Everyone come judge my skills and HID cut-off: v-How do I tune these things? (1 Viewer)

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MongooseGA

MongooseGA

Learns things the hard way
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Started my TSX projector retrofit last night using this thread as a guide: Retrofit HID's and TSX Projectors into my LX470

I decided to make it a little easier on myself and used some JB Weld stick to set the projector in the 'newly made bracket' before drilling holes to mount the projector. I don't think this thing is gonna go anywhere anytime soon:

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And then I loosely wired up the power to check 'er out:

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I haven't done anything other than get the projector in the housing and tightened up on the adjustment bolts enough that the lens isn't looking up like a botched boob job. I did determine that for whatever reason, the OEM TSX fresnel (?) lenses looked crisper and more colorful than the TSX-R clear lenses. What I haven't seen before in pictures of other projects is this dark spot at the bottom of my beam. Maybe I just haven't noticed it. You can make out an upside down "U" shape over the stack of tires. Is this supposed to be there?

Besides adjusting for aim, what else should I be doing to tune the beam from the new projectors? I've read a bunch about needing to fine tune, but don't think I've seen much about how to do it.

I'll be waiting until I get the DS totally finished before I get started on the PS. No 25' adjustment for me until at least tomorrow night. I want to get them adjusted and tuned before throwing the housing lenses on and it's raining like crazy here tonight.

Thanks for any advice!
 
I'm not very familiar with the TSX retrofit, but I did install and aim the retrofit bracket from @Luke111

Unless this is supposed to be a high beam only mod, you might need to schedule a follow-up with that plastic surgeon to get those bolt-on's lowered a lot more. Are you shining uphill into your garage? If not, I think they're aimed like 3-4 feet too high. It's possible the shadow really is normal for that projector, but isn't usually noticeable, for instance if it's typically just aimed into the housing or on the ground.

If you're on flat ground in that pic, I'd start by lowering them more. There are some youtube videos on aiming I found useful.
 
Sorry, I probably should have mentioned that the bucket was just sitting on top of the battery in that pic. It was the only direction I could face it in the garage that wasn't 4' away and completely un-flat. They're centered and even within the shroud opening but I'm sure will need some adjustment once they're buttoned up.

I guess I was thinking there was some other kind of playing to do with the projector itself, in addition to adjusting the projector's position within the headlight assembly with the OEM adjustment bolts on the back.
 
Oh, I didn't notice or read close enough to see that the housing was still out of the truck in the last photo. My guess is that the projector naturally shines that shadow but usually isn't seen since it would be so low. The only fine tuning I'm familiar with is getting the bulb seated in the projector so that the cut-off is nice and crisp, which yours seems to be.

If you're sure there isn't anything outside the projector blocking the light path then I'd assume it's normal. Good luck! Hopefully other people more familiar with the TSX swap can chime in. HID light is a huge upgrade to the LX.
 
No, they don't. The chrome shroud on the low beam side is just aesthetic, even with the OEM halogen bulbs. The high beam does use the reflector, however.

I did finish up my install this afternoon, though! I need to get the lights dialed in but they're not too far off as-is. Plan is to run by TRS tomorrow for a new rubber dome cap, maybe I can sweet talk one of them into helping me get them adjusted.

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Did you get them adjusted? If you remove the combination adjuster on the rear of the housing you'll be able to adjust the height of the projector without changing the high beam. If i can see the output shot on the garage door I can help you.
 
Not really. I need to find a wall to do it properly.

Far shot is about 10-12' away from the door. Nearer shot about 2-3' away. They seem pretty low. My headlight is 40" from the ground, the cut offs are about 5-6" under that on either side.

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So they are level which is important ..it hard to tell from your pictures but the drivers side appears to be a little lower then the passenger side. You should have one step up

816CF7ED-00C1-4E24-9BF2-417A3A0B5A86.jpeg
 
Level was definitely my biggest priority. The driver's is lower for sure. I think the parking garage is a great idea for getting a clean wall!

To play with the adjustments while the headlights were out, it was pretty easy to access everything. I just used a small flathead to spin the plastic stud for the lower adjustment. Now that they're installed, am I meant to use a long screw driver on the gear wheel to adjust there? And how are you accessing the nut at the top of the housing? It's pretty snug in there. I was able to get a ratcheting gear wrench but could only move it a few degrees at a time.
 
MongooseGA said:
Level was definitely my biggest priority. The driver's is lower for sure. I think the parking garage is a great idea for getting a clean wall!

To play with the adjustments while the headlights were out, it was pretty easy to access everything. I just used a small flathead to spin the plastic stud for the lower adjustment. Now that they're installed, am I meant to use a long screw driver on the gear wheel to adjust there? And how are you accessing the nut at the top of the housing? It's pretty snug in there. I was able to get a ratcheting gear wrench but could only move it a few degrees at a time.
Click to expand...

Remove your side marker lights and the top adjuster is right there.
 
I did want to, just didn't fit in the budget-budget I used. Though I may still, as I think I'd like to play with them some more in the future. And I think I read that you don't have one for the TSX projectors? Maybe that was an old post.
 
Now that you’ve Retrofit the low beam location ..this can be a future project
LED high beam and DRL. Yellow tape is protecting the chrome while I mock this up

ECE21632-94D0-4EAE-A1F0-BA6A4A2C23EC.jpeg
 
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That's what I had in mind. You inspired me on the high beam. Are there extra ballasts and wiring required for the LED set up?
 
MongooseGA said:
I did want to, just didn't fit in the budget-budget I used. Though I may still, as I think I'd like to play with them some more in the future. And I think I read that you don't have one for the TSX projectors? Maybe that was an old post.
Click to expand...

I didn’t make one for the TSX but the factory projector wasn’t designed for the TSX and you made it work.. You would have figured it out
 
MongooseGA said:
That's what I had in mind. You inspired me on the high beam. Are there extra ballasts and wiring required for the LED set up?
Click to expand...
No extra ballast... I’m working with a few guys on Mud and TRS to put together a thread for a few LED High beam and DRL options for the LX and LC
 
Alright @Luke111 ... What am I not getting right here?

I went by TRS today and chatted with @2000UZJ and he enlightened me (get it?) on the 2.5" decrease over the span of 25' when adjusting the projectors. So in my little garage I pulled 5' from the door and measured .5" down from my headlight (25'/5=5', 2.5"/5=.5"). Then I just went a smidge lower to accomodate for my lift, sort of. I also measured my projectors as being about 57" apart from each other and tried to get the hot spots to match that distance from each other.

My cut off is definitely not as crisp as you posted. In my head I'm thinking I should be seeing 2 separate hot spots but I guess, from looking at your example, they need to be sort of overlapping?

Or maybe I need to just go find a wall with the 25' of distance so I can see beam better...

Useful info for those adjusting their own lights and don't want to turn 100x before seeing a change: the lower adjustment effects the up/down direction of the projector. Turn it right (tighten) to lower the beam and vice versa. The upper adjustment hidden behind the turn signal is for side to side direction.

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