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DIY: Unoffical Retro-Solutions Installation Guide

24K views 93 replies 39 participants last post by  RSX-CT 
#1 ·
I just got these and installed them and I thought I'd write up a DIY since when I was searching for one, I didn't find one. The cheap VVME installation guide is very similar and you can pretty much do it that way or the Aftermarket HID installation guide on the site. This is my first write-up so bear with me...


http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=518857&highlight=Retro-Solutions

or the CRSX one found here:
http://www.clubrsx.com/cr/SSIIAFHID.html

Tools:
Flathead screw driver
Phillips Head screw driver
Pliers
10mm socket + 8inch ratchet extension for the 10mm socket

Extra:
Padded double sided stick tape
Thin foam material
Electrical Tape
Solder

1. Take off the bumper, there's six clips on the top on the black grille mesh, then 6 on the bottom of the bumper (4 in the middle, one on each side near the wheel wells, 4 screws (2 on the left 2 on the right) on the bottom of the bumper and a one screw in the wheel well. The clips come out easily with a flat head screw driver.

The wheel well is somewhat harder to get at, the screw is straight upwards, getting it back in is worse.

Screw, theres 2 next to each other on each side.

Clip, 4 next to each other, 1 on each side near the wheel wells

Removed Bumper


2. Time to remove the light, there's two screws on the top, one is a self tapping screw from what it looks like, when you screw it back in be careful, I think I stripped mine. Then there's one on the side and one underneath the bulb where you need the 8 inch extension.




 
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#2 ·
3. Now that your lights are out, time to get the HID kit and start wiring it up. I missed some pics but the stuff to do is pretty obvious. Take off the rubber seal and unclip the bulb from the housing.


This pic was after I installed the light, unfortunately I didn't take a before, but just pull the seal off, there's nothing to tear so don't worry.

Pull out the light by popping the clip and take out the bulb. Then take the xenon bulb included and get rid of EVERYTHING on the bulb except for the x-clip, rubber seal and the actual bulb, don't touch the bulb, fingerprints will screw you over later and breaking the xenon bulb might be fatal...

Then just put the stock seal behind the new seal. Fit them together and place it back like how it was with the old bulb.


4. Now time to get back to the car and fit the ballasts. I couldn't find a spot to screw my ballasts into. The bottom of the housing of the lights don't work and I really didn't feel like drilling into the frame. This is where I used some foam double sided stick tape and the foam. I put mine in the bumper, used the tape stuck it on there, then used foam to absorb the shock... Plug the extra wires in that go to the power source to the ballast afterwards.


5. A lot of people choose to pull out the low beam wires and cut them and solder, I chose not to solder just in case if I ever had to bring it back and cover up what I did. I just took the prongs from the end of the wire and plugged it into the low beam harness. Black with black and Blue with the Red. I suggest bending the prongs slightly so they avoid slippage. Then I used electrical tape to hold the prongs in. A little ghetto but I put enough to make sure it wouldn't fall out.

 
#11 ·
good find for the ballasts mounting, but is there enough ventillation in there? don't the ballasts get alittle hot???
 
#12 · (Edited)
I don't see why there'd be a problem, the whole bumper is metal so they should conduct the heat away... Also, the bumper isn't a "cylinder." Part of one side is open allowing heat to vent out in that direction. Only thing that might worry me is the fact I put some foam there, but I've driven it with no problems so far. I'll let you guys know if I ever catch fire.

Now that I think of it, some people have actually custom mounted their ballasts to the bottom of their light housing. Example from this thread:

http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=538772&highlight=HID

And I believe most ballasts have shut off safeties to avoid damage to the ballast when to hot... In that case just use your high beam. So no worries... If you do it and you want to be truly safe, just make sure one side of the ballast is touching metal so heat is conducted away.
 
#14 ·
Wish I would have seen this before my install today. I put the hid rubber grommet on the outside of the stock grommet instead of the inside like your's since other hid write ups have done it that way. Hopefully it won't come back to bite me in the butt in the form of condensation.
 
#19 ·
Thanks for the reputation

As for the ballast replacement, its a funny story...

I got some double sided stick tape, I thought I got double sided stick tape with foam, I put it on, turns out it was velcro... The velcro seems to hold up pretty well, and like I said, I stuffed foam inside to stop it from bouncing around and moving too much. So whenever that ballast goes it'll be pretty easy. Just remove the foam and break the velcro's hold with a chisel.

As for pics, I'll get them when it stops raining and my driveway isn't ice.
 
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