My version of the HID FJRocket/Jestal mods

[Toecutter]

After much communication, contemplation, investigation & procrastination, I decided to put a plan into action.

I was hesitant to use aluminum can stock as I felt it may be a bit on the thin side, as well as the coating/paint meltoff/smoke stain factor once heat was applied. For much the same reason I didn't want to use solder or JB Weld, so I bought some .007 brass shim stock and located some 3/32" rivets to attach it to the existing "wings" of the bi-xenon mechanism.

These shutter extensions allowed me to cut the windows in the solid channel which was effectively blocking most of the output from the light capsule to the bottom half of the reflector.

I used EMS trauma shears to cut the brass, then an emery board to smooth the edges and fine shape the ends so they don't bind on the hinge pins or catch against the frame when swinging out or back in. Be sure to clamp them in place lightly (maybe with a paper clip) and check for smooth operation before riveting.

I'm not sure how good these will work, as I'm still without a bike to install them on, but I thought the stock high beams sucked moist *** cheese before anyway, and the HID's provide an awesome low beam pattern. All the credit has to go to FJRocket and Jestal, who worked out the hard stuff. I mostly posted this up here because Jestal's mod descriptions had no pictures.

This shot shows how the shutter extension covers the window in the channel piece:

The next one illustrates the attachment rivet. I picked up a drill bit chuck at Home Depot for my Sears flexible shaft Dremel-type rotary tool, which allowed for more precision drilling. I held the brass piece in place with a hemostat clamp and drilled through both pieces, then popped the rivet in there:

In this shot, the bulb capsule is back in place (rotated 180 degrees from stock to move the anode wire to the backside) and it is easy to see how much more light is going to be cast onto the lower half of the reflector:

Hopefully, with this setup, the high beams will be at least comparable to stock. I am resigned to the fact that auxiliary HID lights are the only way to dramatically increase nighttime road vision, but with this setup the high beams are still available and I have all the advantages of bright white headlights.

So, how can I help you, you ask? I have a bunch of leftover .007 brass shim stock that I haven't needed before in my life and will probably never need again. For only the cost of postage (you send me an SASE), I will send you a big enough piece to fashion your own shutter wing extensions. Click here and get in touch, if interested, to get my address. Along with these pictures, anyone with decent fabricating skills (it's about a two banana task) can do this. I'm not sure if anybody still has an unmodified Hi/Lo HID kit laying around but, if you do, now's your chance to bust it out and get busy farkling!

 

[TheAxeman]

You couldn't expect to do true surgery like that without EMS Trauma Shears and the requisite hemostat clamp....Do the partners at the clinic know that those items have gone missing??

 

[jestal]

You need to turn the bulb 180 also. The ground electrode of the bulb is blocking the light thru the open window. If you notch the base of the assembly where the bulb inserts you can turn it 180 and move the ground electrode toward the low beam projection which is blocked anyway in that spot by the stiffening brace. Rotating the bulb 180 does more than just opening up the window. You can open that window up much more, btw.... Spend some quality time with the dremel and whittle that strut down to two toothpicks. Move the opening toward the silver end cap also. If you tuck a small piece of brass or aluminum under the silver end cap it will shingle the far end of the opening when in low beam mod. This allows you to open the slot up much further.

 

[Toecutter]

You need to turn the bulb 180 also.  The ground electrode of the bulb is blocking the light thru the open window.  If you notch the base of the assembly where the bulb inserts you can turn it 180 and move the ground electrode toward the low beam projection which is blocked anyway in that spot by the stiffening brace.  Rotating the bulb 180 does more than just opening up the window. 

It's been done, and covered in the text between the second and third picture.

You can open that window up much more, btw....  Spend some quality time with the dremel and whittle that strut down to two toothpicks.  Move the opening toward the silver end cap also.  If you tuck a small piece of brass or aluminum under the silver end cap it will shingle the far end of the opening when in low beam mod.  This allows you to open the slot up much further.

I'll look into that. I have a few more bikeless days ahead of me to tweak the setup. Thanks!

 

[FJRocket]

While you're farkling those lights again on some rainy day, think about removing the nose cones, too. Keep the little box frame at the tip end of the "bulb" covered to keep from blinding oncoming traffic, but you can cut it down, too. If you remove the nose cones it will let out a bit more light.

I'm still trying to decided whether the high beams on my bike are actually as bright as the halogens on my car. The low beams on my FJR are so bright now, it's hard to tell the high beam difference compared to halogen.

The high beam increase over low beam, however, is still regrettably not even remotely on the same scale of improvement as merely the change from halogen to xenon. IOW, Low beam is still crazy bright, but then the switch to high beam is... disappointing... for lack of better description.

I was out riding the other night and I still like the lights, although they are flawed. However, I didn't really even notice the dull zone (not really a full dead zone any more) between the lows and the highs.

Toe, thanks for sharing your farkles with us!

 

[Toecutter]

I'm still trying to decided whether the high beams on my bike are actually as bright as the halogens on my car. The low beams on my FJR are so bright now, it's hard to tell the high beam difference compared to halogen.
The high beam increase over low beam, however, is still regrettably not even remotely on the same scale of improvement as merely the change from halogen to xenon. IOW, Low beam is still crazy bright, but then the switch to high beam is... disappointing... for lack of better description.

True story. I really dont think a combination hi/lo reflector can be optimized for both. I wouldn't be doing this if I felt the stock high beams were sufficient. My Land Cruiser (and the Camry) has separate reflectors, stock halogen bulbs and the high beam cast is awesome.

I was out riding the other night and I still like the lights, although they are flawed. However, I didn't really even notice the dull zone (not really a full dead zone any more) between the lows and the highs.

I may be out riding by the end of this week! :crossedfingers: However, I'm gonna have to create some down time to install these things (and the cruise), which will be tough after going over a month without the bike.

 

[dobias]

I have the low beam only HID bulbs. Apparently, I moved the headlight buckets around while regluing the mounting tabs over the winter and they were aimed very high. Recently I've been adjusting them downward to stop blinding oncoming traffic.

While they were aimed too high, they were great as high beams. They even kept the upper cut off so the tree tops weren't lit up.

If I wanted to use one lamp as low beam and the other as high beam, I would adjust the aim rather than modify the HID bulb or it's location. Since I also have really great Hella FF300 halogen driving lights (so I can keep my modulators) I don't need to consider re aiming of the buckets.

As Mikey would say,"Try it, you'll like it!"

dobias <_<

 

[want2ride]

I hate to bring this zombie back but I have a question on HIDs. Why not switch to HIDS for low beams and have a set of HID aux mounted for the high beams. Just wire it so when you switch to high beams the current flows to the aux lights? Just a thought as I may be modifying my lights on the Gen I and it has limited spare watts......

 

[ionbeam]

I'm thinking that technology has moved forward and retrofitted HIDs are no longer the only or best solution. Supplemental LED lighting these days is good for both outstanding illumination and energy efficiency. Plus they are fairly inexpensive.

I'm running flood LEDs at ~30% to fill in my low beam OEM headlights, then, when I turn on the high beams it triggers the LEDs to automatically go 100%. Even though I'm using just 2,000 lumen floods it is like turning on stadium lights. Perhaps out west where they have longer sight lines than here in the North East they may want to pack more lumens, but let me tell ya, these things work. I have OEM HIDs in my car and I feel that the LEDs do a better job of lighting things up.

BTW, good digging!