a member who had them installed. Someone else asked about visibility in the snow and he put up pics from the highway in a snowstorm and you could see the LEDs clearly. He also mentioned that he had no issue with snow/ice building up on them. If I find it, I'll link the thread.
I'll keep you posted on pics...the lights are being sent out from Canada today so I'll probably have them early next week.
Also, I do recall a reading a thread for LED tails (I think while I was looking up info for the resistors), and there was a member who had them installed. Someone else asked about visibility in the snow and he put up pics from the highway in a snowstorm and you could see the LEDs clearly. He also mentioned that he had no issue with snow/ice building up on them. If I find it, I'll link the thread.