Blacking Out Headlights, How to

4 bucks for krylon 3 bucks for the silicone ....... and a good time while doing it ......

 

I just did this a day or two ago and I like it. I haven't seen this done on any other impulse red Taco on hear. What does every one think?

 

Hmm i just dont know, lol it doesnt look bad its really different haha i think it could very well grow on me, Red is probably one of the only colors you could like that... White would look horrible... Blue might work... It would be sick with some Retro HIDs

 

Yeah, I didn't have the coin to go all out retro, but maybe in the future. For the time being I'm putting in 5000K HIDs in the heads and fogs. I had contemplated painting the very center part of the reflector bowl( the part that covers the bulb) black. Thought that would look mean. Wasn't sure if that part had any effect on the light itself or if it could handle the heat.

 

NICE! I saw the Blue one that was done a couple pages back but this one I likey wish my over worked.

 

this may be a stupid question, when you put the lights in the oven, do you put them in face down, face up, or what? or does it even matter?

 

face up -- you don't want the clear part on anything. Don't forget the cardboard.

 

thank you

 

Looks great....good write up!

 

So-I started my BHLM last night and now that I'm going to put them back together I can't seem to wrap my head around where the two TORX type screws go in the front. I took three outta the back and I know where they go back into...
but the two underneath the stock reflector bowl have me confused. There is nothing for them to sink into behind the holes there....What am I doing wrong??

 

I posted that and started trolling for everything BHLM that TW had to offer...Just found that same thread. I totally shoulda been able to figure that out....but apparently I'm not on my A game today.
Thanks B!! Back to the garage.

 

Most excellent. I can't mess with pictures from my phone… Check out my build thread- They are in there.

Edit: Link to my build

 

Thank for the info Spencer!

Took my headlights out, to take out the yellow lens, and found this thread helpful.

 

Just finished mine

 

Quick question for you bhlm owners. I have a pair of 2011 metallic grey sport headlights and a pair of 2005 base model headlights. The sport headlights are broken in the back where the bulb screws in. Can I change the light grey backing from a base to the sport while keeping the smoked sport look?

 

Has anyone ever painted the small shroud that is in front of the actual headlight bulb? It's that metal piece about the size of a silver dollar that makes it so the bulb isn't totally revealed.

The front of it is reflective but I'm not sure it has to do with any reflecting or aiming. My thought is that it's the focal point for the larger bowl style reflector. So the question really is if I paint it will I lose any function from the lights? I'm thinking no but I'm curious to see if anyone else has done it.

(obviously it would require high temperature paint since the large bulb sits right behind it.)

 

I'm going to take that as a "noooooooooo".....

I'm likely going to take some temperature measurements with my DMM later today to see how hot that thing gets. I might also try and do some tests by temporarily making it non reflective and seeing if that changes the light output. More to come as I discover things.

 

Subbed

 

Well I did some tests just a few minutes ago on my lunch break. I plugged in the main bulb with the lens off so I could measure surface temperature with my DMM. I took an ambient reading of the outside air and my DMM said it was 66 degrees; right on with what weather.com said it was outside.

I then proceeded to put the headlights on for about 5 minutes to let them warm up. I took a measurement and then set the brights on for another 5 minutes and took a measurement. The highest I recorded on my DMM for the surface temperature of the main bulb shroud was 157 degrees Fahrenheit. This was lower than I expected but I think it might have something to do with the coating on the tip of the stock bulb. It looks like a ceramic coating of some sort.

The main lens was not attached so that probably brought down surface temps a little but not much. The area that I was measuring was very close to the bulb/heat source and should have the lowest maximum temperature swing out of any area within the housing.

Also, regarding whether the painting the front of it I had a member here tell me that he thought he'd remembered seeing someone else paint that part as well and didn't remember the light output being affected. I agree with him. I looked into the hole where the main bulb goes and saw the back of that shroud isn't even reflective. My guess is that the front of the shroud is only reflective so it blends in with the rest of the reflective surfaces for cosmetic reasons.

I set out on this because I wasn't sure if regular paint would suffice but I think it will. I bought high temp paint that was supposed to be matte black but it really looks more like a fairly dark gray. So in the end I used the same paint I did on the rest of the housings. After about 15 minutes with the lights on (lens off) the paint didn't peel off or bubble so I'm hoping it stays that way.

Hope this information helps someone.

 

OP, I used this thread to do the headlights on my 2012 and it worked like a charm.....getting ready to put them back on tomorrow and then it's picture time. Mahalo (Thank you) for taking the time to do the write up.