[Crazy Pete]

I'm thinking of getting the hid upgrade from RetroShop for my Sport's projectors. For those of you that have already done the upgrade_ which one did you buy?...50w or 35w? Other than the lifespan, what's the pros and cons???

What color did you get?....5000k or 6000k. Pictures are appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Monster5601]

If you are going to rip the front apart might just as well go with the 50 watters, I did. I also drive on unlighted dirt roads and extra light is welcomed.

I suggest 4,300K lamps for the most usalble light (had these on my last vehicle), I have 6,000K right now and they do OK but the light easily blends into the black asphalt and when it is wet out, the blending is worst.

I plan on switching out my HIDs to 4,300 or 5,000 K lamps. The Kelvin temperature you go with really depends on what you are looking for, you want the blue over tone for show or do you want to light your way.

 

[snowcrossmxz]

I have 50 watt 6k, they are slightly blue, like an ice color, I would go with 5k if I did it again, they are amazingly bright.

 

[Rambunkshuss]

Stay with 35watt, 55watt is overkill. (55watt also has less life span, and more heat) Stay with 5000K or lower. (4500K to 5000K is perfect) If you go any higher than 5000K, (like 6000K up), the blue tint cancels out your white light. Thats why you cant see the road as well with 6000K on up... especially on rainy nights...!!!

 

[Cheyenne71]

Anyone know how much more heat the 55 throw off compared to the 35?

thanks

 

[BlackRamHemi]

Stay with 35watt, 55watt is overkill. (55watt also has less life span, and more heat) Stay with 5000K or lower. (4500K to 5000K is perfect) If you go any higher than 5000K, (like 6000K up), the blue tint cancels out your white light. Thats why you cant see the road as well with 6000K on up... especially on rainy nights...!!!

:smileup: I agree 100% on every point you made.

35w/5000k is what I went with on Jeremy's advice and he was right!
I have another set on order already with FX-R's this time, same specs.

...and will be adding the exact same for my fogs too.

5000k has the highest lumen output, anything more is a compromise, especially in rain or snow

 

[RansRAM]

So looking on the retrofit site I see the RETRO-QUIK: DODGE RAM (13+), are these really a straight swap for the 2014 stock projectors? They look like an awesome mod to do. I also assume they play nice with the Canbus and auto headlight dimming system on my limited?

 

[BlackRamHemi]

So looking on the retrofit site I see the RETRO-QUIK: DODGE RAM (13+), are these really a straight swap for the 2014 stock projectors? They look like an awesome mod to do. I also assume they play nice with the Canbus and auto headlight dimming system on my limited?

That is the Kit that Jeremy uses to Retro Fit FX-R's into the new 13+ projector heads at the RetroShop.
But he does have to bake the heads open to swap the PJ's,then reseal the heads.

If you choose the canbus adapter option on his site
you don't need to bother with whole Mopar relay wiring harness.

Hard to believe, but a pair of these replaces all the relays, resistors, capacitors
and all the wiring of a conventional harness...

and they (along with the ballasts) can be stuffed right inside the lamp if you are good at Tetris lol

I started with a set of murdered out OEM PJ heads with just a drop in HID upgrade kit
(Bulb and Ballasts, Canbus adapters) and an adapter for my 10' Sport that came with Quads

After Two weeks I decided I wanted the razor sharp cut off of the FX-R's
(since they will be open for paint and tint, they may as well get a real projector mounted inside)
So a new set is on the way, current ones look identical and will go up for sale as soon as the new ones arrive.

 

[RansRAM]

Well I love that exact look and would obviously need some custom blackout work. If I opted to just purchase a blacked out retro set with FX-R's would they be a plug and play swap. What kind of dollars are we talking about?

 

[BlackRamHemi]

Well I love that exact look and would obviously need some custom blackout work. If I opted to just purchase a blacked out retro set with FX-R's would they be a plug and play swap. What kind of dollars are we talking about?

For your 14' that already has an OEM PJ setup?, yes totally plug and play


Shoot JJ a quote request, but be warned, the Best aint cheap
it will be over 4 figures. [ www. retroshop. us ]

...But Canadian dealers are charging $1900 for a stock OEM set so it will be a LOT cheaper than that!
with a Lot more output (Stock Halogens in the new projector housings are f'ng useless )

..then sell your stockers on kijiji to offset your upgrade costs FTW!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-Qq0k0Ak2c

 

[Crazy Pete]

Stay with 35watt, 55watt is overkill. (55watt also has less life span, and more heat) Stay with 5000K or lower. (4500K to 5000K is perfect) If you go any higher than 5000K, (like 6000K up), the blue tint cancels out your white light. Thats why you cant see the road as well with 6000K on up... especially on rainy nights...!!!

Well, I already ordered the 55w 5000k hid kit from Jeremy before i saw your advice. I don't mind them being brighter. Jeremy said they're warrantied for 3 yrs and will last 20% less compared to the 35w hid kit. That's ok with me. But you got me a little nervous about the heat though. It won't get too hot and melt my headlights will it?

 

[Monster5601]

Well, I already ordered the 55w 5000k hid kit from Jeremy before i saw your advice. I don't mind them being brighter. Jeremy said they're warrantied for 3 yrs and will last 20% less compared to the 35w hid kit. That's ok with me. But you got me a little nervous about the heat though. It won't get too hot and melt my headlights will it?

I have not measured the temperatures between halogen and 50 watts HIDs but I did measure the delta with 35 watt HIDs, They produce less ambient heat in the housing compared to the halogens.

I've been running 50 watt HIDs in my factory projectors for over a year and have seen no issues.

