Ultimate guide for those considering Euro projector headlights - all the basics in one thread!

[danbfree]

I will definitely order directly from the website later down the road. I'll have to give myself some time to let this situation cool down first though.

Hey, fair enough... You were the one who ordered the black interior Depo, is that right? But since we are local to each other we can always meet up and check out each others rides too if you want to see how they work/look in person, just message me directly, I love to check out other FiST's in person...
Edit: OK, yeah, I see you ordered those back on page 3 and now you have the link to the black ones to order directly on their web site... I'd email Constantine and see if he can give you a clear timeline if you re-ordered from the web site directly, it does say 30 days handling for the special order black ones... but maybe an email directly first will give you an accurate ETA before ordering again...

 

[danbfree]

Well, I still wanted some more "pizzazz" since I didn't get the black interior ones and wish I did so I ordered some cheap carbon-fiber "look" eyebrows, let's hope they are worth the $35 and wait to get here..
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000296016347.html

Of course, you can ignore the part on good through 2017, they will fit the ones sold in the Americas through 2019...


And even MORE off topic, also ordered a couple of other things too for my b-day gift to myself, AliExpress can be too fun!

$70 for complete front and rear seat covers for my peasant base seats


Trim piece that almost appears is simply missing with the cutout on our hand brake for $4


Pedal cover set w/dead pedal for $14

 

[Alkoran]

Well, I still wanted some more "pizzazz" since I didn't get the black interior ones and wish I did so I ordered some cheap carbon-fiber "look" eyebrows, let's hope they are worth the $35 and wait to get here..
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000296016347.html

Of course, you can ignore the part on good through 2017, they will fit the ones sold in the Americas through 2019...
View attachment 28298

And even MORE off topic, also ordered a couple of other things too for my b-day gift to myself, AliExpress can be too fun!

$70 for complete front and rear seat covers for my peasant base seats
View attachment 28299

Trim piece that almost appears is simply missing with the cutout on our hand brake for $4
View attachment 28300

Pedal cover set w/dead pedal for $14
View attachment 28301

You'll be disappointed with the eyebrows, they fit like shit. They don't have an upper lip like the quality ones have so less area to stick to the light. Not to mention that they mine were distorted so I never was able to make them stick.

 

[danbfree]

You'll be disappointed with the eyebrows, they fit like shit. They don't have an upper lip like the quality ones have so less area to stick to the light. Not to mention that they mine were distorted so I never was able to make them stick.

OK, if they are garbage I'l get my money back out of it, thanks for the warning! I've raised hell with cheap crap from there before and gotten full refunds... I'll look for the different style too... Edit: I think I see what you mean, I wanted very slim style but I see how other designs look thicker but they just have the upper lip that hides under the hood, is that what you mean?
Like this?: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000209418597.html

 

[Alkoran]

OK, if they are garbage I'l get my money back out of it, thanks for the warning! I've raised hell with cheap crap from there before and gotten full refunds... I'll look for the different style too... Edit: I think I see what you mean, I wanted very slim style but I see how other designs look thicker but they just have the upper lip that hides under the hood, is that what you mean?
Like this?: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000209418597.html

Yep, exactly. But I'd still be wary that the eyebrows themselves have too much of a twist to have a good adherence to the light. Maybe a better double tape might help, or maybe they will be a better quality than the first ones.

 

[CarGuy]

My question would be why limit you headlight output by cutting off some of that output and for simple aesthetics? Seems kind of dumb to me but to each his own.

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[danbfree]

My question would be why limit you headlight output by cutting off some of that output and for simple aesthetics? Seems kind of dumb to me but to each his own.

Please clarify, projectors simply have a clean cutoff so you can illuminate right up to the average drivers sight level without blinding them. Because the cutoff is so clean, you can go much brighter and get some natural touch of glare from being so bright, but still main light being perfectly cutoff a not to blind. Especially with the Euro cutoff, you get that light angling up to see pedestrians better than DOT projector cutoff too, so Euro projectors are the best of both worlds.... reflectors have cutoffs too, just done in a cheaper way that limits how bright of a bulb you can go before you add too much added natural glare and blind people.

