Mini D2S Retrofit issue need help- my nuts are too big!

So I pulled the lights apart and am ready to start modifying the little tabs on the ring for the off angle of the 12 + headlights and I realize I can't tighten down the supplied nut. It's getting caught up on the little pivot point for the stock spring that holds the halogen bulb in place. All the write ups show a threaded ring vice this flat nut.

Right now I plan on just trimming down the obstructions off the back of the housing but that also pisses me off and I want to make sure I'm not screwing myself.

The nut


The obstructions



Thoughts?

 

There's a write-up somewheres regarding that. Just dremel those 'obstructions' down flat so the nut can be turned I believe is all there is to it.

Edit. I think someone else grinded down the edges on the nut itself. But that would be a little more difficult tightening it down.

 

Exactly. I cut off all of the excess and then throw the reflector bowl on a belt sander to make sure it's 100% flat.

I'll be doing a Tacoma-specific retrofit guide in the next few weeks---as soon as my headlight guts come back from paint.

 

If I had known I had to do all this to get the mini D2s kit in I would have just done the FXR kit...

 

So I found the little threaded ring everyone else uses in the bag at the bottom of the box with the electrical stuff. Glad I didn't cut this shit up yet!

Next question: since I would normally have to trim the little indexing ring to account for the 12+ headlights being slightly angled it seems like it doesn't really do anything since it will not longer fit snuggly against the tabs. I intend to not even use them since I will be setting the cutoffs on the truck to ensure they are level regardless.

 

It's really not much work. Trim off the back of the flange and bolt it up. Still a hell of a lot less work than an FX-R and the FX-R is only marginally better in performance.

Regarding the other question, just grind off the inside "tooth" of the H4 adapter plate and then you can manually set rotation. I would then add a bit of epoxy once it's dialed in so it can't loosen or wobble over time.

 

So just to wrap this up... I am done and they are installed.

Some lessons learned. The guys that say D2S goes right in are not letting all the info out...

I didn't use the little centering ring since it was worthless on the 12+ and would do basically nothing since it would back off while tightening resulting in needing to reset the flat cutoffs anyways after having to shave them down.

I did not use the silicone ring that goes between the bowl and the projector. I couldn't get it snug enough with that in there and it created a little bounce of the projectors in the housing.

In the end it was an easy job that took entirely too much time because of some self induced paint issues on these plastic parts.

 

All that matter is you're done now and it looks great. Have you driven at night with them yet?

 

Not yet Andrew. Just got done having a buddy come by and help me get the front bumper back on and now I'm awaiting the sun to go down so I can do this....



Looks good though...I don't want to do it again. Someone is getting my money if I ever change these out...