 

[Crazy Pete]

I have not measured the temperatures between halogen and 50 watts HIDs but I did measure the delta with 35 watt HIDs, They produce less ambient heat in the housing compared to the halogens.

I've been running 50 watt HIDs in my factory projectors for over a year and have seen no issues.

Thanks for your reply. I feel much better knowing you've been running them that long with no issues. I'm sure you would had noticed something by now if they were getting too hot.

 

[BlackRamHemi]

The only potential issue with dropping an HID bulb into the stock OEM projector is it can create hot spots.
(although it is a projector, it was designed to run a halogen bulb)

The factory projector lens is not optically clear and has a slight purple tint.
Perhaps it's not an issue with the stock chrome shroud units,
but the custom painted ones, like the ones I have, are taking a chance...even at just 35w.

Ask me how I know.... it doesn't happen often but it is a risk.

Drivers side hot spot blistered paint in lower inside corner, GRRRR!!
JJ said he'll fix it for me, or sell them as is at a discounted price.

(can't be seen from more than 2' away, but I'm a bit OCD about things being perfect)

35W/5000k

Passenger side has the same hot spot location but barely noticeable (so far)

So now you guys with 55's no where to look,
if there's going be an issue that's the most likely location.

It's never happened on an FX-R retro'd set,
So far just the combo of painted shroud, OEM PJ, drop in HID bulb
I have no doubt it would have been much worse with 55w HID's

My new set are getting FX-R'd just to be sure it doesn't happen again.
For anyone thinking of custom paint it only makes sense to upgrade the PJ since it's opened for paint

 

[Rambunkshuss]

BlackRamHemi, a great big huge thank you for all you do on here with your input, you are a wealth of knowledge & experience in the HID modding on these trucks. I too, have a ton of knowledge on HID mod`s, BUT, i dont have the time to be on here and as specific in detail as you are, on it. And the pictures you post are simply just OUTSTANDING...!!!!

My biggest wish for you is, i wish you would put together a complete mod procedure and make the Z make it a sticky. You have the best detail/description and awesome pictures and deserve a huge amount of credit for it. Please dont forget to add some pics of your truck too, showing those mean dark sided eye`s of the ole` BLACK MAMBA

Thanks...!

 

[Rambunkshuss]

....oh yeahhhh guys, watch the heat factor`s, melt downs are NOT kool...!

 

[snowcrossmxz]

Crazy Pete

My post count is not high enough to pm yet

So..
no, no heat issues at all.

 

[Crazy Pete]

Crazy Pete

My post count is not high enough to pm yet

So..
no, no heat issues at all.

Lol...i didn't realize you had to have a certain number of posts before you could pm.

Anyway, thanks for your reply...it's great to hear.

The more I research it, the more I learn that the radiant heat from a 55w hid bulb is less than the radiant heat from a 55w halogen bulb. We all understand that the arc in the hid bulb is insanely hot, but I'm talking about the radiant heat. I also learned that a lot of the cheap 55w hid kits sold on the internet are using 55w ballasts but only 35w bulbs. This causes a lot more heat than normal and this is where you can get heat damage. A lot of the blistering you see to some headlight housings, from hids, is actually from the UV light (cheap bulbs), which is often confused for heat damage. Lastly, if you put the wrong sized (i.e. too long) hid bulb in and it's too close to the housing, not where the halogen bulb would normally be, then you can get hotspots and other heat damage.

I hope my reserach on this helps some people.

 

[Rambunkshuss]

Lol...i didn't realize you had to have a certain number of posts before you could pm.

Anyway, thanks for your reply...it's great to hear.

The more I research it, the more I learn that the radiant heat from a 55w hid bulb is less than the radiant heat from a 55w halogen bulb. We all understand that the arc in the hid bulb is insanely hot, but I'm talking about the radiant heat. I also learned that a lot of the cheap 55w hid kits sold on the internet are using 55w ballasts but only 35w bulbs. This causes a lot more heat than normal and this is where you can get heat damage. A lot of the blistering you see to some headlight housings, from hids, is actually from the UV light (cheap bulbs), which is often confused for heat damage. Lastly, if you put the wrong sized (i.e. too long) hid bulb in and it's too close to the housing, not where the halogen bulb would normally be, then you can get hotspots and other heat damage.

I hope my reserach on this helps some people.

Great info Pete, keep going and you`ll be the next HID king on here budd...lol. Get ahold of BlackRamHemi on here, he`s got some good info in his brain on HID set-up`s for these trucks. He has a wealth of information on what works and what dosent. I wish i had the time, i would do a complete write up.

 

[Crazy Pete]

I got the Morimoto 50w hid kit today from the RetroShop. I hope some of you who already have them can help me out before I install them. I know that some of my questions are obvious and could be assumed, but I've learned to never assume if possible...lol.

1. Can I remove the unused wire harness from the hid light bulbs? Please see the attached picture. Since I'm using the canbus adapter, I don't use/need this, right? It would just be one less thing to try and find room for.

2. The white ballast wire connects to the blue bulb wire and the blue ballast wire connects to the red bulb wire. Please see the attached picture. This is one of my obvious assumptions, since it seems the connectors can only connect one way. The non-matching wire color has me 2nd guessing.

3. Since the rest of the connections (mainly for the canbus adapter) can be flipped either way, I just need to make sure the wire colors match up (I.e. Red to red and black to black). Am I correct?

4. I know some people stuff everything into the projector housing, but would it be better for life of the ballast and canbus adapter for cooling reasons to leave them outside the housing? But, now that I think about it more, my projectors have the OEM plug inside the housing, right? That's probably why everyone just stuffs it all inside.

One thing I know is that heat is electronics worst enemy.

Any other tips you guys might have is much appreciated!