Owner of the 2012 Liberty, Hunter Marcuson has come up with quite a few crazy ideas for his Jeep, and I have helped bring some of those ideas to life. With that being said, we decided to do something a little crazier than the previous set of headlights.
The Idea: Turning stock halogen headlamps into a Dual HID projector setup.
The Components: (All purchased from The Retrofit Source)
- FX-R 3.0 Bi-xenon projector, used as main beam.
- Morimoto Matchbox Bi-xenon projector, used as auxiliary fog lamp. (Contact TRS)
- Morimoto 5Five - 50 watt Ballasts, for main beam.
- Morimoto 3Five - 35 watt Ballasts, for auxiliary fog lamp.
- Morimoto Motoconrol harness for both lighting circuits.
- TRS Panamara shrouds for FX-R main beam.
- TRS Mini-Gatling Gun shrouds for Morimoto Matchbox aux. lamps.
- Morimoto 5Five, 6000k D2S bulbs for Main Beam.
- Morimoto 3Five, 3000k H1 bulbs for Fog Lamp.
- Morimoto XB LED Angel Eyes, 100mm - Amber.
Making it Work: Anyone can have a fancy parts list, but how about making the parts work as one?
Let's get started. . .
- Preheat the oven to 220°F
- Wrap your headlamp in a dry beach towel to avoid any burning, and place it in the oven.
- Set a timer for 29 minutes.
- Remove the headlamp from the oven after 29 minutes and start removing the Lens from the housing. (Use of large suction cups and plastic putty knives worked well)
- Remove the main reflector by loosening the adjustment screw on the rear of the housing, unscrew any accessible retainers inside the housing.
- One retainer screw is inaccessible from the inside. You will need to drill through the rear of the housing in order to access it with a long Phillips screwdriver.
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- Remove the fog reflector by loosening the adjuster and pulling the reflector outward.
- Using a 3 inch hole saw, begin cutting a hole in the main reflector to make-way for the FX-R projector.
- Test fit the projector, if you have any trouble with clearance, use a Dremel with a sanding attachment.
- Once the projector fits, attach screws and various-sized spacers (for shroud clearance) and mount to the reflector.
- After the projector is mounted to the original reflector and alignment is perfect, mask the lens off and begin to paint. (Prep work is key. Clean all surfaces with alcohol, scuff surfaces with 2000 grit sandpaper.)
- Let the paint dry for several hours to avoid smudging and/or ruining the finish.
- While the main beam is drying, start painting the shrouds.
- Peel the tape off and admire the results!
- Once your shrouds are dry, attach their transparent inserts using small screws.
- Using Clear, High-Temp Silicone, attach the XB LED Halos to each screw inside the Panamera Shrouds. Apply pressure and let them dry.
- Once dry, run a quick bench test.
- Apply Hi-Temp adhesive to the rear of the XB Halo Rings to ensure a secure bond between the projector, and the shroud.
- With my builds, it's all about the details. Here's where I paint the chrome retainers around the FX-R's Lens.
- Mount the shroud onto the projector, paying close attention to proper shroud alignment.
- Reinstall the Main Beam projector into the housing. (Installation is the inverse-equivalent of Disassembly.)
- Begin the modification of the fog lamp reflector. Using a 2.25 inch hole saw, cut a hole in the reflector to make way for the Morimoto Matchbox Projector.
- Once the hole is made, the projector will fit perfectly. Mount the projector using two machine screws/nuts with washers.
- Remove the Matchbox's lens, paying close attention to the small screws, nuts, and spacers that go together. Mask off the reflector bowl, and paint. (Again with the prep-work..)
- Install the Mini-Gatling Gun shrouds onto the Matchbox Projectors.
- Using the 3 inch hole saw, cut through the rear of the housing in order to clear the new fog projectors.
- Reinstall the new fog lamps.
- Remember the large, aesthetic shroud attached to the stock headlamp lens? We need that now... Use a heat gun and soften the sealant holding the shroud in place.
- Separate the shroud from the lens.
- Prep and paint the shroud.
- Insert the shroud into the lens.
- Apply OCI Butyl Rubber Glue to the original sealant channels within the housing.
- Blow the housing out, removing dust via compressed air. (Compressed air in a can is a great alternative.)
- Using C-clamps with rubber boots, install the lens/shroud assembly onto the housing by applying even pressure. You will need to heat the sealant via oven, or heat gun... It's your call.
- Install the bulbs.
- Once the front of the headlamp assembly is sealed, start sealing the rear. (foil tape was used to seal the fog projector as there was no other way to seal.)
- Remember the hole we drilled to get the Main Reflector out? Yeah, that needs to be sealed too.
- Clean everything off and admire your hard work!
- Perform a rough aim/adjustment of the new headlamp. (This will make your life a little easier when they're on the Jeep.)
- Install the Headlamps, Wiring harnesses, Ballasts, Connect everything, etc. Turn them on, and you'll only want to drive at night!
Disclaimer
This retrofit is for those with a very advanced skill-set. Do not attempt unless you are experienced and feel that you are able to conquer the task. This will void any warranty the vehicle may have. I recommend purchasing an aftermarket, OEM-comparable set of headlamps to do this retrofit on (This way, you can keep a stock set). I am not held liable for any damage to your vehicle, or safety related issues. Improperly retrofitted headlamps pose a night driving safety risk, keep that in mind.
About the Builder
I am Jon Griffin, I am currently attending NASCAR Technical Institute and currently have a little over two years of experience in the automotive field (primarily in GM, Mitsubishi and Chrysler dealerships). I am an automotive lighting fanatic and retrofit headlights as a side job. Please contact me with any questions you may have. Also, if you live anywhere near the Charlotte NC area, I would be happy to perform a retrofit on any vehicle. Shoot me an email or PM me on here.
Email: JonGriffin94@Gmail.com
Please let me know what you think, all comments and questions are appreciated!
Email: JonGriffin94@Gmail.com
Please let me know what you think, all comments and questions are appreciated!
