HID upgrade kit

[docwalker]

Hi all

With the shocking state of my lights I have decided to take the plunge and upgrade with a HID kit, I have read lots of info. on the web regarding the legal status but to be honest having headlight washers and insuring that they will be aligned properly after install I think it will be fine.

My question is regarding the fitting of the bulb, after having a quick scan of the fittings last night it is clear that the Z4 using a bayonet connector rather than the standard spring clip :?

The kit I have bought does not have any connectors to help with htis, would anyone have any pointers of how the bulb can be attached?

Many thanks

Steve

 

[AlanJ]

Steve, Some confusion here as to exactly what you want to do and are trying to achieve - a full Xenon upgrade is for the most part an extremely expensive modification as other posts have no doubt indicated to you and is not just a lamp change. An alternative and easier option is to just fit uprated lamps of which there are several makes and varieties which will improve coverage area and brightness. What kit have you bought and what does it consist of, ballast, wiring, adaptors mounting brackets?

 

[cj10jeeper]

I think you'll need to post a couple of photos of what you have to help.

As an aside I'm not a fan of aftermarket HID kits at all. They don't have the correct alignment and in addition to the washers you mention proper Xenon lights also need to 2 height adjustment sensors fitted to the suspension to control the motors and ensure the beams remain level despite loading and up and down movement while driving.

 

[docwalker]

Hi guys

sorry for the confusion, I have bought a h7 hid kit of the bay.

It includes the bulbs, wiring, ballasts and canbus cancellor.

The original halogen light is secured to the light using the wiring connector,
I.e. The wiring has a metal clip which screws clockwise into the projector housing.
However using the kit that I have bought this wiring loom is now used to power the hid bulb and therefore there is no way of securing the bulb.

Cj I understand your view on aftermarket kits, however my lights are so bad that I have to do something and with proper alignment it should not pose any annoyance to fellow motorists.

 

[AlanJ]

I think you'll need to post a couple of photos of what you have to help.

As an aside I'm not a fan of aftermarket HID kits at all. They don't have the correct alignment and in addition to the washers you mention proper Xenon lights also need to 2 height adjustment sensors fitted to the suspension to control the motors and ensure the beams remain level despite loading and up and down movement while driving.

Agree with 'jeeps comments. After-market kits like these sound great and appear to be 'plug and light' but.... often far from the truth. If you go ahead and manage to fit these without the compulsory support electronics etc then prepare for an MOT failure (obviously depends of your vehicles age) AND of course lots of potential nonsense if you are involved in a collision and your lights are sited as a potential cause - dazzle etc.

 

[PawnSacrifice]

If you can't get these things to work then I'd try and send them back and get some Philips bulbs, I've seen a few post about them recently...

"Philips Extreme Power offers 80% more light on the road
See and be seen! Upgrade your headlight bulbs with Philips.
Winner of Auto Express' Car Accessory of the Year and their Best Buy for three years running, Philips X-Treme Power is the number one choice for maximum performance.
These upgrade headlight bulbs produce 80% more light than standard, giving you the very best performance car lights. They're fully road legal across Europe and are directly interchangeable with your existing car bulbs.
Available in H1, H4 and H7 fittings."

Sorry, I know that doesn't help with what your're trying to do, but this could be a plan B for you!

 

[AlanJ]

If you can't get these things to work then I'd try and send them back and get some Philips bulbs, I've seen a few post about them recently...

"Philips Extreme Power offers 80% more light on the road
See and be seen! Upgrade your headlight bulbs with Philips.
Winner of Auto Express' Car Accessory of the Year and their Best Buy for three years running, Philips X-Treme Power is the number one choice for maximum performance.
These upgrade headlight bulbs produce 80% more light than standard, giving you the very best performance car lights. They're fully road legal across Europe and are directly interchangeable with your existing car bulbs.
Available in H1, H4 and H7 fittings."

Sorry, I know that doesn't help with what your're trying to do, but this could be a plan B for you!

GO FOR PLAN 'B'

 

[cj10jeeper]

I'll certainly not lecture on this stuff, but I've cut up and rebuilt a lot of xenon and halogen lights on Z4's and my X5 too. You've already made the decision to buy, so hope you can get them fitted and I do echo the sentiment of needing more light. I'm also aware that many have fitted aftermarket kits and some have been reported as good, others seem to break down from vibration or leak with poor fitting.

In terms of adjustment I'm really not sure how you'll do it and be compliant. Your standard halogens are very different to xenon in functionality. For instance on a xenon to go to main beam a shutter drops from below. Since the beam focusses through a lens then this inverts the beam in effect opening up the top of the beam and RHS to project further and wider spread. Pushing a xenon into a halogen housing will invariably being a different length bulb focus in a different manner and scatter light in a different way. Lowering them may prevent some of the dazzle, but it will also reduve their effectiveness.

That said if you post a picture of the bulb I'll take a look as I have a box full of halogen and xenons in my garage.

 

[peddy]

How can you properly tell if you have xenons or halogens?

 

[cj10jeeper]

How can you properly tell if you have xenons or halogens?

There are many ways but the easiest being yellow warning stickers under the bonnet, no manual adjustment to raise/lower on the light switch. ultra bright white light and a slight flicker on start up. There are many more but that'll do

 

[PawnSacrifice]

How can you properly tell if you have xenons or halogens?

I could be wrong (here we go...) but I believe the xenons are self leveling so I am guessing an equipped car would be missing the beam angle switch / dial thingy. Also, if you keep bumping into stuff when it's dark you have halogens!

EDIT: Okay... what CJ said - damn my slow fingers and client phone calls!

 

[AlanJ]

How can you properly tell if you have xenons or halogens?

There are many ways but the easiest being yellow warning stickers under the bonnet, no manual adjustment to raise/lower on the light switch. ultra bright white light and a slight flicker on start up. There are many more but that'll do

Very diplomatic.....now can you help me. How do I know if my car is a manual or autonatic. I think it might be manual as when I'm doing 70 down the motorway it revs like hell, fuel consuption is terrible and I use no end of oil.

 

[cj10jeeper]

How can you properly tell if you have xenons or halogens?

There are many ways but the easiest being yellow warning stickers under the bonnet, no manual adjustment to raise/lower on the light switch. ultra bright white light and a slight flicker on start up. There are many more but that'll do

Very diplomatic.....now can you help me. How do I know if my car is a manual or autonatic. I think it might be manual as when I'm doing 70 down the motorway it revs like hell, fuel consuption is terrible and I use no end of oil.

That'll be a Jeep then not a Z4 at all.

Peddy -Another way is to crouch down and glance at the beam. Best on a dark evening. Ensure the lights are on. Try to read the bulb wattage. If your dazzled and , bilnk and stagger around a little they're halogen. If you get up and walk straight in the garage door, seem to have weld or snow blindness, then they're xenon.

Please don't try this at home and don't send me any videos of doing it