Projector TSX-R clear lens swap

[b5ives4]

As many of you are aware, or at least i hope you are, the output of the stock projectors is terrible. According to what most people say on hidplanet's forum, the valeo's in our stock housings are some of the worst projectors you can have and I don't really disagree with them but we don't have a lot of options.
The stock headlights are almost impossible to open so retrofitting them seems to be more trouble than it's worth. I haven't tried to separate the lens on the housing because i can't really risk it. I've wondered for a long time if there were any clear lenses that are a direct swap for these projectors and i stumbled
upon a thread where a guy had done a tsx-r lens swap and also a thread on how to do the lens swap by removing the projector from the rear of the housing instead of opening the headlight housing. This was the way that i went about doing this and it was actually really easy.
I took step by step pictures of the whole thing but I won't bore you with those unless you're really wanting to see all of the steps. I'll post a link the the writeup and then if you guys need any help, i'd be glad to help however i can.
I'm sure you guys are tired of reading and want to see the pictures so let me show you guys what i've got. Some of the pictures are crap from my phone since i don't always have my 7D with me. Some may also be huge so I can resize them if that's the case.

Here's the difference between the lenses


Old lens...bleh


New lens!


In this picture, the right headlight is obviously with the old lens. Believe it or not, my right projector was the better of the two.
They're only aimed like this to show the difference. That wall was a bad wall to compare the two on because it doesn't show how
bright they actually are. I should have used a white wall but I couldn't find one near my house and was trying to beat the rain.
Lots of color in the stock cutoff but so blurry...I hated it.


Here are my terrible iphone pictures but they show the beam well on the wall.



These pictures are crap but decently show how blurry it was before.



That's really all of the pictures i have for now. None of these pictures do these lenses justice.
$40 and it's like driving a brand new car. By far, the best $40 i've spent in a very long time.
Definitely worth the money and time it takes to do the job.
Here's that thread: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/411463-Fix-for-weak-headlights-in-stock-Valeo-housings

I also, retrofitted projectors into my fogs. I'll leave you with a little teaser until i make a post on those.

[RedB5S4]

That cut off line is perfect! Nice work

I'll definitely be doing this, too. Where did you get the projector lenses from? And is the link that you posted the link to the write-up? I'd check myself but I'm too lazy since I'm on my phone.

[S4 00 2.7]

Nice work. I wanted to do this but just might go with diff projector altogether.

[zillarob]

Nice on the fogs. Have more pics of what you did there?

[b5ives4]

Yeah, i've got more pictures of the fog lights and how i did it. I plan on making another thread on that retro. I used the mini projectors out of the 2004-2008 nissan maxima headlight housing. I think they're made by bosch, if I'm not mistaken.
They have a clear lens and are exactly the same shape as the back of the s4 foglight housing. Really straight forward retro.

I got the clear lenses from theretrofitsource.com. They're the TSX-R lenses. You can get brand new lenses for $50 or the "value" lenses or something for $40. After talking to one of the guys over at TRS, and him assuring me that
the cheaper lenses defects don't affect the output, i opted for the cheaper set. When i received them, i couldn't find anything wrong with them and i really tried to find a defect. Either way, $50 is more than worth the results you get.
That link i posted does have some pictures of the housing being taken apart if you scroll down a bit but like i said, I'd be glad to help answer any questions you guys might have.
I've also seen a morimoto bixenon H1 projector swapped in without taking the housing apart and i really want to do that retro but this satisfies me for now until i can retro my girlfriend's new CRV.

Here's another shot of my fogs


aaaaand a couple of wall shots

[topquarkpc]

Where do I get them lenses for $40 bucks...???

[b5ives4]

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...roducts_id=135

hope it's ok to post links on here

[Cobra Commander]

Nice job, did the same mod and couldn't agree more. Been thinking about the fog too, so post details! ;)

[Sole_]

Please post up a DIY.

[RusS4]

Nice work man I am definitely going to do this when I give my headlights a refresh and clear up the lenses.

[GramCracker]

never mind

[julex]

I am very interested in fog projector mod myself.

[TravS4]

Please post up a DIY.

This.

[MDJ]

I am very interested in fog projector mod myself.

+1. Do tell.

[b5ives4]

Ok, the fog light thread is up. Not super step by step but it's a pretty easy mod

[cjk]

Going to do this on my set of E-codes...thanks for posting man!

