Mk 2.5 Aftermarket Headlights

[Kye]

Hello all.

I'm looking to spruce up the front end of my beastie a little bit and get something better performing in putting light out. I'm using Philips X-treme Vision bulbs and like the

light they put out. However they spread across a wide area and don't go forward that far at all. I do a lot of night driving along country roads and want more light put out the front.

I'm avoiding the HID kits as I'm not keen on bending the law with them.

I was thinking of getting projector units and putting my current bulbs in them. Has anyone one got any experience of this and how the beams are? Would it even work?

If it sounds like it all works out, these have taken my fancy. I'd prefer something without the DRL's as I have them in the foglight shrouds. (Would two more DRL's be legal let along look stupid?)

http://www.carparts-tuning.co.uk/Lighting-Tuning/Headlight/Daylight-headlight-Ford-Focus-3-5-door-Yr-08-black-tuning.html

Cheers

Kye

[Dee_82]

Most headlights don't come with drls what they have is fancy side lights, I have some projectors I picked up off eBay and the light output and pattern is significantly better and well worth the 200ish quid they cost. I think there are OEM headlights which are just the dipped beam projector and normal side lights. I'll see if I can get some links in a few min. I've got the fog drls too absolutely amazed with them best outside mod todate :D

[Dee_82]

The ones you linked too are the ones I have, its not drls their side lights, face on the angle of the side lights are a little too flat compared to the fogs which are at a much higher angle. Its not perfect but its still good, the other thing is the colour again, face on its fine but if you look at them in a reflection you can see the fog drls aren't as white as the side lights

[Kye]

Nice one, Dee.

Those ones above are a bad example to follow now. They Left Hand Drive! I won't be buying those then.

I had a thought about it after I started the thread and worked it out that they were the side lights! Doh. :P

I'd rather like to keep the Cree spot side lights I have currently have. It seems that the trend is for the side lights to be a strip of light.

[Dave_TDCI]

I have the same ones as Dee, like the ones you posted but they are suitable for driving in Ireland and UK.

The light output with the projector headlamps are an improvement over the standard headlamps. The throw of light is better and so is the beam intensity.

I have 5500K HIDs in mine and there is great output from them!

The headlamps do look far more aggressive and sportier than the stock ones, only thing is the LED side light strips aren't as bright as I had hoped they would be

[Kye]

Cheers, Dave. I'm warming to getting the projector units more and more now.

I am tempted by the HID options despite the legality of them. Get the beams adjusted properly, be on the ball with the manual adjustment if the car is loaded and keep the lenses clean you should be a lot safer from getting caught. No way out of it though if you do. Hmmm....

On a slightly different topic to it, what are these LED units like that I am seeing? I have seen some offerings from Cree recently.

Has anyone got any links for where I might find some new headlight units?

Cheers!

Kye

[Dave_TDCI]

My beams are adjusted properly and because my bulbs are 5500K they like very similiar in colour to the OEM HIDs so doesn't draw too much attention as opposed to getting 10000K blue HIDs that will.

As regards legality then technically they're not legal because of not having headlamp washers or auto levelling. Although if you are talking about getting LEDs then they probably won't be legal either.

What do you mean by LED units, do you mean Cree LED Bulbs is it?

[Dee_82]

Don't think you need leveling and washers IF it didn't come with stock HIDs, just must not be set wrong

[JC600]

Think we need to see some pic's of these lights fitted. :)

[Kye]

Dee, I can't copy any links, but goggle 'H7 Cree headlight LED kit' and it should bring up what I have seen.

I need to get my head around lumens and light amounts etc. 3000 lumens must be like using light sabres as headlights! :o

[Dee_82]

See in the box you type in, click the wee square in the top left corner, if you hover over it it says BBCODE mode, you lose the formatting but you can post links and what not.

as for the LED cree kits, I don't know about that, looking at them they seem to project the light sideways, which is completely useless for projector lenses, reflectors might have a better setup, but I cant imagine the light spread would be right removing two whole sides of light output, even with the wee lenses on the LEDs I don't think it would work.

IMO, I don't think LEDs are anywhere near as good as halogens just yet in terms of throwing light out, they may be extremely bright, but not much in the way of distance, a good example is my DRL fog lights, if I turn my lights off at night (DRLs on full) its like blackpool illuminations, looking at the sun is probably less painful, but beyond about 10 yards, that light is lost on the ground for meaningful driving. there is bound to be some science behind this, ill maybe try work it out but personally, before spending £100 on those id do some heavy research. if they do work though it would be cool, but would it be better then a simple HID setup.....

[Dee_82]

Here is some pics I took when I got my fog drls, some of the pics have been white balance adjusted to you can actually see something, others haven't, that last one is a more or less true colour pic of all the lamps on with drls at 50%

[Dave_TDCI]

Cree LED's in projector or reflector headlights won't be worth a w*nk in terms of light distribution.

