BMW Projector Head Lamp Installation ??

[DatsunMotorSports]

Hey Yall

 

So Ive spent countless hours over the past year searching for a clean BMW projector install. I have not found a good writeup on the subject anywhere including Ratsun. Ive seen references to one once posted here, but it hasnt turned up. I would hate to start cutting into the lamps I bought only to mess them up and make them useless. I have a very clean set that Id love to use as a final install, but not a test subject. Most of the 510's I have seen that have these projectors are not adjustable. They installed them so that you cannot direct the beam. That doesnt fly with me.

 

2 posts down is the write-up.

Edited February 23, 2010 by DatsunMotorSports

[hang_510]

So Ive spent countless hours over the past year searching for a clean BMW projector install. I have not found a good writeup on the subject anywhere including Ratsun.

pretty sure there are a couple on the510realm...

 

i have not done it.

[DatsunMotorSports]

Or I could drop one of these F@#$in things on the ground and shatter the lens and reflector.

 

So here you go insta-write-up.

 

Take your projector lamp

 

Remove the chrome ring. It clips on. Just pull and it will come off. The lens is glued to the housing. It may fall off or need to be pried off. It may even need to be heated up and pried off.

 

Here is the hard part.

 

The adjuster mounts need to be removed. I have a small pneumatic saw. I cut them down to the base. You will not want to do this. Cut it back to the housing, but not all the way down to the base where the lens is glued. If you do it will not be snug in the housing and may rattle around. So leave to much and trim to fit snug.

 

Next grab your 510 or 521 adjuster plate.

 

I cut it down the center like so.

 

It fits over the projector housing

 

Re-install your lens and the 510 chrome ring.

 

Then just cut your backing plate that mounts to the car/truck to allow the projector housing to fit.

 

 

After much cursing and throwing of stuff around acting like a stripped-ass-ape - Done.

 

Pissed but done. Now I got to buy 1 projector light. lame

[ariascarlos1990]

Now are you still gonna have to beat the shit out of the wheel well like I seen another member do? or does it fit nice?

[DatsunMotorSports]

finished rig

[DatsunMotorSports]

Now are you still gonna have to beat the shit out of the wheel well like I seen another member do? or does it fit nice?

 

 

I just put both sets in. The Left side projector is loose as I broke the glass and cut it to much. The right side however is snug. Said side rubs the inner fender well. I have the original head light lamps to put in, but I have a HID kit that Im going to install instead. I think that if you want to be able to fit the bulb in there you may want to rub the inner fender away from the bulb area. It will not need beating to work. My car needs paint so Im going to work a small area around the bulb. I think 1/8" should be fine and I wont worry about the bulb touching the inner fender. This is just a preliminary fit though. I dont have the wire harness in so adjusting the head lights properly will have to wait. It is possible that the adjustments require more working of the inner fender. Depending on what tire/wheel combo you have you could have an issue I guess. I hit the floor/bulk head area on the back of the fender well long before I get close to the front inner fender well though. So unless your worried about where your feet are it doesnt sound like much of an issue. If your engine bay is painted however, you may have to prepare to repaint.

[ariascarlos1990]

Sweet! Get some pics up of them installed now. :D

[DatsunMotorSports]

like this:

 

Things are all apart right now so excuse the mess.

[72240z]

I the only one seeing an utter pic fail?

[DatsunMotorSports]

probably... lol

 

The pictures are hosted on my personal server with my home service internet. So if I get a lot of bandwidth going out, your browser times out before the pictures will ever load.

 

Here is a link direct to the source

http://datsunmotorsports.selfip.com/images/510%20pictures/bmw%20projector%20head%20lamps/

[qwik510]

probably... lol

 

The pictures are hosted on my personal server with my home service internet. So if I get a lot of bandwidth going out, your browser times out before the pictures will ever load.

 

Here is a link direct to the source

http://datsunmotorsports.selfip.com/images/510%20pictures/bmw%20projector%20head%20lamps/

 

 

Nice. I need to do this to mine soon.

 

Thanks for the photo writeup.

[JDM510]

one question... how come peopke dont run the projectors in the hi beam location and the thinner h4 housings in the driving light poistion this way you dont have the iner fender mess???

 

 

use the h4s for driving then in the canyons kick on the H.I.D.. thats what i think i would do either way thanks for the write up

[DatsunMotorSports]

I do not see why not. If your stock reversing the lights should work. I installed them how they came out of the BMW. If you have a large radiator or something like that the lights protrude far out into the engine bay. I think they are safer out on the sides personally. They are out of the way. But if you have the room I dont know why you couldnt.

[Thebandito]

so um hwere the pics xD lol sorry

[HRH]

Pics should show up now, threw them up off my website.

[Green Bastard]

Not sure why you guys are having to remove the lenses? Did you get them from a car like this?

 

 

All I ever had to do was cut the protruding plastic lumpys off the BMW housing, then enlarge the 510 headlight door.

The new headlight will adjust just like your old one did.

 

 

There was a writeup on the DQ eons ago on how to do this.

[DatsunMotorSports]

Not sure why you guys are having to remove the lenses? Did you get them from a car like this?

 

 

All I ever had to do was cut the protruding plastic lumpys off the BMW housing, then enlarge the 510 headlight door.

The new headlight will adjust just like your old one did.

 

 

There was a writeup on the DQ eons ago on how to do this.

 

 

Somebody asked me that question on the510realm.

The answer

 

In regards to the BMW light install, why did you find it necessary to remove the lens from the assembly? I was working on mine last night and didn't need to remove the lens.

 

 

So it doesnt break while you work on it. Just a precaution. One of mine simply fell out of the housing once the chrome ring was removed. Chances are others will to, so you might as well check to be sure.

 

Ray

[JDM510]

just picked up 2 sets of these im going to mod up a set and the set i dont use im going to throw up for sale maybe 75 for the 4 lights......

[jonesy510]

do these lights really make that big a difference?? i was thinking of doin this swap but my lights seem fine to me... but im probably missing out on some important information..

[sanitys]

do these lights really make that big a difference?? i was thinking of doin this swap but my lights seem fine to me... but im probably missing out on some important information..

 

 

This headlight mod, WITH the proper wiring/relays to handle the increased current greatly improves light output. I swapped out the highbeams for the bmw ones as well...

 

[jonesy510]

oo so instead of ok headlights with my saturn alt. upgrade i would have awesome headlights.... i might need to fine me a set haha

[JDM510]

yeah i have good stock lights but i love bright lights.... plus these look bitchen and i like the fact of being able to swap in a brighter bulb

 

 

like i said i just came up on 2 sets i will mod both sets witch ever i dont use i will sell for a great deal to make my money back that i paid for both sets

[jonesy510]

hmm pm me some pics when u plan on selling them.. u got me thinking about running these now haha

[JDM510]

so i got it all figured out and heres the set i wont be using if anyones interested ill take 75 local pick up and 100 shipped for all 4 due to size of the box with proper packing so if your interested shot me a PM

 

 

 

 

[510er]

okay silly question time... the rubber boot on the back of the lights goes to a tube... what is that for? Im doing this swap right now and i never saw the lights in the original car so im a bit confused ... :)