Best HID kits and projector housings for KJ?

[KJ zGal]

Just wondered if anyone knew of any good HID kits or projector housings for the KJ. I'm looking into saving up for some new headlights because I'm kind of getting tired of being paranoid about not being able to see all the friggin' deer running ramped around here these days X.x

 

[Prospect62]

Just make sure you DO use a projector housing. I tried using HID's with my stock housings and it wasn't good (for everybody else on the road but me). They are bright as hell though.

 

[flair1111]

i want these IF there is a correct housing to use with them.

 

[KJ zGal]

Yeah, all I've found so far is a retrofitting kit, but it looks like it could work. I just wondered if there were any anybody knew of. I did find projector kits for the foglights at least.

 

[kb0nly]

I did the same searching... I found retrofit kits for Chrysler vehicles including the Jeep line. But it just uses the stock housing, so rather than getting a nice focused beam you just get an annoying amount of light for the oncoming traffic. Knowing how much i hate meeting people with those kits on the road i don't want to be on the other side of it.

I just ended up adding lighting, a pair of Hella 500FF's on the brush guard. I call them my deer lights!

 

[tjkj2002]

HID retro-fit kits are illegal.

 

[kb0nly]

HID retro-fit kits are illegal.

Really? Then how come the stores around here sell them? Seems to me if they are illegal to use then the would be illegal to sell. Like in MN you can't have a radar detector, and so stores can't sell them either.

 

[tjkj2002]

Really? Then how come the stores around here sell them? Seems to me if they are illegal to use then the would be illegal to sell. Like in MN you can't have a radar detector, and so stores can't sell them either.

They gave a little,itty-bitty disclaimer that reads "offroad use only".Just because they are illegal to use on the road doesn't mean that they can not sell them.Go to any auto parts stores and look in there Japanese vehicle so called "performance" section and you will see a bunch of illegal stuff labaled "offroad use only" on them.


Now depends on the cop but most will not bother with you unless they are in a bad mood.I'll tell you if you have one of those retro-fit kits and blind me your going to get a face full of my 650,000 candle power(each) KC HID spotlights in your face.

 

[KJ zGal]

I don't know that they're illegal around here because I see cars with them all the time and have never heard of them getting into any trouble with the cops. http://www.rsi-hid.com/product_p/rsiprojretro.htm Those are the ones I'm looking at, and then I also found some actual projector lenses for the foglights that aren't retro fitted. http://www.ipmart.com/main/product/02,05,JEEP,LIBERTY,PROJECTOR,FOG,LIGHTS,91149.php?prod=91149

 

[kb0nly]

I don't have HID and won't have HID, i simply don't like them. Too many stories about electrical fires and burnt out bulbs as well.

 

[blue_kjR417]

how would you go about installing those retrofit kits?

 

[Powerslave]

The retrofit kids are illegal in some states, BECAUSE, people are/were too lazy to re-aim their lights once they are installed. They are very bright, and stock lamps don't project them properly, so it looks like you have your high beams on. Most piggies won't bother you, but in PA, they will stop you for ANYTHING they know doesn't belong on the vehicle. The assembly for the HID is made so the light does NOT disperse all over the place, it is focused instead. Still, you can tell a HID driver a mile away, and is even more disturbing when coming up from behind, the BLUE light effect... There was much controversy over HID lighting, but it stuck anyway. You can buy regular 9007 bulbs that have the HID Look, but not the wattage and light dispersion rate. I don't like the stock lighting myself, the field of view is much more limited than what my Avenger had. Even with the high-beams on, you don't have the distance.

 

[KJ zGal]

I don't have HID and won't have HID, i simply don't like them. Too many stories about electrical fires and burnt out bulbs as well.

Umm...HID bulbs are a gas aren't they, so how can they burn out??

But anyway, yeah, my brother's 350z came stock with HID bulbs and the housings project them so they literally have a PERFECT cutoff line. Not having the housings is what'll get you in trouble because the light is a big blinding mess. I'll have to speak to my mechanic and see if he has any suggestions for how to actually go about installing the retrofitting kit, because I certainly have no idea. My brother doesn't think it would be too hard because the KJ's headlights are round and there's not a huge section of weird-shaped lens to fight off of them to get to the housings. But it certainly would be much easier if there were actual projector lenses for the headlights and not just the foglights. I like those retrofit kits though because they're the angel eyes kind =D

 

[kb0nly]

Umm...HID bulbs are a gas aren't they, so how can they burn out??