[Vinchenzo51]

I have a set of the TSX-R lenses sitting around my house if anyone wants them

I've got a set too laying around. PM me if anyone wants them.

EDIT... Nevermind, sold

lol that was fast

[Vinchenzo51]

Going to do this on my set of E-codes...thanks for posting man!

e-codes already have a clear projector lens. Not sure if you'd see any difference.

[The_Auto_Tech]

e-codes already have a clear projector lens. Not sure if you'd see any difference.

Fact. Even the US-spec Depo D2S housings have glass projectors.

[b5ives4]

Yep, no need to mess with the ecodes at all unless you wanted to change the shield inside to change the cutoff.
I wish the light output on these was wider, i'll be swapping these out for the morimoto's eventually, just gotta
retro my girlfriends new cr-v with some FX-R's first

[Austonwerner4]

2.5" or 3"?

[b5ives4]

2.5" TSX-R

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...roducts_id=135

[julex]

I confirm this works. I actually did the same exact surgical procedure on my headlights but on an allroad. Allroad has the same kind of crappy scattering lenses as S4, once new lens was installed my cutoff is so much better. My lenses were just a little bit cloudy from 10y of use. I imagine that cleaning up lens itself would rejuvenate the lights quite a bit.

I also modded the hid cutoff shield by painting front of it (facing outwards towards lens) flat black ceramic paint and inside with more reflective aluminum ceramic paint. Then I baked the shield following paint directions up to 600deg oven cycle to ensure it doesn't fail right next to high temp light bulb.

Difference is that the light is just a bit brighter since now the shield reflects more lights back and then it hopefully finds its way out under the shield. When looking at my lights (when off) they appear really black inside due to shield being black now. Previously I was seeing silverish color which was front of aluminum cut off shield.

The cool thing is that you can paint the shield in any color you want and you lens will show the shield tint (but only when light is off). Black flat paint also cuts on a lot of glare though.

While working on the lights I also did the following:

- Removed orange insert, yay.
- insulated park lights prongs on corner connectors. I really hate corner lights, my fog HIDs are perma wired to ignition on terminals anyway so don't need yellow corners... Blinker works like before.
- wet sanded housings, polished with cutting and then polishing compounds. The housing and innards look brand spanking new now.


Thumbs up!

[xhackerekx]

for change lenses i need separate headlight from glass ??? i change already lenses on my b6 without separate whole headlights , on my b5 s4 no clue ? :(

[julex]

no. you just open back cover, undo several screws and with some careful manuvering you separate actual glass projector lens from reflector. Once you have the lens out, you swap it for a clear one and reassemble the reflector + lens and voila.

There is no need to separate plastic lens from actual headlight housing since you're coming from behind.

[xhackerekx]

no. you just open back cover, undo several screws and with some careful manuvering you separate actual glass projector lens from reflector. Once you have the lens out, you swap it for a clear one and reassemble the reflector + lens and voila.

There is no need to separate plastic lens from actual headlight housing since you're coming from behind.

i try this for 3 hours today , remove screws and no fit for pull out from housing and for turn 180deg for aces to lenses ,maybe somebody have picture ?? or just i buy new e code .

[S4 00 2.7]

Yeah, i've got more pictures of the fog lights and how i did it. I plan on making another thread on that retro. I used the mini projectors out of the 2004-2008 nissan maxima headlight housing. I think they're made by bosch, if I'm not mistaken.
They have a clear lens and are exactly the same shape as the back of the s4 foglight housing. Really straight forward retro.

I got the clear lenses from theretrofitsource.com. They're the TSX-R lenses. You can get brand new lenses for $50 or the "value" lenses or something for $40. After talking to one of the guys over at TRS, and him assuring me that
the cheaper lenses defects don't affect the output, i opted for the cheaper set. When i received them, i couldn't find anything wrong with them and i really tried to find a defect. Either way, $50 is more than worth the results you get.
That link i posted does have some pictures of the housing being taken apart if you scroll down a bit but like i said, I'd be glad to help answer any questions you guys might have.
I've also seen a morimoto bixenon H1 projector swapped in without taking the housing apart and i really want to do that retro but this satisfies me for now until i can retro my girlfriend's new CRV.

Here's another shot of my fogs


aaaaand a couple of wall shots

They look great.