I've done many a HID retrofit but I've always had a second car to allow me to take my time to do the projects right. Now I just have my 2006 TL and I want to swap in a set of clear lenses from The Retrofit Source (TRS). Without a second car I'll have limited time to fool around with another lengthy project. I say lengthy because I typically send my projectors to TRS to have them install the clear lenses so I don't have to fiddle with lens alignment (spacers, etc). To cut down time significantly by outsourcing this part of the project I'm seriously considering buying a set of projectors from TRS that already have the clear lenses installed and aligned. If I go this route does anyone know or have experience if a direct swap from my current projectors to the modified lens projectors would be a easy swap? Take them out and put the new ones in? If that works I could easily bake the headlights, pull them apart, make the switch and put them back together in a few hours. I've never been inside these things headlights before so I'm not sure what, if any, issues I might run into. Thanks!

 

I wouldn't bother with the extra work of popping upon projectors if you're not going to do it yourself. Sure tuning is tedious but if i were you, I would just hit up one of the vendors and buy an already modded pair of headlights so it's a direct swap and then just sell your stock set.


but that's just my

 

Actually your advice is exactly what I intend to do. If it's a direct swap then I'll buy the modded projectors. I just wasn't sure if the direct swap was that easy--just popping out the old ones and putting in the modified ones. If it's a plug and play no hassle deal then I'll order the projectors soon and then sell my old ones. Looks like we're on the same page. Since I haven't been inside these particular headlights before I wasn't sure what kind of trouble I might run into. Sounds like it shouldn't be a problem though. Thank you!

 

I actually dont think your on the same page, I think what thoiboi was saying was buy an already modded complete headlights from one of the vendors such as endlessrpm with the clear lens and then sell your complete headlight. At least thats how I read it.

You could also a modded set from one of the vendors and then when they come in you can swap yours out and send it back to them. Probably easiest (possibly cheaper) and you wouldn't be without your car at all except the time it takes to swap the lights which isnt long.

 

I see what you're saying. Perhaps I was reading only what I wanted to hear. For my sake I hope you're wrong. I'm thankful for you're input as I did not think of it from that perspective. I hope he/she writes back as it would make or break my plans...

 

Yeah I meant the complete headlight


Less work and less room for error.

 

yeah, ESPECIALLY since OP has never opened up a TL set before...
always always expect something to go wrong, as practice makes perfect

 

Yeah I'm most definitely in agreement with everyone. I've done crazy retrofitting on quite a few Lexus 's (Lexi?!) but never opened up a TL. The Lexus is a PITA because the ones I worked with had the adaptive lights that swivel up and down and left and right. Those were pure misery.

 

All you want to do is a clear lens swap? Its so easy it could take you an hour to do it yourself. Buy the butyl, clear lenses, lens spacers and bulb spacers from TRS. Don't mess with the shield at all. The maximum spacers you can fit under the clear lens is 2. I think on my current ones I put 2 lens spacers and a bulb spacer and on the other projector 1 clear lens spacer and a bulb spacer and they matched pretty evenly.

Also, opening up the TL lights are very easy. They're just butyl, not permaseal

 

^Bulb spacer? Haven't read that! Wonder if that's why my projector bezels paint is bubbling?



Nice to see you still have the TL Nate!

 

where are these bulb spacers you speak of? @nate_0022 I was working on a set of TL projectors that definitely need some bulb spacers because i couldn't fit enough lens spacers behind the lens to get a crisp enough cutoff for my liking

 

Yup I still have the TL. I'm just not very active on here anymore

The bulb spacers just move the bulbs further away from the shield. Idk if TRS has them for sale on the website or not. I just emailed Matt (the owner of TRS) and asked if he had any.

Your bubbling paint issue may just be from the sun hitting the glass lens. Mine have done that also.

 

Alright figured you probably did that too. Thanks!!

 

This is what the look like. Some people just notch out a washer as well

 

sounds exactly like what i would do dremel has been my best friend for all modding purposes. Thanks Nate!

 

dremel is always a retrofitters best friend. Good to hear from you guys!

 

Thnks for the heads up!


always learnin sumthin!

Never thought of the sun affecting that area. I am in Florida, so could very well be. Current bulbs are on their way out (85122+).

 

i have an extra setof 06 TL ZKW-R lens swapped projectors oem if anyone is looking. for some

 

For some reason I haven't received any messages updating me on this thread so I thought it was dead. I wanted to provide an update as to how things went.