BUT, I didn't know this until recently, there is a reason why all the Euro's have that motorized leveling feature, it's actually *required* in Europe... too bad we can't even really use it, we would have to hack our dash to fit the complete different shape Euro light switch AND add their wiring harness (or custom wiring shown earlier here) AND likely also have to have the capability in the BCM of the computer, so sadly it's *probably* nearly impossible to do... Imagine how cheap euro projectors would be without all the auto leveling stuff having to be sold built in to them! I do notice that with them not even hooked up, just having the gyroscope part of them built in gives you some "bounce" stabilization from our stiff suspensions.

 

[Alkoran]

Please clarify, projectors simply have a clean cutoff so you can illuminate right up to the average drivers sight level without blinding them. Because the cutoff is so clean, you can go much brighter and get some natural touch of glare from being so bright, but still main light being perfectly cutoff a not to blind. Especially with the Euro cutoff, you get that light angling up to see pedestrians better than DOT projector cutoff too, so Euro projectors are the best of both worlds.... reflectors have cutoffs too, just done in a cheaper way that limits how bright of a bulb you can go before you add too much added natural glare and blind people.

BUT, I didn't know this until recently, there is a reason why all the Euro's have that motorized leveling feature, it's actually *required* in Europe... too bad we can't even really use it, we would have to hack our dash to fit the complete different shape Euro light switch AND add their wiring harness (or custom wiring shown earlier here) AND likely also have to have the capability in the BCM of the computer, so sadly it's *probably* nearly impossible to do... Imagine how cheap euro projectors would be without all the auto leveling stuff having to be sold built in to them! I do notice that with them not even hooked up, just having the gyroscope part of them built in gives you some "bounce" stabilization from our stiff suspensions.

I think he simply meant diminish light output/performance with the eyebrows.

 

[danbfree]

I think he simply meant diminish light output/performance with the eyebrows.

LOL, OK, that makes more sense... I don't see this cutting off anything with a projector, other than maybe some of the obvious Euro upward angling, maybe, and helping with only un-wanted excess glare from bad HID's or LED's in reflectors... But, good idea to double check, I'll take before and after shots, I ordered the $25 ones with the upper lip and will take a few weeks to get here.

 

[danbfree]

Yep, exactly. But I'd still be wary that the eyebrows themselves have too much of a twist to have a good adherence to the light. Maybe a better double tape might help, or maybe they will be a better quality than the first ones.

And you are referring to using the eyebrows on Euro's, right? The reflectors are curved slightly differently... But if it doesn't come with 3M tape (some cheap import stuff actually does), then I'll test fit without adhesive first and if they don't match up just right I'll push for a refund, if they do fit perfect, then I'll do some decent prp with alcohol and use good adhesive.

 

[Alkoran]

Nope, I should have specified the USDM headlights. May be it will fit better on Euro lights, who knows. You should try to fit yours on both lights to see the difference.

Here's what I bought last year, they are still laying around in my shed. I'll try some Gorilla Tape or 3M stuff this summer. May be a little bit of heat will help, I dunno.

 

[CarGuy]

I think he simply meant diminish light output/performance with the eyebrows.

Exactly. I mean it seems you'd be cutting out the light output nearest the top of the headlight which is what should aim furthest down the road. I will be curious to see some night time before and after photos.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[danbfree]

Nope, I should have specified the USDM headlights. May be it will fit better on Euro lights, who knows. You should try to fit yours on both lights to see the difference.

Here's what I bought last year, they are still laying around in my shed. I'll try some Gorilla Tape or 3M stuff this summer. May be a little bit of heat will help, I dunno. View attachment 28330

OK, thanks for clarifying, I was able to cancel the other, like yours, and found the other one even cheaper but with the upper lip for adherence actually under the lip of the hood on top of the headlights, and we'll see how it affects output...

