OEM Projector Lense

[rsr552]

Hello! I am new to this forum and have had my 135i for less than a month!

In my previous car ('08 Honda Civic Si), I had retrofitted Honda S2000 projectors with clear lenses in the headlight housing... This produced a beam pattern similar to what is shown below..

*Notice the sharp and colourful cuttoff of the beam pattern


My 135i already has the AHL Xenons, but the stock cutoff is leaving me wanting for more.

Has anyone modified the OEM AHL Xenon projectors by swapping out the freshnal (opaque) lense with a clear lense?

More information about this if you are not familiar with Retrofitting projectors...: http://customlightz.com/?p=p_157&sName=clear-lenses

Thanks!
Roll

[TheSt|G]

Lightwerkz has done a few. After my last retrofit project with them though, I don't think I'm interested in buying any more of their products. Factory xenons are good enough that they aren't worth the headache.

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

Lightwerkz has done a few. After my last retrofit project with them though, I don't think I'm interested in buying any more of their products. Factory xenons are good enough that they aren't worth the headache.

I have heard of Lightwerkz but have never done business with them. Any reason why you would not be interested in having work done through them in the future? Also, what work did you have done with them?

I am not really that interested in upgrading/changing the Angel Eyes on the headlights like most people seem to be... I am more interested in either a clear swap to improve the stock output of the stock projectors and give a slight colourful cutoff...or to even see if a pair of Lexus RX-330 projectors (With AFS...which i believe is the same idea as the AHL for BMW) can be retrofitted instead of utilizing the stock OEM projectors. The RX330 projectors are pretty widely known to be really good projectors for the price.

I miss having this type of WIDE beam too!

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by rsr552

I have heard of Lightwerkz but have never done business with them. Any reason why you would not be interested in having work done through them in the future? Also, what work did you have done with them?

I am not really that interested in upgrading/changing the Angel Eyes on the headlights like most people seem to be... I am more interested in either a clear swap to improve the stock output of the stock projectors and give a slight colourful cutoff...or to even see if a pair of Lexus RX-330 projectors (With AFS...which i believe is the same idea as the AHL for BMW) can be retrofitted instead of utilizing the stock OEM projectors. The RX330 projectors are pretty widely known to be really good projectors for the price.

I miss having this type of WIDE beam too!

Shoddy wiring that was exposed to the elements. I had them retrofit TFX projectors in my E39 M5 headlights as stock E39 xenons are pretty awful by modern standards.

I miss bi-xenons with halogen highs. My fiance's ZHP with fresh covers(E46 lens covers are a factory replacement part) and 85w rally halogen highs has amazing light output.

[Gray_Panther]

Have fun taking apart the headlight lens. Once you do it is easy to pull off the shroud and replace the projector lens. I would recommend ZKW clear lens.

Edit: or do what I did and retrofit FX-R bi-xenons instead....

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Have fun taking apart the headlight lens. Once you do it is easy to pull off the shroud and replace the projector lens. I would recommend ZKW clear lens.

Edit: or do what I did and retrofit FX-R bi-xenons instead....

I read through a thread a yesterday actually on HIDplanet.com (excellent retrofit source btw...and official thread for the retrofit source store). Someone with a 135i AHL headlight wanted to do the same thing (clear lense swap), but once they saw teh headlight assembly, QUICKLY gave up due to the complexity of the AHL system.

With that said, if you have a stock AHL headlight with your car...does anyone know if it is possible to retro some Lexus RX-330 AFS projectors (Lexus version of AFL I believe) and get the AHL system to work with the new projectors?

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Have fun taking apart the headlight lens. Once you do it is easy to pull off the shroud and replace the projector lens. I would recommend ZKW clear lens.

Edit: or do what I did and retrofit FX-R bi-xenons instead....

I thought about just getting a 2nd pair of headlights (halogen) and retroing those instead...but it'd feel silly to do since my 135i already has factory bixenons lol

BUT... i want that WIDE beam and killer cutoff! so who knows

[Gray_Panther]

I will post a picture later. But why not do this:
1.buy halogen headlights
2. Retrofit
3. ????
4. Profit

(Sell 135 headlights after retrofit lol)

[Gray_Panther]

Originally Posted by rsr552

I thought about just getting a 2nd pair of headlights (halogen) and retroing those instead...but it'd feel silly to do since my 135i already has factory bixenons lol

BUT... i want that WIDE beam and killer cutoff! so who knows

Mind sending me that link you found on hidplanet. Id love to see it!

I also like hidplanet and love buying from trs

[rsr552]

Here's the thread..

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/show...please-help!!!