First I did buy the projectors from TRS with the modded clear lenses. Then baked the headlights and took them apart. After doing Lexus cars this was surprisingly easy. The only semi-difficult part was separating the black piece that you have to squeeze the two pins in on either side to remove the reflector/whatever assembly.

Then I took out the four screws holding the projector in place and easily swapped in the modded ones. Did the same for both sides.

Before baking the headlights again to put everything back together I added a bit more butyl rubber for peace of mind. Also added new desiccant packs once everything was cooled down.

Put everything back together and all works perfectly. I had to adjust the lights about 1" down. One light, probably the driver side, is a little funky but may be due to a misalignment of the lens (rotation-wise) but I could be wrong. What matters is that the line/cutoff is laser sharp.

I also installed a new pair of Osram CBI's. There's a slight blue tinge at the top of the cutoff but from a distance (I had someone drive the car and got to see the lights in action) and they reflect almost all colors of the rainbow. From yellow to orange to purple to blue to pink and all over the place. They look stunning.

I'll try to upload some images.

 

Ignore my Pm, just saw this and it answered my question. Happy holidays!!

 

I cannot wait to do mine! i wanna look for a second set of lights, planning to do a quad setup with color chasing halos, passive and LED demon eyes!

 

They really came out awesome. I noticed they were a little low though so I adjusted them up 1" and they are spot on.

Next I'm going to install a pair of Morimoto bi-xenon driving lights. Easy install. I've seen people kill themselves with crazy retrofits with Honda Accord driving lights and housings on top of going crazy with a Dremel. Totally unnecessary.

What I don't understand is this...what is the point of the light housing on both sides of the car next to the projectors? Looks like they would be for high beams but I have bi-xenons from the factory. They don't work at all, even as DRL's. That one has me stumped...

The quad setup sounds awesome! Are you also doing this because those "high beams" don't seem to serve a purpose? If not I'd take advantage of that opportunity too!

 

Yeah i thought the same idk what the hell that is about. I got an idea from nate though, i have mini h1 5.0's and im going to wire them into my low beams, not gonna use the DRL or its wiring at all.
Gonna wire a ballast to my stock low beams, then ill have quad low beams then im going to wire the high beams up to the bixenons then ill have quad high beams as well!

I used to do retrofits on the side so i have experience, here is my second set i ever did on my old 03 maxima.

 

They're supposed to be for DRL's only. Bulb or relay may be out.

 

Kind of a long shot but I switched out my stock LH drive headlights for RH drive JDM ones and did not switch my projectors. Does anyone know if it would be safe to bake my RL Headlights with all the adaptive headlight components ? Or know anyone in this community with a 2nd gen RL that has done it before??

 

So the bulbs next to the projectors, the reflector beams, are the DRL's? I've never stopped to look but I have new PIAA's in there jic.

Now I'm thinking of putting my Morimoto XB LED's in there. Hopefully they are not like my Lexus (or a lot of Toyota's) and use half-voltage. This causes a severe flicker effect that neither I or TRS could figure out, even with one and then two capacitors.

 

I've baked dozens of headlights from several manufacturers and never had a problem. My Lexus has adaptive beams (up, down, left, right) and it's never produced any adverse effects.

I realize there are a lot of different methods for timing for how long they should be in the oven but I've never had a problem with using 200 degrees for 11 minutes. WITH everything still attached (ballasts and bulbs).

 

So just to be absolutely sure there is noway to adjust our headlights horizontally? Just up and down? Sounds kind of foolish really. Most cars I've worked on can do this. There has to be a trick or something?

 

Why do you need horizontal adjustment

 

I'm not sure I really do but I like the idea very much to know that there is adjustability just in case I muck something up in the future--like soon probably. I keep preaching about my Lexus and I apologize for that but having the ability to adjust the headlights from side to side really is a nice feature to have. If this isn't possible from an OEM perspective it looks like I'm going to have another project to fiddle with. Just because I can!

 

Before you put the lens back on just testfit it to make sure the alignment is right before baking.

 

Perhaps it could be as simple as installing a few adjustable spacers where the headlights are mounted and then just adjust the vertical alignment like normal.

 

Too late unfortunately. Already baked back together and I really don't want to pull them apart again...thanks for the advice though.

 

Sure.



you're overthinking this

 

Perhaps. But I trust that the engineers at Lexus had a reasonable argument for their design. As do other manufacturers.

If I come up with a simple and logical solution I don't see why trying can hurt. I won't go crazy but we all come up with DIY solutions for things that we know can be done. That's part of the reason we are all on here.

 

But yes, I'll admit I have a tendency to overthink things. 🔬