 

[danbfree]

Exactly. I mean it seems you'd be cutting out the light output nearest the top of the headlight which is what should aim furthest down the road. I will be curious to see some night time before and after photos.

OK, makes sense... I personally don't think it will cut output, but fair enough concern so I promise I'll report back when I get them with some pics and we'll see.

 

[averyislost]

Have any of you guys noticed your LED light bar flickering when the car is running?
With the car running, I get some flicker from both sides with the headlights on and in the parking light mode. However, with the engine off and the lights on, I don't have any flicker. It seems like maybe there is a voltage issue with the car running as if the LED's are getting too much or not enough power. For reference, I moved the pin to the LOW position and I don't have it wired yet where the lights come on with the car powered on.

Could this be a battery issue? I do take several short trips a week and AFAIK I am on the original 2015 battery, however, I have no issues starting the car or running other accessories (subwoofer, radar detector)

 

[jimbobillybob]

so finally got around to putting the bulbs into mine and noticed one of the assembly attachment points popped out and for the life of me I can get it to go back in. any recommendations?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[Jensen567]

Good needle nose pliers, flexible fingers, and perseverance. If you go back to like page 3 or so I had a similar problem. Took me probably over an hour of fiddling with it but I eventually got it back on. You will have to use what feels like unreasonable force to pop that ball joint back in. I think I actually pulled the whole optic assembly backwards by the cutoff plate inside, which felt super sketchy, but amazingly I didn't bend anything or leave visible finger prints inside the housings.

Of course, I only realized that was my aiming issue after I spent a bunch of time figuring out how the leveling motors worked.

 

[jimbobillybob]

Good needle nose pliers, flexible fingers, and perseverance. If you go back to like page 3 or so I had a similar problem. Took me probably over an hour of fiddling with it but I eventually got it back on. You will have to use what feels like unreasonable force to pop that ball joint back in. I think I actually pulled the whole optic assembly backwards by the cutoff plate inside, which felt super sketchy, but amazingly I didn't bend anything or leave visible finger prints inside the housings.

Of course, I only realized that was my aiming issue after I spent a bunch of time figuring out how the leveling motors worked.

thanks man haha. yeah I was pulling on it hard as hell and it was sketching me out that I was gonna break something. I'll give it another go later


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[danbfree]

Have any of you guys noticed your LED light bar flickering when the car is running?
With the car running, I get some flicker from both sides with the headlights on and in the parking light mode. However, with the engine off and the lights on, I don't have any flicker. It seems like maybe there is a voltage issue with the car running as if the LED's are getting too much or not enough power. For reference, I moved the pin to the LOW position and I don't have it wired yet where the lights come on with the car powered on.

Could this be a battery issue? I do take several short trips a week and AFAIK I am on the original 2015 battery, however, I have no issues starting the car or running other accessories (subwoofer, radar detector)

Yeah, it can be picky, mine used to do it until I also added the 2nd power wire for auto high/low switching, that definitely helped... But my brake/tail light LED's flicker while the engine is running at idle, so our electric system is basic without CANBUS so can be easy to is induce electrical noise/flicker in those auxiliary lights.

 

[danbfree]

Exactly. I mean it seems you'd be cutting out the light output nearest the top of the headlight which is what should aim furthest down the road. I will be curious to see some night time before and after photos.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Confirmed with UK guy with big ol' brows on his that it only cuts off the very tip of the upward euro cutoff spikes and reduces glare while giving full viewing distance... Sadly mine haven't even shipped yet, of tat list of goodies I ordered off AliExpres, only the pedal set and hand brake trim piece have even shipped... Still waiting on the seat covers, brows, and a smartwatch I ordered to ship and they might not and auto-cancel soon... sigh.