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INSTALL GUIDE: European headlight installation with LED headlight bulbs and LED running light wiring
- Thread starter OffTheWall503
- Start date
Alrighty, so I got around to installing the headlights this afternoon. Overall it was pretty simple. As others have stated, big shout out to everyone before who contributed pictures and info on the installation. Longest part was doing the 1 wire mod as I had never taken a wiring assembly apart before. After I got the passenger side done, the driver side was much quicker since I knew how it all worked. Of note, these images are of the stock halogen bulbs that came with the euro headlights. I did not install the Osram Rallye 65w bulbs yet.
Stock head-on:
Stock cutoff (ignore the tape, was just using it as a general reference, I still need to truly aim them. More about that below):
Euro head-on:
Euro cutoff (read further below about the aiming problem, and use this image to compare it to the stock cutoff):
Close up of LED strip:
The only problem I've noticed at this point has to do with the aim. When I installed the euros and turned them on the first time, the passenger side was aimed higher than the driver side. I tried to adjust the passenger side so that it would line up with the driver side as the driver side was already close to where the stock cutoff was, however I couldn't get the passenger side to aim any further down than what you see in the picture. To compensate for now, I aimed the driver side up to where the passenger side is aimed so that they're even. You'll notice between the stock cutoff image and the euro cutoff image, the euros are aimed quite a bit higher up on the garage door (look at the holes in the metal garage door framing). I'm not entirely sure why the passenger side would not aim any further down. I'm hoping that nothing is broken or loose with regard to the aiming mechanism and/or the projectors. The driver side is able to aim further down overall than the passenger side.
-Matt
Stock head-on:
Stock cutoff (ignore the tape, was just using it as a general reference, I still need to truly aim them. More about that below):
Euro head-on:
Euro cutoff (read further below about the aiming problem, and use this image to compare it to the stock cutoff):
Close up of LED strip:
The only problem I've noticed at this point has to do with the aim. When I installed the euros and turned them on the first time, the passenger side was aimed higher than the driver side. I tried to adjust the passenger side so that it would line up with the driver side as the driver side was already close to where the stock cutoff was, however I couldn't get the passenger side to aim any further down than what you see in the picture. To compensate for now, I aimed the driver side up to where the passenger side is aimed so that they're even. You'll notice between the stock cutoff image and the euro cutoff image, the euros are aimed quite a bit higher up on the garage door (look at the holes in the metal garage door framing). I'm not entirely sure why the passenger side would not aim any further down. I'm hoping that nothing is broken or loose with regard to the aiming mechanism and/or the projectors. The driver side is able to aim further down overall than the passenger side.
-Matt
OP
Thread Starter
#383
Thread Starter
#383
Those look good, Matt! The white/chrome really goes well together.
Did you buy the hex tool to adjust vertical height? The height may be ok, the drivers side may be off as far as height goes. The best way to know for sure is to take a test drive in the evening to see if they are aimed too high. In Europe, these lights level automatically so we have the burden of manual adjustment to get them aligned properly.
After some back and forth with my drivers side headlight I found the projector was slightly off base and with some tightening/retightening of the horizontal adjustment I was able to get it back into the proper spot. That is the male torx bolt that's on the far edges of the light assembly, you can get to it on the drivers side with a wobbly adapter/extension, but the passenger side requires removing the headlight to access it unless you want to get to it from inside the wheel well.
Did you buy the hex tool to adjust vertical height? The height may be ok, the drivers side may be off as far as height goes. The best way to know for sure is to take a test drive in the evening to see if they are aimed too high. In Europe, these lights level automatically so we have the burden of manual adjustment to get them aligned properly.
After some back and forth with my drivers side headlight I found the projector was slightly off base and with some tightening/retightening of the horizontal adjustment I was able to get it back into the proper spot. That is the male torx bolt that's on the far edges of the light assembly, you can get to it on the drivers side with a wobbly adapter/extension, but the passenger side requires removing the headlight to access it unless you want to get to it from inside the wheel well.
Thanks. I definitely think the chrome actually goes pretty well with white. I was worried since I was so fond of the black innards of the stock housings. When I adjusted the vertical at first, I had to borrow a size 7 hex/allen wrench, however I just got back from Home Depot and purchased the hex bit that was shown prior in this thread. Definitely still need to go for a drive when it gets dark out and see how the height looks overall. So what I'm gathering from your post is that, it's possible if the projector isn't seated perfectly, that adjusting the horizontal aim might be able to seat it, and subsequently it may then have the full vertical alignment range?
-Matt
-Matt
Yea, the exchange rate right after Brexit was definitely the good time to buy :O !
Quick question. With regard to beam pattern cutoff, I noticed some pages ago when everyone was discussing the pics of these euro projectors vs some generic HID retrofits that the euro beam pattern steps seem to merge into only one step up at a distance, where as the HIDs still retain individual steps at distance. Are the beam patterns on these headlights supposed to merge so that you don't see two different steps, or should they look similar to HID retrofits?
-Matt
Quick question. With regard to beam pattern cutoff, I noticed some pages ago when everyone was discussing the pics of these euro projectors vs some generic HID retrofits that the euro beam pattern steps seem to merge into only one step up at a distance, where as the HIDs still retain individual steps at distance. Are the beam patterns on these headlights supposed to merge so that you don't see two different steps, or should they look similar to HID retrofits?
-Matt
OP
Thread Starter
#397
Thread Starter
#397
The step on these projectors is more like a hill rather than a step, so it's more rounded instead of sharp and diagonal, if that makes sense.
The lights are supposed to (based on my experience) still keep their distance up to 30' apart (the distance between both lights projector to projector should match on a wall at 25'). Look at some aiming guides for more information, the light bulb type won't affect how you need to aim them.
The lights are supposed to (based on my experience) still keep their distance up to 30' apart (the distance between both lights projector to projector should match on a wall at 25'). Look at some aiming guides for more information, the light bulb type won't affect how you need to aim them.
Yea, definitely makes sense with how the cutoff line looks.
So based on the 25' or 30' idea, at that distance the lights should still look like on the wall:
____/ ____/
Found this pic online doing some searching so I'm assuming the above is correct. This is an M3 with Euro style (I guess the actual term is ECE, which is the European version, where as we have DOT here in the US) projectors:
So based on the 25' or 30' idea, at that distance the lights should still look like on the wall:
____/ ____/
Found this pic online doing some searching so I'm assuming the above is correct. This is an M3 with Euro style (I guess the actual term is ECE, which is the European version, where as we have DOT here in the US) projectors:
For those of you who have done/are doing HID or LED conversions, are you using CANbus systems? I've read mixed information about the need for them on our cars. Not planning on doing any upgrades yet, but I'm certainly going to consider it in the future. Especially after I see what you've got hidden up your sleeves OffTheWall503! ;P
-Matt
-Matt
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