But anyway, yeah, my brother's 350z came stock with HID bulbs and the housings project them so they literally have a PERFECT cutoff line. Not having the housings is what'll get you in trouble because the light is a big blinding mess. I'll have to speak to my mechanic and see if he has any suggestions for how to actually go about installing the retrofitting kit, because I certainly have no idea. My brother doesn't think it would be too hard because the KJ's headlights are round and there's not a huge section of weird-shaped lens to fight off of them to get to the housings. But it certainly would be much easier if there were actual projector lenses for the headlights and not just the foglights. I like those retrofit kits though because they're the angel eyes kind =D

The balast usually overheats, catches fire, and POOF underhood fire. The bulbs might actually survive though.. LOL

The bulbs can fail also though, poorly made units loose their vacuum and air gets in and mixes and they won't light anymore.

 

[Powerslave]

Xenon gas (HID lights) are utilized in a similar fashion to that in halogen-filled light bulbs. Instead of employing a filament though, a high voltage electrical arc is created between electrodes and a collection of metal halide salts that are pressurized inside the bulb. This reaction creates the powerful illumination of high intensity lighting, up to and including 10k, where it takes on the bluish tone.

In very simple archaic, terms, think of the HID light as a small spark-plug, in a xenon gas filled, sealed environment, but there is no on/off of the spark, it is a constant electrical arc. When they were first designed, the lights would have taken several minutes to power up. Well, this was an unacceptable wait for driving, so they used an automotive electronic ballast to temporarily accelerate the electrical power delivery during warm ups, and for maintaining the lighting arc. Florescent bulbs also use this type of technology, as, there is no filament in a florescent bulb either, it is just pure electricity that illuminates the gas.

So, with the popularity of HIDs, it has spawned a sizable aftermarket in headlight "conversion" kits. It's important to note that the majority of these headlight kits are not approved by the Department of Transportation for road use. It is also recommended before installing any HID lighting in your vehicle, that you check with state transportation laws.

 

[tjkj2002]

The balast usually overheats, catches fire, and POOF underhood fire. The bulbs might actually survive though.. LOL

The bulbs can fail also though, poorly made units loose their vacuum and air gets in and mixes and they won't light anymore.

Glad my KC HID's have a 23 year warranty.

 

[kb0nly]

Glad my KC HID's have a 23 year warranty.

Really? Wow, thats a good warranty!

I know of a few kids around here that put HID kits into their "street rides", or what i like to call "ricers"...

One found out his lights wouldn't work one night, another had a weird smell one night driving around and then smoke everywhere, the high voltage power supply on his burnt up. His wasn't really a ballast like some have, his was a high voltage switching power supply, like the ones you see for those CCFL lights.

 

[tjkj2002]

Really? Wow, thats a good warranty!

I know of a few kids around here that put HID kits into their "street rides", or what i like to call "ricers"...

One found out his lights wouldn't work one night, another had a weird smell one night driving around and then smoke everywhere, the high voltage power supply on his burnt up. His wasn't really a ballast like some have, his was a high voltage switching power supply, like the ones you see for those CCFL lights.

All KC lights have that 23 year warranty.KJ has real world testing from the Baja 1000 and Dakar,they do not make headlight kits though and are only for offroad use.

 

[jnaut]

All KC lights have that 23 year warranty.KJ has real world testing from the Baja 1000 and Dakar,they do not make headlight kits though and are only for offroad use.

Never understood the KC warranty. What, 25 years was too much, 20 years too little. 23... that's juuuuuuust right.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

It depends on the vehicle.

On some vehicles (I don't know about the KJ, because I've ever seen a KJ with HIDs before) the light pattern, in the regular reflector lens isn't THAT bad with HIDs and is pretty close to stock. The WK is one of those vehicles. There's barely any glare and YES I HAVE seen it for myself. I didn't even do it until I saw another WK with the HIDs. Now a WJ... ugh... terrible. Nothing BUT glare. I followed my uncle in my Jeep for hundreds of miles to Myrtle Beach and he didn't have any complaints.

If you can find a projector system... that rules all, hands down.