Retrofited headlights
02-05-2014, 06:26 AM
#1
Retrofited headlights
Over the weekend, I decided to tear apart my headlights and make some retrofits. I find it upsetting that no one sells aftermarket headlights for our cars! Well, it's not that hard to do and I found it fairly simple.
1. Take off your front bumper (videos on youtube)
2. Take your headlights off (youtube as well)
3. Set your over at 235 degrees (put rack on bottom shelf and line with aluminum foil)
*Side note: Remove the 2 small phillips screws on the back edge of the headlight*
4. Cook one headlight at a time for about 12 minutes. (I put the lens on the rack. I also did not take off wiring harnesses or bulbs!)
5. Remove headlight with a dry towel. Use a small flat head screw driver or 1" putty knife and pry along all edges that have sealant along them. (Pulls apart really easy this way.
6. Once it is pulled apart, remove all screws holding the cover inside the lens. Tape off the clear piece over the fog light and tape off your side marker (If you still want the factory look). Also, remove the piece on the main headlight that goes over the fog light.
7. Sand al the chrome you want painted with 2000 grit sand paper so that the paint will stick.
8. Use 2 coats of primer. (I used automotive dark grey primer)
9. 3 coats of paint. (I used gloss black engine enamel)
*Side note: You can do clear coat as well. 3 coats. I did not. I was satisfied with the paint itself!*
10. Let it dry for 24 hours.
11. Put all the pieces back into place.
12. Buy black sealant from autozone and put more sealant around the headlight so you get a factory seal.
13. Place the main headlight in the over for about 9 minutes at 235 degress so that the sealant softens and you cc\an press it back together easily.
14. MAKE SURE ALL CLIPS POP BACK INTO PLACE!!
15. You're done! Reinstall headlights and bumper.
16. Admire your work!
***Halo ring simple write up***
Align them how you want with the wire facing where you plan to drill your hole. I used Gorilla Super Glue to hold mine in place. After that dried, I drilled my holes and pulled the wires through.Use the black sealant and make sure to completely seal the hole around the wire. Then just wire your halos to a switch inside your car. Thats it! You can splice them into your headlights but then you have no control of whether you want them on or not. I just bought a switch from ace hardware and it fit perfectly in the slot beside my steering wheel heat button. PERFECTLY! Thats all!
Before:
After:
I'm very satisfied with my work!!!
1. Take off your front bumper (videos on youtube)
2. Take your headlights off (youtube as well)
3. Set your over at 235 degrees (put rack on bottom shelf and line with aluminum foil)
*Side note: Remove the 2 small phillips screws on the back edge of the headlight*
4. Cook one headlight at a time for about 12 minutes. (I put the lens on the rack. I also did not take off wiring harnesses or bulbs!)
5. Remove headlight with a dry towel. Use a small flat head screw driver or 1" putty knife and pry along all edges that have sealant along them. (Pulls apart really easy this way.
6. Once it is pulled apart, remove all screws holding the cover inside the lens. Tape off the clear piece over the fog light and tape off your side marker (If you still want the factory look). Also, remove the piece on the main headlight that goes over the fog light.
7. Sand al the chrome you want painted with 2000 grit sand paper so that the paint will stick.
8. Use 2 coats of primer. (I used automotive dark grey primer)
9. 3 coats of paint. (I used gloss black engine enamel)
*Side note: You can do clear coat as well. 3 coats. I did not. I was satisfied with the paint itself!*
10. Let it dry for 24 hours.
11. Put all the pieces back into place.
12. Buy black sealant from autozone and put more sealant around the headlight so you get a factory seal.
13. Place the main headlight in the over for about 9 minutes at 235 degress so that the sealant softens and you cc\an press it back together easily.
14. MAKE SURE ALL CLIPS POP BACK INTO PLACE!!
15. You're done! Reinstall headlights and bumper.
16. Admire your work!
***Halo ring simple write up***
Align them how you want with the wire facing where you plan to drill your hole. I used Gorilla Super Glue to hold mine in place. After that dried, I drilled my holes and pulled the wires through.Use the black sealant and make sure to completely seal the hole around the wire. Then just wire your halos to a switch inside your car. Thats it! You can splice them into your headlights but then you have no control of whether you want them on or not. I just bought a switch from ace hardware and it fit perfectly in the slot beside my steering wheel heat button. PERFECTLY! Thats all!
Before:
After:
I'm very satisfied with my work!!!
02-05-2014, 11:25 AM
#3
That looks pretty sick. Nice write up. Should be stickied. Also recommend you list parts and tools seperate from the steps to clean it up a bit. Also request to know where you got them and what brand of halos those are?
02-05-2014, 03:14 PM
#5
No I used the factory projectors. I was satisfied with them.
Parts list:
Flat blade putty knife
basic screw drivers
Primer
Paint
Black silicone sealant
Super glue
Electrical wiring
Switch
2000 grit sand paper
Painters tape
My halo rings were from eBay. I didn't use ccfls because they burn out often and I didn't want to pay 200 for them. So I ordered led ones from another country. Took about 3 weeks to get to me but I was fine with that since I paid 56 bucks!!
Parts list:
Flat blade putty knife
basic screw drivers
Primer
Paint
Black silicone sealant
Super glue
Electrical wiring
Switch
2000 grit sand paper
Painters tape
My halo rings were from eBay. I didn't use ccfls because they burn out often and I didn't want to pay 200 for them. So I ordered led ones from another country. Took about 3 weeks to get to me but I was fine with that since I paid 56 bucks!!
02-05-2014, 10:13 PM
#6
No I used the factory projectors. I was satisfied with them.
Parts list:
Flat blade putty knife
basic screw drivers
Primer
Paint
Black silicone sealant
Super glue
Electrical wiring
Switch
2000 grit sand paper
Painters tape
My halo rings were from eBay. I didn't use ccfls because they burn out often and I didn't want to pay 200 for them. So I ordered led ones from another country. Took about 3 weeks to get to me but I was fine with that since I paid 56 bucks!!
Parts list:
Flat blade putty knife
basic screw drivers
Primer
Paint
Black silicone sealant
Super glue
Electrical wiring
Switch
2000 grit sand paper
Painters tape
My halo rings were from eBay. I didn't use ccfls because they burn out often and I didn't want to pay 200 for them. So I ordered led ones from another country. Took about 3 weeks to get to me but I was fine with that since I paid 56 bucks!!
02-14-2014, 08:34 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,132
Looks really good, but Red up front, you're probably going to get a ticket at some point down the road...Orange/white up front, Red in the back, and no blue lights anywhere outside the car, look too much like an impersonated cop.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
doctorpullit
8th Generation Maxima (2016-)
21
10-28-2019 10:58 PM
trsandrew
7th Generation Maxima (2009-2015)
17
04-08-2016 06:45 PM
trsandrew
Group Deals / Sponsors Forum
2
10-25-2015 02:47 PM
Dennis Twohy
1st & 2nd Generation Maxima (1981-1984 and 1985-1988)
0
10-01-2015 06:01 PM