Interesting info in here. The last post (on page 6) shows pictures of the projector housing... the original poster basically gives up due to the complexity of the AHL.

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

I will post a picture later. But why not do this:
1.buy halogen headlights
2. Retrofit
3. ????
4. Profit

(Sell 135 headlights after retrofit lol)

I thought about this actually... but yes...PROFIT!

If I did this...any ideas if the car will freak out because it thinks the AHL system is malfunctioning due to it being missing?

I'm used to coming from a Honda where stuff was simple and didnt have to worry about this kinda stuff!

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Mind sending me that link you found on hidplanet. Id love to see it!

I also like hidplanet and love buying from trs

Just curiuos... Why did u not choose the TL instead of FX-R projectors? I've heard they are better.

[Dackelone]

I am not a fan of those "colorful" rainbow like cutoffs. Reminds me Audi's headlights. yuk

I like your second pic much better... but your headlighst are aimed WAY too high! lol


Why not find someone who can code your OE lights to the Euro AHL specs. Brighter on high beams and wider pattern/spread at low speeds an at over 100 kph the headlights move to the straight ahead position.





AHL2 EU headlight Coding...
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=843765

While your at it you can also have the AE coded to run brighter without changing the bulbs!

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I am not a fan of those "colorful" rainbow like cutoffs. Reminds me Audi's headlights. yuk

I like your second pic much better... but your headlighst are aimed WAY too high! lol


Why not find someone who can code your OE lights to the Euro AHL specs. Brighter on high beams and wider pattern/spread at low speeds an at over 100 kph the headlights move to the straight ahead position.


Attachment 942120


AHL2 EU headlight Coding...
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=843765

While your at it you can also have the AE coded to run brighter without changing the bulbs!

The 2nd pic is just a picture showing a single projector by itself not inside any housing... It was used to show the differences from projector to projector.

Funny that you mention the colourful cutoff thing... I've noticed other BMWs have sharp cutoffs and colourful cutoffs So i do not think its something that is just an Audi thing...I have noticed that Acura, Range Rover, and Cadillac also tend to have colourful cutoffs as well.

I do not think recoding will help create a sharper cutoff... The lack of sharpness is due to the lense of the projector being Freshnal (semi hazy) instead of clear. Also, I am more concerned with cutoff being colourful rather than changing out to a higher Kelvin rating bulb. I dont mind stock 4300k bulbs!

[Gray_Panther]

Originally Posted by rsr552

Just curiuos... Why did u not choose the TL instead of FX-R projectors? I've heard they are better.

The TL's that I know of are just low-beam. I wanted Bi-Xenons, and the fact that I used first generation FX-R's on my GTI. I have had experience retrofitting with them and have had them for 7 years and still perform great!

Been meaning to post my build thread but have been busy:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=852426

The only thing I would do different was use a heat gun to take the headlights lens apart, which I did not have at the time.

No issues since a week after I built them, which were caused by my mis handling originally.

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

The TL's that I know of are just low-beam. I wanted Bi-Xenons, and the fact that I used first generation FX-R's on my GTI. I have had experience retrofitting with them and have had them for 7 years and still perform great!

Been meaning to post my build thread but have been busy:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=852426

The only thing I would do different was use a heat gun to take the headlights lens apart, which I did not have at the time.

No issues since a week after I built them, which were caused by my mis handling originally.

Thanks! haven't decided yet if I want to take the plunge...It's more of an aesthetics thing at this point since I would be essentially downgrading from Adaptive BiXenons to non-Adaptive BiXenons :/

Also, I believe TLs are BiXenon... they might be a little harder to retro though (bigger projector I think?)

Here is a Hidplanet thread ---> http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/show...tor-What-is-it

[Gray_Panther]

Then I am mistaken. It was the TSX-R's that I was thinking of.

FYI: Our headlights have plenty of room for TL's. The back cap will need modification though.

[rsr552]

So i've been analyzing the beams at night... and i feel like they are aimed a bit low? anyone else notice this? i know they are supposed to be Auto Headlight Leveling.... but maybe I'm just used to them being higher?

The inner lamps (the halogen) definately help...but i do wish the low beams were a tad bit higher.

[MZWIE]

I raised by headlilghts a bit just for the reasons mentioned here.

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by e34m5

I raised by headlilghts a bit just for the reasons mentioned here.

How'd you do that? On my old car there was a spot where you could stick a screw driver and raise/lower the beams...does it work the same on the 1er with AHL?

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by rsr552

How'd you do that? On my old car there was a spot where you could stick a screw driver and raise/lower the beams...does it work the same on the 1er with AHL?

Same process.