Unless the headlamp is designed for LEDs like the new Audi's and Merc's, there will be almost no useable light on the road. They will probably appear brighter looking at the headlamp head on but the beam will be all over the place, normal halogen bulbs will be far better than any of these Cree LED Bulbs no matter how bright they are or what lumens they put out.

Cree LEDs are great for side lights and reverse lights but I'd forget about them for use in low beams.

Best choice is either a good quality halogen bulb, the likes of Osram Nightbreakers or even Osram Rally 65w are ment to be excellent, or opt for a HID Kit (preferably in projector headlights).

I'll take pics of my lights and upload them to show what they're like with the HIDs.

Dee_82, you have the same aftermarket headlights as me...did you find after installing them that you can't use the headlamp levelling controller for adjusting the headlight beam on the inside of the car?

[Dee_82]

aye, theres no motor in them, the wires are inside as is the connector but the actual motor thingy is missing, I questioned the supplier and they told me it didn't say it had it so wasn't their problem and I guess they are right. Ive levelled them nicely myself, but ive been having trouble getting the high beam right, I think ill need to pop the low beam bulb out as I cant see the centre of the hot spot on highs clearly enough to get it spot on

[salsheikh]

Dee I had a set like yours but the light output was so high it was close to roofs on houses and blinded everyone. I couldn't even get them adjusted so sent them back for a refund.

Also, Dee is right about the auto levellers and washers not fitted from factory are not required for aftermarket HID's - I checked with VOSA/DVLA.

Dee what led's are in the DRL bit in your headlight as they are very bright! mine weren't very bright but still looked good.

[Dee_82]

it took me an age to get the levels right as it was lighting the roof tops from the box, eventually I got it though, having the levelling motor would have been hugely helpful, as it is though im really happy with the setup of the dipped and main beams.

Do you mean the side lights? They were disappointing, id planned to put a step up transformer in but it turned out they already had, cranking it up further would have been too much. in the dark they are ok, but during the day its crap, that's when I decide DRL fog surround was the answer

[Kye]

Just found these. Look rather nice.

They look very similar to what you have, Dee

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361103831399?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Saw these too, but not so keen on the bottom halves with all that chrome and stuff.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291212545875?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[salsheikh]

the set like Dee's look best IMO but its your money at the end of the day and what you like is what matters.

[Dee_82]

Aye I saw those others ones too, they look odd and I couldn't find a single person with pictures of them fitted and working so decided they weren't worth it. I found some amazing ones in Germany, perfect in fact, but no good over hear and no one would commit to saying they were convertible (which they probably are) I couldn't take the risk

https://www.sw-tuning.de/en/headlights/taillights/lights/FORD/Focus/Focus-04-07/SW-Light-headlights-Ford-Focus-2:::4180_4217_4218_4507_5196.html?MODsid=649298b0bac6ee15d7ff6405cfbf40f5

[Kye]

Well I've ordered the first set of the two I linked. It is too much of a risk to try the others and not like them.

So far I know that all bulbs in the unit will be H1's, the units are made by Sonar and that my standard level motors should fit on.

Will keep you posted with photos and what not when I get them tomorrow hopefully.

Cheers

Kye

[Dee_82]

Id be really interested in how you go about fitting the motors, I really didn't fancy trying to hack them apart and stick them back together without some step by steps, if your in the know a nice wee guide an pics would be really helpful! as for bulbs, H1 and H7, it comes with both already in place, expect the levelling to massively out, my dipped bulbs where lighting up the moon after putting them in, took some amount of adjusting getting it right.

[Kye]

Well, I've got them and they look the part. As for fitting the motor..... It's going to be interesting. I've emailed the guys I got them from for some points. I am seeing 5 adjustment screws- 3 for up and down, two for left and right on each unit. I am guessing that one of the up and down screws at the bottom need to be removed for the motor spindle. I hate these short days, I'd be having a look now if I had the light.

Anywway, a few photos:

The front:

The back:

H7 Dipped bulb (can keep my Philips X-tremes!) and level motor cable

I sense a bit of a project here.

[salsheikh]

keep us posted as to your progress and good luck.

BTW, where are the height adjustment screws?

[Dee_82]

they are identical to mine, height screws are those hex nut things, its a pain in the !Removed! to level as you need to remove the lamp completely to make some adjustments on a couple of the screws, the one with 3 on it helps to keep it level I think but I might be wrong, it didn't appear to make much of a difference fiddling with it. getting the motor in is going to be a challenge, I cant see how to easily crack open and reseal them, probably need to heat it up, cold felt like the plastic was going to crack.

[Kye]

Just had a look and this is going to be an interesting job. The motors on the standard unit are enclosed. It looks like access is gained via a panel in the bottom.

For the after market ones, it looks like I'm going to need to take the thing apart. Uh oh.

The adjustment screws are the prominent hexagonal heads in picture two.

I'm beginning to wonder if the motor will fit. The stand headlight on has two adjustment screws to angle the whole light cluster. The new ones have two screws to the lens and two to the main beam reflector. As for the 5th screw. I'm about to find out.