HOW TO…. Convert projector headlights to UK standard + fit

[djmarcopolo]

This is a guide to convert the easily available LHD projector headlights

Most projector headlight conversions online are made for the american market, the units are standard worldwide, just the beam is dispersed in the opposite way.
The headlights for the RHD market are around £320 yet the LHD are around £140

To convert these headlights you will need

A phillips screwdriver
Tube of mastic/bathroom sealer
Drill + bit
6 yellow male spade connectors
Crimps
Wire cutters
electrical tape
4 blue scotch locks
A bit of patience
A second person to help at the critical time

To start strip all the bulbs and cables from the back

Unscrew and remove all the bulb holders from the back of the lenses

Now stripped, wind the main beam lense in as far as it will go, this will give you room to manouveur the parts on the other lense while its apart

When you look into the main headlight lense you will see the beam disperse plate inside, it is held in place with 2 screws between the lense and the bulb holder. it looks strange as its on the bottom of the light but because the beam is going through a lense like a crystal ball, everything you see through it will look upside down

To undo the lense without seperating the light unit you will need to drill 4 small holes big enough to get your screwdriver through

The diffuser is held by the bottom 2 screws, so firstly undo the top one furthest away from the main beam lamp.
IMPORTANT
carefully wind it out until you feel the thread jumping when it has got to the end of the thread, then wind it back in 3 complete turns so it wont fall apart.
Then another other 2 can be taken out, be careful not to lose them inside as they can be a nightmare to get out if they drop in.

The final screw should be the bottom one nearest the main beam lense. undo it until you are nearly at the end of the thread, turn it so the headlight is pointing up and let the final screw go and drop out the bottom, gently tilt the light so the main beam lense is going lower and you will see the plate start to drop out, try and catch it and get it out of the unit

Again, this is a nightmare if it goes off into the case as it tends to get stuck behind things and you have to shake the life out of it to get it out

The diffuser plate is now out.

This is where patience and other person comes into play

Use the adjuster on the lense to tilt it towards the main beam lamp

Now using your fingers slide the plate back in, in the opposite way it came out so the beam diffuser will be at the opposite way when fitted. once you have slid it in between the lense and the bulb holder turn the light upside down and hold above you, this way gravity will help hold it all in place and then after a while you will be able to position the plate back to the nearest hole to the main beam and then gently move the lense above so all the holes line up.
While holding it in position get the second person to hold the unit as steady as possible, then get a screw and put it into the hole and get a few turns on so it wont come apart.

THAT IS THE TRICKY PART DONE !!

While the lense is still loose with 2 screws holding it together put the screwdriver in through the bulb hole and manouveur the plate to line up with the other bottom hole, pass back to the other person to hold again and do that screw up and then put the final screw back in and tighten all of them up.

THATS IT, JUST PUT THEM ALL BACK TOGETHER HOW YOU TOOK THEM APART.

FITTING

park the car facing a wall or if you cant then 2 wheely bins or the side of a van is ok, you will see why shortly

See the how to….. remove the bumper in this section.
http://www.uk-mx3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3466

Remove the bumper and lower to the floor, no need to remove electrics etc unless you are doing other work

before removing the old headlights, turn them on facing the wall etc or wheely bins like I have done, using a permanent marker mark the light pattern where it goes from flat level and disperses left

Cut the plugs off that are supplied with the projectors and replace with yellow male spade connectors

Remove the old headlight, undo the cap on the rear and unconnect the block that fits to the bulb leaving all the wire intact

Push the spade connectors into the block
( this saves cutting the cars harness so you can put back as standard if required with no extra work)
Lights - Car
Black to Black - earth
Blue to Red - Headlights
Red to Green - Main Beams

Hold all the wiring together and wrap in electrical tape as best to keep water out.

Before bolting each light in they need adjusting, turn lights on and push the light into position
Check to see where the beam pattern is on the bin/wall etc
Adjust the head light so the beam pattern matches the old pattern you marked out and repeat for both headlights
( this saves going to a garage and paying for them to be adjusted )

Now fit in and put back, if you have built in side lights like mine has, the leads coming out of the body to the indicators below will need the side light leads connecting with scotch locks, the plain black lead is earth and the single red wire is to the side lights, just scotch lock these together, if you dont want the standard lights to work, just remove the bulbs this saves tampering with the cars harness and can be put back to original

Thats it
Lights fitted and good for use in the UK