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HID projectors in 7X6s

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by cr500taco, Aug 23, 2013.

  1. Aug 23, 2013 at 2:40 PM
    #1
    cr500taco

    cr500taco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Has anyone done a HID projector retrofit in 7X6 housings on their Tacoma? I am going to be retrofitting projectors into 7X6 conversion headlights on my 97 Tacoma. I already have the conversions that I am going to be using. I am looking into getting the FX-R, Mini H1 or Mini D2S and I am wondering if there's room for the FX-R, since that is the one I prefer to get. Measurements of the finished product from front of the 7X6 lens to the rear of the projector including the bulb socket will be helpful.
     
  2. Aug 23, 2013 at 3:08 PM
    #2
    stikle

    stikle Well-Known Member

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    Eh, see my Build Thread sig link. Too many mods to list.
    Yep...
     
  3. Aug 24, 2013 at 12:41 PM
    #3
    cr500taco

    cr500taco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Looks good. Do you know what the overall measurement of the finished product is from the front of the lenses to the rear of the projectors including the sockets? How much room do you have between the sockets, battery and intake? Do you have the stock intake? Just wondering if FX-Rs will fit.

    Are those the regular Gatling Gun shrouds or the Mini Gatling guns?

    My truck looks very similar to yours, color and trim wise. I am debating if I want to paint the reflectors and shrouds black or not, but after seeing yours, I think that I won't.
     
  4. Aug 25, 2013 at 9:10 AM
    #4
    stikle

    stikle Well-Known Member

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    Eh, see my Build Thread sig link. Too many mods to list.
    From the rear of the bulb to the front of the housing cover is just about 6". So maybe 5.5-5.75" to the front of the projector lens. It's pretty close, and I had to do a little extra grinding on the housing to get the projector to drop down enough to get the housing cover back on properly. Don't forget to take into account the bulb wires coming out. You can't bend them 90 degrees, so there's a little room there.

    I've got a stock intake, and there's a fair amount of room on that side.

    [​IMG]

    Not so much on the driver side since that's where the battery is.

    [​IMG]

    My understanding is that the FXRs are a bit bigger so I don't think you'll have any luck with those.

    Those are the Mini Gatling shrouds. They are secured by screws right to the projector, which I thought was nice. Didn't have to figure out how to glue them to the reflector or anything.

    The one thing I would point out is with the H1 kit, there are a couple of ridges on the back of the projector lens. Make sure those are level horizontally when you're cutting and mounting. If you don't have them really level then your cutoffs will be borked. I should have been more careful with mine but I got lucky and they were close.

    It also seemed to work good to use heat resistant metal tape (like for a water heater) to tape the lens to the housing during the pre-JB Weld testing and fitting phase.
     
  5. Aug 25, 2013 at 11:41 AM
    #5
    cr500taco

    cr500taco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the pics. Looks like, I might be stuck with the Mini H1. I was hoping the FX-R would fit, since it has better performance. Thought about moving the battery to the space above the passenger wheel well to make room for the FX-R because the projector is a little longer depth wise, but I don't know if it will be worth the work. Plus I am thinking of doing a dual battery setup in the future, then I will need the battery in the stock location, anyway.

    Are your Mini H1's the 6.0? I just looked at the TRS webite at the depth dimensions of the projectos. The FX-R projectors are only less than 1/4" longer than the Mini H1's. So, according to your pics looks like that the FX-R will fit.

    Thanks again, for all of your help.
     
  6. Aug 25, 2013 at 8:17 PM
    #6
    cr500taco

    cr500taco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    BTW meant to ask you, how is the performance of the Mini H1 both low and high especially for back road driving? Also, which bulbs are you using?
     
  7. Aug 27, 2013 at 1:12 PM
    #7
    stikle

    stikle Well-Known Member

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    Eh, see my Build Thread sig link. Too many mods to list.
    I'm not sure. It wasn't that long ago, so if that's what's currently on the site then I'd guess yes.

    Here's what my invoice says:

    Oh, that also brings a couple things to mind: You need the H4/9003 harness, 35w is plenty, and spend the $10 on the re-sealing glue. You'll have a TON leftover, but better to use the right stuff. And get one of these as well so that your High Beam indicator works.

    Also, before resealing your housings, wipe EVERYTHING down with isopropyl alcohol to get rid of fingerprints, and particles of <stuff>.

    I went with the 6000K bulbs, as I personally like the look of the bluish white. I can't really see the blue in these, but they're certainly quite bright. I know that the higher the Kelvin rating the lower the lumens, but it's still ok by me. I live in Portland, so haven't had a lot of opportunity to do back road non-streetlight lit driving....yet. That may change this weekend. If I have the opportunity, I'll try and take a picture or two.
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2013
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  8. Aug 27, 2013 at 3:11 PM
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    cr500taco

    cr500taco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Yep, it might be the Mini H1 6.0, you got.

    Thanks again for the info.
     
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  9. Aug 27, 2013 at 3:51 PM
    #9
    cr500taco

    cr500taco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Oh and the output shots will be great if you get the opportunity.

    I do also like the blueish color of the 6000Ks. My HID bike lights are 6000K and the color of the light doesn't bother me while mountain biking at night.
     
  10. Sep 2, 2013 at 1:39 PM
    #10
    cr500taco

    cr500taco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Has anyone retrofitted the FX-Rs in 7X6 housings?
     
  11. Jan 9, 2014 at 12:29 PM
    #11
    stikle

    stikle Well-Known Member

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    Eh, see my Build Thread sig link. Too many mods to list.
    Did you ever end up doing a retrofit?
     
  12. Jan 13, 2014 at 10:27 AM
    #12
    cr500taco

    cr500taco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Not yet. I think that I have decided not to attempt retrofitting the FX-Rs and just get one of the Mini projectors. With my measurements, to make the FX-R fit, I will need to either get a smaller battery or move it back a little, which should give them enough room on the driver's side. I have a K&N intake kit, so right now they will not fit, unless I either modify the kit somehow or get a shorter air filter, which I was told by K&N might possibly ruin the performance, or replace the K&N with the stock intake which will give the projectors enough room. I will need to do something with the intake either way to make any of the projectors fit. I was waiting for TRS to come out with their new Mini D2S 3.0, which are are suppose to be their best performing Mini projectors, but not quite as good as the FX-Rs to see the dimensions of the projectors. Now that they are available, I am going to wait to see the reviews on them and how they compare, performance wise to the FX-Rs and the other Mini projectors.
     

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